Intel Core i5-3210M vs Intel Core i5-670 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data shows a consistent, though narrow, advantage for the Intel Core i5-670 across every measured test. In the five Cinebench workloads tracked, the Core i5-670 wins all of them, with the Core i5-3210M trailing by margins between 2.7% and 3.1%.

The smallest gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Core i5-670 scores 2153 against 2095 for the Core i5-3210M, a 2.7% deficit. The same pattern holds in Cinebench R15 multi-core: 216 for the Core i5-670 versus 210 for the Core i5-3210M, again a 2.8% difference. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the scores are 904 and 879, maintaining that 2.8% spread.

Single-threaded results follow the same trajectory. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Core i5-670 posts 127 points, while the Core i5-3210M manages 123, a 3.1% gap, the largest margin in the entire comparison. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 304 versus 295, a 3.0% difference. These are not dramatic swings, but they are uniform: the older desktop part edges out the newer mobile chip in every single workload recorded.

It is notably the Core i5-3210M has an additional Geekbench result in the database, with a multi-core score of 1116 and a single-core score of 587. The Core i5-670 does not have corresponding Geekbench entries, so no direct comparison is possible for that suite. For the workloads where both chips were measured, the outcome is unambiguous: the Core i5-670 holds a small but repeatable lead, never surrendering a single test.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and target different market segments. The Core i5-3210M is built on the Ivy Bridge architecture, uses a 22 nm process node, and is designated for mobile platforms. Its die size is 118 mm². The Core i5-670, by contrast, uses the Westmere architecture with a Clarkdale codename, a 32 nm process node, and is a desktop part. Its die size is 81 mm², and the database records a transistor count of 382 million.

Both chips feature two physical cores and four threads, so the parallel workload capacity is structurally identical. The cache layouts differ in one respect: each core has 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 in both processors, but the shared L3 cache is 3 MB on the Core i5-3210M and 4 MB on the Core i5-670. That extra 1 MB of L3 is one factor that may explain the older chip's slight lead in cache-sensitive workloads.

The integrated graphics also differ. The Core i5-3210M includes Intel HD 4000, while the Core i5-670 uses the older Intel HD graphics solution. On the memory side, the Core i5-3210M lists dual-channel memory bus support but no explicit memory type; the Core i5-670 supports DDR3 and provides a recorded memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s. The Core i5-670 also carries a PCIe Gen 2 interface with 16 lanes (CPU only), a feature not recorded for the Core i5-3210M.

Clock speeds are a major point of divergence. The Core i5-670 runs at a 3.47 GHz base clock and boosts to 3.73 GHz, while the Core i5-3210M runs at 2.50 GHz base and 3.10 GHz boost. That is a substantial raw frequency advantage for the Core i5-670, roughly 1 GHz higher at base and over 600 MHz higher at boost. Power consumption reflects the different design targets: the Core i5-3210M has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Core i5-670 draws 73 watts. The socket types differ accordingly, with the mobile chip using Intel Socket G2 (988B) and the desktop chip using Intel Socket 1156.

Release dates are separated by over two years. The Core i5-670 launched in January 2010, while the Core i5-3210M appeared in May 2012. The Core i5-670 is marked as end-of-life in production status, while the Core i5-3210M has no such designation recorded.

Where Each One Wins

Looking strictly at the benchmark outcomes, the Intel Core i5-670 wins in every recorded category. That includes both multi-core and single-core Cinebench tests, across R15, R20, and R23 versions. The largest advantage, 3.1%, comes in Cinebench R20 single-core, suggesting the higher boost clock of the Core i5-670 gives it a slight edge in lightly threaded tasks. The multi-core tests show a consistent 2.7% to 2.8% lead, which aligns with the fact that both processors have the same core and thread counts, so the difference must come from clock speed and cache rather than parallelism.

The Core i5-3210M does not have a single benchmark win in this comparison. However, its lower TDP of 35 watts versus 73 watts points to a clear advantage in power efficiency, which matters for mobile deployments. The database does not include battery-life or thermal measurements, so that advantage cannot be quantified here, but the TDP figures are recorded facts.

