Intel Core i5-2310 vs Intel Core i5-2380P Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a remarkably close contest between these two Sandy Bridge quad-cores. Across every recorded Cinebench test, the Intel Core i5-2310 edges out the Intel Core i5-2380P, but the margins are consistently slim. The largest gap appears in Cinebench R15 multicore, where the i5-2310 scores 314 against 311 for the i5-2380P, a delta of 1%. That translates to a single-digit point advantage, which is within run-to-run noise for most workloads.

The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multicore. Here, the i5-2310 posts 1309, while the i5-2380P records 1297. The delta is 0.9%, meaning the i5-2310 leads by 12 points. In single-core R20, the i5-2310 scores 184 versus 183, a 0.5% edge. That is the smallest percentage difference in the entire head-to-head set, effectively a tie in practical terms.

Moving to Cinebench R23, the multicore result shows the i5-2310 at 3118 and the i5-2380P at 3090, again a 0.9% delta. The single-core R23 test follows suit: 440 for the i5-2310 against 436 for the i5-2380P, a 0.9% lead. In all five recorded benchmarks, the i5-2310 claims victory. The wins count stands at 5 for the i5-2310 and 0 for the i5-2380P, but the absolute differences are so small that they carry little practical weight.

Looking at the aggregate database scores, the i5-2310 averages 1073 across all benchmark suites, while the i5-2380P averages 1063. That 10-point gap places the i5-2310 in the 30th percentile of all CPUs, against the 29th percentile for the i5-2380P. Both sit in the lower third of the performance distribution, which is expected for 2011-era quad-cores without hyper-threading.

The nearest rival comparisons reinforce how tightly grouped these parts are. The i5-2310’s closest competitor is the Intel Pentium Gold G6505, which scores 1074, a delta of -0.1% against the i5-2310. The Intel Core i3-4170T and Intel Core i5-5287U both score 1072, a 0.1% delta. The AMD Athlon X4 880K sits at 1071, also 0.1% behind. For the i5-2380P, the nearest rival is the Intel Core i3-9100HL at 1065, a -0.2% delta, followed by the Intel Xeon W3580 at 1064 (-0.1%) and the Intel Core i5-4570TE at 1062 (0.1%). The AMD Opteron 4376 HE rounds out the group at 1061, a 0.2% delta.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-2310 wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, but the practical interpretation requires nuance. In multi-threaded workloads like Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore, the i5-2310 leads by roughly 1% or less. That means for rendering, video encoding, or any task that scales across all four cores, the i5-2310 offers a marginal but consistent advantage. The i5-2380P is never ahead in any measured test.

In single-threaded tasks, the gap narrows further. The i5-2310 leads by 0.5% in R20 single-core and 0.9% in R23 single-core. For everyday use cases like web browsing, office applications, or light productivity, the difference is imperceptible. Both CPUs will feel identical in such scenarios, as the single-core scores are nearly indistinguishable.

The i5-2380P does have one notable feature advantage: it lacks integrated graphics entirely. The i5-2310 includes Intel HD 2000 graphics. For users who plan to pair the CPU with a dedicated graphics card, the i5-2380P’s lack of an iGPU means no wasted die area or power draw on graphics hardware that will never be used. However, this does not show up in the benchmark scores, which are purely CPU compute tests.

From a use-case perspective, the i5-2310 is the safer choice for anyone who might need a fallback display output or wants a single-chip solution for a basic system. The i5-2380P is better suited for a build that absolutely requires a discrete GPU, such as a gaming rig or a workstation with a professional graphics card. Neither CPU has a meaningful performance advantage in any workload category, so the decision rests on features rather than speed.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same fundamental design. They are built on Intel’s Sandy Bridge architecture, using a 32 nm process node at Intel’s own foundry. Each chip contains 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die. The core configuration is identical: 4 cores and 4 threads, with no hyper-threading. Cache layouts match exactly, with 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3.

