Intel Core i3-3250T vs Intel Pentium G4520 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data places the Intel Pentium G4520 and Intel Core i3-3250T in nearly identical performance territory, separated by margins that are often within measurement noise. Across all five Cinebench comparisons, the Pentium G4520 takes the win in every instance, but the deltas are remarkably small. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Pentium scores 227 against the i3's 226, a 0.4% advantage. That pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the Pentium posts 949 versus 945, again a 0.4% lead. The Cinebench R23 multicore result shows 2261 for the Pentium and 2252 for the i3, still only 0.4% apart. Single-threaded results are even closer: in Cinebench R20 singlecore both chips land on 133, a 0% delta, while in Cinebench R23 singlecore the Pentium edges ahead 319 to 318, a 0.3% gap.

The overall average benchmark score tells the same story. The Pentium G4520 sits at 778, while the i3-3250T sits at 775, a difference of just three points. That places both processors at the 21st percentile among all CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals for the Pentium include the AMD A10-5800K at an identical 778 average score, the AMD Athlon X4 760K at 777, the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 at 776, and the Intel Core i3-7100 at 781 with a delta of -0.4%. For the i3-3250T, the nearest rivals are the Intel Celeron G5920 at 775 with a 0% delta, the Pentium Silver J5005 at 776, the Athlon X4 760K at 777, and the Intel Core i7-3687U at 773.

The most notable aspect of this head-to-head is not the magnitude of any single win but the consistency of the Pentium's advantage. Every benchmark in the comparison, whether multicore or singlecore, records the Pentium G4520 as the winner. That said, a 0.3% to 0.4% margin across all tests is effectively a tie in real-world terms. The data indicates that neither part has a meaningful performance edge over the other; the Pentium's wins are statistically negligible.

Where Each One Wins

Looking strictly at benchmark wins, the Pentium G4520 wins all five recorded comparisons. That includes both multicore and singlecore workloads. The multicore tests show the Pentium ahead by 0.4% in R15, R20, and R23. The singlecore tests show a 0% delta in R20 and a 0.3% delta in R23. So on raw Cinebench performance, the Pentium is the nominal leader across the board.

However, the use-case split goes beyond the scoreboard. The i3-3250T has 4 threads against the Pentium's 2 threads. Despite that thread count advantage, the i3 does not translate it into a multicore win; the Pentium still leads by 0.4% in every multicore test. The i3's lower base clock of 3.00 GHz versus the Pentium's 3.60 GHz likely offsets the extra threads. The i3's 3 MB of shared L3 cache is smaller than the Pentium's 4 MB, which may also contribute to the slight deficit.

For workloads that are heavily multithreaded, the i3's 4 threads would normally be an asset, but the recorded data shows no such benefit. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 2252 for the i3 remains behind the Pentium's 2261. For lightly threaded tasks, the Pentium's higher base clock gives it a marginal singlecore edge, as seen in the R23 singlecore result. The i3 does match the Pentium in R20 singlecore, so the singlecore gap is not universal, but the trend favors the Pentium.

In terms of platform characteristics, the Pentium supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the i3 supports only DDR3. The Pentium also has a higher memory bandwidth rating of 34.1 GB/s against the i3's 25.6 GB/s. This bandwidth advantage could matter in memory-sensitive applications, but the benchmark data does not isolate such workloads. The integrated graphics differ as well, with the Pentium featuring Intel HD 530 and the i3 featuring Intel HD 2500, though no graphics benchmarks are recorded in the database.

The production status also differs: the Pentium is listed as active, while the i3 is end-of-life. The i3 was released earlier, in June 2013, and belongs to the Ivy Bridge architecture on a 22 nm process. The Pentium arrived later, in August 21, 2015, on Skylake on a 14 nm process. The i3 has a smaller die size of 94 mm², while the Pentium has a larger die size of 150 mm². The Pentium also lists 1,400 million transistors, while the i3 has no transistor count recorded.

The Verdict

The data shows two processors with nearly identical performance profiles. The Pentium G4520 leads in all five head-to-head benchmarks, but the largest delta is 0.4%. That is not a meaningful difference for any application category represented in the test suite. The average benchmark score of 778 versus 775 reinforces the conclusion that these are equivalent performers in Cinebench workloads.

