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

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-2500S and Intel Core i7-2600S 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

Intel Core i7-2600S

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-2500S

Around 3% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 64.965 vs 63.192

Benchmarks
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	64.965 vs 63.192

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-2600S

4 more threads: 8 vs 4
Around 3% higher clock speed: 3.80 GHz vs 3.70 GHz
Around 33% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 5% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1733 vs 1647
Around 37% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 4628 vs 3390
Around 3% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 693 vs 670
Around 16% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2287 vs 1968
Around 37% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 3.689 vs 2.684
Around 35% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.459 vs 0.34
Around 15% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 1.726 vs 1.505
Around 7% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 4.081 vs 3.83

Specifications (specs)
Number of threads	8 vs 4
Maximum frequency	3.80 GHz vs 3.70 GHz
L3 cache	8192 KB (shared) vs 6144 KB (shared)
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1733 vs 1647
PassMark - CPU mark	4628 vs 3390
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	693 vs 670
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2287 vs 1968
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	3.689 vs 2.684
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.459 vs 0.34
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.726 vs 1.505
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	4.081 vs 3.83

Compare benchmarks

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

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1647

1733

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

3390

4628

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

670

693

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1968

2287

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

2.684

3.689

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

64.965

63.192

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.34

0.459

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

1.505

1.726

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

3.83

4.081

Name	Intel Core i5-2500S	Intel Core i7-2600S
PassMark - Single thread mark	1647	1733
PassMark - CPU mark	3390	4628
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	670	693
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1968	2287
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	2.684	3.689
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	64.965	63.192
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.34	0.459
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.505	1.726
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	3.83	4.081

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i5-2500S	Intel Core i7-2600S
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Sandy Bridge
Launch date	January 2011	January 2011
Launch price (MSRP)	$75	$210
Place in performance rating	2552	2426
Price now	$74.99	$198.99
Processor Number	i5-2500S	i7-2600S
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	20.88	10.47
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.70 GHz	2.80 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	69.1°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	65 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)