Intel Core i5-2500S vs AMD Athlon II X2 255

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-2500S and AMD Athlon II X2 255 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core i5-2500S

AMD Athlon II X2 255

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-2500S

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 0 month(s) later
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
2 more threads: 4 vs 2
Around 19% higher clock speed: 3.70 GHz vs 3.1 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 33% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1645 vs 1234
2.9x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 3380 vs 1175
Around 90% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 670 vs 353
3x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1968 vs 660

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	January 2011 vs January 2010
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Number of threads	4 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz vs 3.1 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1645 vs 1234
PassMark - CPU mark	3380 vs 1175
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	670 vs 353
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1968 vs 660

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X2 255

Around 4% higher maximum core temperature: 72°C vs 69.1°C
2x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 44% lower typical power consumption: 45 Watt vs 65 Watt

Maximum core temperature	72°C vs 69.1°C
L2 cache	2 MB vs 256 KB (per core)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	45 Watt vs 65 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i5-2500S
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X2 255

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1645

1234

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

3380

1175

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

670

353

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1968

660

Name	Intel Core i5-2500S	AMD Athlon II X2 255
PassMark - Single thread mark	1645	1234
PassMark - CPU mark	3380	1175
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	670	353
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1968	660
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	2.684
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	64.965
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.34
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.505
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	3.83

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i5-2500S	AMD Athlon II X2 255
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Regor
Launch date	January 2011	January 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$75	$60
Place in performance rating	2552	2555
Price now	$74.99	$65.22
Processor Number	i5-2500S
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	AMD Athlon II X2
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	20.88	8.34
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Family		AMD Athlon Processors
OPN PIB		AD255EHDGMBOX
OPN Tray		AD255EHDK23GM
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.70 GHz	3.1 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	216 mm	117 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	256 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	2 MB
L3 cache	6144 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	69.1°C	72°C
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz	3.1 GHz
Number of cores	4	2
Number of threads	4	2
Transistor count	1160 million	410 million
Unlocked
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR3
Graphics
Device ID	0x102
Graphics base frequency	850 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.10 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.1 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 2000
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported	2
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	LGA1155	AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt	45 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	2.0
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)