Intel Core i5-2500 vs Intel Pentium Silver N6005 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-2500 and Intel Pentium Silver N6005 are both 4-core, 4-thread processors, yet they represent opposite ends of Intel’s design philosophy. The i5-2500 is a 32 nm desktop part from the Sandy Bridge era, while the N6005 is a 10 nm mobile chip built on the Tremont architecture. Despite their differences, the aggregate benchmark data places them nearly level: the i5-2500 averages 1220 across tests, and the N6005 averages 1218, a gap of just 0.2%. Both sit at the 34th percentile of all CPUs, and their nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-3632QM, sits between them with an average score of 1219. The story, however, is not one of parity in every workload—each processor wins decisively in distinct test categories.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Pentium Silver N6005 dominates the Cinebench suite, winning all five multicore and single-core tests by a consistent margin. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the N6005 scores 447 against the i5-2500’s 350, a delta of -21.7% (meaning the i5-2500 trails by that amount). The same relative gap repeats in Cinebench R20 multicore: 1866 for the N6005 versus 1461 for the i5-2500. Cinebench R23 multicore shows the N6005 at 4444 and the i5-2500 at 3479, again a 21.7% deficit for the older chip. Single-core performance follows the same pattern: Cinebench R20 single-core scores 263 for the N6005 and 206 for the i5-2500, and Cinebench R23 single-core scores 627 versus 491. In every Cinebench iteration, the N6005 holds a 21.7% advantage—a remarkably consistent figure that points to a fundamental architectural edge in rendering workloads.

The tables turn completely in Geekbench. The i5-2500 posts a multicore score of 1883, beating the N6005’s 1469 by 28.2%. Its single-core Geekbench score of 670 eclipses the N6005’s 564 by 18.8%. This split is stark: the N6005 wins five of the seven head-to-head benchmarks, yet the i5-2500 wins the two Geekbench tests by larger margins than the N6005’s Cinebench wins. The overall win tally is 5–2 in favor of the N6005, but the i5-2500’s victories are more lopsided individually. The data suggests these processors are optimized for different types of compute, with Cinebench favoring the N6005’s newer microarchitecture and Geekbench favoring the i5-2500’s higher peak clock speed.

The Verdict

The benchmark results indicate that the Intel Pentium Silver N6005 is the stronger all-round performer in most measured tests. It wins five of seven benchmarks, including every Cinebench test, with a uniform 21.7% lead over the i5-2500 in those workloads. For users whose primary applications rely on rendering or multi-threaded compute as measured by Cinebench, the N6005 is the clear choice. Its 4 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.5 MB of shared L2 cache, combined with the Tremont architecture, deliver superior throughput despite a much lower thermal envelope.

The Intel Core i5-2500, however, is not without its strengths. Its Geekbench scores are substantially higher—28.2% ahead in multicore and 18.8% ahead in single-core. This indicates that for general-purpose integer and floating-point workloads as measured by Geekbench, the older Sandy Bridge design holds a decisive advantage. The i5-2500’s higher base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 3.70 GHz, compared to the N6005’s 2.00 GHz base and 3.30 GHz boost, likely contribute to this. Users running software that scales with raw clock speed or that is sensitive to Geekbench-style operations may prefer the i5-2500.

Given the overall win tally and the consistency of the Cinebench results, the data leans toward the N6005 as the better buy for most modern workloads. However, the i5-2500’s Geekbench dominance cannot be ignored, and the two chips are close enough in aggregate (1220 vs 1218) that the decision should hinge on the specific application mix. The N6005 is also a mobile part with a 10 W TDP, making it suitable for low-power systems, whereas the i5-2500 is a 95 W desktop part—a difference that may influence system design choices independently of raw performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and process nodes. The Intel Core i5-2500 is built on the Sandy Bridge architecture using a 32 nm process, with a die size of 216 mm² and 1,160 million transistors. The Pentium Silver N6005 uses the Tremont architecture on a 10 nm process, with a significantly smaller die size of 63.8 mm²; its transistor count is not listed. Both are manufactured by Intel, but the process node difference is substantial: 32 nm versus 10 nm, a generational leap that explains the N6005’s efficiency advantages.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both chips have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 and L3 configurations diverge. The i5-2500 has 256 KB of L2 cache per core (totaling 1 MB across four cores) and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The N6005 has 1.5 MB of shared L2 cache and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. This means the i5-2500 has more L3 (6 MB vs 4 MB), while the N6005 has more L2 in a shared configuration. The memory support differs as well: the i5-2500 supports DDR3, while the N6005 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the N6005 lists a memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, a figure not provided for the i5-2500.

