Intel Core i5-2380P vs Intel Pentium G4600 Comparison

# Intel Pentium G4600 vs Intel Core i5-2380P

The benchmark data places these two desktop processors in a surprisingly tight contest. The Intel Core i5-2380P wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, but the margins are consistently narrow, ranging from 0.6% to 1.1%. Both CPUs sit at the 29th percentile among all CPUs tracked, and their average benchmark scores differ by only 7 points (1063 vs 1056). The Pentium G4600, despite being a newer Kaby Lake part with fewer physical cores, trails by less than a hair in every metric. This is a comparison defined by incremental differences rather than generational leaps.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Core i5-2380P takes every benchmark in the head-to-head set, but the victories are almost imperceptible. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5 scores 311 against the Pentium's 309, a delta of -0.6% from the Pentium's perspective. The same -0.6% margin appears in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i5 posts 1297 versus 1289. Moving to Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5 again leads by 0.6%, scoring 3090 against 3070.

Single-core results tell a similar story. The i5-2380P wins Cinebench R20 single-core with 183 points versus 181 for the Pentium, a 1.1% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5 scores 436 against 433, a 0.7% edge. Across all five tests, the i5's largest win is that 1.1% single-core margin in R20. The Pentium's best showing is its R15 multi-core score, where it comes within 0.6% of the i5.

These deltas are within run-to-run noise for most workloads. The data shows the i5-2380P as the consistent winner, but the practical differences are negligible for everyday use. The average benchmark scores reinforce this: the i5-2380P averages 1063, while the Pentium G4600 averages 1056. The nearest rivals for the Pentium include the Intel Core i7-2760QM at 1057 (-0.1%), the AMD Ryzen 5 2500U at 1058 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core i3-4350 at 1058 (-0.2%). The i5-2380P's nearest rivals cluster similarly, with the Intel Core i5-4570TE at 1062 (0.1%) and the Intel Xeon W3580 at 1064 (-0.1%).

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is substantial. The Pentium G4600 uses Kaby Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node, while the i5-2380P uses Sandy Bridge on a 32 nm node. The Pentium is the newer design by roughly five years, with a release date of January 2017 versus January 2012 for the i5. The transistor counts reflect the process gap: the i5-2380P carries 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die, while the Pentium's transistor count and die size are not listed in the data.

Core configuration differs fundamentally. The Pentium G4600 has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the i5-2380P has 4 cores and 4 threads. The i5 uses four physical cores without hyper-threading, whereas the Pentium relies on two physical cores with hyper-threading to reach four threads. This explains why the i5's multi-core advantage is so small despite having twice the physical core count — the Pentium's newer architecture and higher base clock compensate significantly.

Cache layouts also diverge. Both CPUs share 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. The L3 cache, however, is 3 MB shared on the Pentium versus 6 MB shared on the i5. The i5's larger L3 cache gives it a structural advantage in workloads that benefit from shared data, but the benchmark scores suggest the Pentium's architectural efficiency offsets much of that benefit.

The integrated graphics situation is reversed. The Pentium G4600 includes Intel HD 630 graphics, while the i5-2380P has no integrated graphics listed. Memory support differs as well: the Pentium uses DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5 uses DDR3 with no bandwidth figure provided. Both support dual-channel memory and PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark data, the i5-2380P wins every tested scenario, but the margins are so small that the practical winner depends on context beyond raw Cinebench scores. The i5's 0.6% to 1.1% lead across all tests makes it the nominal performance winner in both single-core and multi-core workloads. Its 6 MB L3 cache and four physical cores suggest it would hold up better in sustained multi-threaded tasks, though the data does not directly test that scenario.

The Pentium G4600 wins on efficiency and platform modernity. Its 51 W TDP is substantially lower than the i5's 95 W TDP, a 46% reduction that the data supports. The Pentium also supports DDR4 memory, which offers higher bandwidth (38.4 GB/s) than the DDR3 used by the i5, though the i5's memory bandwidth is not listed. The Pentium includes integrated graphics, which the i5 lacks entirely — meaning the Pentium can power a display without a discrete GPU while the i5 cannot.

