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Core i7-6500U vs i5-2520M


Description
The i7-6500U is based on Skylake architecture while the i5-2520M is based on Sandy Bridge.

Using the multithread performance as a reference, the i7-6500U gets a score of 78.7 k points while the i5-2520M gets 50.2 k points.

Summarizing, the i7-6500U is 1.6 times faster than the i5-2520M . To get a proper comparison between both models, take a look to the data shown below.

Specs
CPUID
406e3
206a7
Core
Skylake-U
Sandy Bridge
Architecture
Base frecuency
2.5 GHz
2.5 GHz
Boost frecuency
3.1 GHz
3.2 GHz
Socket
BGA1356
BGA1023
Cores/Threads
2/4
2/2
TDP
15 W
35 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
2x32+2x32 kB
2x32+2x32 kB
Cache L2
4096 kB
2x256 kB
Cache L3
kB
3072 kB
Date
September 2015
February 2011
Mean monothread perf.
46.25k points
24.13k points
Mean multithread perf.
97.52k points
50.23k 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
i7-6500U
i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
2.98k
2.69k (x0.9)
Test#2 (FP)
12.19k
7.28k (x0.6)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.91k
3.84k (x0.98)
Test#1 (Memory)
5.3k
3.05k (x0.58)
TOTAL
24.37k
16.86k (x0.69)

Multithread

i7-6500U

i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
6.1k
6.08k (x1)
Test#2 (FP)
28.73k
16.15k (x0.56)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
9.56k
8.87k (x0.93)
Test#1 (Memory)
6.71k
3.06k (x0.46)
TOTAL
51.09k
34.15k (x0.67)

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
i7-6500U
i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
11.09k
9.04k (x0.82)
Test#2 (FP)
17.1k
8.03k (x0.47)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
4.12k
4.06k (x0.98)
Test#1 (Memory)
5.58k
2.99k (x0.54)
TOTAL
37.9k
24.13k (x0.64)

Multithread

i7-6500U

i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
23.3k
19.82k (x0.85)
Test#2 (FP)
38.52k
18.12k (x0.47)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
9.95k
9.23k (x0.93)
Test#1 (Memory)
6.95k
3.06k (x0.44)
TOTAL
78.72k
50.23k (x0.64)

Performance/W
i7-6500U
i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
1553 points/W
566 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
2568 points/W
518 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
663 points/W
264 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
463 points/W
88 points/W
TOTAL
5248 points/W
1435 points/W

Performance/GHz
i7-6500U
i5-2520M
Test#1 (Integers)
3579 points/GHz
2826 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
5516 points/GHz
2510 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
1330 points/GHz
1269 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
1801 points/GHz
935 points/GHz
TOTAL
12225 points/GHz
7540 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