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Core i7-2640M vs i5-2500


Description
Both models i7-2640M and i5-2500 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 i7-2640M gets a score of 54.9 k points while the i5-2500 gets 86.9 k points.

Summarizing, the i5-2500 is 1.6 times faster than the i7-2640M. 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
2.8 GHz
3.3 GHz
Boost frecuency
3.5 GHz
3.7 GHz
Socket
PGA 988B
LGA 1155
Cores/Threads
2/4
4/4
TDP
35 W
95 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
2x32+2x32 kB
4x32+x4x32 kB
Cache L2
2x256 kB
4x256 kB
Cache L3
4096 kB
6144 kB
Date
September 2011
January 2011
Mean monothread perf.
25.86k points
27.61k points
Mean multithread perf.
54.86k points
86.86k 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
i7-2640M
i5-2500
Test#1 (Integers)
9.63k
9.92k (x1.03)
Test#2 (FP)
8.33k
8.8k (x1.06)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
4.08k
4.27k (x1.05)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.82k
4.62k (x1.21)
TOTAL
25.86k
27.61k (x1.07)

Multithread

i7-2640M

i5-2500
Test#1 (Integers)
21.22k
35.79k (x1.69)
Test#2 (FP)
19.6k
31.77k (x1.62)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
10.09k
15.5k (x1.54)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.94k
3.8k (x0.96)
TOTAL
54.86k
86.86k (x1.58)

Performance/W
i7-2640M
i5-2500
Test#1 (Integers)
606 points/W
377 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
560 points/W
334 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
288 points/W
163 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
112 points/W
40 points/W
TOTAL
1567 points/W
914 points/W

Performance/GHz
i7-2640M
i5-2500
Test#1 (Integers)
2752 points/GHz
2682 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
2380 points/GHz
2377 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
1165 points/GHz
1153 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
1092 points/GHz
1248 points/GHz
TOTAL
7390 points/GHz
7461 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