Intel Core i5-5250U vs Intel Xeon X5470 Comparison

The Verdict

The data splits this comparison cleanly along workload type. The Intel Xeon X5470 wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head set, taking all five tests with margins between 17.1% and 17.4%. That is a consistent, across-the-board performance advantage for the older server chip.

However, the Intel Core i5-5250U carries the higher aggregate benchmark score of 856 versus the Xeon's 839, and it sits at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs compared to the Xeon's 22nd. The i5-5250U also matches its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-2500T, at an identical 856 average score. The Xeon's closest competitor, the Intel Core i5-5200U, scores 838, a mere 0.2% behind.

Who should pick which? The Xeon X5470 is the choice for raw multi-threaded and single-threaded compute in a workstation context, where its 120W TDP and Socket 771 platform are acceptable. The i5-5250U is the choice for any scenario where power efficiency, integrated graphics, and a modern mobile platform matter more than peak Cinebench scores. The Xeon has no integrated graphics; the i5-5250U includes Intel HD 6000. The Xeon supports ECC memory; the i5 does not. The verdict is not about which is "better" — it is about which environment each chip was built for. For pure CPU benchmark dominance, the Xeon wins. For a balanced mobile package, the i5 wins.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Xeon X5470 — compute-bound server workloads. The Xeon dominates all five head-to-head Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 2440 against the i5's 2079, a 17.4% lead. The single-core R23 result is 344 versus 293, also a 17.4% margin. The pattern repeats in R20 multi-core (1024 vs 873, +17.3%), R20 single-core (144 vs 123, +17.1%), and R15 multi-core (245 vs 209, +17.2%). This is a chip that simply executes Cinebench workloads faster across the board. The Xeon also has four physical cores and four threads, compared to the i5's two cores and four threads, and it supports ECC memory — a feature absent on the i5. Its 6 MB L2 cache per die and 64 KB L1 per core are its cache configuration; the i5 has 3 MB shared L3.

Intel Core i5-5250U — efficiency and platform integration. The i5 wins no benchmarks, but it wins the aggregate and percentile battle. Its average benchmark score of 856 exceeds the Xeon's 839. Its 23rd percentile ranking is one point higher than the Xeon's 22nd. The i5 also has a 29.9 GB/s memory bandwidth figure, which the Xeon lacks in its data. The i5's 15W TDP is dramatically lower than the Xeon's 120W, making it suitable for thin-and-light mobile designs. It includes Intel HD 6000 integrated graphics, a feature the Xeon does not have. The i5's boost clock reaches 2.70 GHz from a 1.60 GHz base, whereas the Xeon has a fixed 3.33 GHz with no boost. For any workload that values portability, battery life, or graphical output, the i5 is the only option here.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is generational. The Xeon X5470 is built on the Core 2 architecture, specifically the Harpertown codename, using a 45 nm process node from Intel. It packs 820 million transistors across a die size of 2x 107 mm². The i5-5250U uses the Broadwell architecture, codename Broadwell-U, on a 14 nm process node, with 1,900 million transistors in a single 133 mm² die. The node shrink is substantial: 45 nm to 14 nm.

Core counts differ. The Xeon has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i5 has 2 cores and 4 threads, using Hyper-Threading to reach four threads. The Xeon's cache hierarchy is split per die: 64 KB L1 per core and 6 MB L2 per die. The i5 has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 3 MB shared L3 cache. Neither chip has L3 on the Xeon side; the i5 has dedicated L3.

Memory support diverges. The Xeon supports DDR2 and DDR3 depending on the motherboard, with dual-channel memory bus, and it supports ECC memory. The i5 supports only DDR3, also dual-channel, with a specific memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, and no ECC support. The Xeon's PCIe is Gen 2; the i5's is Gen 2 with 12 lanes available on the CPU only.

The sockets are incompatible: the Xeon uses Intel Socket 771, while the i5 uses Intel BGA 1168. The Xeon is a server/workstation part; the i5 is a mobile part. Both are end-of-life. The Xeon launched in September 2008 with a launch MSRP of $1386. The i5 launched in February 2015 with a launch MSRP of $315. The Xeon has no integrated graphics; the i5 has Intel HD 6000. The Xeon has no boost clock; the i5 boosts from 1.60 GHz base to 2.70 GHz. The Xeon's multiplier is locked, as is the i5's.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-5250U has an average benchmark score of 856, while the Intel Xeon X5470 scores 839. The i5 also ranks at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs, versus the Xeon's 22nd.

Q: Does the Xeon X5470 win any benchmarks against the i5-5250U?

A: Yes, the Xeon wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests. Its margins are 17.2% in R15 multi-core, 17.3% in R20 multi-core, 17.1% in R20 single-core, 17.4% in R23 multi-core, and 17.4% in R23 single-core.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each chip?

A: The Xeon X5470 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Core i5-5250U has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i5 uses Hyper-Threading to match the thread count with half the physical cores.

Q: Does either CPU support ECC memory?

A: Only the Xeon X5470 supports ECC memory. The Core i5-5250U does not list ECC support in its specifications.

Q: Which chip has integrated graphics?

A: The Core i5-5250U includes Intel HD 6000 integrated graphics. The Xeon X5470 has no integrated graphics at all, which is typical for a server/workstation part.

Q: What are the TDP differences between the two?

A: The Xeon X5470 has a 120W TDP, while the Core i5-5250U has a 15W TDP. That is an eightfold difference in thermal design power.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Xeon X5470's clean sweep of the head-to-head set is notable for its consistency. Every single test shows a deltaPct between 17.1% and 17.4%, which suggests a fundamental per-clock or per-core advantage that scales uniformly across Cinebench's multi-core and single-core workloads.

The largest single delta is a tie between two tests: Cinebench R23 multi-core and Cinebench R23 single-core, both at 17.4%. In R23 multi-core, the Xeon scores 2440 against the i5's 2079, a gap of 361 points. In R23 single-core, the Xeon scores 344 against 293, a gap of 51 points. The R20 multi-core test shows the Xeon at 1024 versus 873, a 151-point difference at 17.3%. The R15 multi-core test has the Xeon at 245 versus 209, a 36-point gap at 17.2%. The smallest margin is R20 single-core, where the Xeon's 144 beats the i5's 123 by 21 points, a 17.1% lead.

The i5-5250U has no wins in this head-to-head set, but it does have a Geekbench multi-core score of 1587 and a Geekbench single-core score of 825. Those are not part of the head-to-head set, so no direct comparison is provided there. The Xeon's average benchmark score of 839 places it just 0.1% above the Intel Core i5-3380M (838) and 0.2% above the Intel Core i5-5200U (838), while sitting 0.1% below the Intel Core i7-920 (840). The i5-5250U's average of 856 ties the Intel Core i5-2500T exactly, sits 0.4% above the Intel Core i7-4500U (859), and 0.5% above the Intel Xeon X5492 (852).

The takeaway from the numbers is that the Xeon's Cinebench dominance is real and repeatable, but the i5's aggregate performance profile is slightly stronger when all benchmark types are considered. The Xeon's 4-core, 4-thread configuration at 3.33 GHz beats the i5's 2-core, 4-thread configuration at 1.60 GHz base and 2.70 GHz boost in every rendering test. The i5's advantage lies in its higher average score, its 14 nm process efficiency, and its integrated graphics — none of which show up in the Cinebench head-to-head results.