CPU Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a remarkably consistent picture: the Intel Core i3-6320 wins every single head-to-head comparison against the Core i5-2320, taking all five recorded tests. The margins are strikingly uniform, hovering near the 19% mark across every workload. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-6320 scores 378 against the i5-2320's 317, a 19.2% advantage. That pattern repeats almost exactly in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i3-6320 posts 1576 versus 1321, a 19.3% gap. The consistency suggests this is not a workload-specific quirk but a fundamental throughput advantage.

Single-core results tell the same story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i3-6320 reaches 222 while the i5-2320 manages 186, a 19.4% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 529 against 444, a 19.1% margin. The narrow spread of these deltas, from 19.1% to 19.4%, is remarkable. It implies the i3-6320's advantage scales evenly across both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded scenarios, which is unusual for a 2-core part facing a 4-core rival.

The overall average benchmark scores confirm the near-parity at a glance: the i3-6320 averages 1085, while the i5-2320 averages 1083. That 0.2% difference (as shown in the nearestRivals data) is almost negligible in aggregate. Yet the head-to-head tests reveal a different reality. The i3-6320 leads by roughly 19% in every individual Cinebench run, yet the average scores are nearly identical. This suggests the aggregate figure masks the fact that the i3-6320 is consistently faster in the tested workloads, while the i5-2320 may have other strengths that pull its average up, or that the benchmark suite weights different tests in ways that flatten the gap.

The wins tally is unambiguous: 5 wins for the i3-6320, 0 for the i5-2320. There is no test in this dataset where the older quad-core manages to edge ahead. The data does not show a single reversal, not even in multi-core rendering where the i5-2320's two extra physical cores might be expected to help. The i3-6320's higher base clock and newer architecture appear to more than compensate for its core deficit.

FAQ

Q: Does the Core i3-6320 win every benchmark against the Core i5-2320?

A: Yes. The head-to-head data shows the i3-6320 winning all five recorded tests: Cinebench R15 multi-core (378 vs 317), R20 multi-core (1576 vs 1321), R20 single-core (222 vs 186), R23 multi-core (3753 vs 3146), and R23 single-core (529 vs 444). The wins tally is 5-0.

Q: How large is the performance gap between the two processors?

A: The deltas range from 19.1% to 19.4% in favor of the i3-6320 across all head-to-head tests. The average benchmark scores are much closer, 1085 for the i3-6320 versus 1083 for the i5-2320, but the individual Cinebench results show a consistent ~19% advantage.

Q: Does the i5-2320's four physical cores help in multi-core workloads?

A: The data suggests not in these tests. Despite having 4 cores versus the i3-6320's 2, the i5-2320 scores lower in Cinebench R15 multi-core (317 vs 378), R20 multi-core (1321 vs 1576), and R23 multi-core (3146 vs 3753). The i3-6320 leads by about 19% in each multi-core test.

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core performance?

A: The i3-6320. In Cinebench R20 single-core it scores 222 versus 186, and in R23 single-core it scores 529 versus 444. Both deltas are approximately 19% in favor of the i3-6320.

Q: Are these processors closely matched in overall benchmark scores?

A: The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, 1085 for the i3-6320 and 1083 for the i5-2320, a 0.2% difference. However, the head-to-head tests show a much wider gap, suggesting the aggregate average may obscure the i3-6320's consistent advantage in the tested Cinebench workloads.

Q: Which processor has a higher percentile ranking among all CPUs?

A: Both sit at the 30th percentile, according to the data. The i3-6320 and i5-2320 are statistically tied in overall standing, despite the i3-6320's clear wins in the individual head-to-head tests.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations, and the data shows how far Intel's designs progressed between them. The i3-6320 is built on Skylake, a 14 nm process, while the i5-2320 is Sandy Bridge on a 32 nm node. That process shrink is dramatic, the i3-6320 packs 1,400 million transistors into a 150 mm² die, whereas the i5-2320 uses 1,160 million transistors across a much larger 216 mm² die. The newer process allows the i3-6320 to achieve higher clock speeds while consuming less power.

Clock speeds differ significantly. The i3-6320 runs at a base clock of 3.90 GHz with no boost clock listed, while the i5-2320 has a base of 3.00 GHz and a boost of 3.30 GHz. The i3-6320's base clock alone is 0.6 GHz higher than the i5-2320's maximum boost. This clock advantage is likely a major factor in the i3-6320's single-core wins, where it outperforms the i5-2320 by roughly 19% despite having half the physical cores.

