Intel Core i3-5020U vs Intel Pentium Silver J5005 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data paints a remarkably consistent picture: the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 wins every single head-to-head comparison recorded in the database. Across five Cinebench tests, the J5005 holds a commanding lead, with deltas ranging from 41.8% to 42.7%. This uniformity is striking, as the margin barely fluctuates regardless of the workload, suggesting a fundamental performance advantage rather than a test-specific quirk.

Starting with the most common multi-core metric, Cinebench R15, the J5005 scores 268 against the Core i3-5020U's 188, a 42.6% advantage. The gap widens slightly in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the J5005 posts 1117 versus 787, a 41.9% delta. In the newer Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the J5005 records 2660, while the i3-5020U manages 1876, a 41.8% difference. These results indicate that the J5005's four physical cores deliver substantially more aggregate throughput than the i3-5020U's two cores (with Hyper-Threading), despite the latter's higher base clock.

Single-core results follow the same pattern, which is more surprising given the i3-5020U's raw clock advantage. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the J5005 scores 157 versus 110, a 42.7% delta, the largest gap in the dataset. Cinebench R23 single-core shows the J5005 at 375 and the i3-5020U at 264, a 42% difference. Even with the i3-5020U's base clock of 2.20 GHz (the J5005 is at 1.50 GHz base, 2.80 GHz boost), the J5005 still wins handily. This suggests that the Goldmont Plus architecture, despite its lower clock, delivers far better instructions per clock in these tests.

The average benchmark scores place the J5005 at 776, slightly above its nearest rival, the AMD Athlon X4 760K, which scores 777 (a -0.1% delta). The i3-5020U's average is 757, sitting near the Intel Xeon E5450 at 756 (0.1% delta). The J5005 also holds a small advantage in aggregate average score: 776 versus 757, a roughly 2.5% difference. While the head-to-head wins are decisive, the overall percentile standings are close: the J5005 sits at the 21st percentile of all CPUs, the i3-5020U at the 20th. This means both are entry-level performers, but the J5005 is consistently ahead in the tests recorded here.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins the most benchmark comparisons in the database?

A: The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The Core i3-5020U does not win a single test.

Q: How much faster is the J5005 in multi-core workloads?

A: The J5005 is 42.6% faster in Cinebench R15 multi-core (268 vs 188), 41.9% faster in R20 multi-core (1117 vs 787), and 41.8% faster in R23 multi-core (2660 vs 1876).

Q: Does the i3-5020U have any advantage in single-core performance?

A: No. The J5005 leads in single-core tests as well: 42.7% ahead in Cinebench R20 single-core (157 vs 110) and 42% ahead in R23 single-core (375 vs 264).

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each CPU?

A: The J5005 has an average benchmark score of 776, while the i3-5020U averages 757. The J5005's average places it slightly behind the AMD Athlon X4 760K (777, delta -0.1), while the i3-5020U is slightly ahead of the Intel Xeon E5450 (756, delta 0.1).

Q: Which CPU has a higher percentile rank among all CPUs?

A: The J5005 ranks in the 21st percentile of all CPUs, while the i3-5020U ranks in the 20th percentile.

Q: Are the benchmark scores consistent across different Cinebench versions?

A: Yes, the deltas are tightly grouped: 42.6% in R15 multi-core, 41.9% in R20 multi-core, 41.8% in R23 multi-core, and 42% in R23 single-core. The consistency suggests a steady performance advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data offers no ambiguity: the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 wins across every single benchmark metric included in the head-to-head comparison. There are no use cases in which the Core i3-5020U emerges ahead in the measured tests.

For multi-threaded workloads, such as Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core rendering, the J5005 is the clear choice. Its four physical cores, combined with a shared 4 MB L2 cache, enable it to outperform the i3-5020U's two cores and four threads by roughly 42%. The i3-5020U's 3 MB of shared L3 cache does not compensate for the core count deficit in these tests.

