Intel Core i5-4210U vs Intel Core i5-680 Comparison

Intel Core i5-4210U and Intel Core i5-680 are both dual-core, four-thread processors from Intel, but they target entirely different market segments and eras. The 4210U is a 15-watt mobile chip from the Haswell generation, while the 680 is a 73-watt desktop chip from the Westmere/Clarkdale generation. Despite the generational gap, the database shows the older desktop part winning every single head-to-head benchmark, yet the two chips land at nearly the same overall percentile rank. This creates an interesting split between raw performance and efficiency-focused design.

Where Each One Wins

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-680 wins all five recorded head-to-head benchmark comparisons. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 226 against the 4210U's 197, a delta of -12.8% from the perspective of the mobile chip. The same pattern holds in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the 680 posts 942 versus 824, and in single-core R20, where it leads 132 to 116. The largest absolute gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, with the 680 at 2243 and the 4210U at 1962, a 12.5% difference. Even in single-core R23, the 680's 316 beats the 4210U's 277 by 12.3%.

The 4210U has no benchmark wins in the head-to-head set. Its only recorded advantage is indirect: it appears in Geekbench tests (1395 multi-core, 745 single-core), which the 680 does not have entries for in this database. That absence prevents a direct comparison, but it does not change the fact that in every shared test, the desktop chip wins.

The winning margin for the 680 is remarkably consistent, hovering around 12% across all five tests. This suggests a uniform performance advantage rather than a workload-specific one. The 4210U does not win any workload category, so the use-case split is not about which tasks favor which chip; it is about the 680 being faster everywhere, while the 4210U offers something else: a dramatically lower thermal envelope, which matters for mobile form factors.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: the Intel Core i5-680 is the faster processor in every measured scenario. If the decision is purely about compute performance, the 680 wins. It delivers roughly 12% more multi-core and single-core throughput in Cinebench workloads. The 4210U, however, is not without its own rationale. Its 15-watt TDP versus the 680's 73-watt TDP indicates that it is designed for power-constrained environments like ultraportable laptops, where the 680's desktop socket and power draw are not viable.

For a desktop user with an Intel Socket 1156 motherboard, the i5-680 is the obvious choice from this pair. It offers higher clock speeds, a larger shared L3 cache, and better benchmark results. For a mobile user, the i5-4210U is the only realistic option given its BGA 1168 socket and low power design. The percentile data reinforces the closeness of their overall standing: both sit at the 21st percentile versus all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 788 for the 4210U and 772 for the 680. The 680's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-3687U (delta -0.1%), while the 4210U's rivals include the AMD Opteron 3350 HE (delta -0.2%). These figures show that despite the 680's head-to-head dominance, the database places them in the same performance tier on average, likely because the 4210U has Geekbench scores that the 680 lacks, pulling its average up.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most telling result is the consistency of the 680's lead. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 680 scores 226 versus 197, a 12.8% advantage. In R20 multi-core, the gap is 942 versus 824, or 12.5%. The single-core R20 test shows 132 versus 116, a 12.1% difference. The R23 multi-core test repeats the pattern: 2243 versus 1962, a 12.5% lead. Finally, R23 single-core shows 316 versus 277, a 12.3% edge.

These numbers tell a story of a clock-speed-driven advantage. The 680 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost of 3.87 GHz, while the 4210U has a base of 1700.00 MHz (1.70 GHz) and a boost of 2.70 GHz. Even with the 4210U's newer Haswell architecture, the 680's much higher clocks are enough to overcome any architectural efficiency gains. The 680's 4 MB shared L3 cache versus the 4210U's 3 MB also helps in multi-threaded tasks.

