CPU Comparison

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) vs Core i5-3610ME

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 Although outdated, this specific variant represents Intel's push to integrate powerful computing solutions directly into compact mobile form factors, a trend that dominates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 i5-3610ME
2C / 4T3.3 GHz35 W
6.5
Full review

The Bottom Line

Overview & Launch

Brand
Intel
Intel
Market
Mobile
Mobile Embedded
Segment
Mobile Mainstream
Mobile Embedded
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 i5-2510E
Successor
Haswell
Intel Core i5-4400E

Specifications Compared

Cores & Clocks
Cores
2
2
Threads
4
4
Base Clock
2.9 GHz
2.7 GHz
Boost Clock
3.6 GHz
3.3 GHz
Cache & Power
L3 Cache
3 MB
3 MB
TDP
35 W
35 W
Architecture
Architecture
Ivy Bridge
Ivy Bridge
Process Node
22nm
22nm
Memory
Memory Type
DDR3
DDR3 (ECC Supported)
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 Socket G2 (988B)
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 i5-3610ME35

Sufficient for basic office tasks running on lightweight operating systems.

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Best32

Inadequate for modern gaming.

Core i5-3610ME25

Not intended for gaming; HD 4000 handles only legacy 2D or very old 3D titles.

Virtualization

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)38

Limited by 2 cores.

Core i5-3610MEBest45

Good for lightweight VMs, especially with ECC memory ensuring stability.

Efficiency

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)48

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

Core i5-3610MEBest50

22nm process offers decent efficiency, though modern embedded chips are far superior.

Specialized Performance

AI / ML

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)None
  • No AI acceleration hardware present
Core i5-3610MENone
  • No AI acceleration
  • Inadequate for modern inference workloads

Content Creation

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Poor
Basic Audio Processing
Core i5-3610MEPoor
Basic Audio ProcessingIndustrial HMI Rendering

Gaming

Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA)Poor
  • Integrated graphics cannot handle modern games
  • Limited VRAM sharing
Core i5-3610MEPoor
  • Graphics frequency limited to 950 MHz
  • Not targeted at consumer gaming
  • Lacks modern API support

Industry Impact

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

Best CPU by Use Case

Web Browsing
Fair
Office Applications
Good
1080p Video
Good
Modern Gaming
Poor
Poor
Coding
Fair
Industrial Control
Excellent
Point-of-Sale
Excellent
NAS / File Server
Good
Legacy Office Work
Good

Target Audience

Gamers
Content Creators
Developers
Workstation Users
Targeted
Streamers
Office / Productivity
Targeted
Students
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 i5-3610ME

Pros

  • Supports ECC memory for data integrity
  • Long-term embedded availability
  • Good virtualization support (VT-d)
  • Solid 22nm efficiency for 2012
  • AES-NI support for encryption

Cons

  • Only 2 cores and 4 threads
  • Obsolete for modern software
  • No Windows 11 support
  • Low graphics clock speed (950 MHz max)
  • DDR3 memory is outdated

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 i5-3610ME

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 i5-3610MESituational

A specialized variant of Ivy Bridge that brought ECC memory support to mobile embedded platforms, offering great reliability for its time.

Best for: Replacing a failed CPU in a legacy industrial motherboard.

Read the full review

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) or Core i5-3610ME?

Based on our editorial ratings, the Core i5-3610ME comes out ahead with a score of 6.5/10. 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 i5-3610ME?

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 i5-3610ME.

Do Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA) and Core i5-3610ME use the same socket?

No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-3380M (BGA): Intel BGA 1023, Core i5-3610ME: Intel Socket G2 (988B)), so each needs a compatible motherboard.

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 i5-3610ME (2,400). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.