Intel Core i3-3120M vs Intel Core i5-520M

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-3120M and Intel Core i5-520M processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core i3-3120M

Intel Core i5-520M

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-3120M

CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 8 month(s) later
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 32 nm
3.9x more maximum memory size: 32 GB vs 8.3 GB
Around 16% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1272 vs 1093
Around 14% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 465 vs 408
Around 20% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1041 vs 868
11.2x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 4.948 vs 0.443

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	1 October 2012 vs 4 January 2010
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 32 nm
Maximum memory size	32 GB vs 8.3 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1272 vs 1093
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	465 vs 408
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1041 vs 868
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	4.948 vs 0.443

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-520M

Around 17% higher clock speed: 2.93 GHz vs 2.5 GHz
Around 17% higher maximum core temperature: 105°C vs 90 °C (PGA); 105 °C (BGA)
Around 2% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 1726 vs 1698

Specifications (specs)
Maximum frequency	2.93 GHz vs 2.5 GHz
Maximum core temperature	105°C vs 90 °C (PGA); 105 °C (BGA)
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	1726 vs 1698

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-3120M
CPU 2: Intel Core i5-520M

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1272

1093

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1698

1726

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

465

408

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1041

868

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

4.948

0.443

Name	Intel Core i3-3120M	Intel Core i5-520M
PassMark - Single thread mark	1272	1093
PassMark - CPU mark	1698	1726
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	465	408
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1041	868
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	4.948	0.443
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames)	3107
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps)	3107
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		19.231
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		0.104
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		0.69
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		1.328

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i3-3120M	Intel Core i5-520M
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	Arrandale
Launch date	1 October 2012	4 January 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$160	$225
Place in performance rating	2016	3111
Price now	$110	$69.99
Processor Number	i3-3120M	i5-520M
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Launched	Launched
Value for money (0-100)	8.61	9.97
Vertical segment	Mobile	Mobile
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.50 GHz	2.40 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI	2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size	118 mm	81 mm2
L1 cache	128 KB	128 KB
L2 cache	512 KB	512 KB
L3 cache	3072 KB	3072 KB
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	32 nm
Maximum core temperature	90 °C (PGA); 105 °C (BGA)	105°C
Maximum frequency	2.5 GHz	2.93 GHz
Number of cores	2	2
Number of threads	4	4
Front-side bus (FSB)		2500 MHz
Transistor count		382 million
Memory
Max memory channels	2	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	17.1 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB	8.3 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600	DDR3 800/1066
Graphics
Device ID	0x166
Graphics base frequency	650 MHz	500 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.10 GHz	766 MHz
Graphics max frequency	1.1 GHz	766 MHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 4000	Intel HD Graphics
Intel® Clear Video technology
Graphics interfaces
CRT
DisplayPort
eDP
HDMI
Number of displays supported	3	2
SDVO
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm (rPGA988B); 31mm x 24mm (BGA1023)	rPGA 37.5mmx 37.5mm, BGA 34mmx28mm
Sockets supported	FCPGA988	PGA988, BGA1288
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	35 Watt	35 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16	16
PCI Express revision	2.0	2.0
PCIe configurations	1x16, 2x8, 1x8 2x4	1x16
Security & Reliability
Anti-Theft technology
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
4G WiMAX Wireless
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® AVX	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® My WiFi technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		36-bit
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)