CPU Comparison

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) vs Core i5-3427U

A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA variant) is a dual-core mobile processor released in early 2013, utilizing the Ivy Bridge microarchitecture. Identical in silicon to its PGA counterpart, this version is permanently soldered to the motherboard using the FCBGA1023 socket, making it ideal for ultra-thin laptops where space and z-height are restricted. It operates with two cores and four threads, boasting a base clock of 2.9 GHz and a turbo boost of up to 3.6 GHz. The processor is built on a 22-nanometer process, incorporating 3 MB of L3 cache and a 35-watt thermal design power. Integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 provides basic graphical capabilities, handling everyday multimedia and older games with relative ease. Because it is a BGA package, it cannot be upgraded, meaning the lifespan of the CPU is directly tied to the motherboard. Although outdated, this specific variant represents Intel's push to integrate powerful computing solutions directly into compact mobile form factors, a trend that dominates modern laptop manufacturing.

Intel · Core i5
Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)
2C / 4T3.6 GHz35 W
5.8
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 Mainstream
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
Intel Core i5-2467M
Successor
Haswell
Intel Core i5-4200U

Specifications Compared

Cores & Clocks
Cores
2
2
Threads
4
4
Base Clock
2.9 GHz
1.8 GHz
Boost Clock
3.6 GHz
2.8 GHz
Cache & Power
L3 Cache
3 MB
3 MB
TDP
35 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 i5-3380M (BGA)Best42

Suitable for basic office tasks.

Core i5-3427U32

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

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Best32

Inadequate for modern gaming.

Core i5-3427U18

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

Virtualization

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Best38

Limited by 2 cores.

Core i5-3427U35

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

Efficiency

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)48

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

Core i5-3427UBest60

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

Specialized Performance

AI / ML

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)None
  • No AI acceleration hardware present
Core i5-3427UNone
  • No AI hardware
  • Insufficient compute power

Content Creation

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Poor
Basic Audio Processing
Core i5-3427UPoor
Basic Photo ViewingAudio Playback

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Poor
  • Integrated graphics cannot handle modern games
  • Limited VRAM sharing
Core i5-3427UPoor
  • Dual-core bottleneck
  • HD 4000 insufficient for modern 3D
  • Lacks AVX2

Industry Impact

Gaming
Low
Low
Workstations
Low
Low
Content Creation
Low
Low
Virtualization
Low
Low

Best CPU by Use Case

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

Target Audience

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

Strengths & Weaknesses

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
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 i5-3380M (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

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

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
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 i5-3380M (BGA) 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 i5-3380M (BGA) or Core i5-3427U?

For gaming, the Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) leads with a gaming performance score of 32/100 among Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) and Core i5-3427U.

Which uses less power?

The Core i5-3427U has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) (35 W), Core i5-3427U (17 W).

Do Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) 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 i5-3380M (BGA) posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) (3,800), Core i5-3427U (2,150). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.