Intel Core i5-4250U vs Intel Core i7-860S Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between these two processors is unusually clean, and it maps directly onto what each chip was designed to do. The Intel Core i7-860S takes the majority of the workload tests, winning 5 out of 7 head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i5-4250U claims 2 wins. But the story is not about the count, it is about the nature of those wins.

The i7-860S dominates every Cinebench test, from R15 through R23, in both single-core and multi-core runs. Its margins are consistent, sitting around 9.3% to 10% ahead in each case. That consistency suggests a fundamental advantage in raw execution throughput, not a quirk of any one benchmark version. The i5-4250U, however, wins decisively in Geekbench, and its single-core victory there is enormous at 74.6% ahead. That is not a small edge; it is a generation-level gap in that specific workload.

For real-world use, this means the i7-860S is the pick for sustained, multi-threaded productivity tasks like video encoding, 3D rendering, or any workload that scales across cores. The i5-4250U, despite being a 2-core mobile part, shows surprising strength in Geekbench-style integer and floating-point tests, which often reflect responsive everyday computing, web browsing, and office work. The data suggests the i5-4250U handles bursty, latency-sensitive tasks better, while the i7-860S grinds through longer, heavier loads with more authority.

The percentile ranking for both processors sits at 20, meaning they are statistically indistinguishable in overall standing against all CPUs in the database. The average benchmark score for the i5-4250U is 756, and for the i7-860S it is 740, a difference of about 2%. So while the head-to-head tests show clear winners per test, the aggregate picture is close. The i5-4250U edges ahead on average score, but the i7-860S wins more individual tests. That divergence is the key to understanding these chips: they are not direct competitors in the same role, they are two different solutions to two different problems.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap here is substantial, and it explains most of the benchmark behavior. The i5-4250U is built on Haswell, a 22 nm process, while the i7-860S uses Nehalem, specifically the Lynnfield die, on a 45 nm process. That process difference alone accounts for much of the efficiency and clock behavior.

The i5-4250U has 2 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 1300 MHz and a boost clock of 2.60 GHz. It runs at a 15 W TDP, which is a very low power envelope, typical for a mobile part. The i7-860S is a 4-core, 8-thread desktop chip with a base clock of 2.53 GHz and a boost of 3.47 GHz, and it consumes 82 W. The core count difference is the most obvious factor: the i7-860S has twice the physical cores and twice the threads.

Cache layouts also differ. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the shared L3 is where they separate. The i5-4250U has 3 MB of shared L3, while the i7-860S has 8 MB. That larger cache pool gives the i7-860S a meaningful advantage in workloads that reuse data across threads.

The transistor counts tell the story of two very different designs. The i5-4250U packs 1,400 million transistors on a 118 mm² die. The i7-860S has 774 million transistors on a much larger 296 mm² die. The Haswell architecture on 22 nm allows a much denser transistor layout, which contributes to the i5-4250U's efficiency and its strong single-thread performance in certain tests.

Integrated graphics are another clear divider. The i5-4250U includes Intel HD 5000 graphics, which makes it a complete mobile solution. The i7-860S has no integrated graphics at all, requiring a separate discrete GPU for any display output. The i5-4250U uses the Intel BGA 1168 socket, soldered onto the board, while the i7-860S uses the LGA 1156 socket, a traditional desktop socket with a replaceable chip.

Memory support is DDR3 for both, but the i7-860S specifies dual-channel memory bus, while the i5-4250U does not list a memory bus width. The i7-860S also has PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-4250U does not list PCIe information. Neither supports ECC memory. The i7-860S is marked as end-of-life, while the i5-4250U has no production status listed. Release dates are far apart: the i7-860S launched in January 2010, the i5-4250U in June 2013. Neither has a launch MSRP recorded, and both have locked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Looking at the individual tests, the i7-860S wins all five Cinebench comparisons, and the margins are remarkably tight across the board. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-860S scores 202 against the i5-4250U's 182, a 9.9% lead. In R20 multicore, it is 844 to 760, a 10% advantage. The R23 multicore test shows 2010 to 1811, again 9.9%. These are consistent, and they align with the core count difference: the i7-860S simply has more physical resources to throw at rendering tasks.

Single-core Cinebench results follow the same pattern. In R20 single-core, the i7-860S scores 118 to the i5-4250U's 107, a 9.3% lead. In R23 single-core, it is 283 to 255, a 9.9% advantage. This is notable because the i5-4250U has a much higher architecture generation and a smaller process node, yet the older, higher-clocked i7-860S still wins in Cinebench's single-threaded workloads. The boost clock of 3.47 GHz on the i7-860S versus 2.60 GHz on the i5-4250U is likely the deciding factor here.

The Geekbench results flip the script. In Geekbench multicore, the i5-4250U scores 1434 against the i7-860S's 1298, a 10.5% win for the mobile chip. That is a surprising result given the i7-860S has 4 cores and 8 threads, but the i5-4250U's newer architecture and higher transistor density apparently pay off in this test's particular mix of workloads.

