Intel Core i3-7320 vs Intel Core i5-2400 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents an unambiguous picture: the Intel Core i3-7320 wins every single head-to-head comparison, five out of five tests. The i5-2400 does not record a single victory in any of the recorded workloads. This is not a close contest with split results, it is a consistent margin of roughly 19% in favor of the newer processor across both single-core and multi-core tests.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-7320 scores 408 against the i5-2400's 329, a delta of -19.4% from the perspective of the older chip. That means the i3-7320 finishes about a fifth ahead in a heavily threaded rendering workload, despite having only two physical cores compared to the i5-2400's four. The same pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core: 1703 for the i3-7320 versus 1374 for the i5-2400, a -19.3% gap. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 4057 against 3272, again -19.3%. The consistency of this margin across three different versions of the same rendering benchmark strongly suggests a stable performance advantage rather than a workload-specific anomaly.

Single-core results tell the same story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i3-7320 posts 240 while the i5-2400 manages 194, a -19.2% difference. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 572 versus 462, also -19.2%. The i3-7320's single-core lead is essentially identical in percentage terms to its multi-core lead, which indicates that the advantage comes from per-core efficiency and clock speed rather than any parallelism benefit.

The Geekbench results in the database include only the i5-2400: 2011 multi-core and 666 single-core. The i3-7320 has no Geekbench entry recorded, so a direct comparison on that test is not possible from the data. The available Cinebench results, however, cover both single and multi-threaded workloads thoroughly.

The average benchmark score places the two processors very close in overall standing: the i5-2400 averages 1187 points, while the i3-7320 averages 1173. This is a difference of only about 1.2%, and it shows that when all recorded benchmarks are blended, the two chips sit at nearly the same level. Yet the head-to-head Cinebench tests show a decisive 19% margin for the i3-7320. The discrepancy is explained by the fact that the average score includes different test suites, and the i3-7320's single-core Cinebench R15 score of 57 is unusually low compared to its other results, which pulls its average down.

Both processors sit at the 33rd percentile of all CPUs in the database. That places them in the same performance tier overall, even though the direct comparisons show one clearly ahead. The nearest rivals for the i5-2400 include the Intel Core i5-4460T at -0.2%, the AMD Opteron 6234 at -0.3%, the Intel Core i7-8665UE at -0.5%, and the Intel Core i3-4170 at -0.5%. The i3-7320's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-3635QM at 0.3%, the Intel Core i7-2960XM at 0.4%, the Intel Core i5-3570S at 0.4%, and the Intel Core i5-3550 at -0.4%. These rival lists confirm that both processors compete in a similar league, surrounded by older quad-core parts and mobile chips.

The Verdict

The data points to a simple conclusion: for any workload covered in the benchmark set, the Intel Core i3-7320 is the stronger processor. It wins all five head-to-head tests by roughly 19%, and that margin holds in both single-core and multi-core scenarios. The i5-2400's four physical cores do not compensate for its lower clock speed and older architecture. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i3-7320 scores 4057 against 3272, a lead of 785 points. That is a substantial gap in a rendering workload that should theoretically favor the chip with more cores.

The i5-2400's only statistical advantage is its average benchmark score of 1187 versus 1173, a 1.2% edge that comes from a different mix of tests. That is not enough to recommend it over the i3-7320 in any of the workloads directly compared.

Anyone choosing between these two for a desktop build should pick the i3-7320 based on the recorded data. It is faster in every direct comparison, has a lower TDP of 51 watts against 95 watts, supports DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, and includes a more modern integrated graphics solution. The i5-2400 remains a functional quad-core part, but its performance ceiling is measurably lower.

The i3-7320 is also listed as Active in production status, while the i5-2400 is End-of-life. For a new system, the i3-7320 is the only sensible choice from the data. For a legacy system already built on the i5-2400, the benchmarks show that upgrading to the i3-7320 would deliver a clear performance improvement, but the socket change from Intel Socket 1155 to Intel Socket 1151 means a motherboard swap would be required.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and manufacturing nodes. The i5-2400 uses the Sandy Bridge architecture on a 32 nm process, while the i3-7320 uses the Kaby Lake architecture on a 14 nm process. The process node difference is significant: 32 nm versus 14 nm represents two full generations of manufacturing improvement. The i5-2400 has 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die, while the i3-7320's transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database.

Core counts differ sharply. The i5-2400 has 4 cores and 4 threads, with no hyper-threading. The i3-7320 has 2 cores and 4 threads, using hyper-threading to reach the same thread count. This means the i5-2400 has twice the physical core count, but the i3-7320 compensates with a much higher base clock: 4.10 GHz versus 3.10 GHz. The i5-2400 has a boost clock of 3.40 GHz, while the i3-7320 has no boost clock listed, running at a fixed 4.10 GHz.

Cache configurations are similar in structure but differ in capacity. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache differs: the i5-2400 has 6 MB shared, while the i3-7320 has 4 MB shared. The i5-2400 therefore has more total cache, but the i3-7320's smaller cache is paired with a much higher clock speed.

Memory support diverges completely. The i5-2400 supports DDR3 memory with a dual-channel bus and no recorded bandwidth figure. The i3-7320 supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a recorded bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. This is a major platform difference, as DDR4 provides higher bandwidth and lower latency than DDR3.