The single-core results are particularly interesting because they isolate raw per-thread performance. The 680's 12.1% lead in R20 single-core and 12.3% lead in R23 single-core confirm that this is not a multi-core scaling issue; the 680 is simply faster on a per-thread basis. The 4210U's architecture is not compensating for its lower clocks in any measurable way within these tests.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-680 wins all multi-core tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 2243 against the 4210U's 1962, a 12.5% lead. The R15 and R20 multi-core tests show the same pattern, with the 680 leading by 12.8% and 12.5%, respectively.

Q: Does the 4210U win any benchmark?

A: No. The database records zero wins for the 4210U across the five head-to-head tests. It does have Geekbench scores (1395 multi-core, 745 single-core) that the 680 does not have, but that is not a direct comparison.

Q: How do their overall performance rankings compare?

A: Both processors sit at the 21st percentile versus all CPUs. The 4210U has an average benchmark score of 788, while the 680 has 772. The 4210U's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-3610ME at a 0.1% delta, and the 680's closest rival is the Intel Core i7-3687U at -0.1%.

Q: Is the 680 a better choice for desktop use?

A: Based on the data, yes. It has a higher base clock (3.60 GHz versus 1700.00 MHz), a higher boost clock (3.87 GHz versus 2.70 GHz), and wins every benchmark. Its desktop socket (Intel Socket 1156) and 73-watt TDP are suited for stationary systems.

Q: Why would anyone pick the 4210U?

A: The 4210U uses a 15-watt TDP and an Intel BGA 1168 socket, which are designed for mobile devices. It also has a smaller die size (118 mm² versus 81 mm² for the 680) and a later release date. The Geekbench scores suggest it can handle general tasks, but the data does not show it beating the 680 in any shared test.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the 680?

A: The Intel Core i5-680 has a launch MSRP of $294. The 4210U has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different architectural generations. The 4210U is based on Haswell, with a 22 nm process node, while the 680 is based on Westmere (codename Clarkdale), on a 32 nm node. This means the 4210U uses a more advanced manufacturing process, which contributes to its lower power draw and smaller transistor count. The 4210U has 1,400 million transistors on a 118 mm² die, while the 680 has 382 million transistors on an 81 mm² die. Despite fewer transistors, the 680's higher clock speeds and larger L3 cache give it the performance edge.

The cache configurations differ as well. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache, however, is 3 MB shared on the 4210U versus 4 MB shared on the 680. This extra 1 MB of L3 likely contributes to the 680's multi-core performance, especially in repeated workloads.

The integrated graphics also differ: the 4210U has Intel HD 4400, while the 680 has a simpler "Intel HD" solution. The database does not include graphics benchmarks, so the impact is not quantified here.

The 680 supports PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the 4210U has no listed PCIe configuration. The 680 also has a recorded memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s with dual-channel support, while the 4210U lists only DDR3 memory support without a specific bus or bandwidth figure.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every specification field in the database. The 4210U has a base clock of 1700.00 MHz and a boost of 2.70 GHz, while the 680 runs at 3.60 GHz base and 3.87 GHz boost. The TDP is 15 watts for the mobile chip and 73 watts for the desktop chip.

The sockets are incompatible: the 4210U uses Intel BGA 1168, while the 680 uses Intel Socket 1156. The 4210U is marked as Mobile market segment, the 680 as Desktop. The 680 is listed as End-of-life production status, while the 4210U has no production status recorded.

The 4210U was released in 2014, the 680 in 2010. The 680 has a launch MSRP of $294, while the 4210U has none. The process nodes are 22 nm versus 32 nm, and the transistor counts are 1,400 million versus 382 million. The die sizes are 118 mm² versus 81 mm².

The L3 cache is 3 MB on the 4210U and 4 MB on the 680. The 680 has a dual-channel memory bus and 21.3 GB/s bandwidth, while the 4210U does not list these. The 680 has PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes, while the 4210U has no PCIe data. The integrated graphics are Intel HD 4400 versus Intel HD. Both have 2 cores and 4 threads, neither has ECC memory support, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The part numbers are SR1EF for the 4210U and SLBTM for the 680.