Intel Core i3-4150T vs Intel Core i5-2405S Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a starkly divided picture between these two desktop processors. The Intel Core i5-2405S wins five of the seven recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i3-4150T takes the remaining two. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The i5-2405S dominates across the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 291 against the i3-4150T's 244, a delta of -16.2% from the i3's perspective. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the i5 posts 1213 versus 1018, a -16.1% gap. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 2890 versus 2425, again a -16.1% difference. Single-core Cinebench tests follow the same trend: R20 single-core favors the i5 at 171 against 143 (-16.4%), and R23 single-core shows 408 versus 342 (-16.2%). These are consistent, near-uniform margins across every Cinebench workload.

The i3-4150T fights back in Geekbench. In Geekbench multicore, it scores 1762 against the i5's 1425, a 23.6% advantage. The single-core Geekbench result is even more decisive: 892 versus 541, a 64.9% lead for the i3. This is the largest single delta in the entire comparison. The i3's Geekbench victories are not marginal; they are substantial reversals of the Cinebench trend.

Interpreting the average benchmark scores places both parts in a similar overall performance class. The i3-4150T has an average benchmark score of 975, while the i5-2405S sits at 991. The i5 sits at the 27th percentile of all CPUs in the database, barely ahead of the i3's 26th percentile. The i3's nearest rivals list includes the AMD Athlon X4 840, Intel Core i3-4130, AMD A10-7870K, and Intel Core i5-5257U, all within 0.1% of the i3's average score. The i5's nearest rivals cluster near the 993 average score of the Intel Core i7-960, Intel Core i7-965, Intel Xeon W3565, and AMD Phenom II X6 1065T, with a -0.2% delta. The i5's average score is 16 points above the i3, but its percentile rank is only one point higher, confirming that the two are close in aggregate standing.

Architecture Differences

The architectural contrast between the two processors spans several generations of Intel silicon separated by three years of design philosophy shifts the performance landscape in distinct directions. The i3-4150T is built on Intel's 22 nm Haswell architecture, while the i5-2405S uses the older 32 nm Sandy Bridge design. Intel fabricated both parts in-house. The i5 carries 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die, whereas the i3 has 1,400 million transistors on a smaller 177 mm² die.

Core counts differ as expected: the i3-4150T has 2 cores with 4 threads, while the i5-2405S has 4 cores with 4 threads. This explains the i5's multicore Cinebench advantage, the i5's extra physical cores provide more raw throughput in heavily threaded rendering workloads. The i3 compensates with Hyper-Threading, granting it 4 threads from just 2 cores, but the i5's 4 physical cores still outpace it in Cinebench.

Cache hierarchies also separate the two. Both share 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache, however, doubles from 3 MB shared on the i3 to 6 MB shared on the i5. This larger shared cache likely contributes to the i5's consistent Cinebench wins, as more data can reside closer to the cores.

The i5-2405S carries a base clock of 2.50 GHz with a boost clock of 3.30 GHz, enabling dynamic frequency increases under load. The i3-4150T runs at a fixed 2.90 GHz with no boost clock listed, relying entirely on its base frequency. The i5's boost capability gives it a peak frequency advantage of 0.40 GHz over the i3's static clock.

The i5's integrated graphics is Intel HD 3000, while the i3 features Intel HD 4400. Both parts support DDR3 memory over a dual-channel bus, and neither supports ECC memory. Both use PCIe Gen 3, but the i5 specifies 16 lanes CPU-only, while the i3 lists simply Gen 3 without a lane count. The i5 has a TDP of 65 W, nearly double the i3's 35 W, reflecting the higher power envelope of the older quad-core design.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-2405S wins in every Cinebench workload recorded, both single-core and multicore. These tests stress sustained CPU rendering performance, and the i5's four physical cores plus its 3.30 GHz boost clock carry it to leads of roughly 16% across the board. Users running Cinebench-style rendering tasks, video encoding, or other workloads that scale with physical core count and sustained clock speed would see the i5's advantage in the data.

The i3-4150T wins both Geekbench tests, which measure a broader mix of integer, floating-point, and memory workloads. Its 64.9% single-core lead in Geekbench is particularly striking, indicating that the Haswell architecture's per-core efficiency and the i3's higher base clock of 2.90 GHz give it a significant edge in lightly threaded, latency-sensitive tasks. The i3's 23.6% multicore Geekbench lead over the i5 is equally notable, suggesting that Geekbench's multicore test does not scale purely with physical core count, but rewards the i3's newer architecture and higher per-thread performance.

