Intel Core i5-2500T vs Intel Core i7-920 Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data shows a narrow but consistent victory for the Intel Core i5-2500T across every benchmark in the comparison. The i5-2500T wins all five head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i7-920 records zero wins. The largest single margin is 2.1% in Cinebench R20 single-core, and the smallest is 1.6% in Cinebench R15 multi-core. The i5-2500T also posts a higher average benchmark score of 856 versus 840 for the i7-920.

However, the practical difference is small. The i5-2500T sits at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the i7-920 sits at the 22nd percentile. Both processors occupy nearly the same performance tier. The i5-2500T edges ahead in every recorded test, but the margins are within a range that most workloads would not distinguish clearly. The i7-920 brings more threads (8 versus 4), yet the newer architecture of the i5-2500T compensates for that deficit in the Cinebench suite.

Users should pick the i5-2500T if they want the better measured performance in the database and a substantially lower power envelope. Users should pick the i7-920 if they need the triple-channel memory bus or the larger 8 MB shared L3 cache, both of which appear only in that part's specification sheet. Neither processor offers an unlocked multiplier, and both are end-of-life products.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from different Intel microarchitectures and sockets. The i5-2500T uses Sandy Bridge on a 32 nm process with 1,160 million transistors and a 216 mm² die. The i7-920 uses Nehalem (codename Bloomfield) on a 45 nm process with 731 million transistors and a 263 mm² die. The newer process node gives the i5-2500T a smaller die and a higher transistor count, which reflects the architectural refresh between generations.

Core and thread counts differ. The i5-2500T has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-920 has 4 cores and 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. The i5-2500T compensates with a higher boost clock of 3.30 GHz versus 2.93 GHz for the i7-920. The base clocks also differ: 2.30 GHz for the i5-2500T and 2.67 GHz for the i7-920. The i5-2500T has a wider clock range, starting lower but boosting higher.

Cache configurations differ in the shared L3. The i5-2500T carries 6 MB of shared L3, while the i7-920 carries 8 MB of shared L3. Both have identical per-core L1 and L2 allocations: 64 KB and 256 KB per core, respectively. The larger L3 on the i7-920 may help in cache-sensitive workloads, but the benchmark data does not show a corresponding win.

Memory support also diverges. Both support DDR3, but the i5-2500T uses a dual-channel memory bus while the i7-920 uses a triple-channel bus. The i7-920's memory path is wider, though the database does not record a bandwidth figure for either part. PCIe capability differs as well: the i5-2500T lists PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-920 lists PCIe Gen 2. The i5-2500T also includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 2000), while the i7-920 has none.

Power consumption is a major separator. The i5-2500T has a TDP of 45 watts, while the i7-920 has a TDP of 130 watts. That is a difference of 85 watts, which makes the i5-2500T far more suitable for low-power systems. The socket changes accordingly: the i5-2500T uses Intel Socket 1155, and the i7-920 uses Intel Socket 1366.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test gives the i5-2500T a score of 250 against 246 for the i7-920, a 1.6% advantage. This is the smallest margin in the set. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i5-2500T scores 1045 against 1025, a 2% lead. The single-core tests show a similar pattern. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-2500T scores 147 versus 144, a 2.1% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-2500T scores 351 versus 344, a 2% lead. The R23 multi-core test gives the i5-2500T 2489 against 2442, a 1.9% margin.

The data shows that the i5-2500T wins by roughly 2% in every category, regardless of whether the workload is single-threaded or multi-threaded. The i7-920's extra threads do not translate into a multi-core win; the i5-2500T's higher boost clock and newer architecture keep it ahead. The single-core gaps are slightly larger than the multi-core gaps in percentage terms, but the difference is minor. The average benchmark score confirms the trend: 856 for the i5-2500T versus 840 for the i7-920.

Nearest rival data places both CPUs in similar company. The i5-2500T's closest rival is the Intel Core i5-5250U with an average score of 856 and a delta of 0.1%, followed by the Intel Core i7-4500U at 859 (delta -0.4%) and the AMD A8-7650K at 860 (delta -0.5%). The i7-920's nearest rival is the Intel Xeon X5470 at 839 (delta 0.1%), with the Intel Core i5-3380M and Intel Core i5-5200U both at 838 (delta 0.2%) and the AMD FX-8800P at 843 (delta -0.3%). Both CPUs cluster with mobile and older desktop parts, which reflects their end-of-life status.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The i5-2500T has an average benchmark score of 856, while the i7-920 has 840. The i5-2500T leads by 16 points, which corresponds to roughly a 1.9% advantage.

