Intel Core i5-4250U vs Intel Core i5-680 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data paints a remarkably consistent picture across all five shared benchmark tests: the Intel Core i5-680 wins every single head-to-head matchup. The margins are strikingly uniform, hovering in the 23% to 24% range regardless of workload type.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-680 scores 226 against the i5-4250U's 182, a 24.2% advantage. The multi-core gap persists in Cinebench R20, where 942 versus 760 yields a 23.9% delta. Cinebench R23 multi-core follows the same pattern: 2243 versus 1811, again a 23.9% difference. The consistency across Cinebench versions suggests the performance gap is structural rather than workload-specific.

Single-core results tell the same story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-680 posts 132 against 107, a 23.4% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 316 versus 255, a 23.9% margin. The fact that the single-core deltas nearly match the multi-core deltas is revealing: the i5-680 is not merely leveraging extra resources, it is delivering fundamentally faster per-thread execution.

The i5-4250U does have two additional benchmark entries in the database that the i5-680 lacks: Geekbench multi-core at 1434 and Geekbench single-core at 742. Without a corresponding Geekbench score for the i5-680, these cannot be directly compared, but they place the mobile chip in a similar overall performance neighborhood.

Looking at aggregate averages, the i5-680 holds an average benchmark score of 772, while the i5-4250U sits at 756. That 16-point gap is modest in absolute terms, but the head-to-head deltas show a more decisive separation in the Cinebench suite. The i5-680's closest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i7-3687U at 773 (0.1% below) and the Intel Celeron G5920 at 775 (0.4% below). The i5-4250U's nearest competitors include the Intel Xeon E5450 at 756 (0.1% below) and the Intel Core i5-3230M at 754 (0.2% above). These neighboring scores confirm both processors sit in the lower-middle tier of the overall CPU distribution, with the i5-680 at the 21st percentile and the i5-4250U at the 20th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras and serve different market segments. The i5-680 is a desktop part built on the Westmere architecture, codenamed Clarkdale, released in 2010. The i5-4250U is a mobile processor using the Haswell architecture, released in 2013.

The fabrication nodes differ notably. The i5-680 uses Intel's 32 nm process with 382 million transistors on an 81 mm² die. The i5-4250U uses a more advanced 22 nm node with 1,400 million transistors on a 118 mm² die. This explains a great deal: the Haswell chip packs over 3.6 times more transistors into a larger die, which is typical for the generational jump in integrated features.

Clock speeds show a dramatic divergence. The i5-680 runs at a 3.60 GHz base clock and boosts to 3.87 GHz. The i5-4250U has a 1300.00 MHz base clock (1.30 GHz) and boosts to 2.60 GHz. The desktop chip's base clock is nearly three times higher than the mobile chip's base clock. Even the mobile chip's boost clock falls well short of the desktop chip's base clock.

Cache configurations differ as well. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the shared L3 cache differs: the i5-680 offers 4 MB shared, while the i5-4250U has 3 MB shared. The extra megabyte of L3 cache on the desktop part likely contributes to its performance advantage in cache-sensitive workloads.

Thermal design power reflects their different deployment scenarios. The i5-680 has a TDP of 73 watts, appropriate for desktop cooling solutions. The i5-4250U sips just 15 watts, a fraction of the desktop chip's power envelope, making it suitable for thin and light laptops where heat dissipation is constrained.

The integrated graphics also differ. The i5-680 includes Intel HD, while the i5-4250U features Intel HD 5000, a more capable graphics solution. The memory support is DDR3 for both, but the i5-680 specifies dual-channel operation with 21.3 GB/s of bandwidth, while the i5-4250U's memory bus details are not recorded in the database. The i5-680 uses PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while PCIe information for the i5-4250U is absent.

Sockets separate them completely: the i5-680 fits Intel Socket 1156, while the i5-4250U is soldered to Intel BGA 1168. This means they are not interchangeable in any system. The i5-680 launched with a $294 MSRP and is now end-of-life, while the i5-4250U has no recorded MSRP.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-680 wins every benchmark where both processors have recorded scores. Its strengths are most pronounced in multi-threaded rendering workloads, where the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 2243 versus 1811 demonstrates a clear 23.9% advantage. The single-core results are equally decisive, which makes the i5-680 the better choice for any task that relies on raw CPU throughput, from media encoding to software compilation.