Cache configurations also differ. The i3-6320 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-2320 has 6 MB. Interestingly, the older chip has more L3, yet still loses in every benchmark. Both have identical 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. The i3-6320's smaller L3 is offset by its architectural efficiency and higher clocks.

Memory support is another generational split. The i3-6320 supports DDR4 memory with a listed bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, while the i5-2320 supports DDR3 with no bandwidth figure provided. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The i3-6320's newer memory standard likely contributes to its overall performance advantage, particularly in memory-sensitive workloads.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The i3-6320 includes Intel HD 530, while the i5-2320 has Intel HD 2000. The production status also reflects their ages: the i3-6320 is listed as Active, the i5-2320 as End-of-life. The release dates confirm the gap, the i5-2320 launched in 2011, the i3-6320 in 2015.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most obvious divergence: the i3-6320 has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the i5-2320 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The i3-6320 uses Hyper-Threading to reach 4 threads from 2 cores, while the i5-2320 has four physical cores without additional threads. Despite this, the i3-6320 wins all multi-core tests.

Base clocks differ: 3.90 GHz for the i3-6320 versus 3.00 GHz for the i5-2320. The i5-2320 has a boost clock of 3.30 GHz, while the i3-6320 lists no boost clock. Thermal design power is another contrast, the i3-6320 is rated at 51 W, the i5-2320 at 95 W. The newer chip delivers better performance while drawing nearly half the power.

Sockets and platforms are incompatible: the i3-6320 uses Intel Socket 1151, the i5-2320 uses Intel Socket 1155. Process nodes differ (14 nm versus 32 nm), as do transistor counts (1,400 million versus 1,160 million) and die sizes (150 mm² versus 216 mm²). The i3-6320 has 4 MB of L3 cache, the i5-2320 has 6 MB.

Memory support splits by generation: DDR4 for the i3-6320, DDR3 for the i5-2320. The i3-6320 lists 34.1 GB/s memory bandwidth; the i5-2320 has no bandwidth figure. Integrated graphics are Intel HD 530 versus Intel HD 2000. Manufacturing foundry is the same (Intel), and both have PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. Neither supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner: the Intel Core i3-6320 outperforms the Intel Core i5-2320 in every recorded benchmark. The margins are consistent at approximately 19% across single-core and multi-core workloads alike. The i3-6320 achieves this with half the physical cores, fewer threads (4 versus 4, but from 2 cores), a smaller L3 cache (4 MB versus 6 MB), and significantly lower TDP (51 W versus 95 W). The architectural leap from Sandy Bridge to Skylake, combined with the process shrink from 32 nm to 14 nm, more than compensates for the core count disadvantage.

The i5-2320's only apparent strengths are its four physical cores and larger L3 cache, yet neither translates into a benchmark win. The average benchmark scores are nearly tied (1085 versus 1083), and both sit at the 30th percentile, but the head-to-head results tell a different story. Any user choosing between these two based purely on performance data should select the i3-6320. The i5-2320's end-of-life status, older socket, DDR3 memory support, and higher power draw further reinforce this conclusion. The data does not support any scenario where the i5-2320 wins.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i3-6320: This processor wins every benchmark category in the dataset. It leads in Cinebench R15 multi-core (378 vs 317), R20 multi-core (1576 vs 1321), R20 single-core (222 vs 186), R23 multi-core (3753 vs 3146), and R23 single-core (529 vs 444). The i3-6320 is the choice for single-threaded workloads, multi-threaded rendering, and everything in between, based on the available data. Its higher base clock (3.90 GHz), newer Skylake architecture, DDR4 memory support, and lower TDP make it superior across the board. It is also the only one of the two still in active production, with a socket (1151) that is more recent than the i5-2320's 1155.

Intel Core i5-2320: The data shows no benchmark where this processor wins. Its four physical cores and larger 6 MB L3 cache do not produce a victory in any tested workload. Its 3.30 GHz boost clock is lower than the i3-6320's 3.90 GHz base clock, and its 32 nm process is two generations behind. The i5-2320's only potential advantage lies in its availability as an older, end-of-life part, but the FACT PACK provides no performance data to support choosing it over the i3-6320. For users constrained to the LGA 1155 platform or DDR3 memory, it would be the only option of the two, but that is a platform compatibility argument, not a performance one. In every measured category, the i3-6320 is the definitive winner.