Intel Core i3-4130T vs Intel Core i5-5257U Comparison

The Intel Core i3-4130T and Intel Core i5-5257U are two very different designs that land in nearly the same performance bracket. The i3-4130T is a 35W desktop part on the Haswell architecture, while the i5-5257U is a 28W mobile processor on Broadwell. Benchmark data shows the i3-4130T wins six of seven head-to-head tests, yet the i5-5257U takes the single-core Geekbench crown by 2.1%. Both CPUs sit in the 26th and 27th percentiles of all CPUs respectively, with average benchmark scores of 984 and 976. The desktop part edges ahead in nearly every multi-threaded workload, but the mobile chip counters with a higher boost clock and a more advanced integrated GPU.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-4130T is the clear winner in sustained multi-core workloads. It takes first place in all three Cinebench multi-core tests (R15, R20, and R23), with margins ranging from 1.2% to 1.4% over the i5-5257U. Its Geekbench multi-core score of 1787 also beats the mobile chip’s 1773, an 0.8% advantage. For anyone running rendering tasks, video encoding, or any application that scales across all four threads, the i3-4130T is the better choice by a consistent, if small, margin.

The i5-5257U wins only one benchmark: Geekbench single-core, where it scores 922 against the i3-4130T’s 903, a 2.1% lead. This is the only head-to-head test where the mobile part comes out ahead. The data suggests the i5-5257U has a slight edge in lightly-threaded, bursty workloads like web browsing or office applications that rely on a single core’s peak performance. However, in Cinebench single-core tests, the i3-4130T actually wins by 1.4% to 1.5%, so the i5-5257U’s advantage is specific to the Geekbench workload rather than universal.

The overall average benchmark scores reinforce the split: the i3-4130T averages 984, while the i5-5257U averages 976. The i3-4130T’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-875K and Xeon X3470 at identical 984 scores, while the i5-5257U sits alongside the Core i3-4150T and Core i3-4130 at 975. Neither chip is a performance outlier; they both cluster in the same mid-range tier of CPU performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel microarchitectures and manufacturing nodes. The i3-4130T uses Haswell on a 22 nm process, while the i5-5257U uses Broadwell on a 14 nm node. The process shrink gives the Broadwell chip a smaller die size of 133 mm² versus 177 mm² for Haswell, despite the i5-5257U packing more transistors: 1,900 million compared to 1,400 million. The i5-5257U’s transistor density advantage is a direct result of the newer 14 nm lithography.

Both CPUs have the same core configuration: 2 cores and 4 threads, with identical cache hierarchies. Each core has 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2, and both share 3 MB of L3 cache. The memory support is also identical on paper: dual-channel DDR3 with ECC not supported. However, the i5-5257U lists a specific memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, while the i3-4130T does not have a bandwidth figure in the data. The mobile part also uses a 2.70 GHz base clock with a 3.10 GHz boost clock, whereas the desktop part runs at a fixed 2.90 GHz with no boost capability.

The integrated graphics differ significantly. The i3-4130T comes with Intel HD 4400, while the i5-5257U ships with Intel Iris 6100. The Iris 6100 is the higher-tier graphics solution, which makes sense given the mobile chip’s newer architecture and smaller process node. The PCIe support also differs: the i3-4130T offers Gen 3, while the i5-5257U only provides Gen 2 with 12 lanes from the CPU. The i3-4130T uses the Intel Socket 1150, and the i5-5257U uses Intel BGA 1168, meaning the latter is soldered to the board. The i5-5257U is marked as end-of-life, while the i3-4130T has no production status listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive win for the i3-4130T comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 2440 against the i5-5257U’s 2406, a 1.4% margin. The single-core version of the same test shows a 1.5% lead for the i3-4130T, scoring 344 versus 339. These are the two largest percentage differences in the entire head-to-head set, tied with the R20 single-core test which also shows a 1.4% gap (144 vs 142).

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows the smallest margin of the i3-4130T’s wins: 245 versus 242, a 1.2% difference. The R20 multi-core test shows the same 1.4% margin as R23, with scores of 1024 and 1010. In Geekbench multi-core, the i3-4130T’s lead shrinks to 0.8%, scoring 1787 against 1773. This shows the desktop part’s advantage is consistent across Cinebench versions but narrows in the Geekbench multi-core workload.

The i5-5257U’s only victory is in Geekbench single-core, where it posts 922 against 903. This 2.1% delta is actually the largest percentage difference in any test — bigger than any of the i3-4130T’s wins. It suggests that the mobile chip’s 3.10 GHz boost clock can outpace the fixed 2.90 GHz of the desktop part in certain single-threaded scenarios. However, this advantage does not translate to Cinebench single-core, where the i3-4130T wins by 1.5% in R23 and 1.4% in R20. The benchmark-specific nature of the result indicates workload sensitivity: Geekbench rewards the i5-5257U’s higher peak frequency, while Cinebench favors the i3-4130T’s architecture.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in several key specification fields. The i3-4130T has a base clock of 2.90 GHz with no boost clock, while the i5-5257U has a 2.70 GHz base and a 3.10 GHz boost. TDP is lower on the mobile part at 28W versus 35W for the desktop CPU. The socket is different: Socket 1150 for the i3-4130T and BGA 1168 for the i5-5257U.

The manufacturing process differs, with the i3-4130T on 22 nm and the i5-5257U on 14 nm. Transistor count is 1,400 million for the desktop chip and 1,900 million for the mobile chip, with die sizes of 177 mm² and 133 mm² respectively. The integrated graphics are Intel HD 4400 for the i3-4130T and Intel Iris 6100 for the i5-5257U.

PCIe support shows the i3-4130T with Gen 3, while the i5-5257U has Gen 2 with 12 lanes from the CPU. Memory bandwidth is listed only for the i5-5257U at 29.9 GB/s. The market segments differ: the i3-4130T is a desktop product, and the i5-5257U is mobile. The production status is listed as end-of-life for the i5-5257U, with no status for the i3-4130T. The release dates are about 18 months apart, with the i3-4130T launching first. The i5-5257U has a launch MSRP of $315, while the i3-4130T has no listed launch price.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i3-4130T has an average benchmark score of 984, compared to 976 for the Intel Core i5-5257U. The i3-4130T also ranks in the 27th percentile of all CPUs, while the i5-5257U ranks in the 26th percentile.

Q: Does the i5-5257U ever beat the i3-4130T in any benchmark?

A: Yes. The i5-5257U wins the Geekbench single-core test with a score of 922 against the i3-4130T’s 903, a 2.1% advantage. This is the only head-to-head benchmark out of seven where the mobile chip comes out ahead.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for both processors?

A: Both are dual-core processors with four threads. The i3-4130T has a base clock of 2.90 GHz with no boost, while the i5-5257U has a 2.70 GHz base clock and a 3.10 GHz boost clock. Both share 3 MB of L3 cache.

Q: How does the integrated graphics compare between the two?

A: The i3-4130T uses Intel HD 4400, while the i5-5257U uses Intel Iris 6100. The Iris 6100 is the higher-tier graphics solution, and it is paired with the newer 14 nm Broadwell architecture.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two chips?

A: The i3-4130T has a TDP of 35W, while the i5-5257U has a TDP of 28W. This makes the mobile part more power-efficient, though the desktop part still wins the majority of performance benchmarks.

Q: Are there any differences in memory bandwidth support?

A: Both support dual-channel DDR3, but the i5-5257U lists a memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, while the i3-4130T does not have a bandwidth figure listed. Neither supports ECC memory.