Intel Core i5-2310 vs Intel Core i5-5287U Comparison

The Intel Core i5-2310 and Intel Core i5-5287U are both end-of-life processors that land at the 30th percentile of all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 1073 and 1072 respectively. Despite the near-identical aggregate scores, these are fundamentally different designs: the i5-2310 is a 95W desktop part from the Sandy Bridge generation, while the i5-5287U is a 28W mobile chip from the Broadwell era. The benchmark data shows a consistent pattern across all shared tests, with the desktop part winning every single head-to-head matchup by a margin of roughly 20%, yet the two chips still end up as direct rivals in the database because their average scores are within 0.1% of each other.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking finding is the uniformity of the performance gap. Across five Cinebench tests, the Intel Core i5-2310 beats the Intel Core i5-5287U by a delta of 20.1% to 20.3% in every single instance. This is not a case where one chip wins some workloads and loses others; the desktop processor simply dominates the mobile part across the board.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-2310 scores 314 against the i5-5287U's 261, a 20.3% advantage. The R20 multi-core test shows a similar story: 1309 versus 1090, a 20.1% lead for the older chip. The R23 multi-core results follow the same pattern, with the i5-2310 posting 3118 and the i5-5287U managing 2596, again a 20.1% gap.

Single-core performance tells an identical tale. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-2310 scores 184 while the i5-5287U scores 153, a 20.3% difference. The R23 single-core test shows 440 versus 366, a 20.2% margin. The fact that the single-core and multi-core deltas are nearly identical suggests this is a fundamental architectural and power-delivery advantage, not a workload-specific quirk.

The i5-5287U does have additional Geekbench results in the data — 2007 multi-core and 1029 single-core — but the i5-2310 has no corresponding Geekbench scores, so no direct comparison is possible on that test. Still, the five Cinebench results are unambiguous: the i5-2310 wins all five head-to-head matchups, and the win tally stands at 5-0.

The Verdict

The data is clear: if raw compute performance is the only criterion, the Intel Core i5-2310 is the better processor. It beats the i5-5287U by roughly 20% in every benchmark they share. The desktop chip's four physical cores and 95W power budget deliver consistently higher scores than the mobile chip's two cores and 28W envelope.

However, the verdict is not that simple. The i5-5287U is a mobile processor with a launch MSRP of $315, and it includes Intel Iris 6100 integrated graphics, whereas the i5-2310 uses the older Intel HD 2000. The two chips also occupy different sockets — Intel Socket 1155 for the desktop part versus Intel BGA 1168 for the mobile part — meaning they are not interchangeable in any system.

For a builder selecting a processor for a desktop build where power consumption is not a constraint, the i5-2310 is the obvious choice. It offers more cores, a higher boost clock, and a 20% performance advantage across the board. For anyone selecting a chip for a compact or mobile system where the 28W TDP and integrated Iris graphics matter, the i5-5287U is the only viable option of the two, despite its lower benchmark scores.

The data also shows that both processors sit at the 30th percentile of all CPUs, with the i5-2310's nearest rivals including the Intel Core i3-4170T (avg score 1072, delta 0.1%) and the AMD Athlon X4 880K (avg score 1071, delta 0.1%). The i5-5287U's nearest rivals include the same i3-4170T and Athlon X4 880K, plus the AMD Opteron 3380 (avg score 1071, delta 0.1%). Neither chip is a performance leader by modern standards.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-2310 wins every benchmark it shares with the i5-5287U, so its strengths are easy to enumerate. It wins multi-threaded workloads thanks to its four physical cores versus the i5-5287U's two, and the Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests all reflect this 20% advantage. It also wins single-threaded workloads, as shown by the R20 and R23 single-core tests, likely due to its higher 3.20 GHz boost clock compared to the i5-5287U's 3.30 GHz — though the desktop chip's advantage in these tests is more likely tied to its 95W power budget allowing sustained clocks.

The i5-5287U's wins are not in the benchmark data — it loses all five head-to-head tests — but it does have qualitative advantages. It offers a much lower 28W TDP versus 95W, making it suitable for systems where heat and power are limited. Its integrated Intel Iris 6100 graphics are a generation ahead of the Intel HD 2000 in the i5-2310, and the mobile chip supports a higher memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, a figure not listed for the desktop part. The i5-5287U also includes Geekbench scores in its benchmark set, giving it a broader testing profile even if those scores cannot be compared directly.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward: the i5-2310 wins on pure CPU performance, while the i5-5287U wins on efficiency, graphics capability, and mobility.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-2310 is faster in every multi-core test. It scores 314 versus 261 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 1309 versus 1090 in R20 multi-core, and 3118 versus 2596 in R23 multi-core, a consistent 20.1% advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-5287U win any benchmark?

