PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-1230U

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Draws 10W instead of 65W, a 56W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1781 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G.

Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

2020

Why buy it

✅42.9% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 14) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-1230U.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-1230U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,942 vs 10,995).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $149 MSRP, while Core i5-1230U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌584.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 9.5W.

Core i5-1230U

2022

Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Draws 10W instead of 65W, a 56W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1781 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅42.9% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 14) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-1230U.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-1230U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,942 vs 10,995).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $149 MSRP, while Core i5-1230U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌584.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 9.5W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-1230U better than Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G?

Yes. Core i5-1230U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 11.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-1230U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-1230U is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-1230U is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Core i5-1230U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $149 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the smarter recommendation now. At roughly 10,942 PassMark with 4 cores and 8 threads, it only makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-1230U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FCBGA1781 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/8. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-1230U Benchmark Check

Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-1230U	Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G
1080p
low	186 FPS	217 FPS
medium	153 FPS	173 FPS
high	127 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	186 FPS
medium	119 FPS	147 FPS
high	97 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	73 FPS
medium	72 FPS	61 FPS
high	58 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-1230U Open Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-1230U	Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G
1080p
low	208 FPS	272 FPS
medium	172 FPS	227 FPS
high	158 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	153 FPS
1440p
low	183 FPS	225 FPS
medium	156 FPS	194 FPS
high	146 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	125 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	148 FPS	166 FPS
medium	130 FPS	150 FPS
high	124 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	92 FPS

Open Core i5-1230U Open Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-1230U	Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G
1080p
low	275 FPS	274 FPS
medium	275 FPS	274 FPS
high	275 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	274 FPS
1440p
low	275 FPS	274 FPS
medium	275 FPS	274 FPS
high	275 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	274 FPS
4K
low	275 FPS	274 FPS
medium	275 FPS	274 FPS
high	275 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	248 FPS

Open Core i5-1230U Open Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-1230U	Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G
1080p
low	275 FPS	274 FPS
medium	275 FPS	274 FPS
high	275 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	274 FPS
1440p
low	275 FPS	274 FPS
medium	275 FPS	274 FPS
high	275 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	274 FPS
4K
low	275 FPS	274 FPS
medium	275 FPS	274 FPS
high	275 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	274 FPS

Open Core i5-1230U Open Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-1230U and Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

Core i5-1230U

The Core i5-1230U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9.5 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,995 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

The Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 10,942 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-1230U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-1230U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-1230U versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-1230U (base: 1 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i5-1230U uses the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G uses Renoir (2020−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-1230U scores 10,995 against the Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G's 10,942 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-1230U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,625 vs 1,516, a 6.9% lead for the Core i5-1230U that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-1230U vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G.

Feature	Core i5-1230U	Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+150%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+10%	4 GHz
Base Clock	1 GHz	3.8 GHz+280%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+200%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-U (2022)	Renoir (2020−2023)
PassMark	10,995	10,942
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	5,995
Geekbench 6 Single	1,625+7%	1,516
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	5,334

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-1230U uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5-5200 on the Core i5-1230U versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G — the Core i5-1230U supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 14 (Core i5-1230U) vs 20 (Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G) — the Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-1230U	Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G
Socket	FCBGA1781	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-5200+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	14	20+43%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1230U) vs Yes (Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G). Both include integrated graphics — Iris Xe Graphics 80EU (Core i5-1230U) and Radeon Vega 6 (Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1230U targets Thin & Light Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1230U rivals Ryzen 5 5600U.

Feature	Core i5-1230U	Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Iris Xe Graphics 80EU	Radeon Vega 6
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	Yes
Target Use	Thin & Light Laptop	—