Intel Core i3-3240 vs Intel Pentium Silver J5005 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clean sweep for the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 across all five shared benchmark tests, with a remarkably consistent margin of roughly 33 percent in each discipline. The Pentium Silver wins the Cinebench R15 multi-core test with a score of 268 against the Core i3-3240's 201, a delta of 33.3 percent. That same pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the Pentium Silver posts 1117 versus 840, a 33 percent advantage. The single-core results are equally lopsided: the Pentium Silver leads 157 to 118 in R20 single-core, a 33.1 percent gap, and 375 to 282 in R23 single-core, a 33 percent gap.

The multi-core story is similar in R23, with the Pentium Silver at 2660 and the Core i3 at 2000, again a 33 percent delta. What stands out here is the consistency of the margin. The Pentium Silver does not just edge ahead in one workload; it maintains roughly a one-third performance lead across every test the database recorded for both chips. The Core i3-3240 has no winning benchmark in this comparison, with winsA at 5 and winsB at 0.

Looking at the broader database averages, the Pentium Silver also holds a small edge in the aggregate. Its average benchmark score is 776, while the Core i3-3240 sits at 761. That places the Pentium Silver in the 21st percentile of all CPUs tracked, versus the Core i3's 20th percentile. The nearest rivals for the Pentium Silver include the AMD Athlon X4 760K at 777 (a 0.1 percent difference) and the Intel Celeron G5920 at 775 (0.2 percent ahead of the Pentium Silver). For the Core i3-3240, the closest competitor is the AMD A8-6600K at 764, which is 0.3 percent faster, and the Intel Core i5-3210M at 758, which the Core i3 beats by 0.4 percent. These percentile rankings show both chips are near the lower-middle of the performance spectrum, but the Pentium Silver is consistently a step ahead in every measured test.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 scores 375, while the Intel Core i3-3240 scores 282. That gives the Pentium Silver a 33 percent lead in the R23 single-core test.

Q: Does the Core i3-3240 win any benchmark in this comparison?

A: No. The recorded head-to-head data shows the Pentium Silver winning all five shared tests. The Core i3 has zero wins (winsB is 0), while the Pentium Silver has five (winsA is 5).

Q: How do the two chips compare in average benchmark score?

A: The Pentium Silver has an average benchmark score of 776, which is about 2 percent higher than the Core i3-3240's 761. The Pentium Silver ranks in the 21st percentile of all CPUs, while the Core i3 ranks in the 20th.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Pentium Silver has a TDP of 10 watts, while the Core i3-3240 has a TDP of 55 watts. That is a substantial power draw difference, with the Pentium Silver using far less energy.

Q: Which chip supports DDR4 memory?

A: The Pentium Silver supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel operation and a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Core i3-3240 supports DDR3 memory with dual-channel operation, and no bandwidth figure is recorded for it.

Q: What are the socket requirements for each?

A: The Pentium Silver uses Intel BGA 1090, which is a soldered mobile socket. The Core i3-3240 uses Intel Socket 1155, a desktop socket that allows for a removable processor.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from very different design eras and philosophies. The Pentium Silver J5005 uses the Goldmont Plus architecture, part of the Gemini Lake family, built on a 14 nm process at Intel's foundry. It has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with no hyper-threading. The Core i3-3240, on the other hand, uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, built on a 22 nm process, with 2 physical cores and 4 threads thanks to hyper-threading. The die sizes are nearly identical (93 mm² for the Pentium Silver, 94 mm² for the Core i3), but the internal layouts differ significantly.

Cache arrangements are a major differentiator. The Pentium Silver allocates 56 KB of L1 cache per core and has 4 MB of shared L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. The Core i3-3240 offers 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and adds 3 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core i3's larger L1 and per-core L2 do not compensate for the Pentium Silver's higher core count and shared L2 pool in the benchmark results.

Memory support also diverges. The Pentium Silver uses DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus, with a recorded bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Core i3-3240 uses DDR3 memory, also dual-channel, but no bandwidth figure is recorded in the database. The Pentium Silver lacks ECC memory support, as does the Core i3. PCIe connectivity is another split: the Pentium Silver offers PCIe Gen 2 with 6 lanes (CPU only), while the Core i3-3240 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), giving the older chip more and faster expansion lanes.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The Pentium Silver includes UHD Graphics 605, while the Core i3-3240 includes Intel HD 2500. The Pentium Silver is classified as a mobile segment part, released in December 2017, and is marked as end-of-life. The Core i3-3240 is a desktop part released in September 2012, with no production status recorded. The Pentium Silver's launch MSRP is $161; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Core i3. Both processors have locked multipliers.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner for most use cases: the Intel Pentium Silver J5005. It outperforms the Core i3-3240 by 33 percent in every single benchmark test recorded, whether single-core or multi-core. Its average benchmark score is higher at 776 versus 761, and it does this while drawing only 10 watts of power compared to the Core i3's 55 watts. The Pentium Silver is also a newer design (2017 versus 2012), built on a smaller 14 nm process versus 22 nm, and supports DDR4 memory.

