Intel Core i5-10210Y vs Intel Core i5-4300M Comparison

The Intel Core i5-10210Y and Intel Core i5-4300M represent two distinct eras of Intel mobile computing, separated by six years of architectural evolution. The data shows a decisive performance shift toward the newer Comet Lake-Y part, which wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons. However, the older Haswell chip retains relevance in specific legacy contexts, making the choice between them depend on workload and platform requirements rather than raw speed alone.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Core i5-10210Y dominates every Cinebench test in the dataset, with margins that are remarkably consistent across both multi-core and single-core workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the 10210Y scores 3479 against the 4300M’s 2515, a 38.3% advantage. That same 38.3% delta appears in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the 10210Y posts 491 versus 355. The consistency of this margin across scaling workloads suggests the newer chip’s advantage is architectural rather than frequency-driven alone.

Cinebench R20 tells the same story. The 10210Y reaches 1461 in multi-core, while the 4300M manages 1056 — again a 38.4% gap. In single-core R20, the 10210Y’s 206 score beats the 4300M’s 149 by 38.3%. The older chip’s higher base clock of 2.60 GHz cannot overcome the 10210Y’s 4.00 GHz boost ceiling combined with its newer execution engine.

The oldest test in the set, Cinebench R15 multi-core, shows the 10210Y at 350 versus 253 for the 4300M, a 38.3% win. This is significant because R15 is less sensitive to memory latency and more reliant on raw core throughput — the 10210Y’s four cores and eight threads simply outmuscle the 4300M’s two cores and four threads.

Notably, the 4300M has no benchmark wins in the head-to-head set. Its best showing is in Geekbench multi-core, where it scores 1817, but the 10210Y has no comparable Geekbench result in this dataset, so no direct comparison exists there. In every measurable Cinebench comparison, the 10210Y leads by roughly 38%. This uniform delta indicates that the performance gap is not workload-specific but systemic, stemming from the newer architecture’s superior instructions-per-clock and additional thread count.

The average benchmark scores place both chips nearly identically in the global ranking. The 10210Y averages 1006, while the 4300M averages 1004, both landing at the 27th percentile of all CPUs. This parity in aggregate metrics is misleading, however, because the Cinebench subset heavily favors the 10210Y. The 4300M’s Geekbench results, which are absent for the 10210Y, pull its average up despite losing all shared tests.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i5-10210Y wins every workload represented in the head-to-head benchmarks. Its strongest category is multi-threaded rendering, where its four cores and eight threads deliver 3479 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. That score indicates capable sustained performance for modern productivity tasks like video encoding or 3D scene compilation, especially when compared to the 4300M’s 2515. The 10210Y also leads in single-threaded tasks, where its 4.00 GHz boost clock and newer Comet Lake core design produce 491 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 355 for the older chip.

The 4300M’s advantages are not visible in the benchmark results but exist in platform characteristics. It uses the Intel Socket G3, a traditional socketed mobile format, whereas the 10210Y is soldered via Intel BGA 1440. For users maintaining older laptops with replaceable CPUs, the 4300M offers upgrade or repair flexibility that the 10210Y cannot match. Additionally, the 4300M’s 37 W TDP, while higher, indicates a design tuned for sustained load in larger chassis, potentially avoiding thermal throttling in extended workloads — though no thermal data appears in this dataset to confirm that behavior.

In single-core Cinebench R20, the 10210Y’s 206 score represents a 38.3% lead over the 4300M’s 149. This translates to snappier application launch times and more responsive single-threaded software. For older software that cannot utilize multiple cores, the 10210Y remains the better choice despite its lower base clock of 1000 MHz. The 4300M’s 2.60 GHz base clock gives it a nominal frequency advantage at idle or light load, but benchmark results show the 10210Y’s boost behavior and architectural efficiency overcome that deficit under actual testing.

The 4300M’s only potential win is in legacy software compatibility. Its Haswell architecture and 22 nm process node, with 1,400 million transistors on a 118 mm² die, represent a well-understood platform that may have mature driver support in older operating systems. However, no benchmark data in the FACT PACK supports a performance win for the 4300M in any tested scenario.

The Verdict

Choose the Intel Core i5-10210Y for any modern workload. It wins all five head-to-head benchmarks with a consistent 38.3–38.4% margin, including both multi-core and single-core Cinebench tests. Its 3479 score in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 2515 for the 4300M makes it the clear choice for rendering, compilation, or multitasking. The 10210Y also offers a 6 MB shared L3 cache, double the 4300M’s 3 MB, which aids in data-heavy workloads. Its 14 nm Comet Lake architecture is two process generations newer than the 4300M’s 22 nm Haswell design, explaining the performance gap.

Pick the Intel Core i5-4300M only if platform compatibility is paramount. Its Intel Socket G3 allows socketed installation in compatible laptops, whereas the 10210Y’s BGA 1440 is permanently soldered. The 4300M’s 2.60 GHz base clock is higher than the 10210Y’s 1000 MHz, which may appeal to users who prioritize sustained low-load frequency over burst performance. However, benchmark data shows that advantage does not translate into real-world wins in any tested Cinebench scenario.

The percentile ranking offers no differentiation, as both chips sit at the 27th percentile of all CPUs. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical at 1006 and 1004, but this aggregate hides the 10210Y’s dominance in shared tests. For users comparing these two specific processors, the 10210Y is the superior performer in every measurable category. The 4300M’s only justification is legacy hardware support, not performance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-10210Y has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-4300M has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The 10210Y scores 3479, and the 4300M scores 2515, giving the 10210Y a 38.3% advantage.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds for each processor?

A: The 10210Y boosts to 4.00 GHz, while the 4300M boosts to 3.60 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support DDR3 memory?

A: Yes, both the 10210Y and the 4300M list DDR3 as their memory support type.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The 10210Y has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, double the 4300M’s 3 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both the 10210Y and the 4300M rank at the 27th percentile of all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 1006 and 1004, respectively.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i5-10210Y is built on Intel’s 14 nm process node under the Comet Lake-Y codename, while the Intel Core i5-4300M uses the older 22 nm Haswell node. This process shrink allows the 10210Y to achieve higher performance at dramatically lower power, with a 9 W TDP versus the 4300M’s 37 W TDP. The 10210Y’s transistor count and die size are not listed in the data, but the 4300M’s 1,400 million transistors on a 118 mm² die illustrate the older design’s larger footprint.

Core configuration differs significantly. The 10210Y offers four cores and eight threads, enabling simultaneous multithreading across all cores. The 4300M provides only two cores and four threads, halving the available parallelism. Cache hierarchies also diverge: both share 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the 10210Y’s 6 MB shared L3 cache is twice the 4300M’s 3 MB shared L3.

The 10210Y uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket, a ball-grid array design that is soldered directly to the motherboard. The 4300M uses Intel Socket G3, a socketed format that allows CPU replacement in compatible systems. Both processors support DDR3 memory and lack ECC support. Integrated graphics differ, with the 10210Y featuring UHD Graphics and the 4300M featuring Intel HD 5000, though no graphics benchmarks appear in the dataset.

Release dates show six years of separation: the 10210Y launched on 2019-08-20, and the 4300M on 2013-08-31. The 10210Y remains in active production, while the 4300M’s production status is not listed. Both are mobile-market segments, but the 10210Y’s Comet Lake architecture and 14 nm process represent a substantial leap in efficiency and capability over the 4300M’s Haswell design. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, limiting overclocking potential on both platforms.