Intel Core i3-3240T

The Intel Core i3-3240T is a desktop CPU built on the 22 nm Ivy Bridge architecture, with 2 cores and 4 threads, a base clock of 3.00 GHz, and no boost clock. It uses Intel Socket 1155, supports dual-channel DDR3 memory, and has a 35 W TDP. Its average benchmark score is 639, placing it at the 15th percentile of all CPUs in the database.

Who Should Consider It

The Core i3-3240T is a low-positioned processor in the benchmark database, and the workload guidance follows from that position. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 1763, while the single-core score is 249; Geekbench returns 980 multi-core and 461 single-core. Those numbers indicate a part suited to light desktop use rather than sustained compute-heavy work.

• Gaming: The database does not include gaming-specific benchmarks, so the relevant evidence is the single-core results and the integrated graphics. The Cinebench R20 single-core score of 104 and the Geekbench single-core score of 461 are low compared with the scores of faster entries in the database. Games that depend heavily on one thread would be limited by this core. The integrated graphics is Intel HD 2500, which can provide display output, but nothing in the data suggests it is intended for demanding 3D gaming.
• Content creation: The Cinebench scores are the clearest signal for creation workloads. Cinebench R15 multi-core returns 177, R20 multi-core returns 740, and R23 multi-core returns 1763. These are low absolute results, meaning CPU-heavy rendering, video encoding, and similar threaded tasks are not a good match for the chip. The 4-thread design helps scaling relative to the CPU's own single-thread results, but the ceiling remains low.
• Office and general productivity: For everyday desktop tasks, the 2-core/4-thread arrangement and dual-channel DDR3 memory support are adequate. The 35 W TDP and the Intel HD 2500 integrated GPU make it suitable for a compact or low-noise desktop build. Users running web-based office applications, document editing, and light multitasking would be the primary candidates. The lack of a boost clock and the locked multiplier mean the CPU's performance profile is fixed at its 3.00 GHz base clock, so there is no hidden headroom to unlock.

Platform and Compatibility

The i3-3240T is an Intel Socket 1155 processor, which defines the motherboard compatibility as any board with that socket. The memory controller supports dual-channel DDR3, and ECC memory is not supported. The CPU provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, designated as CPU-only lanes. The die size is 94 mm², manufactured by Intel on a 22 nm process node.

The multiplier is not unlocked, and there is no boost clock. The part number is SR0RK. It was released on September 2, 2012, which places it in the Ivy Bridge generation of Core i3 desktop CPUs. The platform is therefore tied to the memory and expansion standards of that era: DDR3 RAM, PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, and no ECC support. The integrated graphics being Intel HD 2500 means the CPU includes its own display output capability, though the data does not specify which display outputs the platform implements.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The benchmark split between single-thread and multi-thread performance is consistent across test suites. In Cinebench R20, the CPU scores 104 in single-core and 740 in multi-core. In Cinebench R23, it scores 249 in single-core and 1763 in multi-core. In Geekbench, it scores 461 in single-core and 980 in multi-core. The multi-core figures are higher because the 2-core/4-thread configuration can run four threads simultaneously. The differences show that threaded workloads profit from the extra threads, but the absolute multi-core results remain in the low range of the database.

The single-core behavior is straightforward: with no boost clock, the CPU cannot raise frequency above its 3.00 GHz base clock. That cap is reflected in the low single-core scores. Applications that rely on one thread, such as certain database operations, browser rendering, or legacy software, will be anchored to those scores. Applications that use all four threads will obtain the higher multi-core numbers, but even those numbers sit at the 15th percentile overall. This means the multi-core advantage is real relative to the CPU's own single-core scores, yet it does not move the part out of the bottom tier of the database.

How It Compares

The nearest rival by average score is the Intel Core i5-3437U. Both the i3-3240T and the i5-3437U have an average score of 639, and the delta is 0%. In aggregate, the two CPUs are effectively identical in the database, despite being different processor models.

The Intel Pentium G3450 is the next closest entry, with an average score of 638 and a delta of 0.2% relative to the i3-3240T. This is a margin of one benchmark point, so the data does not indicate any meaningful performance separation between the two. They belong to the same performance tier.

The AMD Phenom II X4 920 has an average score of 637 and a delta of 0.3%. The i3-3240T is ahead by a narrow 0.3%, again a difference too small to represent a real workload advantage. The aggregate metric places both CPUs in the same class.

The Intel Core m3-6Y30 also scores 637, with a delta of 0.3%. Despite the mobile-oriented model name, the m3-6Y30 lands alongside the i3-3240T in the database's average ranking. The 15th percentile rank of the i3-3240T is consistent with this cluster of rivals: they all sit near the lower edge of the CPU performance distribution.

Power and Thermals

The thermal profile of the i3-3240T is defined by its 35 W TDP. This places it in a low-power desktop class. The 22 nm process node and 94 mm² die size contribute to that modest thermal envelope. The CPU has no boost clock, so it will not push frequency beyond its fixed 3.00 GHz base clock, which also keeps thermal behavior predictable.

The cooling implication is straightforward. A CPU with a 35 W TDP in this performance class does not require an aggressive cooling solution. The locked multiplier further reduces any expectation of increased heat output from overclocking. The data shows a low-power Ivy Bridge part with integrated HD 2500 graphics, a combination that points to a basic cooling tier rather than a high-end thermal solution.