The Geekbench single-core result is the most dramatic data point in this comparison. The i5-4250U scores 742, while the i7-860S scores only 425. That is a 74.6% advantage for the i5-4250U. This is not a marginal difference; it is a crushing margin that suggests the i7-860S is severely handicapped in this specific test, likely due to its older architecture's weaker per-clock execution and possibly its higher latency memory subsystem. The i5-4250U's Haswell design clearly executes single-threaded Geekbench code much more efficiently.

The aggregate benchmark average scores reflect this split. The i5-4250U has an average score of 756, while the i7-860S sits at 740. The i5-4250U's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E5450 at 756 (0.1% behind), the Core i3-5020U at 757 (0.2% behind), and the Core i5-3230M at 754 (0.2% ahead). The i7-860S's nearest rivals include the Pentium G4400 at 740 (0.1% ahead), the Core i5-670 at 741 (0.1% behind), and the Phenom II X4 B97 at 741 (0.1% behind). Both chips sit in a crowded performance band, but their strengths are clearly divergent.

The Verdict

The data points to two distinct use cases, and the choice comes down to what kind of computing matters more. The i7-860S is the better processor for sustained multi-threaded workloads. It wins every Cinebench test, and its 4-core, 8-thread configuration with 8 MB of L3 cache gives it a structural advantage in rendering, encoding, and any task that can use many threads. The margins are modest, around 10%, but they are consistent across every Cinebench version. If the workload is heavily threaded and runs for a long time, the i7-860S is the safer bet.

The i5-4250U, despite being a low-power mobile chip, wins Geekbench multicore by 10.5% and Geekbench single-core by an enormous 74.6%. That suggests it handles interactive, latency-sensitive tasks with much better per-thread efficiency. The newer Haswell architecture, built on 22 nm with 1,400 million transistors, clearly executes certain code paths far more efficiently than the older Nehalem design. For general desktop responsiveness, web browsing, office applications, and any workload that is not heavily threaded, the i5-4250U is the better performer.

The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the i5-4250U at 756 and the i7-860S at 740, so neither chip is a clear overall winner. The percentile ranking of 20 for both confirms they occupy the same performance tier in the broader database. The decision rests entirely on workload profile. A user running Cinebench-style rendering or video work should pick the i7-860S. A user prioritizing responsive single-threaded performance, especially in Geekbench-style tasks, should pick the i5-4250U.

The i7-860S is also a desktop part with a socketed LGA 1156 interface and PCIe Gen 2 lanes, making it suitable for a traditional tower with a discrete GPU. The i5-4250U is a soldered mobile part with integrated HD 5000 graphics, designed for laptops or compact systems where low power and built-in display output matter. The 15 W TDP of the i5-4250U versus 82 W for the i7-860S reinforces that these serve different physical environments. The i7-860S is also listed as end-of-life, which may matter for long-term availability.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The Intel Core i7-860S wins all Cinebench multicore tests. In R15, it scores 202 against 182, a 9.9% lead. In R20, it scores 844 against 760, a 10% lead. In R23, it scores 2010 against 1811, a 9.9% lead.

Q: Why does the i5-4250U win Geekbench single-core by such a large margin?

A: The i5-4250U scores 742 in Geekbench single-core, while the i7-860S scores 425, a 74.6% advantage. This likely reflects the newer Haswell architecture's higher per-clock efficiency, despite the i7-860S having a higher boost clock of 3.47 GHz versus 2.60 GHz.

Q: Do these two CPUs have the same number of cores?

A: No. The i5-4250U has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-860S has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i7-860S also has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, compared to 3 MB on the i5-4250U.

Q: Which chip is better for a laptop?

A: The i5-4250U is designed for mobile use. It has a 15 W TDP, integrated Intel HD 5000 graphics, and uses the BGA 1168 socket. The i7-860S is a desktop part with an 82 W TDP, no integrated graphics, and uses the LGA 1156 socket.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The i5-4250U has an average benchmark score of 756, while the i7-860S has an average of 740. That is a difference of about 2%, and both CPUs sit at the 20th percentile against all CPUs in the database.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same memory type?

A: Yes, both support DDR3 memory. The i7-860S specifies a dual-channel memory bus, while the i5-4250U does not list a memory bus width. Neither supports ECC memory.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-4250U | Intel Core i7-860S |

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

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 1300 MHz | 2530 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2.60 GHz | 3.47 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 82 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1168 | Intel Socket 1156 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Nehalem |

| Codename | Haswell | Lynnfield |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 45 nm |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | 774 million |

| Die Size | 118 mm² | 296 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 3 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Not listed | Dual-channel |

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

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 5000 | None |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

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

| Release Date | 2013-06-03 | 2010-01-06 |

| Part Number | SR16M | SLBLG |