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Core i5-2410M vs i3-2120


Description
Both models i5-2410M and i3-2120 are based on Sandy Bridge architecture.

"Sandy Bridge codename was originally ""Gesher"". The development began in 2005 and four years later, the first Sandy Bridge CPU was presented. The most prominent features are Intel Turbo Boost 2.0, AES encryption and SHA-1 hashing acceleration, Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) 256-bit instruction set and the ability to have up to 8 physical cores or 16 logical cores through Hyper-Threading."

Using the multithread performance as a reference, the i5-2410M gets a score of 38.7 k points while the i3-2120 gets 53.5 k points.

Summarizing, the i3-2120 is 1.4 times faster than the i5-2410M . To get a proper comparison between both models, take a look to the data shown below.

Specs
CPUID
206a7
206a7
Core
Sandy Bridge
Sandy Bridge
Architecture
Base frecuency
2.3 GHz
3.3 GHz
Boost frecuency
2.9 GHz
3.3 GHz
Socket
Socket G2 (988B)
LGA 1155
Cores/Threads
2/2
2/2
TDP
35 W
65 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
2x32+2x32 kB
2x32+2x32 kB
Cache L2
2x256 kB
2x256 kB
Cache L3
3072 kB
3072 kB
Date
February 2011
February 2012
Mean monothread perf.
20.1k points
24.23k points
Mean multithread perf.
38.68k points
53.48k points

Non-optimized benchmark
The benchmark in Mode 0 (FPU) measures cpu performance with non-optimized software. It uses the basic µinstructions from the i386 architecture with the i387 floating point unit. This mode is compatible with all CPUs so it's practical to compare very different CPUs
Monothread
i5-2410M
i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
2.38k
2.7k (x1.14)
Test#2 (FP)
6.6k
7.4k (x1.12)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.48k
3.82k (x1.1)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.16k
2.99k (x0.94)
TOTAL
15.62k
16.91k (x1.08)

Multithread

i5-2410M

i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
5.49k
6.36k (x1.16)
Test#2 (FP)
14.39k
16.87k (x1.17)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
8.39k
9.4k (x1.12)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.09k
2.91k (x0.94)
TOTAL
31.35k
35.53k (x1.13)

SSE3 optimized benchmark
The benchmark in mode I (SSE) is optimized for the use of SIMD instructions with 128 bits register and the SSE set up to version 3. Nearly every modern CPU has support for this mode.
Monothread
i5-2410M
i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
7.98k
9.82k (x1.23)
Test#2 (FP)
6.55k
7.9k (x1.21)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.28k
3.98k (x1.21)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.7k
2.95k (x1.09)
TOTAL
20.52k
24.64k (x1.2)

Multithread

i5-2410M

i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
13.66k
20.46k (x1.5)
Test#2 (FP)
13.17k
17.77k (x1.35)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
7.05k
10.03k (x1.42)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.02k
2.94k (x0.97)
TOTAL
36.9k
51.21k (x1.39)

AVX optimized benchmark
The benchmark in mode II (AVX) is optimized to used 256 bits registers beside the first version of the Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX). The first AVX compatible CPU was released in 2011.
Monothread
i5-2410M
i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
7.38k
9.07k (x1.23)
Test#2 (FP)
6.76k
8.25k (x1.22)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.3k
3.99k (x1.21)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.66k
2.92k (x1.1)
TOTAL
20.1k
24.23k (x1.21)

Multithread

i5-2410M

i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
14.17k
20.86k (x1.47)
Test#2 (FP)
14.71k
19.51k (x1.33)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
6.93k
10.09k (x1.46)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.87k
3.03k (x1.06)
TOTAL
38.68k
53.48k (x1.38)

Performance/W
i5-2410M
i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
405 points/W
321 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
420 points/W
300 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
198 points/W
155 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
82 points/W
47 points/W
TOTAL
1105 points/W
823 points/W

Performance/GHz
i5-2410M
i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
2543 points/GHz
2748 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
2332 points/GHz
2499 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
1139 points/GHz
1210 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
917 points/GHz
886 points/GHz
TOTAL
6932 points/GHz
7343 points/GHz

Monothread performance graph
Monothread performance graphics gives the performance vs time. They are useful to measure the time it takes to the CPU to reach the maximum performance.

Usually, CPU's performance will be steady during these tests but if it has a slow frequency strategy, the first samples will show a lower score.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Multithread performance graph
Multithread graphs measure the performance against a heavy load during certain time.

If CPU's TDP doesn't limit the frequency and the machine is properly cooled, performance should remain steady vs time. Otherwise, the performance score will oscillate or decrease over time.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Hardlimit Benchmark Central - Ver. 3.11.4