Intel Core i5-10210Y vs Intel Core i5-2300 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-2300 and Intel Core i5-10210Y are separated by nearly a decade of silicon evolution, yet their benchmark averages land within 1% of each other. The i5-2300, a 2011 desktop part, posts an average benchmark score of 1014, while the 2019 mobile i5-10210Y averages 1006. Despite this near-parity in overall scoring, the i5-10210Y wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, with deltas ranging from -15.3% to -15.5% in its favor. The data points to a clear verdict: the newer mobile chip is the stronger performer in every measured workload, despite the older desktop chip’s higher thermal envelope and desktop pedigree.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-10210Y wins every single head-to-head comparison, taking 5 out of 5 wins. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-10210Y scores 3479 against the i5-2300’s 2947, a 15.3% advantage. Single-core results tell the same story, with the i5-10210Y scoring 491 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 416 for the i5-2300. The i5-2300’s only statistical claim is its percentile ranking of 28 versus the i5-10210Y’s 27, a marginal edge that does not translate into any actual benchmark win. For anyone choosing strictly on performance data, the i5-10210Y is the pick. The i5-2300 remains relevant only as a historical desktop part, with its 95W TDP and Sandy Bridge architecture placing it firmly in the past. The i5-10210Y, despite its mobile BGA 1440 socket and 9W TDP, outperforms it across the board.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-10210Y wins every workload category present in the data. In multi-core tests, the margins are consistent: 15.4% in Cinebench R15 (350 vs 296), 15.3% in Cinebench R20 (1461 vs 1237), and 15.3% in Cinebench R23 (3479 vs 2947). Single-core tests show the same pattern, with the i5-10210Y leading by 15.5% in Cinebench R20 single-core (206 vs 174) and 15.3% in Cinebench R23 single-core (491 vs 416). The i5-2300 has no wins in any benchmark. The i5-10210Y’s advantage stems from its 8 threads versus the i5-2300’s 4 threads, combined with a higher boost clock of 4.00 GHz against the i5-2300’s 3.10 GHz. The i5-10210Y also benefits from its newer Comet Lake architecture, which delivers better instructions-per-clock despite the older 14nm process node versus the i5-2300’s 32nm node. For users prioritizing multi-threaded workloads like video rendering or compilation, the i5-10210Y’s thread advantage is decisive. For single-threaded tasks, the boost clock advantage carries the day.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent different eras of Intel design. The i5-2300 uses the Sandy Bridge architecture on a 32nm process node, fabricated by Intel with 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die. It features 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 3.10 GHz. The i5-10210Y uses the Comet Lake architecture, specifically Comet Lake-Y, on a 14nm process node, also fabricated by Intel. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 1000.00 MHz (1.00 GHz) and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The transistor count and die size for the i5-10210Y are not listed, but the architectural leap is evident in the clock speed behavior: the i5-10210Y’s base clock is far lower, yet its boost clock is nearly 1 GHz higher, indicating a design optimized for burst performance in thermally constrained mobile environments. Both chips share identical cache layouts: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. Both support DDR3 memory, with the i5-2300 using dual-channel memory and the i5-10210Y’s memory bus not specified. Neither supports ECC memory. The i5-2300 has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-10210Y’s PCIe configuration is not listed. Integrated graphics differ: the i5-2300 has Intel HD 2000, while the i5-10210Y has UHD Graphics. The i5-2300 is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1155, while the i5-10210Y is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1440. The i5-2300 is end-of-life with a release date of January 2011, while the i5-10210Y is active with a release date of August 2019. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-10210Y scores 3479 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Intel Core i5-2300 scores 2947, giving the i5-10210Y a 15.3% lead.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare between the two?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-10210Y scores 491 versus the i5-2300’s 416, a 15.3% advantage. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-10210Y scores 206 versus 174, a 15.5% lead.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: Both have 4 cores, but the i5-2300 has 4 threads while the i5-10210Y has 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The i5-10210Y has a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, while the i5-2300 has a boost clock of 3.10 GHz.

Q: Are there any benchmark wins for the i5-2300?

A: No, the i5-2300 has zero wins in the head-to-head benchmarks. The i5-10210Y wins all five tests.

Q: How do their overall benchmark percentiles compare?

A: The i5-2300 ranks at the 28th percentile among all CPUs, while the i5-10210Y ranks at the 27th percentile, a difference of one percentile point.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data reveals a consistent pattern of the i5-10210Y outperforming the i5-2300 across all five Cinebench tests. The largest single delta is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the i5-10210Y scores 206 against the i5-2300’s 174, a 15.5% difference. This is closely followed by Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the i5-10210Y scores 350 versus 296, a 15.4% gap. The remaining three tests—Cinebench R20 multi-core, Cinebench R23 multi-core, and Cinebench R23 single-core—all show a 15.3% delta, with scores of 1461 vs 1237, 3479 vs 2947, and 491 vs 416, respectively. The consistency of these deltas suggests a fundamental performance advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk. The i5-10210Y’s 8 threads give it a structural edge in multi-threaded tests, while its 4.00 GHz boost clock drives single-thread performance. The i5-2300’s 3.10 GHz boost clock and 4 threads cannot match these figures. Even in the i5-2300’s best relative showing—Cinebench R15 multi-core at 15.4% behind—the gap is substantial. The i5-10210Y’s worst relative result, 15.5% behind in Cinebench R20 single-core, is still a decisive margin. No test shows the i5-2300 within 15% of its rival.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets reveal stark contrasts between the two processors. The most dramatic difference is TDP: the i5-2300 consumes 95W, while the i5-10210Y consumes just 9W, a factor of over ten. The sockets differ entirely—Intel Socket 1155 for the i5-2300 versus Intel BGA 1440 for the i5-10210Y. The process nodes also differ: 32nm for the i5-2300 versus 14nm for the i5-10210Y. The i5-2300’s transistor count is listed at 1,160 million with a die size of 216 mm², while the i5-10210Y’s transistor count and die size are not provided. Clock speeds show a clear divergence: the i5-2300 has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 3.10 GHz, while the i5-10210Y has a base clock of 1000.00 MHz (1.00 GHz) and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The i5-2300 has 4 threads, while the i5-10210Y has 8 threads. Memory support is DDR3 for both, but the i5-2300 specifies dual-channel memory while the i5-10210Y’s memory bus is not listed. The i5-2300 has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-10210Y has no PCIe specification listed. Integrated graphics differ: Intel HD 2000 for the i5-2300 versus UHD Graphics for the i5-10210Y. The market segments are Desktop for the i5-2300 and Mobile for the i5-10210Y. Production statuses are End-of-life for the i5-2300 and Active for the i5-10210Y. Release dates are January 2011 for the i5-2300 and August 2019 for the i5-10210Y. Both have locked multipliers and do not support ECC memory. The i5-2300 has a part number of SR00D, while the i5-10210Y has no part number listed. The i5-10210Y belongs to the Core 10th Gen series, while the i5-2300 has no series listed. The architectures are Sandy Bridge and Comet Lake, respectively, with codenames Sandy Bridge and Comet Lake-Y.