For single-threaded tasks, the J5005 also wins, despite the i3-5020U's higher base clock of 2.20 GHz versus 1.50 GHz. This suggests that the J5005's boost clock of 2.80 GHz, paired with the Goldmont Plus architecture, offers better single-thread efficiency in the Cinebench suite.

The i3-5020U does have some structural advantages that are not reflected in the benchmark scores, such as a larger L1 cache per core (64 KB vs 56 KB) and a larger L2 cache per core (256 KB vs 4 MB shared). However, these do not materialize into any performance wins in the database's recorded tests. Thus, for any workload captured by these Cinebench benchmarks, the J5005 is the superior performer.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs diverge significantly in clock speed, core count, power, and memory support. The J5005 has a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 2.80 GHz, while the i3-5020U has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and no boost clock listed. Despite the i3's higher base, the J5005 wins all benchmarks.

The J5005 has four cores and four threads, while the i3-5020U has two cores and four threads. The J5005 has a TDP of 10 watts, while the i3-5020U has a TDP of 15 watts. The J5005 uses an Intel BGA 1090 socket, while the i3-5020U uses Intel BGA 1168.

Memory support differs: the J5005 supports DDR4 with dual-channel (38.4 GB/s bandwidth), while the i3-5020U supports DDR3 (25.6 GB/s). The J5005 has 6 PCIe Gen 2 lanes, while the i3-5020U has 12 PCIe Gen 2 lanes. The integrated graphics also differ: the J5005 has UHD Graphics 605, and the i3-5020U has Intel HD 5500.

The cache layouts are different as well: the J5005 has 56 KB L1 per core and 4 MB shared L2, while the i3-5020U has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 3 MB shared L3 (the J5005 has no L3).

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and architectures. The J5005 is built on the Goldmont Plus architecture, codenamed Gemini Lake, and was released in December 2017. The i3-5020U is based on the Broadwell architecture, codenamed Broadwell-U, released in February 2015. Both are built on a 14 nm process by Intel, but the i3-5020U has a transistor count of 1,300 million, while the J5005's transistor count is not listed. The die sizes are 93 mm² for the J5005 and 82 mm² for the i3-5020U.

The cache hierarchy is a major architectural split. The J5005 relies on a large 4 MB shared L2 cache and has no L3, while the i3-5020U uses per-core L2 (256 KB each) and a 3 MB shared L3. The J5005's L1 is 56 KB per core, the i3-5020U's is 64 KB per core.

Memory support also reflects the architectural generation gap: the J5005 supports newer DDR4 memory with dual-channel, while the i3-5020U is limited to DDR3. This affects memory bandwidth, with the J5005 at 38.4 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s for the i3-5020U. This 12.8 GB/s difference is a substantial advantage for the J5005.

PCIe connectivity also differs: the J5005 offers 6 Gen 2 lanes, while the i3-5020U offers 12 Gen 2 lanes, meaning the i3-5020U can support more PCIe devices, though this does not appear in the benchmark scores.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 is the superior performer in the recorded benchmarks. It wins all five head-to-head tests, with deltas between 41.8% and 42.7%. Its average benchmark score (776) is higher than the i3-5020U's (757), and it ranks in the 21st percentile versus the i3-5020U's 20th.

For multitasking and multi-core rendering, the J5005's four cores provide a significant advantage. Its higher memory bandwidth (38.4 GB/s vs 25.6 GB/s) likely contributes to its strong showing. The i3-5020U, despite its higher base clock and larger L3 cache, cannot overcome the J5005's architectural efficiency in these tests.

The i3-5020U's only advantages are its higher base clock (2.20 GHz vs 1.50 GHz) and more PCIe lanes (12 vs 6), but these do not translate into any benchmark wins. Its lower TDP (10 W vs 15 W) is a point for the J5005 in power-constrained devices.

Therefore, for anyone choosing between these two based on the benchmark data, the J5005 is the recommended pick. It delivers better performance in all tested Cinebench scenarios, has a higher average score, and carries a lower power draw. The i3-5020U, while a capable part, does not win a single test in the head-to-head comparison. Buyers wanting the stronger performer in the database should choose the J5005.