The clock speeds differ slightly. The i5-2310 runs at a 2.90 GHz base clock and boosts to 3.20 GHz. The i5-2380P runs higher, with a 3.10 GHz base and a 3.40 GHz boost. Despite the higher clocks, the i5-2380P scores slightly lower in every benchmark. This suggests the i5-2310 may have better thermal or power management characteristics, or the benchmark samples vary within normal manufacturing tolerances. Both CPUs carry a 95 W TDP, so power draw is nominally identical.

Memory support is the same: DDR3 over a dual-channel bus, with no ECC capability. PCIe connectivity matches as well, with Gen 3 and 16 lanes from the CPU. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not officially supported.

The key architectural difference is the integrated graphics. The i5-2310 includes Intel HD 2000, while the i5-2380P has no integrated graphics at all. This is the primary differentiator between the two parts. The i5-2380P was designed for systems that would always have a discrete GPU, which is why the part number carries the “P” suffix. The i5-2310 retains the iGPU for flexibility.

Both CPUs use the Intel Socket 1155, so they are drop-in compatible with the same motherboards. Release dates differ: the i5-2310 launched in May 2011, while the i5-2380P came later in January 2012. The i5-2310 is marked as end-of-life, while the i5-2380P has no production status listed in the database. Part numbers are SR02K for the i5-2310 and SR0G2 for the i5-2380P.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-2310 leads in every multi-core benchmark. It scores 314 vs 311 in Cinebench R15, 1309 vs 1297 in R20, and 3118 vs 3090 in R23. The deltas are all under 1%.

Q: Does the i5-2380P have integrated graphics?

A: No. The i5-2380P has no integrated graphics unit. The i5-2310 includes Intel HD 2000, which provides a basic display output option without a discrete GPU.

Q: Are these CPUs the same architecture?

A: Yes, both are Sandy Bridge parts built on Intel’s 32 nm process. They share the same transistor count, die size, and cache layout. The only architectural difference is the presence or absence of integrated graphics.

Q: How do these CPUs compare to other processors in the database?

A: The i5-2310 sits at the 30th percentile of all CPUs, with an average score of 1073. The i5-2380P is at the 29th percentile with an average of 1063. Their nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-4170T and Intel Pentium Gold G6505, both within 0.1% of the i5-2310.

Q: Which CPU has a higher clock speed?

A: The i5-2380P has higher clocks: 3.10 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost, compared to 2.90 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost for the i5-2310. Despite this, the i5-2310 scores slightly higher in all benchmarks.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same memory and PCIe?

A: Yes, both support DDR3 over a dual-channel bus and PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear, if narrow, winner. The Intel Core i5-2310 outperforms the Intel Core i5-2380P in every recorded benchmark, with a 100% win rate across the head-to-head set. The margins are small, ranging from 0.5% to 1%, but they are consistent. For anyone optimizing purely for benchmark scores, the i5-2310 is the correct choice.

The i5-2380P does offer higher clock speeds, but those clocks do not translate into higher scores in the database. This makes the i5-2310 the better performer despite its lower base and boost frequencies. The i5-2310 also carries the advantage of integrated graphics, which adds flexibility for system builders who may not have a discrete GPU immediately available.

The i5-2380P is only preferable in a narrow scenario: a build that will always use a dedicated graphics card and where the absence of an iGPU is considered a feature rather than a drawback. In that case, the i5-2380P avoids dedicating silicon to graphics that will never be used. However, the performance data shows no benefit from this trade-off, as the i5-2380P still scores lower.

For the vast majority of users, the Intel Core i5-2310 is the better pick. It wins all five benchmarks, includes integrated graphics, and sits at a slightly higher performance percentile. The i5-2380P is not a bad processor, but the recorded data gives no reason to choose it over the i5-2310 unless the absence of an iGPU is a specific requirement. Both CPUs are old Sandy Bridge parts, and neither will impress in modern workloads, but among these two, the i5-2310 is the one the numbers favor.