Q: Does the i7-920's 8 threads give it a multi-core advantage?

A: No. Despite having 8 threads versus 4 for the i5-2500T, the i7-920 loses every multi-core test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-2500T scores 2489 versus 2442, a 1.9% lead.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The i5-2500T has a TDP of 45 watts, while the i7-920 has a TDP of 130 watts. The i5-2500T uses 85 watts less, making it the more efficient part.

Q: Which CPU has integrated graphics?

A: Only the i5-2500T includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 2000). The i7-920 has no integrated graphics.

Q: How do the memory buses differ?

A: The i5-2500T uses a dual-channel DDR3 memory bus, while the i7-920 uses a triple-channel DDR3 bus. The i7-920's memory path is wider, but no bandwidth figures are recorded in the database.

Q: Are both CPUs overclockable?

A: No. Neither the i5-2500T nor the i7-920 has an unlocked multiplier. The multiplierUnlocked field is false for both.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-2500T wins every recorded benchmark, so the performance split is one-sided. It leads in Cinebench R15 multi-core (250 versus 246), R20 multi-core (1045 versus 1025), R20 single-core (147 versus 144), R23 multi-core (2489 versus 2442), and R23 single-core (351 versus 344). The margins range from 1.6% to 2.1%. The i5-2500T also wins on power efficiency with a 45 watt TDP, and it includes integrated graphics, which the i7-920 lacks. It uses a newer 32 nm process and a smaller 216 mm² die, and its PCIe Gen 3 support is a generation ahead of the i7-920's PCIe Gen 2.

The i7-920 does not win any benchmark, but it retains advantages in specific specification areas. It offers 8 threads versus 4, which could benefit workloads that scale with thread count beyond what Cinebench records. It has a larger shared L3 cache at 8 MB versus 6 MB. It uses a triple-channel memory bus, which can provide more memory bandwidth in systems configured with three or more DDR3 modules. Its base clock is higher at 2.67 GHz versus 2.30 GHz, though its boost clock is lower at 2.93 GHz versus 3.30 GHz. The i7-920 also has a larger die at 263 mm², which is not an advantage but a consequence of the older 45 nm process.

For use cases, the i5-2500T is better suited to systems where power draw matters, where integrated graphics remove the need for a separate GPU, or where the newer PCIe standard is relevant. The i7-920 is better suited to builds that already use a triple-channel memory kit, that require the extra L3 capacity, or that can exploit additional threads in software not covered by the Cinebench suite in the database. Given that the i7-920 has no benchmark wins, the i5-2500T is the stronger choice from the recorded data alone.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in every major specification category except for core count, L1 cache, L2 cache, memory type, ECC support, market segment, production status, and multiplier lock.

• Threads: i5-2500T has 4, i7-920 has 8.
• Base clock: i5-2500T is 2.30 GHz, i7-920 is 2.67 GHz.
• Boost clock: i5-2500T is 3.30 GHz, i7-920 is 2.93 GHz.
• TDP: i5-2500T is 45 watts, i7-920 is 130 watts.
• Socket: i5-2500T is Intel Socket 1155, i7-920 is Intel Socket 1366.
• Architecture: i5-2500T is Sandy Bridge, i7-920 is Nehalem.
• Process node: i5-2500T is 32 nm, i7-920 is 45 nm.
• Transistors: i5-2500T has 1,160 million, i7-920 has 731 million.
• Die size: i5-2500T is 216 mm², i7-920 is 263 mm².
• L3 cache: i5-2500T has 6 MB shared, i7-920 has 8 MB shared.
• Memory bus: i5-2500T is dual-channel, i7-920 is triple-channel.
• PCIe: i5-2500T is Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), i7-920 is Gen 2.
• Integrated graphics: i5-2500T has Intel HD 2000, i7-920 has none.
• Release date: i5-2500T launched in January 2011, i7-920 launched in November 2008.
• Part number: i5-2500T is SR00A, i7-920 is SLBCHSLBEJ.

Both CPUs have 4 cores, 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, support DDR3 memory, do not support ECC memory, target the desktop segment, are end-of-life, and have locked multipliers.