The averaged benchmark score slightly favors the i5 at 991 versus 975, but the i3's wins in Geekbench and the i5's wins in Cinebench mean the choice depends heavily on the workload. The i5 sits at the 27th percentile of all CPUs, the i3 at the 26th, a difference of one percentile point that reinforces the overall parity.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show several clear divergences between the two parts. The i3-4150T has 2 cores; the i5-2405S has 4. Both have 4 threads, so the thread count is identical despite the core difference. The i3's base clock is 2.90 GHz; the i5's base clock is 2.50 GHz. The i5 adds a 3.30 GHz boost clock, while the i3 lists no boost clock at all.

The i3's TDP is 35 W; the i5's is 65 W. The i3 uses the Intel Socket 1150, while the i5 uses Intel Socket 1155, meaning they are not socket-compatible. The i3 is built on the Haswell architecture at 22 nm; the i5 uses Sandy Bridge at 32 nm. Transistor count is higher on the i3 at 1,400 million; the i5 has 1,160 million transistors. Die size is smaller on the i3 at 177 mm²; the i5's die measures 216 mm². L3 cache is 3 MB shared on the i3; the i5 has 6 MB shared L3 cache.

The integrated graphics differ, Intel HD 4400 on the i3 versus Intel HD 4000 series HD 3000 on the i5. The i5 lists PCIe Gen 3, 16 Lanes CPU-only, a detail absent from the i3's Gen 3 entry. The i5's part number is SR0BB, while the i3 lists none. The i5's production status is End-of-life; the i3 has no recorded production status listed. Neither has a launch MSRP recorded in the database. The i5 was released on 2014-04-30, while the i5's release date is 2011-05-21, placing the i3 being the newer part by release date.

The i3's generation is Core i3 (Haswell), the i5's generation is Core i5 (Sandy Bridge). Both are Desktop market segment parts. Both support DDR3 memory over a dual-channel bus, both lack ECC memory support, both have no memory bandwidth recorded, both have no series listing, both lack a vCache3d field, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-2405S has an average benchmark score of 991, while the Intel Core i3-4150T averages 975.

Q: Which CPU is better in single-core Cinebench R23 performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-2405S scores 408 in Cinebench R23 single-core, compared to 342 for the Intel Core i3-4150T, a -16.2% delta for the i3.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench multicore?

A: The Intel Core i3-4150T scores 1762 in Geekbench multicore, beating the Intel Core i5-2405S's 1425 by 23.6%.

Q: How many physical cores does each chip have?

A: The Intel Core i3-4150T has 2 cores with 4 threads, while the Intel Core i5-2405S has 4 cores with 4 threads.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i3-4150T has a TDP of 35 W, while the Intel Core i5-2405S has a TDP of 65 W.

Q: Are these processors socket-compatible?

A: No, the Intel Core i3-4150T uses Intel Socket 1150, while the Intel Core i5-2405S uses Intel Socket 1155.

The Verdict

The benchmark data directs each buyer toward a different chip depending on workload priorities. For Cinebench-style rendering and multicore compute that favors physical cores, the Intel Core i5-2405S is the clear choice, it wins every Cinebench test recorded with margins near 16%. Its 4 cores, 6 MB of L3 cache, and 3.30 GHz boost clock support sustained heavy workloads. The i5's higher average benchmark score of 991 also marginally favors it in aggregate terms.

For Geekbench-style workloads that emphasize per-core efficiency, memory latency, and newer architectural features, the Intel Core i3-4150T is the stronger option. Its 64.9% single-core Geekbench lead over the i5 is the largest margin in the entire comparison, and its 23.6% multicore Geekbench win shows that architectural efficiency can overcome a core-count deficit. The i3's lower 35 W TDP also makes it the more power-efficient part, and its 22 nm Haswell process is newer than the i5's 32 nm Sandy Bridge design.

Users with Socket 1150 motherboards should consider the i3-4150T. Users with Socket 1155 platforms can look at the i5-2405S. The i5's End-of-life production status and older 2011 release date contrast with the i3's 2014 launch, but the i5 remains competitive in Cinebench. The i3's Geekbench dominance and newer architecture make it the better pick for general-purpose, lightly threaded tasks, while the i5 holds the edge for rendering. The one-percentile difference in overall standing, 27th for the i5 against 26th for the i3, confirms these are closely matched parts with divergent strengths.