Intel Core i5-2500S vs AMD Phenom II X3 720

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-2500S and AMD Phenom II X3 720 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 Phenom II X3 720

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-2500S

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 0 month(s) later
1 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 3
Around 32% higher clock speed: 3.70 GHz vs 2.8 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 46% lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 95 Watt
Around 49% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1648 vs 1108
2.1x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 3399 vs 1600
Around 79% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 670 vs 374
2x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1968 vs 968

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	January 2011 vs January 2010
Number of cores	4 vs 3
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz vs 2.8 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1648 vs 1108
PassMark - CPU mark	3399 vs 1600
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	670 vs 374
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1968 vs 968

Reasons to consider the AMD Phenom II X3 720

Around 50% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 50% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later

L1 cache	128 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	512 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i5-2500S
CPU 2: AMD Phenom II X3 720

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1648

1108

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

3399

1600

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

670

374

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1968

968

Name	Intel Core i5-2500S	AMD Phenom II X3 720
PassMark - Single thread mark	1648	1108
PassMark - CPU mark	3399	1600
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	670	374
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1968	968
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 Phenom II X3 720
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Heka
Launch date	January 2011	January 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$75	$75
Place in performance rating	2564	2580
Price now	$74.99	$69.99
Processor Number	i5-2500S
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	20.88	11.28
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.70 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	216 mm	258 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	128 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	512 KB (per core)
L3 cache	6144 KB (shared)	6144 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	69.1°C
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz	2.8 GHz
Number of cores	4	3
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	1160 million	758 million
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	95 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)