Both processors use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, and both have non-unlocked multipliers. The integrated graphics differ: the i5-2400 has Intel HD 2000, while the i3-7320 has Intel HD 630. The i3-7320's iGPU is from a much newer generation and offers better media and display capabilities, though the database does not include iGPU benchmark scores.

The sockets are incompatible. The i5-2400 uses Intel Socket 1155, while the i3-7320 uses Intel Socket 1151. The release dates are also far apart: the i5-2400 was released in January 2011, and the i3-7320 in January 2017, a six-year gap. The part numbers are SR00Q for the i5-2400 and SR358 for the i3-7320. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-2400 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core i3-7320 has 2 cores and 4 threads, using hyper-threading to match the thread count.

Q: Why does the i3-7320 win multi-core benchmarks despite having fewer cores?

A: The i3-7320 has a base clock of 4.10 GHz compared to the i5-2400's 3.10 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost. It also uses a newer 14 nm Kaby Lake architecture versus the 32 nm Sandy Bridge process. The higher clock speed and architectural efficiency overcome the core count disadvantage.

Q: What is the performance difference in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The i3-7320 scores 4057 while the i5-2400 scores 3272, a difference of -19.3% for the i5-2400. The i3-7320 is ahead by 785 points.

Q: Do both processors share the same socket?

A: No. The i5-2400 uses Intel Socket 1155, while the i3-7320 uses Intel Socket 1151. They are not interchangeable.

Q: Which processor supports DDR4 memory?

A: Only the i3-7320 supports DDR4, with a dual-channel bus and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The i5-2400 supports DDR3 with a dual-channel bus and no recorded bandwidth figure.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i5-2400 has an average benchmark score of 1187, and the i3-7320 has an average of 1173. The i5-2400 is slightly ahead by about 1.2% when all recorded benchmarks are averaged, despite losing every direct head-to-head test.

Where Each One Wins

The i3-7320 wins in every direct head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database. That includes Cinebench R15 multi-core (408 vs 329), Cinebench R20 multi-core (1703 vs 1374), Cinebench R20 single-core (240 vs 194), Cinebench R23 multi-core (4057 vs 3272), and Cinebench R23 single-core (572 vs 462). The margin is consistently around 19% across all five tests. This makes the i3-7320 the clear choice for rendering workloads, both single-threaded and multi-threaded, as represented by the Cinebench suite.

The i5-2400 does not win any head-to-head test. Its only advantage in the database is the average benchmark score of 1187 versus 1173, which is driven by a different mix of tests that includes Geekbench results not available for the i3-7320. The i5-2400 also has a larger L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB) and more physical cores (4 vs 2), which could matter in workloads that are not represented in the benchmark set, but the data does not include any test where that translates into a win.

For single-core performance, the i3-7320 is decisively ahead. Its 4.10 GHz fixed clock and Kaby Lake architecture deliver 240 in Cinebench R20 single-core versus 194 for the i5-2400, and 572 versus 462 in Cinebench R23 single-core. This makes the i3-7320 the better choice for lightly threaded applications like older games, spreadsheet work, or general desktop responsiveness, where single-core speed dominates.

For multi-core performance, the i3-7320 still wins, but the margin is the same 19% as single-core. The i5-2400's four physical cores do not give it an edge in the Cinebench multi-core tests. The i3-7320's hyper-threading and much higher clock speed carry it to victory. The i5-2400's 95 watt TDP is also nearly double the i3-7320's 51 watts, making the i3-7320 the more power-efficient choice for sustained workloads.

The i3-7320 also wins on platform features. It supports DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, includes Intel HD 630 graphics, and is listed as Active in production status. The i5-2400 is End-of-life, uses DDR3, and has Intel HD 2000 graphics. For a new build, the i3-7320 is the only reasonable option based on the data. For an existing i5-2400 system, the benchmark results show a clear upgrade path to the i3-7320, though the socket change means a new motherboard is required.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. Core count: the i5-2400 has 4 cores, the i3-7320 has 2. Threads: both have 4. Base clock: the i5-2400 runs at 3.10 GHz, the i3-7320 at 4.10 GHz. Boost clock: the i5-2400 boosts to 3.40 GHz, the i3-7320 has no boost clock listed. TDP: 95 watts for the i5-2400, 51 watts for the i3-7320.

Socket: Intel Socket 1155 for the i5-2400, Intel Socket 1151 for the i3-7320. Architecture: Sandy Bridge for the i5-2400, Kaby Lake for the i3-7320. Process node: 32 nm for the i5-2400, 14 nm for the i3-7320. Transistors: 1,160 million for the i5-2400, not recorded for the i3-7320. Die size: 216 mm² for the i5-2400, not recorded for the i3-7320.

L1 cache: 64 KB per core for both. L2 cache: 256 KB per core for both. L3 cache: 6 MB shared for the i5-2400, 4 MB shared for the i3-7320. Memory support: DDR3 for the i5-2400, DDR4 for the i3-7320. Memory bus: dual-channel for both. Memory bandwidth: not recorded for the i5-2400, 38.4 GB/s for the i3-7320. ECC memory: false for both.

PCIe: Gen 3, 16 lanes for both. Integrated graphics: Intel HD 2000 for the i5-2400, Intel HD 630 for the i3-7320. Market segment: Desktop for both. Production status: End-of-life for the i5-2400, Active for the i3-7320. Release date: January 2011 for the i5-2400, January 2017 for the i3-7320. Multiplier unlocked: false for both. Part number: SR00Q for the i5-2400, SR358 for the i3-7320.