Intel Core i3-10325 vs Intel Core i5-10500 Comparison
Intel Core i3-10325
Core i5-10500
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core i3-10325 vs Intel Core i5-10500
The Intel Core i3-10325 and Intel Core i5-10500 are both 10th Gen Comet Lake desktop processors on the Intel Socket 1200 platform. They share the same 14 nm process, 65 W TDP, and UHD Graphics 630 integrated GPU, but differ in core count, clock speeds, and cache. The recorded head-to-head benchmarks show a consistent, if narrow, advantage for the i3-10325 across all Cinebench tests.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The i3-10325 wins every head-to-head test in the database. The largest margins are 0.8% in Cinebench R15 single-core and R20 single-core, where the i3 scores 124 versus 123 and 518 versus 514 respectively. The smallest margin is 0.7% in the multicore tests. The full set of results is as follows:
| Test | i3-10325 | i5-10500 | Delta |
|------|----------|----------|-------|
| Cinebench R15 multicore | 881 | 875 | 0.7% |
| Cinebench R15 single-core | 124 | 123 | 0.8% |
| Cinebench R20 multicore | 3673 | 3648 | 0.7% |
| Cinebench R20 single-core | 518 | 514 | 0.8% |
| Cinebench R23 multicore | 8747 | 8686 | 0.7% |
| Cinebench R23 single-core | 1234 | 1226 | 0.7% |
The i5-10500 has two additional cores and four additional threads, yet it trails in every Cinebench test. The i3's higher base and boost clocks (3.90 GHz and 4.70 GHz versus 3.10 GHz and 4.50 GHz) appear to offset the core count disadvantage. The margins are small, but they are consistent across all three Cinebench versions, indicating a stable performance edge for the i3 in these workloads.
Architecture Differences
Both processors are built on Intel's 14 nm Comet Lake architecture, with the i3-10325 using the Comet Lake-R refresh. They share the same socket, memory support (DDR4 dual-channel, 42.7 GB/s), PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, and integrated UHD Graphics 630. The i3-10325 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-10500 has 6 cores and 12 threads. The i3's base clock is 3.90 GHz and boost 4.70 GHz; the i5's are 3.10 GHz and 4.50 GHz. L3 cache is 8 MB on the i3 and 12 MB on the i5. L1 and L2 are identical per core: 64 KB and 256 KB. The i3 was released on 2021-03-15, the i5 on 2020-04-29. The i3 has a launch MSRP of $154. The i3's average benchmark score is 2530, placing it at the 49th percentile; the i5 averages 2446 at the 48th percentile. The i3's nearest rivals include the Xeon E-2244G (0.1% higher), Xeon E5-1650 v3 (0.6% lower), Xeon E-2144G (0.7% higher), and Xeon E5-2643 v3 (0.8% higher). The i5's nearest rivals are the Xeon D-1541 (0.1% lower), Core i3-1125G4 (0.2% lower), Core i5-8600 (0.3% lower), and Xeon D-1540 (0.9% lower). The i5-10500 also has recorded Geekbench scores: 3381 multicore and 1117 single-core. The i3-10325 has no Geekbench entries in the database.
Where Each One Wins
In the recorded head-to-head benchmarks, the i3-10325 wins all six tests. The i5-10500 does not win any. The i3's victories are narrow, but they are uniform across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core. The i5's advantages in core count (6 vs 4) and L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB) do not translate into a win in any of these tests. The i5 does have additional Geekbench results, but the i3 lacks corresponding data, so no comparison is possible there. For workloads that resemble Cinebench, the i3-10325 is the stronger performer. The i5-10500 may still be relevant for tasks that scale with core count, but the database does not include such benchmarks.
The Verdict
Based on the recorded data, the Intel Core i3-10325 is the better choice for the tested workloads. It leads in every Cinebench test, has a higher average benchmark score (2530 vs 2446), and a higher percentile ranking (49th vs 48th). Its higher clock speeds compensate for fewer cores. The i5-10500 offers more cores and cache, but those features do not yield a win in any head-to-head comparison. Users who prioritize single-threaded or lightly threaded performance, as measured by Cinebench, should select the i3-10325. The i5-10500 might be considered for its extra cores, but the data shows it trailing in all recorded tests.
FAQ
Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?
A: The Intel Core i3-10325 has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-10500 boosts to 4.50 GHz.
Q: How many cores does each processor have?
A: The i3-10325 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i5-10500 has 6 cores and 12 threads.
Q: What is the L3 cache size difference?
A: The i3-10325 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-10500 has 12 MB.
Q: Which CPU wins the Cinebench R23 multicore test?
A: The i3-10325 scores 8747, while the i5-10500 scores 8686, giving the i3 a 0.7% lead.
Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?
A: The i3-10325 has an average benchmark score of 2530. The i5-10500 averages 2446.
Q: Are both processors on the same socket?
A: Yes, both use the Intel Socket 1200.