Intel Core i3-10110Y vs Intel Core i5-5300U Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Core i3-10110Y and Intel Core i5-5300U are both dual-core, four-thread mobile processors, but the recorded benchmark data shows a clear and consistent winner. The Core i3-10110Y wins every single head-to-head benchmark in the database, with margins ranging from 15.2% to 15.6% across the Cinebench suite. If you are choosing between these two strictly on performance, the Core i3-10110Y is the pick. It delivers higher multi-core and single-core scores in every recorded test, and it does so while drawing a lower thermal design power of 9 watts compared to the i5-5300U's 15 watts. The i5-5300U, however, is an end-of-life product with a 2015 release date, while the i3-10110Y is an active product from 2019. For anyone building or upgrading a system today, the i3-10110Y is the more sensible choice because it is newer, faster in every measured workload, and more power-efficient. The i5-5300U only makes sense if you already own a socket or system that requires it, specifically the Intel BGA 1168 platform, and you cannot move to the newer BGA 1440 socket.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and microarchitectures. The Core i3-10110Y is built on the Comet Lake architecture with the codename Comet Lake-Y, and it belongs to the 10th generation Core series. The Core i5-5300U is built on the Broadwell architecture with the codename Broadwell-U, and it belongs to the 5th generation Core series. Both are manufactured on Intel's 14 nm process node, so the underlying transistor size is the same. The i5-5300U has a listed transistor count of 1,300 million and a die size of 82 mm², while the i3-10110Y does not have recorded transistor or die size data in the database.

Cache configurations differ as well. Both chips have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache, however, is larger on the i3-10110Y: 4 MB shared, compared to 3 MB shared on the i5-5300U. That extra 1 MB of L3 cache likely contributes to the newer chip's consistent performance advantage, especially in single-threaded workloads where cache latency matters.

Memory support is identical in type: both support DDR3. The i5-5300U additionally lists a dual-channel memory bus with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the i3-10110Y does not have memory bus or bandwidth data recorded. The i5-5300U also has PCIe Gen 2 with 12 lanes (CPU only), while the i3-10110Y has no PCIe data listed. Both have integrated graphics: the i3-10110Y uses UHD Graphics, while the i5-5300U uses Intel HD 5500. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier. The sockets are different: the i3-10110Y uses Intel BGA 1440, and the i5-5300U uses Intel BGA 1168, so they are not drop-in interchangeable.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records five Cinebench tests comparing these two processors, and the Core i3-10110Y wins all five. The smallest margin is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the i3-10110Y scores 265 against the i5-5300U's 230, a 15.2% lead. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i3-10110Y scores 1108 versus 960, a 15.4% advantage. The single-core tests show similar margins: Cinebench R20 single-core has the i3-10110Y at 156 and the i5-5300U at 135, which is a 15.6% delta. Cinebench R23 multi-core gives the i3-10110Y 2640 against 2287, again 15.4% ahead. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 372 versus 322, a 15.5% lead.

These margins are remarkably consistent, hovering around 15.2% to 15.6% across all workloads. That uniformity suggests the i3-10110Y's advantage is not workload-specific; it is a general throughput and clock-speed edge. The i3-10110Y has a base clock of 1.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The i5-5300U has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 2.90 GHz. The i5-5300U starts at a much higher base frequency, but the i3-10110Y's boost clock is over 1 GHz higher, and that boost advantage appears to dominate in these benchmark runs.

The i5-5300U also has two additional Geekbench results in the database: a multi-core score of 1540 and a single-core score of 791. The i3-10110Y does not have Geekbench scores recorded, so no direct comparison is possible for that test. The average benchmark score across all recorded tests favors the i3-10110Y at 908, compared to 895 for the i5-5300U. Both processors sit at the 24th percentile against all CPUs in the database, meaning they are in the same overall performance tier despite the i3-10110Y winning every direct comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i3-10110Y wins every multi-core benchmark in the database. In Cinebench R15 multi-core it scores 265 versus 230 for the i5-5300U, a 15.2% lead. In Cinebench R20 multi-core it scores 1108 versus 960, and in Cinebench R23 multi-core it scores 2640 versus 2287. Both are 15.4% advantages.

Q: Is the newer i3-10110Y also faster in single-core tests?

A: Yes. The i3-10110Y wins single-core tests by similar margins. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 156 versus 135, a 15.6% lead, and Cinebench R23 single-core shows 372 versus 322, a 15.5% lead.

