CPU Comparison

Intel Core i5-3337U vs Intel Core i5-4350U

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 i5-4350U
2C / 4T2.9 GHz15 W
6
Full review

The Bottom Line

Overview & Launch

Brand
Intel
Intel
Market
Mobile
Mobile
Segment
Mobile Ultra-Low Voltage
Mobile
Generation
3rd Generation
4th Gen Core i5
Launched
2013
2013
Status
Discontinued
End-of-life
Codename
Ivy Bridge
Haswell
Series
Core i5
Core i5
Family
Ivy Bridge
4th Generation
Predecessor
Sandy Bridge ULV
Intel Core i5-3337U
Successor
Haswell ULV
Intel Core i5-5200U

Specifications Compared

Cores & Clocks
Cores
2
2
Threads
4
4
Base Clock
1.8 GHz
1.4 GHz
Boost Clock
2.8 GHz
2.9 GHz
Cache & Power
L3 Cache
3 MB
3 MB
TDP
17 W
15 W
Architecture
Architecture
Ivy Bridge
Haswell
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
16 GB
Platform & I/O
Socket
Intel BGA 1023
Intel BGA 1168
PCIe Version
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 2.0
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 i5-4350UBest40

The 1.4 GHz base clock limits performance under sustained load, though turbo boost helps for short bursts.

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3337U20

Completely unsuited for modern gaming.

Intel Core i5-4350UBest35

Struggles with most modern games; can only handle very old 2D or lightweight 3D indie titles.

Virtualization

Intel Core i5-3337U25

Low clock speed and 2 cores make VMs painful.

Intel Core i5-4350U25

Not recommended for virtualization due to dual-core limits and low base clock.

Efficiency

Intel Core i5-3337U60

17W TDP was excellent in 2013, but outdated now.

Intel Core i5-4350UBest80

Excellent efficiency for its era, designed specifically to maximize laptop battery life.

Specialized Performance

AI / ML

Intel Core i5-3337UNone
  • No AI hardware
  • Extremely slow CPU inference
Intel Core i5-4350UPoor
  • No AI hardware support
  • Dual-core design makes AI inference extremely slow

Content Creation

Intel Core i5-3337UPoor
Basic Document Editing
Intel Core i5-4350UPoor
Basic Document CreationAudio Listening

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3337UPoor
  • HD 4000 is too weak
  • Low TDP limits sustained performance
Intel Core i5-4350UPoor
  • HD 5000 is better than HD 4400 but still weak for 3D
  • Low base clock can throttle gaming performance
  • Suitable only for retro or extremely lightweight games

Industry Impact

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

Best CPU by Use Case

Web Browsing
Poor
Good
Office Applications
Fair
1080p Video
Good
Modern Gaming
Poor
Video Editing
Poor
Document Editing
Very Good
Video Playback
Excellent
Light Multitasking
Moderate
Indie Gaming
Poor

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 i5-4350U

Pros

  • Excellent power efficiency for battery life
  • Good turbo boost frequency for short tasks
  • HD 5000 graphics are capable for media playback
  • Low heat output

Cons

  • Very low 1.4 GHz base clock limits sustained performance
  • Only 2 physical cores
  • End-of-life and outdated
  • Soldered to the motherboard
  • Lacks modern security and instruction set support

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 i5-4350U

  • AMD A4-5000

    Mobile APU

    Rival
  • Intel Core i3-4010U

    Mobile

    Rival
  • AMD A6-5200

    Mobile APU

    Rival
  • Compare head-to-head
  • AMD E2-3800

    Mobile APU

    Rival
  • Intel Core i5-8250U
    Alt

    A massive leap in performance with 4 cores, found in cheap used laptops.

  • AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
    Alt

    A budget dual-core with better Vega graphics and modern architecture.

  • Intel Core i3-8130U
    Alt

    A modern dual-core with much higher clock speeds and efficiency.

  • If looking at older MacBooks, the M1 offers a massive leap in battery and speed.

    Compare head-to-head
  • AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
    Alt

    A budget quad-core mobile chip that vastly outperforms this i5.

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

A reliable processor for its time that brought excellent battery life to ultrabooks, though its dual-core performance is severely outdated today.

Best for: Buying a heavily used, extremely cheap laptop for basic offline typing.

Read the full review

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Intel Core i5-3337U or Intel Core i5-4350U?

Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-4350U 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 Intel Core i5-4350U?

For gaming, the Intel Core i5-4350U leads with a gaming performance score of 35/100 among Intel Core i5-3337U and Intel Core i5-4350U.

Which uses less power?

The Intel Core i5-4350U has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-3337U (17 W), Intel Core i5-4350U (15 W).

Do Intel Core i5-3337U and Intel Core i5-4350U use the same socket?

No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-3337U: Intel BGA 1023, Intel Core i5-4350U: Intel BGA 1168), so each needs a compatible motherboard.

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). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.