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Core i5-2500K vs i7-2600


Description
Both models i5-2500K and i7-2600 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 i5-2500K gets a score of 111.8 k points while the i7-2600 gets 93.7 k points.

Summarizing, the i5-2500K is 1.2 times faster than the i7-2600 . 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.
32.85k points
28.68k points
Mean multithread perf.
111.83k points
93.69k 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
i5-2500K
i7-2600
Test#1 (Integers)
11.84k
10.03k (x0.85)
Test#2 (FP)
10.43k
8.91k (x0.85)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
5.22k
4.34k (x0.83)
Test#1 (Memory)
5.36k
5.41k (x1.01)
TOTAL
32.85k
28.68k (x0.87)

Multithread

i5-2500K

i7-2600
Test#1 (Integers)
45.51k
37.69k (x0.83)
Test#2 (FP)
40.83k
34.22k (x0.84)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
20.7k
17.65k (x0.85)
Test#1 (Memory)
4.79k
4.13k (x0.86)
TOTAL
111.83k
93.69k (x0.84)

Performance/W
i5-2500K
i7-2600
Test#1 (Integers)
479 points/W
397 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
430 points/W
360 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
218 points/W
186 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
50 points/W
43 points/W
TOTAL
1177 points/W
986 points/W

Performance/GHz
i5-2500K
i7-2600
Test#1 (Integers)
3200 points/GHz
2639 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
2818 points/GHz
2343 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
1411 points/GHz
1141 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
1449 points/GHz
1425 points/GHz
TOTAL
8878 points/GHz
7549 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