Who should pick the Pentium G4520? Users who prioritize the newer platform and its associated features. The Pentium belongs to the Skylake architecture on a 14 nm process, supports both DDR3 and DDR4, and has a higher memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. It also has a larger 4 MB shared L3 cache and a higher base clock of 3.60 GHz. Its integrated graphics, Intel HD 530, is a later-generation part compared to the i3's HD 2500. The Pentium is also an active production part, which may matter for availability and long-term support. For users building on Socket 1151, the Pentium is the only one of the two that fits.

Who should pick the i3-3250T? The main argument is power consumption: the i3 has a 35 W TDP against the Pentium's 51 W. That is a substantial difference for compact or low-power builds. The i3 also has 4 threads, which could theoretically help in heavily threaded scenarios, though the recorded benchmarks do not show any such benefit. The i3 belongs to the Ivy Bridge architecture on a 22 nm process and has a smaller die size of 94 mm². It uses Socket 1155, so it suits existing 1155 platforms. For users who already own an 1155 motherboard and want a low-power dual-core with Hyper-Threading, the i3-3250T is a reasonable choice, but the performance data does not favor it over the Pentium.

The verdict from the database is clear: if performance is the only criterion, the Pentium G4520 wins every recorded test, but by margins so small that they should not influence a purchasing decision. The i3-3250T's only notable advantage is its lower TDP and its thread count, which does not materialize into a benchmark victory. Neither processor rises above the 21st percentile, placing both firmly in the entry-level segment.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core tests?

A: The Pentium G4520 wins the Cinebench R23 singlecore test with 319 against the i3-3250T's 318, a 0.3% delta. In Cinebench R20 singlecore, both score 133, a 0% delta.

Q: Does the i3-3250T's 4 threads give it a multicore advantage?

A: No. Despite having 4 threads versus the Pentium's 2, the i3-3250T loses every multicore test. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the i3 scores 2252 while the Pentium scores 2261.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Pentium G4520 has an average benchmark score of 778, while the i3-3250T has 775. Both sit at the 21st percentile among all CPUs.

Q: What are the closest rivals to each processor?

A: For the Pentium G4520, the closest rival is the AMD A10-5800K with an identical average score of 778. For the i3-3250T, the closest rival is the Intel Celeron G5920 with an average score of 775.

Q: Which processor supports DDR4 memory?

A: Only the Pentium G4520 supports DDR4 memory. The i3-3250T supports DDR3 only.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The i3-3250T has a TDP of 35 W, while the Pentium G4520 has a TDP of 51 W.

Architecture Differences

The Pentium G4520 is built on the Skylake architecture using Intel's 14 nm process node. It has 2 cores and 2 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz with no boost clock. Its cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The die size is 150 mm², and the transistor count is 1,400 million. It uses Intel Socket 1151 and supports dual-channel memory with a bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. Memory support covers DDR3 and DDR4, and it does not support ECC memory. The integrated graphics are Intel HD 530, and the PCIe interface is Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU only. The multiplier is locked, and the part number is SR2HM.

The i3-3250T is built on the Ivy Bridge architecture using Intel's 22 nm process node. It has 2 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and no boost clock. Cache includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 3 MB of shared L3 cache. The die size is 94 mm², with no transistor count recorded. It uses Intel Socket 1155 and supports dual-channel DDR3 with a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. It does not support ECC memory. The integrated graphics are Intel HD 2500, and the PCIe interface is Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU only. The multiplier is locked, and the part number is SR0YW. The i3 is marked end-of-life, while the Pentium is active.

The architectural gap is significant on paper. Skylake is two generations newer than Ivy Bridge, and the 14 nm process is denser than 22 nm. The Pentium has a larger L3 cache (4 MB versus 3 MB), higher base clock (3.60 GHz versus 3.00 GHz), higher memory bandwidth (34.1 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s), and broader memory compatibility (DDR3 and DDR4 versus DDR3 only). The i3 counters with a lower TDP (35 W versus 51 W), a smaller die (94 mm² versus 150 mm²), and Hyper-Threading. Yet the benchmark results show these architectural differences produce almost no performance separation in Cinebench. The newer process and higher clock of the Pentium are offset by the i3's extra threads, resulting in a near dead heat across all recorded tests.