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CPU Comparison

Intel Core i5-3337U vs Core i5-3427U

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
Core i5-3427U
2C / 4T2.8 GHz17 W
6
Full review

The Bottom Line

Overview & Launch

Brand
Intel
Intel
Market
Mobile
Mobile
Segment
Mobile Ultra-Low Voltage
Mobile Ultra-Low Power
Generation
3rd Generation
3rd Generation (Ivy Bridge)
Launched
2013
2012
Status
Discontinued
Discontinued
Codename
Ivy Bridge
Ivy Bridge
Series
Core i5
Core i5
Family
Ivy Bridge
Ivy Bridge
Predecessor
Sandy Bridge ULV
Intel Core i5-2467M
Successor
Haswell ULV
Intel Core i5-4200U

Specifications Compared

Cores & Clocks
Cores
2
2
Threads
4
4
Base Clock
1.8 GHz
1.8 GHz
Boost Clock
2.8 GHz
2.8 GHz
Cache & Power
L3 Cache
3 MB
3 MB
TDP
17 W
17 W
Architecture
Architecture
Ivy Bridge
Ivy Bridge
Process Node
22nm
22nm
Memory
Memory Type
DDR3
DDR3 / DDR3L
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 i5-3337UBest35

Struggles with heavy web apps but okay for basic text.

Core i5-3427U32

Slightly better than the 3317U but still struggles with heavy multitasking.

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3337UBest20

Completely unsuited for modern gaming.

Core i5-3427U18

Handles very old games at low settings but fails at anything modern.

Virtualization

Intel Core i5-3337U25

Low clock speed and 2 cores make VMs painful.

Core i5-3427UBest35

Supports VT-d, making it slightly better for lightweight VMs than the 3317U.

Efficiency

Intel Core i5-3337U60

17W TDP was excellent in 2013, but outdated now.

Core i5-3427U60

Excellent efficiency for its time, enabling all-day battery life in ultrabooks.

Specialized Performance

AI / ML

Intel Core i5-3337UNone
  • No AI hardware
  • Extremely slow CPU inference
Core i5-3427UNone
  • No AI hardware
  • Insufficient compute power

Content Creation

Intel Core i5-3337UPoor
Basic Document Editing
Core i5-3427UPoor
Basic Photo ViewingAudio Playback

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3337UPoor
  • HD 4000 is too weak
  • Low TDP limits sustained performance
Core i5-3427UPoor
  • Dual-core bottleneck
  • HD 4000 insufficient for modern 3D
  • Lacks AVX2

Industry Impact

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

Best CPU by Use Case

Web Browsing
Poor
Acceptable
Office Applications
Fair
1080p Video
Good
Modern Gaming
Poor
Poor
Video Editing
Poor
Poor
Business Travel
Good
Media Consumption
Good

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
Core i5-3427U

Pros

  • Low 17W TDP
  • Slightly higher clocks than 3317U
  • Supports VT-d virtualization
  • Good battery life for 2012
  • Hardware video decoding

Cons

  • Soldered to motherboard
  • Only 2 cores and 4 threads
  • No Windows 11 support
  • Struggles with modern web
  • Outdated DDR3 memory

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

Core i5-3427U

  • AMD A8-4555M

    Mobile Ultra-Low Power

    Rival
  • Intel Core i5-3317U

    Mobile Ultra-Low Power

    Rival
  • Intel Core i7-3517U

    Mobile Ultra-Low Power

    Rival
    Compare head-to-head
  • AMD A6-4455M

    Mobile Ultra-Low Power

    Rival
  • Intel Core i3-3227U

    Mobile Ultra-Low Power

    Rival
  • Intel Core i3-3217U
    Alt

    Cheaper, lower performance alternative.

  • AMD A10-4655M
    Alt

    Better integrated graphics in the same TDP class.

  • Intel Celeron 1007U
    Alt

    Budget ultrabook 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
Core i5-3427USituational

A slightly faster version of the 3317U, offering a small bump in clock speeds for premium ultrabooks, but equally obsolete today.

Best for: Repurposing an old premium ultrabook as a media server.

Read the full review

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Intel Core i5-3337U or Core i5-3427U?

Based on our editorial ratings, the Core i5-3427U comes out ahead with a score of 6/10. 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 Core i5-3427U?

For gaming, the Intel Core i5-3337U leads with a gaming performance score of 20/100 among Intel Core i5-3337U and Core i5-3427U.

Do Intel Core i5-3337U and Core i5-3427U 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 i5-3337U posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-3337U (2,600), Core i5-3427U (2,150). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.