Intel Core i5-5250U vs Intel Core i7-4500U Comparison

# Intel Core i7-4500U vs Intel Core i5-5250U

These two 15 W mobile processors from Intel’s U-series lineup target the same thin-and-light notebooks, but they come from different generations and architectures. The Core i7-4500U is a Haswell part from mid-2013, while the Core i5-5250U is a Broadwell part released in early 2015. Both have 2 cores and 4 threads, both fit the Intel BGA 1168 socket, and both land at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs in the database. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical — 859 for the i7-4500U and 856 for the i5-5250U — with a delta of just 0.4% in favor of the older chip. The real differences show up in architecture, memory bandwidth, and integrated graphics, not in raw compute performance.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i7-4500U has a base clock of 1800 MHz and a boost clock of 3.00 GHz. The Intel Core i5-5250U runs at 1600 MHz base and 2.70 GHz boost. The i7-4500U is faster on paper for both clocks.

Q: How do their multi-core Cinebench scores compare?

A: The i7-4500U wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 212 versus 209 for the i5-5250U (a 1.4% lead). In R20 multi-core, the gap is 887 to 873 (1.6% ahead). In R23 multi-core, the i7-4500U scores 2113 against 2079 (1.6% ahead).

Q: Which CPU wins in Geekbench?

A: The i5-5250U takes both Geekbench tests. In Geekbench multi-core, it scores 1587 versus 1562 for the i7-4500U, a 1.6% advantage. In single-core, the i5-5250U scores 825 against 818, a 0.8% edge.

Q: What are the integrated graphics differences?

A: The i7-4500U uses Intel HD 4400, while the i5-5250U uses Intel HD 6000. The i5-5250U’s newer Broadwell architecture and HD 6000 GPU give it a more capable integrated graphics solution on paper.

Q: Do they support the same memory?

A: Both support DDR3 memory, and both lack ECC support. The i5-5250U explicitly lists dual-channel memory with 29.9 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-4500U does not list a memory bus or bandwidth figure in the data.

Q: Which CPU was released later?

A: The i5-5250U was released on 2015-02-28, while the i7-4500U came out on 2013-06-03. The i5-5250U is also marked as end-of-life, while the i7-4500U has no production status listed.

The Verdict

The data paints a picture of two CPUs that are effectively tied in compute performance, with the i7-4500U holding a slight edge in Cinebench workloads and the i5-5250U countering in Geekbench. The i7-4500U wins 5 of the 7 head-to-head benchmarks, but the margins are small — the largest lead is 1.7% in Cinebench R23 single-core, and the i5-5250U’s biggest win is 1.6% in Geekbench multi-core. For raw CPU throughput, the i7-4500U is the pick if you care about Cinebench-style rendering tasks. For Geekbench-style general performance, the i5-5250U edges ahead. The i5-5250U brings a newer 14 nm process, more transistors (1,900 million versus 1,300 million), a larger die (133 mm² versus 118 mm²), and a better integrated GPU (HD 6000 versus HD 4400). It also has a lower base and boost clock, but the architecture refresh compensates. If you need a modern feature set and better iGPU, the i5-5250U is the logical choice. If you want the higher clock speeds and slightly better Cinebench scores, the i7-4500U delivers. Neither will embarrass the other in daily use — the deltas are within noise for most workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i7-4500U dominates the Cinebench suite, winning all five Cinebench tests that appear in the head-to-head data. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 212 against 209 for the i5-5250U, a 1.4% win. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 887 versus 873, a 1.6% margin. Single-core R20 is 125 to 123, again 1.6%. Cinebench R23 multi-core sees 2113 versus 2079, a 1.6% lead, and R23 single-core is 298 to 293, the largest relative gap at 1.7%. These are consistent wins across the board, suggesting the i7-4500U’s higher clock speeds (1800 MHz base, 3.00 GHz boost) give it a real, if modest, advantage in rendering workloads.

