Intel Core i5-2320 vs Intel Core i7-10510Y Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a remarkably consistent picture: the Intel Core i7-10510Y wins every single head-to-head comparison against the Intel Core i5-2320, though the margins are consistently narrow. Across five Cinebench tests, the mobile chip from 2019 edges out the desktop processor from 2011 by margins ranging from 0.5% to 0.9%. This is not a dramatic victory, but it is an unambiguous one.

The largest delta appears in the Cinebench R23 multicore test, where the i7-10510Y scores 3173 against the i5-2320's 3146, a 0.9% advantage. The Cinebench R20 multicore test shows a similar pattern, with the i7-10510Y posting 1332 versus 1321, a 0.8% lead. In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the i7-10510Y scores 319 against 317, a 0.6% difference. Single-core results follow the same trend: the i7-10510Y leads by 0.5% in Cinebench R20 single-core (187 versus 186) and by 0.7% in Cinebench R23 single-core (447 versus 444).

The aggregate benchmark scores reinforce this outcome. The i7-10510Y carries an average benchmark score of 1092, while the i5-2320 sits at 1083. Both processors land at the 30th percentile among all CPUs in the database, indicating they occupy similar performance tiers overall. The nearest rivals for the i7-10510Y include the Intel Core i7-4600M at 1093 (a -0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i5-3475S at 1091 (a 0.1% delta). For the i5-2320, the closest competitors are the Intel Core i5-3335S at 1083 (0% delta) and the Intel Core i3-6320 at 1085 (a -0.2% delta).

Despite the consistent wins, the practical significance of these margins is minimal. A 0.9% lead in multicore rendering will rarely translate into perceptible real-world differences. What matters more is that the i7-10510Y achieves these results while consuming dramatically less power, a point explored further in the architecture section.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different eras of Intel design. The i7-10510Y belongs to the Comet Lake family, built on a 14 nm process node at Intel's foundry. Its codename is Comet Lake-Y, and it is classified under the Core 10th Gen series. The i5-2320, by contrast, uses the Sandy Bridge architecture on a 32 nm process node, with a reported 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die. These process differences explain much of the performance-per-watt gap between the two.

Core and thread counts diverge notably. The i7-10510Y offers 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-2320 provides 4 cores and 4 threads. Hyper-threading gives the mobile chip a theoretical throughput advantage in heavily threaded workloads, yet the benchmark results show only marginal gains, suggesting the older desktop part's higher clock speeds compensate for its lack of threading. The i7-10510Y has a base clock of 1200 MHz and a boost clock of 4500 MHz, while the i5-2320 runs at 3000 MHz base and 3300 MHz boost. The i7-10510Y's boost clock is substantially higher, but its base clock is far lower, a typical trade-off for a low-power mobile design.

Cache hierarchies are similar in structure but differ in capacity. Both chips feature 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The shared L3 cache, however, favors the i7-10510Y at 8 MB versus 6 MB on the i5-2320. This additional cache likely contributes to the mobile chip's slight edge in single-core tests.

Other specifications reveal the divergent design goals. The i7-10510Y has a TDP of 9 watts, while the i5-2320 draws 95 watts, a more than tenfold difference. The i7-10510Y uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket and targets the mobile market segment, while the i5-2320 uses the Intel Socket 1155 and is a desktop part. The i7-10510Y is listed as Active in production status, whereas the i5-2320 is End-of-life. Both support DDR3 memory, and neither supports ECC memory. The i7-10510Y integrates UHD Graphics, while the i5-2320 comes with Intel HD 2000. The i5-2320's memory bus is dual-channel, and its PCIe implementation is Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only); the i7-10510Y has no recorded memory bus or PCIe data in the database. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Release dates place these chips far apart. The i7-10510Y was released on August 20, 2019, while the i5-2320 arrived on September 3, 2011. The i5-2320 carries the part number SR02L, while no part number is recorded for the i7-10510Y.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multicore workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-10510Y wins all multicore benchmarks. It leads by 0.6% in Cinebench R15 (319 versus 317), by 0.8% in Cinebench R20 (1332 versus 1321), and by 0.9% in Cinebench R23 (3173 versus 3146).

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: The i7-10510Y also leads in single-core tests. It scores 187 versus 186 in Cinebench R20 single-core (a 0.5% delta) and 447 versus 444 in Cinebench R23 single-core (a 0.7% delta).

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The i7-10510Y has a TDP of 9 watts, while the i5-2320 has a TDP of 95 watts. This makes the mobile chip dramatically more power-efficient.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory?