The i5-4250U's advantages are not visible in raw performance scores, but the architecture data suggests where it excels. Its 15 watt TDP versus 73 watts means dramatically lower heat output and power consumption. For mobile productivity, light web browsing, and office applications, the i5-4250U delivers adequate performance within a much stricter thermal budget. The Intel HD 5000 graphics also provide a superior integrated graphics experience compared to the older Intel HD solution on the i5-680.

The i5-680 is the clear winner for desktop users who have cooling headroom and need maximum compute performance from this generation. The i5-4250U suits portable devices where battery life and thermals take priority over peak throughput. The 21st versus 20th percentile ranking difference is negligible, but the use-case separation is substantial.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-680 wins all multi-core tests in the database. It scores 226 versus 182 in Cinebench R15, 942 versus 760 in Cinebench R20, and 2243 versus 1811 in Cinebench R23, each representing a 23.9% to 24.2% advantage.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: The i5-680 leads by 23.4% in Cinebench R20 single-core (132 versus 107) and by 23.9% in Cinebench R23 single-core (316 versus 255).

Q: Which chip has a lower power draw?

A: The i5-4250U has a 15 watt TDP, while the i5-680 has a 73 watt TDP. The mobile chip consumes a fraction of the desktop chip's power budget.

Q: Are these processors socket-compatible?

A: No. The i5-680 uses Intel Socket 1156, while the i5-4250U uses Intel BGA 1168. They cannot be installed in the same motherboard.

Q: How do their cache sizes compare?

A: Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The i5-680 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-4250U has 3 MB.

Q: What are the release dates and process nodes?

A: The i5-680 was released in 2010 on a 32 nm process. The i5-4250U was released in 2013 on a 22 nm process.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward conclusion for raw performance: the Intel Core i5-680 is the superior processor in every measured benchmark. Its 23% to 24% lead across all Cinebench tests, both single-core and multi-core, is decisive and consistent. Anyone choosing between these two strictly for compute throughput should select the i5-680, provided their motherboard supports Socket 1156 and their cooling solution can handle the 73 watt TDP.

The i5-4250U is not without merit, but its case rests entirely on efficiency and mobility. The 15 watt TDP makes it viable for fanless or low-power designs, and the Intel HD 5000 graphics are a meaningful upgrade over the older Intel HD solution. The 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors shows a more modern design, yet the dramatically lower clock speeds, 1300.00 MHz base and 2.60 GHz boost, cap its performance ceiling.

The percentile rankings reinforce the overall picture: the i5-680 sits at the 21st percentile of all CPUs, the i5-4250U at the 20th. Both are near the bottom of the performance distribution by modern standards, but the i5-680's wins in all five head-to-head tests give it the edge. The i5-4250U's only recorded advantages are in benchmarks the i5-680 does not share, Geekbench multi-core at 1434 and single-core at 742, which cannot be directly compared.

Buyers should pick the i5-680 for desktop workloads where power consumption is not a constraint and every bit of performance matters. The i5-4250U belongs in portable systems where the 15 watt envelope and integrated graphics outweigh the 23% performance deficit. The launch MSRP of $294 for the i5-680 further positions it as the higher-tier product, though both are now firmly in budget-tier performance territory.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-680 | Intel Core i5-4250U |

|---|---|---|

| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 1300.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.87 GHz | 2.60 GHz |

| TDP | 73 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1156 | Intel BGA 1168 |

| Architecture | Westmere | Haswell |

| Codename | Clarkdale | Haswell |

| Generation | Core i5 (Clarkdale) | Core i5 (Haswell) |

| Process Node | 32 nm | 22 nm |

| Transistors | 382 million | 1,400 million |

| Die Size | 81 mm² | 118 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | 3 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Not recorded |

| Memory Bandwidth | 21.3 GB/s | Not recorded |

| PCIe | Gen 2, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Not recorded |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD | Intel HD 5000 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Not recorded |

| Release Date | 2010-04-18 | 2013-06-03 |

| Launch MSRP | $294 | Not recorded |

| Part Number | SLBTM | SR16M |