Intel Pentium G3250 vs Intel Core i5-2500K

Comparative analysis of Intel Pentium G3250 and Intel Core i5-2500K processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Graphics image quality, Graphics API support, 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), GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Fps), GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Fps), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps), 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, 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 Pentium G3250

Intel Core i5-2500K

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Pentium G3250

CPU is newer: launch date 3 year(s) 5 month(s) later
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 32 nm
Around 79% lower typical power consumption: 53 Watt vs 95 Watt
Around 7% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1809 vs 1698
Around 67% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 5.545 vs 3.325

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	July 2014 vs January 2011
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 32 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	53 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1809 vs 1698
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	5.545 vs 3.325

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-2500K

Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
2 more threads: 4 vs 2
Around 16% higher clock speed: 3.70 GHz vs 3.2 GHz
Around 1% higher maximum core temperature: 72.6°C vs 72°C
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
2x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
2.1x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 4129 vs 2010
Around 23% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 806 vs 654
2.2x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2657 vs 1182

Specifications (specs)
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Number of threads	4 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.70 GHz vs 3.2 GHz
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C vs 72°C
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	6144 KB (shared) vs 3072 KB (shared)
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	4129 vs 2010
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	806 vs 654
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2657 vs 1182

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Pentium G3250
CPU 2: Intel Core i5-2500K

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1809

1698

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2010

4129

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

654

806

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1182

2657

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

5.545

3.325

Name	Intel Pentium G3250	Intel Core i5-2500K
PassMark - Single thread mark	1809	1698
PassMark - CPU mark	2010	4129
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	654	806
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1182	2657
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	5.545	3.325
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Frames)	670
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Frames)	1406
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames)	2831
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Fps)	670
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Fps)	1406
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps)	2831
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score		1575
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		78.071
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		0.384
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		1.818
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		4.627

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Pentium G3250	Intel Core i5-2500K
Essentials
Architecture codename	Haswell	Sandy Bridge
Launch date	July 2014	January 2011
Launch price (MSRP)	$171	$289
Place in performance rating	1882	2447
Price now	$109.99	$123.99
Processor Number	G3250	i5-2500K
Series	Intel® Pentium® Processor G Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	8.71	15.38
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.20 GHz	3.30 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI2	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	177 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	3072 KB (shared)	6144 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	32 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	72 °C
Maximum core temperature	72°C	72.6°C
Maximum frequency	3.2 GHz	3.70 GHz
Number of cores	2	4
Number of threads	2	4
Transistor count	1400 million	1160 million
Unlocked
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	2	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21.3 GB/s	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB	32 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3-1333, DDR3L-1333 @ 1.5V	DDR3 1066/1333
Graphics
Graphics base frequency	350 MHz	850 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.10 GHz	1.10 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.1 GHz	1.1 GHz
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Max video memory	1.7 GB
Processor graphics	Intel HD Graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 3000
Device ID		0x112
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Graphics interfaces
DisplayPort
DVI
eDP
HDMI
Number of displays supported	3	2
VGA
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Graphics image quality
Max resolution over DisplayPort	2560x1600@60Hz
Max resolution over eDP	2560x1600@60Hz
Max resolution over HDMI 1.4	1920x1080@60Hz
Max resolution over VGA	1920x1200@60Hz
Graphics API support
DirectX	11.1/12
OpenGL	4.3
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	FCLGA1150	LGA1155
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	53 Watt	95 Watt
Thermal Solution	PCG 2013C
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16	16
PCI Express revision	Up to 3.0	2.0
PCIe configurations	Up to 1x16, 2x8, 1x8+2x4
Scalability	1S Only
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Secure Key technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Optane™ Memory Supported
Intel® Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP)
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)