A: Yes, both support DDR3 memory. Neither supports ECC memory. The i5-2320 has a dual-channel memory bus, while no memory bus specification is recorded for the i7-10510Y.

Q: Which processor is still in production?

A: The i7-10510Y is listed as Active in production status. The i5-2320 is marked as End-of-life.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each processor?

A: For the i7-10510Y, the nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-4600M with an average score of 1093, a -0.1% delta. For the i5-2320, the nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-3335S with an average score of 1083, a 0% delta.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors:

• Cores: 4 (i7-10510Y) versus 4 (i5-2320), identical count
• Threads: 8 (i7-10510Y) versus 4 (i5-2320)
• Base Clock: 1200 MHz (i7-10510Y) versus 3000 MHz (i5-2320)
• Boost Clock: 4500 MHz (i7-10510Y) versus 3300 MHz (i5-2320)
• TDP: 9 watts (i7-10510Y) versus 95 watts (i5-2320)
• Socket: Intel BGA 1440 (i7-10510Y) versus Intel Socket 1155 (i5-2320)
• Architecture: Comet Lake (i7-10510Y) versus Sandy Bridge (i5-2320)
• Process Node: 14 nm (i7-10510Y) versus 32 nm (i5-2320)
• Transistors: Not recorded (i7-10510Y) versus 1,160 million (i5-2320)
• Die Size: Not recorded (i7-10510Y) versus 216 mm² (i5-2320)
• L3 Cache: 8 MB shared (i7-10510Y) versus 6 MB shared (i5-2320)
• Memory Bus: Not recorded (i7-10510Y) versus Dual-channel (i5-2320)
• PCIe: Not recorded (i7-10510Y) versus Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) (i5-2320)
• Integrated Graphics: UHD Graphics (i7-10510Y) versus Intel HD 2000 (i5-2320)
• Market Segment: Mobile (i7-10510Y) versus Desktop (i5-2320)
• Production Status: Active (i7-10510Y) versus End-of-life (i5-2320)
• Release Date: 2019-08-20 (i7-10510Y) versus 2011-09-03 (i5-2320)
• Part Number: Not recorded (i7-10510Y) versus SR02L (i5-2320)

Fields that are identical include L1 cache (64 KB per core), L2 cache (256 KB per core), memory support (DDR3), ECC memory support (false for both), and multiplier lock (neither is unlocked).

The Verdict

The recorded data points to the Intel Core i7-10510Y as the better performer, but only by a narrow margin. It wins all five head-to-head benchmarks, yet the largest victory is a 0.9% delta in Cinebench R23 multicore. The i7-10510Y also offers a significant efficiency advantage, with a 9 watt TDP against the i5-2320's 95 watts, plus double the thread count and 2 MB more shared L3 cache. The i5-2320 counters with a much higher base clock (3000 MHz versus 1200 MHz), a desktop form factor, and a dual-channel memory bus.

For users prioritizing raw performance, the difference between these two chips is nearly negligible. Both sit at the 30th percentile among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are within 9 points of each other. The real differentiator is platform context. The i7-10510Y is a mobile processor designed for low-power devices, while the i5-2320 is a desktop part from a previous generation. The i7-10510Y is still active in production, whereas the i5-2320 is end-of-life.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-10510Y wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. Its advantages are most pronounced in multicore rendering, where its 8 threads and 8 MB of L3 cache push it ahead by 0.9% in Cinebench R23. The mobile chip also wins in single-core tests by 0.5% to 0.7%, benefiting from a boost clock of 4500 MHz that far exceeds the i5-2320's 3300 MHz ceiling. For users building a low-power system, the i7-10510Y's 9 watt TDP makes it the clear choice, especially in compact or fanless designs.

The Intel Core i5-2320 holds advantages that are not captured in the benchmark suite. Its base clock of 3000 MHz means it delivers consistent performance without relying on boost states, and its dual-channel memory bus offers a memory bandwidth configuration that the i7-10510Y does not record. The desktop platform supports a Gen 3 PCIe implementation with 16 lanes, which may matter for users with expansion needs. The i5-2320 also represents a mature ecosystem, having been on the market since 2011, though its end-of-life status limits future support.

In practical terms, the i7-10510Y is the better choice for anyone seeking a current, efficient processor with slightly higher benchmark scores. The i5-2320 remains viable for legacy desktop builds where its higher base clock and standard socket are more relevant than the mobile chip's efficiency gains. The data shows a close contest, but the verdict favors the newer, more efficient processor.