Intel Core i5-2405S vs Intel Core i7-5600U Comparison

The Intel Core i7-5600U and the Intel Core i5-2405S represent two very different design philosophies from Intel, separated by roughly four years of architectural evolution. The i7-5600U is a 15-watt mobile part built for efficiency, while the i5-2405S is a 65-watt desktop chip built for sustained throughput. The benchmark data shows a clear split: the desktop i5 wins all five Cinebench tests, while the mobile i7 wins both Geekbench tests, including a substantial single-core margin. This makes the choice between them entirely dependent on the workload and the platform constraints.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-2405S dominates the Cinebench suite, which stresses sustained multi-threaded and single-threaded rendering workloads. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 291 against the i7-5600U's 255, a 12.4% advantage. That pattern holds across every Cinebench iteration: R20 multicore (1213 vs 1065, 12.2% ahead), R20 singlecore (171 vs 150, 12.3% ahead), R23 multicore (2890 vs 2537, 12.2% ahead), and R23 singlecore (408 vs 358, 12.3% ahead). The i5-2405S is consistently faster in rendering workloads, and the margins are remarkably uniform, hovering around 12% to 12.4% across all five tests.

The Intel Core i7-5600U, conversely, wins decisively in Geekbench. Its multicore score of 1750 beats the i5-2405S's 1425 by 22.8%. The single-core gap is even larger: 917 versus 541, a 69.5% advantage. This suggests the i7-5600U's architecture is far more efficient per clock in general-purpose integer and floating-point tasks, which Geekbench emphasizes. The i7-5600U also holds a 27th percentile ranking among all CPUs, identical to the i5-2405S's 27th percentile, meaning that despite the older desktop chip's Cinebench wins, the overall average benchmark score of the i7-5600U (1005) is actually slightly higher than the i5-2405S's 991.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and use different process nodes. The i7-5600U is built on Intel's 14 nm process with 1,300 million transistors on an 82 mm² die, using the Broadwell-U architecture. The i5-2405S uses the older 32 nm process with 1,160 million transistors on a much larger 216 mm² die, based on the Sandy Bridge architecture. The node advantage explains much of the i7-5600U's efficiency: it delivers competitive Geekbench scores while consuming only 15 watts, compared to the i5-2405S's 65 watts.

Core configuration also differs. The i7-5600U has 2 cores and 4 threads, relying on Hyper-Threading to reach 4 threads. The i5-2405S has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with no Hyper-Threading. This explains why the i5-2405S wins Cinebench: it has twice the physical core count, and Cinebench scales well with physical cores. The i7-5600U compensates with a newer microarchitecture and higher clock efficiency. Its base clock is 2.60 GHz versus 2.50 GHz for the i5-2405S, and its boost clock is 3.20 GHz versus 3.30 GHz.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both have 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core, but the i5-2405S has 6 MB shared L3 cache, while the i7-5600U has only 4 MB shared L3. The i5-2405S's larger L3 cache helps in workloads that benefit from more shared data. The i7-5600U supports PCIe Gen 2 with 12 lanes, while the i5-2405S supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, a significant difference for desktop expansion. Both support DDR3 dual-channel memory, but the i7-5600U lists a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i5-2405S has no listed bandwidth figure.

Integrated graphics also differ: the i7-5600U has Intel HD 5500, while the i5-2405S has Intel HD 3000. The i7-5600U is a mobile part (socket Intel BGA 1168), and the i5-2405S is a desktop part (socket Intel Socket 1155). Neither has an unlocked multiplier, and both are end-of-life products.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-2405S has 4 physical cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core i7-5600U has 2 physical cores and 4 threads, using Hyper-Threading to reach the same thread count.

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 single-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-2405S scores 408 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is 12.3% higher than the Intel Core i7-5600U's 358.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench multicore?

A: The Intel Core i7-5600U scores 1750 in Geekbench multicore, which is 22.8% higher than the Intel Core i5-2405S's 1425.

Q: What is the power consumption difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i7-5600U has a TDP of 15 watts, while the Intel Core i5-2405S has a TDP of 65 watts.

Q: Which processor has a smaller manufacturing process?