A: No. In the five head-to-head Cinebench tests, the Intel Core i5-2310 wins all five. The i5-5287U does have Geekbench scores (2007 multi-core, 1029 single-core), but the i5-2310 has no Geekbench results in the data, so no comparison is possible.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-2310 has an average benchmark score of 1073, while the i5-5287U scores 1072. The difference is 0.1%, which is why they appear as nearest rivals to each other in the database.

Q: What is the TDP difference between these two CPUs?

A: The Intel Core i5-2310 has a TDP of 95W, while the Intel Core i5-5287U has a TDP of 28W. This is a 67W difference, which explains the mobile chip's suitability for power-constrained systems.

Q: Do these processors use the same socket?

A: No. The Intel Core i5-2310 uses Intel Socket 1155, while the i5-5287U uses Intel BGA 1168. They are not compatible with the same motherboards.

Q: What integrated graphics do they each have?

A: The Intel Core i5-2310 includes Intel HD 2000, while the Intel Core i5-5287U includes Intel Iris 6100. The Iris 6100 is the newer and more capable graphics solution.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations, which explains much of the performance and efficiency gap. The Intel Core i5-2310 is built on the Sandy Bridge architecture using a 32 nm process node, while the i5-5287U uses the Broadwell architecture on a 14 nm process node. The newer process allows the mobile chip to pack more transistors — 1,900 million versus 1,160 million — into a smaller die: 133 mm² for the i5-5287U compared to 216 mm² for the i5-2310.

Core counts differ significantly. The i5-2310 has four physical cores and four threads, while the i5-5287U has two physical cores and four threads, using hyper-threading to reach the same thread count. The i5-2310's L3 cache is 6 MB shared, double the 3 MB shared on the i5-5287U. Both have 64 KB L1 cache per core and 256 KB L2 cache per core.

The memory support is DDR3 for both, and both use a dual-channel memory bus. The i5-5287U lists a memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, a figure not provided for the i5-2310. Neither supports ECC memory. PCIe support differs: the i5-2310 offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-5287U offers Gen 2 with 12 lanes (CPU only). The newer mobile chip has the more advanced integrated graphics, Intel Iris 6100 versus Intel HD 2000 on the desktop part.

Both processors are produced by Intel, both have locked multipliers, and both are end-of-life products. The i5-2310 was released on 2011-05-21, while the i5-5287U came later on 2015-02-28.

Specification Differences

The base clocks are identical at 2.90 GHz for both processors, but the boost clocks differ: the i5-2310 boosts to 3.20 GHz, while the i5-5287U boosts slightly higher to 3.30 GHz. Despite the higher boost clock on the mobile chip, the desktop part still wins all single-core benchmarks, indicating that sustained clock behavior or architectural differences matter more than the peak boost figure.

The TDP difference is substantial: 95W for the i5-2310 versus 28W for the i5-5287U. This is the largest specification gap between the two and directly influences where each can be used. The socket differs as well, with the desktop part using Intel Socket 1155 and the mobile part using Intel BGA 1168.

Core and thread counts differ, with the i5-2310 offering 4 cores and 4 threads versus the i5-5287U's 2 cores and 4 threads. L3 cache is 6 MB on the i5-2310 and 3 MB on the i5-5287U. The process node is 32 nm for the desktop chip and 14 nm for the mobile chip. Transistor counts are 1,160 million versus 1,900 million, and die sizes are 216 mm² versus 133 mm².

Memory bandwidth is listed only for the i5-5287U at 29.9 GB/s. PCIe generation and lane counts differ: Gen 3 with 16 lanes for the i5-2310, Gen 2 with 12 lanes for the i5-5287U. Integrated graphics differ, with Intel HD 2000 on the desktop part and Intel Iris 6100 on the mobile part. The market segments are Desktop and Mobile respectively. Launch MSRP is available only for the i5-5287U at $315; the i5-2310 has no listed launch MSRP. Part numbers are SR02K for the i5-2310 and SR26H for the i5-5287U.