Intel Core i5-2500S vs Intel Core i7-2600

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-2500S and Intel Core i7-2600 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), 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score.

 

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-2500S

  • Around 46% lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 95 Watt
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 65 Watt vs 95 Watt

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-2600

  • 4 more threads: 8 vs 4
  • Around 3% higher clock speed: 3.80 GHz vs 3.70 GHz
  • Around 5% higher maximum core temperature: 72.6°C vs 69.1°C
  • Around 33% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
  • Around 6% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1740 vs 1647
  • Around 58% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 5343 vs 3390
  • Around 9% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 727 vs 670
  • Around 39% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2727 vs 1968
  • Around 64% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 4.393 vs 2.684
  • Around 14% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 74.312 vs 64.965
  • Around 59% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.54 vs 0.34
  • Around 40% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 2.109 vs 1.505
  • Around 31% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 5.019 vs 3.83
Specifications (specs)
Number of threads 8 vs 4
Maximum frequency 3.80 GHz vs 3.70 GHz
Maximum core temperature 72.6°C vs 69.1°C
L3 cache 8192 KB (shared) vs 6144 KB (shared)
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark 1740 vs 1647
PassMark - CPU mark 5343 vs 3390
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 727 vs 670
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 2727 vs 1968
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 4.393 vs 2.684
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 74.312 vs 64.965
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.54 vs 0.34
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 2.109 vs 1.505
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 5.019 vs 3.83

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i5-2500S
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-2600

PassMark - Single thread mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
1647
1740
PassMark - CPU mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
3390
5343
Geekbench 4 - Single Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
670
727
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
1968
2727
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
2.684
4.393
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
64.965
74.312
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
0.34
0.54
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
1.505
2.109
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)
CPU 1
CPU 2
3.83
5.019
Name Intel Core i5-2500S Intel Core i7-2600
PassMark - Single thread mark 1647 1740
PassMark - CPU mark 3390 5343
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 670 727
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 1968 2727
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 2.684 4.393
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 64.965 74.312
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.34 0.54
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 1.505 2.109
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 3.83 5.019
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score 3000

Compare specifications (specs)

Intel Core i5-2500S Intel Core i7-2600

Essentials

Architecture codename Sandy Bridge Sandy Bridge
Launch date January 2011 January 2011
Launch price (MSRP) $75 $247
Place in performance rating 2552 2304
Price now $74.99 $148.99
Processor Number i5-2500S i7-2600
Series Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status Discontinued Launched
Value for money (0-100) 20.88 16.20
Vertical segment Desktop Desktop

Performance

64 bit support
Base frequency 2.70 GHz 3.40 GHz
Bus Speed 5 GT/s DMI 5 GT/s DMI
Die size 216 mm 216 mm
L1 cache 64 KB (per core) 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache 256 KB (per core) 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache 6144 KB (shared) 8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology 32 nm 32 nm
Maximum core temperature 69.1°C 72.6°C
Maximum frequency 3.70 GHz 3.80 GHz
Number of cores 4 4
Number of threads 4 8
Transistor count 1160 million 1160 million

Memory

Max memory channels 2 2
Maximum memory bandwidth 21 GB/s 21 GB/s
Maximum memory size 32 GB 32 GB
Supported memory types DDR3 1066/1333 DDR3 1066/1333

Graphics

Device ID 0x102 0x102
Graphics base frequency 850 MHz 850 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency 1.10 GHz 1.35 GHz
Graphics max frequency 1.1 GHz 1.35 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 Intel® HD Graphics 2000

Graphics interfaces

Number of displays supported 2 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 37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported LGA1155 LGA1155
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 65 Watt 95 Watt

Peripherals

Max number of PCIe lanes 16 16
PCI Express revision 2.0 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® 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)