CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-10310Y vs Intel Core i3-10110Y
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-10310Y is an ultra-low power mobile CPU designed for premium fanless tablets and compact 2-in-1 devices. Released in August 2019 alongside the 10210Y, it features four cores and eight threads on the 14nm Comet Lake-Y architecture. What sets this specific model apart is its slightly higher base clock of 1.1 GHz, providing a minor bump in sustained performance over its sibling, while still maintaining a strict 9W TDP. It can boost up to 4.1 GHz, ensuring snappy responsiveness during bursty tasks like application launches and web browsing. The processor includes 6MB of L3 cache and supports LPDDR3 memory to minimize power consumption. Designed for the most thermally constrained environments, it enables completely silent, passively cooled computing. While not suited for heavy workloads or gaming, it offers a smooth experience for everyday productivity, media consumption, and business tasks on the go, balancing efficiency with adequate multi-threaded headroom.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Slightly better sustained performance than 10210Y for office tasks.
Can handle basic embedded UI tasks, but modern Windows interfaces will feel sluggish due to the 1 GHz base clock.
Gaming
Not suitable for gaming beyond simple 2D applications.
Gaming is impossible. The combination of 2 cores, low power limits, and DDR3L memory bandwidth ensures zero playable frame rates.
Virtualization
Can handle light VMs but thermal limits restrict usage.
Fundamentally incapable of running virtual machines.
Efficiency
Exceptional power efficiency for all-day tablet battery life.
While 9W is low, modern ARM chips like the Apple M1 deliver vastly more performance at similar or lower power draws.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No dedicated AI hardware
- Low frequency limits CPU-based inference
- No AI hardware
- No AVX-512
- Cannot perform AI tasks
Content Creation
Gaming
- Basic UHD Graphics
- Passive cooling limits GPU boost
- LPDDR3 bandwidth is a bottleneck
- No gaming capability whatsoever
- DDR3L memory severely starves the integrated GPU
- Thermal throttling will occur almost instantly in 3D loads
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Fanless, completely silent operation
- Excellent battery life
- Slightly higher clocks than 10210Y
- Good burst performance
Cons
- Low base clock limits sustained work
- Uses older LPDDR3 memory
- Weak integrated graphics
- Expensive when new for the performance offered
Pros
- True 9W fanless operation
- Can boost to 4.0 GHz for brief moments
- Low cost for industrial repair parts
- Sufficient for static digital signage
- Low heat generation at idle
Cons
- DDR3L memory only, a massive bottleneck
- 1.0 GHz base clock is agonizingly slow
- Only 2 cores and 4 threads
- Completely obsolete for consumer use
- Outperformed by cheap ARM chips
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-10310Y
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-10210YRival
Mobile (Fanless)
- Intel Core i7-1060NG7Rival
Mobile (Fanless)
- Intel Core m3-8100YRival
Mobile (Fanless)
- AMD Ryzen 3 4300URival
Mobile
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i3-10110YRival
Mobile (Fanless)
Better graphics and 10nm efficiency.
Compare head-to-headBetter sustained performance if a fan is present.
Compare head-to-head- Alt
Vastly superior performance and battery life.
Compare head-to-head - Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2Alt
Better ARM-based efficiency for tablets.
- Intel Core i5-1230YAlt
Modern Alder Lake architecture for fanless designs.
Our Verdict on Each
A marginally faster binned version of the 10210Y, offering slightly better sustained performance in fanless tablets.
Best for: Buying a used premium business tablet for travel.
Read the full reviewCompletely obsolete for consumers. The reliance on DDR3L and a 2-core design makes it unable to handle modern computing tasks efficiently.
Best for: There is virtually no consumer scenario in 2026 where purchasing a device with the Intel Core i3-10110Y makes sense. If you are buying a new tablet or ultra-thin laptop, Apple's iPad, Microsoft's Surface Pro with a Snapdragon or Intel Core Ultra chip, or any modern AMD-powered alternative will offer exponentially better performance, battery life, and display quality. If you are looking at the used market, be extremely cautious: the reliance on DDR3L RAM means the entire platform is obsolete, and the 2-core/4-thread configuration will struggle to load modern websites efficiently. The only justifiable reason to acquire this chip today is for repairing a specific legacy industrial panel PC or a specialized kiosk that was originally designed around this exact motherboard and thermal profile. For general computing, it is effectively a paperweight.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-10310Y or Intel Core i3-10110Y?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-10310Y comes out ahead with a score of 6.8/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-10310Y or Intel Core i3-10110Y?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-10310Y leads with a gaming performance score of 25/100 among Intel Core i5-10310Y and Intel Core i3-10110Y.
Do Intel Core i5-10310Y and Intel Core i3-10110Y use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-10310Y: Intel BGA 1440, Intel Core i3-10110Y: BGA 1440), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core i5-10310Y has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core i5-10310Y (4 cores), Intel Core i3-10110Y (2 cores).
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-10310Y posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-10310Y (5,600), Intel Core i3-10110Y (0). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.