PCIe connectivity and integrated graphics also differ. The i5-2500 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only) and includes Intel HD 2000 graphics. The N6005 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only) and includes UHD Graphics 32EU. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The production status for both is end-of-life, but the i5-2500 has a release date of January 8, 2011, while the N6005’s release date is not listed. The i5-2500 targets the desktop market segment, while the N6005 is a mobile part, reflected in its BGA 1338 socket versus the i5-2500’s Socket 1155.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-2500 averages 1220 across all benchmarks, while the Intel Pentium Silver N6005 averages 1218. The difference is 0.2%, effectively a tie, and both sit at the 34th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How much faster is the Pentium Silver N6005 in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The N6005 scores 4444 in Cinebench R23 multicore, compared to the i5-2500’s 3479. This represents a 21.7% advantage for the N6005, consistent with all other Cinebench results.

Q: In which benchmark does the Core i5-2500 show its largest lead?

A: The i5-2500’s largest lead is in Geekbench multicore, where it scores 1883 against the N6005’s 1469, a 28.2% advantage. It also leads by 18.8% in Geekbench single-core (670 vs 564).

Q: What are the thermal design power (TDP) differences?

A: The i5-2500 has a TDP of 95 W, while the N6005 has a TDP of 10 W. The N6005 is a mobile processor with a much lower power draw, while the i5-2500 is a desktop part with significantly higher thermal requirements.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The i5-2500 supports DDR3 memory, while the N6005 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the N6005 also lists a memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, which is not specified for the i5-2500.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The i5-2500 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the N6005 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache. However, the N6005 has 1.5 MB of shared L2 cache, whereas the i5-2500 has 256 KB of L2 per core.

Where Each One Wins

The Pentium Silver N6005 wins all five Cinebench tests, covering R15, R20, and R23 in both multicore and single-core variants. This makes it the superior choice for rendering workloads, 3D modeling, and any application that scales with Cinebench-style multi-threaded performance. Its 21.7% lead across the board suggests that the Tremont architecture’s efficiency, combined with its 10 nm process, delivers better sustained throughput in these tasks. The N6005’s low 10 W TDP also makes it suitable for fanless or battery-powered systems, where the i5-2500’s 95 W TDP would be impractical.

The Core i5-2500 wins both Geekbench tests, with a 28.2% lead in multicore and an 18.8% lead in single-core. This indicates a strength in general-purpose computing, including office productivity, web browsing, and applications that rely on single-threaded performance or clock speed. The i5-2500’s higher base clock (3.30 GHz vs 2.00 GHz) and boost clock (3.70 GHz vs 3.30 GHz) likely drive this advantage. For users with legacy DDR3-based systems or those who need the i5-2500’s 6 MB of L3 cache, the older chip remains viable. Its larger PCIe lane count (16 vs 8) also provides more headroom for expansion cards.

The choice ultimately depends on workload. The data shows the N6005 wins more benchmarks overall (5 vs 2), but the i5-2500’s wins are more decisive. Neither processor is universally better; they excel in complementary domains.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification category. The i5-2500 has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, while the N6005 has a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 3.30 GHz. The i5-2500 has a TDP of 95 W, versus 10 W for the N6005. The i5-2500 uses Intel Socket 1155, while the N6005 uses Intel BGA 1338. Process nodes differ: 32 nm for the i5-2500, 10 nm for the N6005. The i5-2500 has a die size of 216 mm² and 1,160 million transistors; the N6005 has a die size of 63.8 mm² with no transistor count listed.

Cache configurations differ as noted: the i5-2500 has 256 KB L2 per core and 6 MB shared L3, while the N6005 has 1.5 MB shared L2 and 4 MB shared L3. Memory support differs: DDR3 for the i5-2500, DDR4/LPDDR4 for the N6005. The i5-2500 has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the N6005 has PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes. Integrated graphics differ: Intel HD 2000 on the i5-2500, UHD Graphics 32EU on the N6005. The i5-2500 is a desktop part; the N6005 is mobile. The i5-2500 has a release date of 2011-01-08; the N6005’s release date is not listed. Part numbers also differ: SR00T for the i5-2500, SRKGU for the N6005. Neither has an unlocked multiplier, and both are end-of-life.