Intel Core i5-2400 vs Intel Core i7-8665UE Comparison

The Intel Core i7-8665UE and the Intel Core i5-2400 are two end-of-life processors from different eras, and the benchmark data shows a clear and consistent winner. Across every single head-to-head Cinebench test, the i7-8665UE outperforms the i5-2400 by a significant margin, despite being a mobile chip with a much lower TDP. The i5-2400, a desktop part from the Sandy Bridge generation, manages no wins in any comparison, making this a decisive victory for the newer Whiskey Lake architecture.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data tells a remarkably consistent story: the Intel Core i7-8665UE wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with every victory falling in a narrow range between 25.8% and 26.1%. This uniformity across different workload types indicates a fundamental architectural advantage, not just a boost in a single metric.

In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the i7-8665UE scores 415 against the i5-2400's 329, a delta of 26.1%. This is the largest percentage lead in any test. The multicore advantage is maintained precisely at 26.1% in the Cinebench R20 test, where the scores are 1732 for the i7-8665UE and 1374 for the i5-2400.

Single-core performance shows the same pattern. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i7-8665UE scores 244, beating the i5-2400's 194 by 25.8%. While this is the smallest percentage delta, it's still a dominant win. The newer architecture's higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz, compared to the i5-2400's 3.40 GHz, clearly translates into superior per-thread performance.

The latest Cinebench R23 tests reinforce the trend. In the multicore test, the i7-8665UE scores 4124 versus the i5-2400's 3272, a 26% lead. In the single-core test, the i7-8665UE scores 582 against 462, also a 26% delta. These consistent margins suggest that the i7-8665UE's advantage is structural, stemming from its more modern core design and higher effective clock speeds.

Notably, the i5-2400 does have results in Geekbench tests, where it scores 2011 multicore and 666 single-core. However, there are no corresponding Geekbench results for the i7-8665UE in the data, so no direct comparison can be made on that platform.

FAQ

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-8665UE win every benchmark comparison?

A: Yes. The data shows the i7-8665UE wins all 5 head-to-head Cinebench tests against the i5-2400, with the i5-2400 recording 0 wins.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest difference is 26.1%, which occurs in both the Cinebench R15 and R20 multicore tests. The i7-8665UE scores 415 and 1732 in those tests, respectively, compared to the i5-2400's 329 and 1374.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-core performance?

A: The i7-8665UE leads in single-core as well. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 244 versus the i5-2400's 194, a 25.8% advantage. In R23 single-core, the scores are 582 and 462, a 26% lead.

Q: What is the difference in their average benchmark scores?

A: The i7-8665UE has an average benchmark score of 1193, while the i5-2400 has a slightly lower average of 1187. This puts them in the same 33rd percentile among all CPUs.

Q: Are these processors still in production?

A: No. Both the Intel Core i7-8665UE and the Intel Core i5-2400 are listed as end-of-life products.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-8665UE has a much higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz, compared to the Intel Core i5-2400's 3.40 GHz.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-8665UE is the superior processor. It wins every single benchmark comparison, with a consistent performance advantage of roughly 26% over the i5-2400 in both single-core and multi-core workloads. The i5-2400's closest rival in its own nearestRivals list is the i7-8665UE itself, which is 0.5% faster on average. This means that even when looking at the broader performance landscape, the i7-8665UE is a clear step ahead of the i5-2400.

The choice for a user should be dictated by the i7-8665UE's dominance. However, the context of the chips matters. The i7-8665UE is a mobile processor with a 15W TDP, while the i5-2400 is a desktop part with a 95W TDP. The fact that the mobile chip wins so decisively makes the i5-2400 a difficult recommendation from a pure performance standpoint. The i5-2400's only potential advantage would be its older desktop platform, but the data shows no performance benefit. For any workload represented in these benchmarks, the i7-8665UE is the correct pick.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ significantly in their specifications, reflecting their different target markets and release generations. The most striking difference is in TDP: the Intel Core i7-8665UE is rated at just 15W, making it a low-power mobile part, whereas the Intel Core i5-2400 consumes 95W as a desktop processor.

Clock speeds also differ substantially. The i7-8665UE has a base clock of 1700 MHz and a boost clock of 4400 MHz. The i5-2400 has a higher base clock of 3100 MHz but a much lower boost clock of 3400 MHz. The i7-8665UE's superior boost clock is a key reason for its benchmark wins.

Other differences include the number of threads: the i7-8665UE supports 8 threads with its 4 cores, while the i5-2400 has 4 threads with 4 cores. The i7-8665UE also has a larger L3 cache at 8 MB shared, compared to the i5-2400's 6 MB shared. Memory support differs as well, with the i7-8665UE supporting DDR3 and DDR4, while the i5-2400 only supports DDR3. The i7-8665UE also has a specified memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i5-2400's is not listed.

Architecture Differences

These processors come from vastly different architectural generations. The Intel Core i7-8665UE is built on Whiskey Lake architecture, using a 14 nm process node. In contrast, the Intel Core i5-2400 is a Sandy Bridge part, built on a larger 32 nm process node. This process node difference is a major factor in the i7-8665UE's ability to deliver higher performance at a fraction of the power.

The i7-8665UE features the newer Whiskey Lake-U codename, while the i5-2400 is simply Sandy Bridge. The i7-8665UE also has a significantly different transistor count and die size, with the i5-2400 listed at 1,160 million transistors and a 216 mm² die size; these figures are not provided for the i7-8665UE.

The integrated graphics also differ. The i7-8665UE comes with UHD Graphics 620, whereas the i5-2400 has Intel HD 2000. Both chips have the same PCIe configuration (Gen 3, 16 Lanes CPU only) and neither supports ECC memory. The release dates are also far apart: the i5-2400 was released in January 2011, while the i7-8665UE came much later in September 2018.

Where Each One Wins

Given the benchmark results, the Intel Core i7-8665UE is the winner in every measurable performance category. There are no benchmark tests where the i5-2400 comes out ahead.

For the i7-8665UE, its wins are comprehensive. It dominates in:

• Multicore workloads: With a 26.1% lead in Cinebench R15 and R20 multicore, and a 26% lead in R23 multicore, this chip is better suited for any parallel processing task.
• Single-core tasks: The i7-8665UE also leads in single-core performance by 25.8% to 26%, making it faster for everyday operations that rely on single-thread speed.
• Energy efficiency: With a 15W TDP versus the i5-2400's 95W, the i7-8665UE delivers its superior performance at a fraction of the power draw, a massive advantage for mobile or low-power systems.

The i5-2400, with 0 wins, has no benchmark category where it excels. Its only theoretical advantage is its higher base clock of 3100 MHz, but this does not translate into any actual performance win in the data. Its higher TDP and older architecture make it a less efficient and slower choice. For any application, the data shows that the i7-8665UE is the better performer.