Intel Core i5-4210U vs Intel Pentium G4520 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Pentium G4520 wins every recorded comparison. Across all five Cinebench tests, the Pentium G4520 finishes ahead, with the Core i5-4210U recording zero wins in the shared benchmark suite. This is not a matter of one workload favoring a particular design; the Pentium G4520 leads in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering tests.

The Core i5-4210U does have one structural advantage that the benchmark suite does not capture directly: it supports four threads via Hyper-Threading on two cores, while the Pentium G4520 is a strict dual-core with two threads. However, in the recorded Cinebench runs, that threading advantage does not translate into a win. The multi-core tests show the Pentium G4520 consistently ahead by the same margin as its single-core tests, which indicates the Core i5-4210U's extra threads do not compensate for its lower clock speed in these workloads.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward. The Pentium G4520 is the stronger processor for any application whose performance profile resembles Cinebench rendering, which is a well-established proxy for sustained compute workloads. The Core i5-4210U, with its 15 W TDP and mobile socket, is designed for power-constrained environments where absolute throughput is secondary to thermal and energy limits. The data shows no scenario in the recorded benchmarks where the Core i5-4210U wins, so any recommendation for that chip must rest on factors outside the benchmark results, such as platform power requirements.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and target different market segments. The Core i5-4210U is a Haswell part, built on Intel's 22 nm process, with a transistor count of 1,400 million and a die size of 118 mm². It is a mobile processor on the Intel BGA 1168 socket, with a base clock of 1.70 GHz and a boost clock of 2.70 GHz. The Pentium G4520 is a Skylake part on Intel's 14 nm process, also with 1,400 million transistors but a larger die at 150 mm². It runs on the Intel Socket 1151 platform with a fixed base clock of 3.60 GHz and no boost capability.

Core and cache configurations differ in meaningful ways. Both have two physical cores, but the Core i5-4210U supports four threads, whereas the Pentium G4520 supports only two. The L1 and L2 caches are identical in structure: 64 KB per core and 256 KB per core, respectively. The shared L3 cache, however, favors the Pentium G4520 with 4 MB shared, compared to 3 MB shared on the Core i5-4210U.

Memory support also diverges. The Core i5-4210U supports DDR3 only, with no listed memory bus width or bandwidth figure. The Pentium G4520 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, uses a dual-channel memory bus, and has a recorded memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Pentium G4520 also lists PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Core i5-4210U has no PCIe specification recorded.

Integrated graphics differ as well: the Core i5-4210U ships with Intel HD 4400, while the Pentium G4520 includes Intel HD 530. Both processors are locked, with no unlocked multiplier. The Pentium G4520's TDP is 51 W, more than three times the Core i5-4210U's 15 W, reflecting the desktop versus mobile design split. The Pentium G4520's production status is listed as Active, while the Core i5-4210U has no production status recorded. Release dates place the Core i5-4210U in April 2014 and the Pentium G4520 in August 2015.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The five shared Cinebench tests produce a consistent pattern: the Pentium G4520 leads by roughly 13% in every multi-core test and by a slightly smaller margin in single-core tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Pentium G4520 scores 227 against 197 for the Core i5-4210U, a delta of -13.2% from the perspective of the Core i5-4210U. The same -13.2% delta appears in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the Pentium G4520 scores 949 versus 824.

Cinebench R23 multi-core follows the same trend: 2261 for the Pentium G4520, 1962 for the Core i5-4210U, again a -13.2% delta. Single-core results are nearly identical in relative terms. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Pentium G4520 scores 133 against 116, a delta of -12.8%. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Pentium G4520 scores 319 against 277, returning to the -13.2% delta.

The consistency of these margins is notable. A processor with a higher base clock but fewer threads, the Pentium G4520 maintains a nearly uniform advantage across all tests. The Core i5-4210U's boost clock of 2.70 GHz is still well below the Pentium G4520's fixed 3.60 GHz, and the multi-threaded tests show that the extra two threads on the Core i5-4210U do not close the gap. The data suggests that the Pentium G4520's clock speed advantage and larger L3 cache outweigh the Core i5-4210U's threading capability in these rendering workloads.

It is also importantly the Core i5-4210U has Geekbench scores recorded: 1395 multi-core and 745 single-core. These are not directly comparable to the Pentium G4520, as no Geekbench results exist for the Pentium G4520 in the database. The absence of a shared Geekbench comparison means the head-to-head analysis must rely solely on the Cinebench family of tests, all of which favor the Pentium G4520.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-4210U has 4 threads across 2 cores, while the Intel Pentium G4520 has 2 threads across 2 cores.

Q: What are the base clock speeds of the two processors?

A: The Core i5-4210U has a base clock of 1.70 GHz with a boost clock of 2.70 GHz. The Pentium G4520 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and no boost clock.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The Core i5-4210U has 3 MB of shared L3 cache. The Pentium G4520 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

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

A: The Pentium G4520 scores 2261 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, compared to 1962 for the Core i5-4210U, a 13.2% advantage for the Pentium G4520.

Q: Do the two processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The Core i5-4210U supports DDR3 only, while the Pentium G4520 supports both DDR3 and DDR4. The Pentium G4520 also has a recorded memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Core i5-4210U has an average benchmark score of 788, while the Pentium G4520 has an average score of 778. The Core i5-4210U's nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-3610ME, has an identical average score with a delta of 0.1%.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is decisive: the Intel Pentium G4520 wins all five recorded head-to-head comparisons, with a consistent 13.2% advantage in multi-core tests and a 12.8% to 13.2% advantage in single-core tests. Anyone selecting a processor for workloads that resemble Cinebench rendering should choose the Pentium G4520 based on the recorded scores alone. Its higher base clock, larger L3 cache, and dual-channel memory support with DDR4 compatibility give it a clear performance edge in these measurements.

The Core i5-4210U, however, retains a distinct role. Its 15 W TDP makes it suitable for mobile platforms where power consumption is a primary constraint. The Pentium G4520's 51 W TDP and desktop socket indicate a different design target. The Core i5-4210U also offers four threads, which may benefit workloads not represented in the shared benchmark suite, though the recorded data does not show any such advantage in Cinebench.

The average benchmark scores are close: 788 for the Core i5-4210U versus 778 for the Pentium G4520. This narrow gap, less than 1.3%, reflects the inclusion of Geekbench results for the Core i5-4210U, which are not available for the Pentium G4520. When only the shared Cinebench tests are considered, the Pentium G4520 is the stronger performer by a clear margin.

For a desktop user prioritizing raw compute throughput in rendering-style applications, the Pentium G4520 is the data-backed choice. For a mobile user constrained by thermal and power limits, the Core i5-4210U offers a lower TDP and threading capability, but the recorded benchmarks do not show it winning any comparison. The verdict follows the numbers: the Pentium G4520 dominates the measured workloads, while the Core i5-4210U remains a viable option only for power-sensitive use cases outside these benchmarks.