The Core i3-3240 does retain some advantages that matter in specific contexts. It uses the Socket 1155 platform, which is a standard desktop socket, meaning it can be installed in a wide range of ATX and micro-ATX motherboards with replaceable CPUs. The Pentium Silver uses BGA 1090, a soldered mobile socket, which means it is not upgradable or serviceable in the traditional sense. The Core i3 also offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, which is more modern and faster than the Pentium Silver's PCIe Gen 2 with 6 lanes. For a system that needs a discrete GPU with full bandwidth, the Core i3's PCIe configuration is materially better.

However, on raw compute performance, the Pentium Silver wins decisively across the board. The 33 percent margin in both single-core and multi-core workloads is not a narrow edge; it is a consistent and substantial gap. The only reason to choose the Core i3-3240 would be platform compatibility: if you already own a Socket 1155 motherboard and DDR3 memory, or if you need PCIe Gen 3 lanes for specific add-in cards. Otherwise, the Pentium Silver is the superior processor according to every recorded benchmark.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every specification field in the database. Core count: the Pentium Silver has 4 cores, the Core i3 has 2. Thread count: both have 4 threads, but the Pentium Silver uses 4 physical cores with no hyper-threading, while the Core i3 uses 2 cores with hyper-threading. Base clock: the Pentium Silver runs at 1500 MHz, the Core i3 at 3400 MHz. Boost clock: the Pentium Silver has a 2800 MHz boost, the Core i3 has no boost clock recorded. TDP: 10 watts versus 55 watts. Socket: BGA 1090 versus Socket 1155. Architecture: Goldmont Plus versus Ivy Bridge. Process node: 14 nm versus 22 nm. Die size: 93 mm² versus 94 mm².

Cache: the Pentium Silver has 56 KB L1 per core and 4 MB shared L2, with no L3. The Core i3 has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 3 MB shared L3. Memory support: DDR4 versus DDR3, both dual-channel, with the Pentium Silver's bandwidth recorded at 38.4 GB/s. ECC: neither supports it. PCIe: Gen 2 with 6 lanes versus Gen 3 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 605 versus Intel HD 2500. Market segment: Mobile versus Desktop. Release date: December 2017 versus September 2012. The Pentium Silver's launch MSRP is $161. Part numbers: SR3S3 for the Pentium Silver, SR0RH for the Core i3.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 wins in every compute benchmark recorded. It is the faster chip for CPU-bound tasks like rendering, encoding, and general productivity. The 33 percent lead in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, across both single-core and multi-core tests, means it handles both lightly threaded and heavily threaded workloads better. It also wins decisively on power efficiency, drawing 10 watts versus 55 watts, which makes it the obvious choice for compact, low-power systems or fanless builds. Its DDR4 memory support and newer 14 nm process are additional advantages for anyone building a modern, energy-conscious machine.

The Intel Core i3-3240 wins on platform flexibility and expansion. Its Socket 1155 is a user-replaceable desktop socket, which is a major plus for builders who want to swap CPUs or troubleshoot without replacing the motherboard. It offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, which is essential for running a discrete graphics card at full bandwidth, and its 3 MB of L3 cache, while not enough to overcome the performance gap, does provide a different cache hierarchy that may behave differently in certain niche workloads. The Core i3 also uses DDR3 memory, which is old but inexpensive on the used market, and its 3400 MHz base clock is much higher than the Pentium Silver's 1500 MHz, though the Pentium Silver's boost clock of 2800 MHz narrows that gap in practice.

In summary, the Pentium Silver is the winner for anyone prioritizing performance per watt, raw compute speed, and modern memory support. The Core i3-3240 is the winner for anyone with an existing Socket 1155 motherboard, a need for PCIe Gen 3 lanes, or a preference for a socketed, replaceable CPU. The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Pentium Silver is faster in every recorded test, but the Core i3's platform advantages may still make it the right choice for specific upgrade paths.