For users who prioritize sustained multi-threaded throughput in a desktop context, the Core i5-670 is the better choice based on the data. For users who need a mobile processor with a much lower power envelope, the Core i5-3210M is the only one of the two that fits that form factor. The Core i5-670 is a desktop socket part and cannot be used in the mobile socket G2 platform.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several recorded specification fields. The Core i5-3210M has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.10 GHz; the Core i5-670 has a base clock of 3.47 GHz and a boost clock of 3.73 GHz. TDP is 35 watts for the mobile chip and 73 watts for the desktop chip. Process nodes are 22 nm and 32 nm, respectively. The Core i5-3210M uses the Ivy Bridge architecture and the Ivy Bridge codename, while the Core i5-670 uses Westmere with the Clarkdale codename.

Cache differs in L3 size: 3 MB shared on the Core i5-3210M versus 4 MB shared on the Core i5-670. The sockets are Intel Socket G2 (988B) for the mobile part and Intel Socket 1156 for the desktop part. The Core i5-3210M features Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics; the Core i5-670 features Intel HD. The Core i5-670 records DDR3 memory support and 21.3 GB/s memory bandwidth, while the Core i5-3210M records only dual-channel memory bus support. The Core i5-670 also lists PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes (CPU only), a field absent for the Core i5-3210M.

Die size and transistor counts are not directly comparable since the Core i5-3210M has no transistor count recorded. The Core i5-670 has 382 million transistors and an 81 mm² die; the Core i5-3210M has a 118 mm² die. Market segments are mobile versus desktop. Release dates are May 2012 and January 2010. The Core i5-670 has a launch MSRP of $284, while the Core i5-3210M has no recorded launch MSRP. Part numbers are SR0MZ for the Core i5-3210M and SLBLT for the Core i5-670.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-670 has a boost clock of 3.73 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-3210M boosts to 3.10 GHz.

Q: How much larger is the L3 cache on the Core i5-670?

A: The Core i5-670 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Core i5-3210M has 3 MB, a difference of 1 MB.

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

A: The Core i5-3210M has a TDP of 35 watts, and the Core i5-670 has a TDP of 73 watts, a gap of 38 watts.

Q: Are the core and thread counts the same?

A: Yes, both processors have 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Core i5-670 scores 2153, beating the Core i5-3210M's 2095 by 2.7%.

Q: What socket does each processor use?

A: The Core i5-3210M uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), and the Core i5-670 uses Intel Socket 1156.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to a clear, if modest, performance winner: the Intel Core i5-670. Across all five recorded Cinebench tests, it outperforms the Intel Core i5-3210M by margins ranging from 2.7% to 3.1%. The consistency of this lead, in both single-core and multi-core workloads, indicates that the higher clock speeds and larger L3 cache of the Core i5-670 translate into real, measurable advantages. The Core i5-670 also carries a launch MSRP of $284, though no comparable price data exists for the Core i5-3210M.

However, the choice is not purely about raw performance. The Core i5-3210M is a mobile processor with a 35-watt TDP, less than half the 73 watts of the Core i5-670. It uses a newer 22 nm process node versus 32 nm, and it is designed for the mobile socket G2 platform. The Core i5-670 is a desktop part, now marked as end-of-life, and it requires a Socket 1156 motherboard. Anyone building a desktop system with legacy components and prioritizing the last few percentage points of performance should look at the Core i5-670. Anyone assembling or upgrading a laptop-class system must use the Core i5-3210M, as the sockets are not interchangeable.

The average benchmark scores in the database reflect similar positioning: the Core i5-3210M has an average score of 758, and the Core i5-670 has 741, though that aggregate figure includes the Geekbench results that only the mobile chip has. The head-to-head Cinebench data is the more reliable comparison, and it favors the Core i5-670 in every instance. Both chips sit at the 20th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they are comparable in overall standing despite the slight Cinebench edge for the desktop part. In short, the data supports the Core i5-670 for pure compute performance, but the Core i5-3210M is the only viable option for mobile applications, and it does so at a far lower power draw.