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Core i5-2500 vs i7-2600K


Description
Both models i5-2500 and i7-2600K 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 i5-2500 gets a score of 86.9 k points while the i7-2600K gets 106.9 k points.

Summarizing, the i7-2600K is 1.2 times faster than the i5-2500 . 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
3.3 GHz
3.4 GHz
Boost frecuency
3.7 GHz
3.8 GHz
Socket
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
Cores/Threads
4/4
4/8
TDP
95 W
95 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
4x32+x4x32 kB
4x32+4x32 kB
Cache L2
4x256 kB
4x256 kB
Cache L3
6144 kB
8192 kB
Date
January 2011
June 2011
Mean monothread perf.
27.61k points
27.38k points
Mean multithread perf.
86.86k points
106.85k points

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
i5-2500
i7-2600K
Test#1 (Integers)
9.92k
9.61k (x0.97)
Test#2 (FP)
8.8k
8.51k (x0.97)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
4.27k
4.2k (x0.98)
Test#1 (Memory)
4.62k
5.06k (x1.1)
TOTAL
27.61k
27.38k (x0.99)

Multithread

i5-2500

i7-2600K
Test#1 (Integers)
35.79k
42.23k (x1.18)
Test#2 (FP)
31.77k
40.09k (x1.26)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
15.5k
19.97k (x1.29)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.8k
4.57k (x1.2)
TOTAL
86.86k
106.85k (x1.23)

Performance/W
i5-2500
i7-2600K
Test#1 (Integers)
377 points/W
444 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
334 points/W
422 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
163 points/W
210 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
40 points/W
48 points/W
TOTAL
914 points/W
1125 points/W

Performance/GHz
i5-2500
i7-2600K
Test#1 (Integers)
2682 points/GHz
2528 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
2377 points/GHz
2238 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
1153 points/GHz
1105 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
1248 points/GHz
1333 points/GHz
TOTAL
7461 points/GHz
7204 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