For users running Cinebench-style rendering workloads, the i5-2380P is the pick by a hair. For users prioritizing lower power draw, newer platform features, or integrated graphics capability, the Pentium G4600 offers clear advantages that the benchmark data does not capture. The i5's wins are real but marginal; the Pentium's advantages are structural and may matter more in real-world use.

Specification Differences

The most striking spec difference is core count: 2 cores with 4 threads on the Pentium versus 4 cores with 4 threads on the i5. Base clocks differ as well, with the Pentium at 3.60 GHz and the i5 at 3.10 GHz, the latter also offering a 3.40 GHz boost clock while the Pentium has no boost clock listed. TDP favors the Pentium at 51 W versus 95 W for the i5.

Process node and architecture separate the two generations: 14 nm Kaby Lake versus 32 nm Sandy Bridge. The i5 has a listed transistor count of 1,160 million and a die size of 216 mm², while neither is provided for the Pentium. L3 cache doubles on the i5: 6 MB shared versus 3 MB shared on the Pentium. Memory support differs by type (DDR4 versus DDR3), with the Pentium listing 38.4 GB/s bandwidth and the i5 listing none.

Integrated graphics separate them clearly: the Pentium has Intel HD 630, the i5 has none. Sockets differ (1151 versus 1155), and release dates are roughly five years apart (January 2017 versus January 2012). Neither CPU has an unlocked multiplier, and both are desktop parts with dual-channel memory. The i5's production status is not listed, while the Pentium is marked as active. Part numbers are SR35F for the Pentium and SR0G2 for the i5.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-2380P has 4 physical cores, while the Intel Pentium G4600 has 2 physical cores. Both support 4 threads, but the i5 achieves this with 4 native cores while the Pentium uses hyper-threading on 2 cores.

Q: How much faster is the i5-2380P in multi-core benchmarks?

A: The i5 leads by 0.6% in all three multi-core tests: Cinebench R15 (311 vs 309), R20 (1297 vs 1289), and R23 (3090 vs 3070). This is a consistent but very small margin.

Q: Does the Pentium G4600 have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Pentium G4600 includes Intel HD 630 integrated graphics. The i5-2380P has no integrated graphics listed, meaning it requires a discrete GPU for display output.

Q: What memory types do these CPUs support?

A: The Pentium G4600 supports DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The i5-2380P supports DDR3 memory, though its bandwidth is not listed in the data.

Q: Which CPU has a lower TDP?

A: The Pentium G4600 has a TDP of 51 W, compared to 95 W for the i5-2380P. This makes the Pentium significantly more power-efficient on paper.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i5-2380P averages 1063, while the Pentium G4600 averages 1056. Both CPUs sit at the 29th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to the Core i5-2380P as the faster processor in every tested metric, but the margins are thin enough that the choice should rest on platform needs. The i5 wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, yet its largest victory is a 1.1% single-core margin in R20. Users seeking maximum Cinebench performance, even by a hair, should pick the i5-2380P. Its 6 MB L3 cache and 4 physical cores provide a structural edge that the Pentium's newer architecture cannot fully overcome.

The Pentium G4600 is the better choice for users who value the features that benchmarks do not measure. Its 51 W TDP is dramatically lower than the i5's 95 W, making it suitable for power-constrained builds. It supports DDR4 memory, includes integrated graphics, and uses a newer 14 nm process with the Kaby Lake architecture. The Pentium also comes with a 3.60 GHz base clock that exceeds the i5's 3.10 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost.

Neither CPU offers a meaningful performance advantage in practice. The 7-point average benchmark gap is negligible, and both sit at the same 29th percentile. The i5-2380P is the nominal winner for raw rendering performance, but the Pentium G4600 is the more modern, efficient, and feature-complete package. For users building a new system today, the Pentium's platform advantages likely outweigh a sub-1% performance deficit. For users with existing Sandy Bridge platforms, the i5-2380P remains a capable performer that edges out the newer Pentium in every benchmark tested.