Q: Do the two CPUs have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes. Both have 2 cores and 4 threads. They also have the same per-core L1 cache (64 KB) and per-core L2 cache (256 KB). The difference is in L3 cache: the i3-10110Y has 4 MB shared, while the i5-5300U has 3 MB shared.

Q: Which processor is more power-efficient?

A: The i3-10110Y has a thermal design power of 9 watts, while the i5-5300U has a TDP of 15 watts. The i3-10110Y delivers higher benchmark scores while drawing less power, making it the more efficient part in the recorded data.

Q: Can I swap the i5-5300U for the i3-10110Y in the same motherboard?

A: No. The i3-10110Y uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket, and the i5-5300U uses the Intel BGA 1168 socket. They are physically different sockets and are not interchangeable.

Q: Which processor is still in production?

A: The i3-10110Y is listed as active production. The i5-5300U is listed as end-of-life. The i5-5300U launched in February 2015, while the i3-10110Y launched in August 2019.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i3-10110Y wins in every single benchmark category recorded. That includes multi-core rendering workloads (Cinebench R15, R20, R23 multi-core) and single-core workloads (Cinebench R20 and R23 single-core). The margins are consistent, ranging from 15.2% to 15.6%, so the i3-10110Y is not just marginally ahead; it is decisively ahead across the board. The i3-10110Y also wins on power efficiency, with a 9 watt TDP versus the i5-5300U's 15 watts. It wins on cache size, with 4 MB L3 versus 3 MB. It wins on boost clock, with 4.00 GHz versus 2.90 GHz. It is the newer product, with an August 2019 release date versus February 2015, and it remains active in production.

There is no benchmark category in the database where the i5-5300U comes out ahead. The only areas where it has a recorded advantage are its higher base clock (2.30 GHz versus 1.00 GHz) and its documented dual-channel memory support with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth. However, the benchmark results do not show that base clock advantage translating into better performance. The i5-5300U also has a listed launch MSRP of $315, but no comparable pricing data exists for the i3-10110Y. The i5-5300U has recorded transistor count (1,300 million) and die size (82 mm²) details, while the i3-10110Y does not. It also has PCIe Gen 2 with 12 lanes listed, while the i3-10110Y has no PCIe data. For a user who already owns a BGA 1168 board and cannot change motherboards, the i5-5300U remains a functional choice, but it is the slower option in every measured test.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two processors:

• Architecture: Comet Lake (Comet Lake-Y) on the i3-10110Y versus Broadwell (Broadwell-U) on the i5-5300U.
• Generation: Core i3 (Comet Lake-Y) versus Core i5 (Broadwell-U).
• Release date: 2019-08-20 for the i3-10110Y versus 2015-02-28 for the i5-5300U.
• Production status: Active for the i3-10110Y versus End-of-life for the i5-5300U.
• Base clock: 1.00 GHz on the i3-10110Y versus 2.30 GHz on the i5-5300U.
• Boost clock: 4.00 GHz on the i3-10110Y versus 2.90 GHz on the i5-5300U.
• TDP: 9 watts on the i3-10110Y versus 15 watts on the i5-5300U.
• Socket: Intel BGA 1440 on the i3-10110Y versus Intel BGA 1168 on the i5-5300U.
• L3 cache: 4 MB shared on the i3-10110Y versus 3 MB shared on the i5-5300U.
• Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics on the i3-10110Y versus Intel HD 5500 on the i5-5300U.
• Memory bus: Not recorded for the i3-10110Y versus Dual-channel for the i5-5300U.
• Memory bandwidth: Not recorded for the i3-10110Y versus 25.6 GB/s for the i5-5300U.
• PCIe: Not recorded for the i3-10110Y versus Gen 2, 12 Lanes (CPU only) for the i5-5300U.
• Transistors: Not recorded for the i3-10110Y versus 1,300 million for the i5-5300U.
• Die size: Not recorded for the i3-10110Y versus 82 mm² for the i5-5300U.
• Part number: Not recorded for the i3-10110Y versus SR23X for the i5-5300U.
• Launch MSRP: Not recorded for the i3-10110Y versus $315 for the i5-5300U.

The two processors share identical core counts, thread counts, L1 cache, L2 cache, memory type (DDR3), process node (14 nm), foundry (Intel), ECC support (none), and multiplier unlock status (both locked). The i3-10110Y is the newer, faster, lower-power, and higher-cache part. The i5-5300U retains only its higher base clock and its documented memory and PCIe specifications as distinguishing features. For any build where the socket allows the i3-10110Y, the data points squarely to that chip.