A: The Intel Core i7-5600U is built on a 14 nm process, while the Intel Core i5-2405S uses a 32 nm process.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-2405S has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i7-5600U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The i7-5600U has 2 cores and 4 threads; the i5-2405S has 4 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are close, with the i7-5600U at 2.60 GHz and the i5-2405S at 2.50 GHz, but boost clocks favor the i5-2405S at 3.30 GHz versus 3.20 GHz. TDP is a major differentiator: 15 watts for the i7-5600U versus 65 watts for the i5-2405S.

The process node is 14 nm for the i7-5600U and 32 nm for the i5-2405S. Transistor counts are 1,300 million versus 1,160 million, and die sizes are 82 mm² versus 216 mm². L3 cache is 4 MB shared on the i7-5600U and 6 MB shared on the i5-2405S. The i7-5600U lists a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s; the i5-2405S has no listed bandwidth. PCIe support differs: Gen 2 with 12 lanes on the i7-5600U versus Gen 3 with 16 lanes on the i5-2405S. Integrated graphics are Intel HD 5500 on the i7-5600U and Intel HD 3000 on the i5-2405S. The i7-5600U targets mobile with socket Intel BGA 1168, and the i5-2405S targets desktop with socket Intel Socket 1155. The i7-5600U has a launch MSRP of $393; the i5-2405S has no listed launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are consistent within each benchmark family. The i5-2405S wins all five Cinebench tests by nearly identical margins. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 291 versus 255, a 12.4% lead. In R20 multicore, 1213 versus 1065, a 12.2% lead. In R20 singlecore, 171 versus 150, a 12.3% lead. In R23 multicore, 2890 versus 2537, a 12.2% lead. In R23 singlecore, 408 versus 358, a 12.3% lead. The uniformity of these deltas suggests a fundamental throughput advantage for the i5-2405S in rendering tasks, likely tied to its 4 physical cores.

The i7-5600U takes both Geekbench tests with larger margins. Its multicore score of 1750 beats the i5-2405S's 1425 by 22.8%. Its single-core score of 917 beats the i5-2405S's 541 by 69.5%. The single-core gap is particularly striking: the i7-5600U's newer Broadwell architecture delivers nearly 70% more performance in this test despite a lower boost clock (3.20 GHz versus 3.30 GHz). This indicates that per-clock efficiency is dramatically higher on the 14 nm part.

When looking at average benchmark scores, the i7-5600U edges ahead with 1005 versus 991 for the i5-2405S, a difference of about 1.4%. Both chips sit at the 27th percentile of all CPUs. The i7-5600U's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-2630QM (delta 0%), AMD FX-9830P (delta -0.1%), Intel Core i7-880 (delta -0.1%), and Intel Core i5-4300M (delta 0.1%). The i5-2405S's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-960 (delta -0.2%), Intel Core i7-965 (delta -0.2%), Intel Xeon W3565 (delta -0.2%), and AMD Phenom II X6 1065T (delta -0.2%). These rival clusters show that both processors sit in a similar performance tier overall, despite their very different architectures.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split in use cases. The Intel Core i5-2405S is the better choice for rendering and CPU-intensive sustained workloads. It wins every Cinebench test by roughly 12%, which reflects its 4 physical cores and larger 6 MB L3 cache. It is also a desktop part with PCIe Gen 3 support and 16 lanes, making it more suitable for systems with dedicated expansion cards. The trade-off is a 65-watt TDP and an older 32 nm process.

The Intel Core i7-5600U is the better choice for general-purpose and single-threaded tasks, as measured by Geekbench. Its 69.5% single-core advantage and 22.8% multicore advantage in that suite show that the Broadwell architecture is far more efficient per clock. Its 15-watt TDP makes it suitable for compact mobile systems, and its 14 nm process with 1,300 million transistors on an 82 mm² die represents a much denser, more modern design.

For a user building a desktop system with available power budget and a need for rendering performance, the i5-2405S is the stronger option. For a user prioritizing efficiency, portability, or general application responsiveness, the i7-5600U offers better results in the Geekbench suite. The identical 27th percentile ranking and the closeness of their average scores (1005 versus 991) suggest that neither chip is a clear overall winner; the correct pick depends entirely on which benchmark family aligns with the intended workload.