CPU Comparison

Intel Core i5-3337U vs Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)

A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-3337U is an ultra-low voltage mobile processor designed for thin-and-light laptops and ultrabooks. Released in early 2013, it is part of the Ivy Bridge family and built on a 22-nanometer process. Featuring two cores and four threads, it operates at a base frequency of 1.8 GHz and can boost up to 2.8 GHz. The defining characteristic of this processor is its remarkably low 17-watt thermal design power, which allows it to function in fanless or minimally cooled chassis. It includes 3 MB of L3 cache and integrates Intel HD Graphics 4000, clocked at 350 MHz with a max dynamic frequency of 1100 MHz. The 3337U was engineered specifically to meet Intel's ultrabook specifications, prioritizing battery life and portability over raw computational power. While its performance is modest, it was a highly efficient chip for its time, enabling a new generation of sleek, highly portable computers that laid the groundwork for modern ultrabooks.

Intel · Core i5
Intel Core i5-3337U
2C / 4T2.8 GHz17 W
5
Full review
Top pick
Intel · Core i5
Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)
2C / 4T3.6 GHz35 W
5.8
Full review

The Bottom Line

Overview & Launch

Brand
Intel
Intel
Market
Mobile
Mobile
Segment
Mobile Ultra-Low Voltage
Mobile Mainstream
Generation
3rd Generation
3rd Generation
Launched
2013
2013
Status
Discontinued
Discontinued
Codename
Ivy Bridge
Ivy Bridge
Series
Core i5
Core i5
Family
Ivy Bridge
Ivy Bridge
Predecessor
Sandy Bridge ULV
Sandy Bridge
Successor
Haswell ULV
Haswell

Specifications Compared

Cores & Clocks
Cores
2
2
Threads
4
4
Base Clock
1.8 GHz
2.9 GHz
Boost Clock
2.8 GHz
3.6 GHz
Cache & Power
L3 Cache
3 MB
3 MB
TDP
17 W
35 W
Architecture
Architecture
Ivy Bridge
Ivy Bridge
Process Node
22nm
22nm
Memory
Memory Type
DDR3
DDR3
Memory Speed
DDR3-1600
DDR3-1600
Memory Channels
Dual (2)
Dual (2)
Max Memory
32 GB
32 GB
Platform & I/O
Socket
Intel BGA 1023
Intel BGA 1023
PCIe Version
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
PCIe Lanes
16
16
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
Unlocked
No
No

Performance Compared

Productivity

Intel Core i5-3337U35

Struggles with heavy web apps but okay for basic text.

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Best42

Suitable for basic office tasks.

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3337U20

Completely unsuited for modern gaming.

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Best32

Inadequate for modern gaming.

Virtualization

Intel Core i5-3337U25

Low clock speed and 2 cores make VMs painful.

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Best38

Limited by 2 cores.

Efficiency

Intel Core i5-3337UBest60

17W TDP was excellent in 2013, but outdated now.

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)48

35W TDP is high for thin-and-light designs.

Specialized Performance

AI / ML

Intel Core i5-3337UNone
  • No AI hardware
  • Extremely slow CPU inference
Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)None
  • No AI acceleration hardware present

Content Creation

Intel Core i5-3337UPoor
Basic Document Editing
Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Poor
Basic Audio Processing

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3337UPoor
  • HD 4000 is too weak
  • Low TDP limits sustained performance
Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Poor
  • Integrated graphics cannot handle modern games
  • Limited VRAM sharing

Industry Impact

Gaming
None
Low
Workstations
None
Low
Content Creation
Low
Low
Virtualization
Low
Low

Best CPU by Use Case

Web Browsing
Poor
Fair
Office Applications
Fair
Good
1080p Video
Good
Good
Modern Gaming
Poor
Poor
Video Editing
Poor
Coding
Fair

Target Audience

Gamers
Content Creators
Developers
Workstation Users
Streamers
Office / Productivity
Targeted
Targeted
Students
Targeted
Targeted

Strengths & Weaknesses

Intel Core i5-3337U

Pros

  • Excellent battery life for 2013
  • Very low 17W TDP
  • Soldered for thin designs
  • Good 1080p video playback

Cons

  • Very slow by modern standards
  • 1.8 GHz base clock is too low
  • Soldered, no upgrades
  • No Windows 11 support
  • Struggles with modern web
Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)

Pros

  • High turbo clock for 2013
  • Compact BGA packaging
  • Good single-thread performance
  • Hardware virtualization

Cons

  • Permanently soldered
  • Obsolete performance
  • 35W TDP in thin chassis causes heat
  • No Windows 11 support
  • Limited to DDR3

Competitors & Alternatives

Intel Core i5-3337U

  • AMD A10-4655M

    Mobile ULV APU

    Rival
  • Rival
    Compare head-to-head
  • AMD A8-4555M

    Mobile ULV APU

    Rival
  • Intel Core i5-3317U

    Mobile ULV

    Rival
  • Intel Core i5-2467M
    Alt

    Older ULV alternative

  • Intel Core i3-2367M
    Alt

    Cheaper ULV dual-core

  • Intel Pentium 987
    Alt

    Budget ULV alternative

  • Intel Celeron 877
    Alt

    Low-end ULV

  • AMD E2-1800
    Alt

    AMD low-power alternative

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)

  • AMD A10-5750M

    Mobile APU

    Rival
  • Intel Core i7-3540M

    Mobile

    Rival
  • AMD A8-5550M

    Mobile APU

    Rival
  • Compare head-to-head
  • Intel Core i5-3230M (BGA)
    Alt

    Slightly lower clocks

  • Intel Core i7-2640M
    Alt

    Comparable older chip

  • Intel Pentium 2020M
    Alt

    Budget BGA alternative

  • Intel Celeron 1005M
    Alt

    Entry-level BGA

  • AMD A6-5350M
    Alt

    AMD mobile alternative

Our Verdict on Each

An efficient chip in 2013, but its low clock speeds make it painfully slow for modern web browsing.

Best for: Extremely cheap legacy laptop for offline writing.

Read the full review

Delivers the same performance as the PGA variant but is permanently soldered, limiting repairability.

Best for: Keeping an old laptop alive for offline tasks.

Read the full review

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Intel Core i5-3337U or Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)?

Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) comes out ahead with a score of 5.8/10. 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 i5-3337U or Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)?

For gaming, the Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) leads with a gaming performance score of 32/100 among Intel Core i5-3337U and Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA).

Which uses less power?

The Intel Core i5-3337U has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-3337U (17 W), Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) (35 W).

Do Intel Core i5-3337U and Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) use the same socket?

Yes — all of these CPUs use the Intel BGA 1023 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.

Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?

The Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-3337U (2,600), Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) (3,800). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.