The i5-5250U strikes back in Geekbench. In Geekbench multi-core, it scores 1587 versus 1562, a 1.6% win that flips the script from Cinebench. Single-core Geekbench is closer: 825 to 818, a 0.8% edge for the i5-5250U. The pattern is clear — the i5-5250U’s Broadwell architecture handles Geekbench’s mixed integer and floating-point workload better, while the i7-4500U’s higher clocks win in Cinebench’s render-heavy tasks. The net result is an average benchmark score of 859 for the i7-4500U and 856 for the i5-5250U, a 0.4% difference that places them as direct rivals in the database. The i7-4500U’s nearest rival list includes the i5-5250U at a 0.4% delta, while the i5-5250U’s list includes the i7-4500U at -0.4% — they are effectively interchangeable in overall performance.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in several key specifications. Clock speeds are the most obvious: the i7-4500U runs at 1800 MHz base and 3.00 GHz boost, versus 1600 MHz base and 2.70 GHz boost for the i5-5250U. The i7-4500U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-5250U has 3 MB. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, and both have 2 cores and 4 threads. The process node differs: 22 nm for the i7-4500U, 14 nm for the i5-5250U. Transistor counts are 1,300 million versus 1,900 million, and die size is 118 mm² versus 133 mm². The i5-5250U lists dual-channel memory bus and 29.9 GB/s memory bandwidth; the i7-4500U does not list these fields. PCIe support is only listed for the i5-5250U (Gen 2, 12 lanes CPU only). Integrated graphics differ: Intel HD 4400 on the i7-4500U, Intel HD 6000 on the i5-5250U. Release dates are 2013-06-03 for the i7-4500U and 2015-02-28 for the i5-5250U. The i5-5250U has a launch MSRP of $315; the i7-4500U has no listed MSRP. The i5-5250U is marked end-of-life; the i7-4500U has no production status. Both are socket Intel BGA 1168, both have a 15 W TDP, both are locked (multiplier unlocked: false), and both lack ECC support.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is generational. The i7-4500U is built on Haswell, specifically the Haswell-ULT codename, using Intel’s 22 nm process. The i5-5250U is Broadwell, codename Broadwell-U, on the 14 nm node. The die shrink allowed Intel to pack 1,900 million transistors into 133 mm² for the i5-5250U, compared to 1,300 million in 118 mm² for the i7-4500U. That’s a 46% increase in transistor count with a 12.7% larger die. The i5-5250U’s L3 cache is smaller at 3 MB versus 4 MB, which is counterintuitive given the newer process, but the architecture’s efficiency gains compensate. The i5-5250U also has a more capable integrated GPU: Intel HD 6000 versus Intel HD 4400. Both are mobile parts with a 15 W TDP, and both are factory-locked. The i5-5250U supports dual-channel DDR3 with a listed 29.9 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-4500U only lists DDR3 support without a bandwidth figure. The i5-5250U also lists PCIe Gen 2 with 12 lanes (CPU only), a feature absent from the i7-4500U’s data. In practical terms, the i5-5250U’s newer architecture should bring better power efficiency and GPU performance, but the benchmark data shows the CPU compute side is nearly a wash.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-4500U wins in Cinebench-heavy workloads. It takes all five Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, with margins ranging from 1.4% to 1.7%. If your workflow involves 3D rendering, video encoding, or any task that scales with Cinebench-style multi-threaded performance, the i7-4500U’s higher boost clock (3.00 GHz versus 2.70 GHz) gives it a consistent edge. It also wins the overall average benchmark score battle at 859 versus 856.

The i5-5250U wins in Geekbench-style workloads. It takes both Geekbench multi-core and single-core tests, with a 1.6% lead in multi-core (1587 versus 1562) and a 0.8% lead in single-core (825 versus 818). This suggests it handles general-purpose tasks — web browsing, office applications, light productivity — slightly better, likely due to the Broadwell architecture’s improved instruction efficiency. The i5-5250U also wins on features: it has a newer 14 nm process, a better integrated GPU (HD 6000), dual-channel memory with a listed bandwidth, PCIe Gen 2 support, and it was released nearly two years later. For a laptop buyer, the i5-5250U is the more future-proof choice if you care about graphics output or power efficiency. For pure CPU rendering, the i7-4500U is the safer bet. The data shows 5 wins for the i7-4500U and 2 for the i5-5250U, but the margin of victory is so small that real-world differences will be negligible in most applications. Choose based on your workload — Cinebench favors the i7, Geekbench favors the i5.