Intel Core i5-3320M vs Intel Pentium Silver J5040 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-3320M and Intel Pentium Silver J5040 are two mobile processors from different eras, with the former being a 2012 dual-core Ivy Bridge part and the latter a 2019 quad-core Goldmont Plus design. Despite their generational gap, the benchmark data places them remarkably close in overall performance, with the Pentium Silver holding a consistent edge across every tested workload. This analysis examines what the numbers reveal about these two chips and where each one might still find a home.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are unambiguous: the Intel Pentium Silver J5040 wins all five shared benchmark comparisons. The margins are strikingly uniform, hovering around 17-18% across the board. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the J5040 scores 276 against the i5-3320M’s 227, a delta of -17.8% from the perspective of the older Core chip. That pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the J5040 posts 1150 versus 948, and in R23 multicore, where it reaches 2739 against 2258.

Single-core performance tells the same story. The J5040’s 162 in Cinebench R20 single-core outpaces the i5-3320M’s 133 by 17.9%, and in R23 single-core, the gap is 386 versus 318, a 17.6% advantage. The consistency of these deltas – all falling between -17.6% and -17.9% – suggests a fundamental per-clock efficiency advantage for the newer architecture, not just a difference in core count or clock speed.

The aggregate benchmark scores reinforce this picture. The Pentium Silver J5040 averages 801 across all benchmarks, while the i5-3320M averages 803. That 0.2% difference in the i5’s favor is negligible, and it stems from the fact that the i5 has additional Geekbench results – 1146 multicore and 589 single-core – which are not present in the J5040’s benchmark list. When only the shared Cinebench tests are considered, the J5040 is the clear winner. The nearest-rival data also places both chips in the same performance tier: the J5040’s closest competitor is the AMD A10-7700K with an identical 801 average score, while the i5-3320M’s nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 3 2200U at 805, a -0.2% delta.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The i5-3320M is built on Intel’s Ivy Bridge architecture using a 22 nm process node, with a die size of 118 mm². It features 2 physical cores with 4 threads via Hyper-Threading, a base clock of 2.60 GHz, and a boost clock of 3.30 GHz. Its thermal design power (TDP) is 35 watts, reflecting its mobile-but-mainstream positioning. The cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 3 MB of shared L3 cache.

The Pentium Silver J5040, by contrast, uses the Goldmont Plus architecture on a 14 nm node, with a smaller die size of 93 mm². It has 4 physical cores but only 4 threads – no simultaneous multithreading. Its base clock is listed at 2000.00 MHz (2.00 GHz) with a boost of 3.20 GHz, and its TDP is dramatically lower at just 10 watts. The cache layout differs significantly: 56 KB of L1 per core, but a shared 4 MB L2 cache with no L3 cache at all. The J5040 also supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i5-3320M’s memory support field is not specified in the data.

The integrated graphics also differ: the i5-3320M pairs with Intel HD 4000, while the J5040 features UHD Graphics 605. The J5040’s PCIe configuration is listed as Gen 2 with 6 lanes (CPU only), a detail absent for the i5-3320M. The release dates are seven years apart – May 31, 2012 for the i5, and November 3, 2019 for the J5040 – and the J5040 is marked as end-of-life production status, while the i5’s status is unspecified.

Where Each One Wins

Given the benchmark sweep, the Pentium Silver J5040 is the outright performance winner in every measured category. Its 4 physical cores give it an advantage in multicore workloads that scales consistently across all Cinebench versions, from R15 to R23. The single-core wins are more surprising, as the i5-3320M’s higher boost clock of 3.30 GHz versus 3.20 GHz does not translate into a win; the J5040’s newer Goldmont Plus core is simply more efficient per clock.

The i5-3320M’s only statistical claim to superiority is its average benchmark score of 803 versus 801, a 0.2% edge that comes from its Geekbench results. In Geekbench multicore, it scores 1146, and in single-core, 589. These are not head-to-head comparisons, though, as the J5040 lacks equivalent Geekbench scores in the data. For users who rely on Geekbench as their primary metric, the i5-3320M appears competitive, but the Cinebench suite – which is the only directly comparable data – favors the J5040 in every instance.

The i5-3320M’s 35W TDP suggests it was designed for more substantial laptops where thermal headroom was available, while the J5040’s 10W TDP points to fanless or ultra-compact designs. The J5040’s DDR4 support and higher memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s indicate a more modern platform, even if the i5’s memory bandwidth is not listed for comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Pentium Silver J5040 scores 2739 versus the Intel Core i5-3320M’s 2258, a 17.6% advantage for the J5040.

Q: Does the i5-3320M win any head-to-head benchmark?

A: No. The data shows the J5040 winning all five shared Cinebench tests, with the i5-3320M claiming zero wins in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: How do the core counts differ between the two chips?

A: The i5-3320M has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the Pentium Silver J5040 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The J5040 uses physical cores only, with no Hyper-Threading.

Q: What is the TDP difference, and what might it imply?

A: The i5-3320M has a TDP of 35 watts, while the J5040 is rated at just 10 watts. This suggests the J5040 is suited for much lower-power designs, possibly fanless systems.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The i5-3320M boosts to 3.30 GHz, while the J5040 boosts to 3.20 GHz. Despite the lower boost clock, the J5040 wins all single-core tests.

Q: How do the two chips compare in overall average benchmark score?

A: The i5-3320M averages 803 across its benchmarks, while the J5040 averages 801. The i5’s edge is 0.2%, within the margin of error given the non-overlapping test sets.

The Verdict

The data is clear: the Intel Pentium Silver J5040 is the better processor for raw performance in every directly comparable benchmark. Its consistent 17-18% lead across all Cinebench versions indicates a substantial architectural advantage that outweighs the i5-3320M’s higher boost clock and Hyper-Threading. The J5040’s 4 physical cores deliver better multicore throughput, and its Goldmont Plus cores are faster per clock in single-threaded workloads as well.

The i5-3320M’s only statistical win – the 803 average score versus 801 – is an artifact of its Geekbench results, which are absent for the J5040. When comparing apples to apples, the J5040 wins decisively. The i5-3320M’s higher 35W TDP and older Ivy Bridge architecture place it firmly in the past, while the J5040’s 10W TDP and 14 nm process make it a more modern, efficient choice.

That said, the i5-3320M is not without merit for specific use cases. Its 3.30 GHz boost clock and 3 MB of L3 cache could still handle legacy single-threaded applications, and its Geekbench scores of 1146 multicore and 589 single-core suggest it remains functional for basic tasks. But for anyone choosing between these two based on benchmark data alone, the J5040 is the superior pick. The percentile rankings – 22nd for the i5 and 21st for the J5040 – confirm they sit in the same low-to-mid tier of all CPUs, but the J5040 does so with better efficiency and a clear performance edge.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-3320M | Intel Pentium Silver J5040 |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.60 GHz | 2000.00 MHz (2.00 GHz) |

| Boost Clock | 3.30 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 10 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1023 | Intel BGA 1090 |

| Architecture | Ivy Bridge | Goldmont Plus |

| Codename | Ivy Bridge | Gemini Lake |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | 118 mm² | 93 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 56 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 4 MB (shared) |

| L3 Cache | 3 MB (shared) | None |

| Memory Support | Not specified | DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not specified | 38.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Not specified | Gen 2, 6 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 4000 | UHD Graphics 605 |

| Release Date | 2012-05-31 | 2019-11-03 |

| Launch MSRP | None listed | $161 |

| Production Status | Not specified | End-of-life |

| Part Number | SR0MY | SRFDB |