Intel Core i5-2500S vs AMD Phenom II X4 820

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-2500S and AMD Phenom II X4 820 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 X4 820

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-2500S

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 4 month(s) later
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 50% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 46% lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 95 Watt
Around 47% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1645 vs 1121
Around 62% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 3380 vs 2081
Around 84% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 670 vs 364
Around 79% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1968 vs 1098

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	January 2011 vs September 2009
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz vs 2.8 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
L3 cache	6144 KB (shared) vs 4096 KB (shared)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1645 vs 1121
PassMark - CPU mark	3380 vs 2081
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	670 vs 364
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1968 vs 1098

Reasons to consider the AMD Phenom II X4 820

2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
2x 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 X4 820

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1645

1121

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

3380

2081

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

670

364

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1968

1098

Name	Intel Core i5-2500S	AMD Phenom II X4 820
PassMark - Single thread mark	1645	1121
PassMark - CPU mark	3380	2081
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	670	364
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1968	1098
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 X4 820
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Deneb
Launch date	January 2011	September 2009
Launch price (MSRP)	$75	$90
Place in performance rating	2552	2565
Price now	$74.99	$74.95
Processor Number	i5-2500S
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	20.88	13.36
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)	4096 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	4
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)