Intel Core i5-5257U vs Intel Core i7-960 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a consistent and decisive advantage for the Intel Core i7-960 across every recorded test. The i7-960 wins all five head-to-head comparisons, with the i5-5257U trailing by roughly 16.6% in every workload. This uniformity is striking: whether the test stresses a single core or all available threads, the performance gap barely moves.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-960 scores 290 against the i5-5257U's 242, a 16.6% deficit. That same 16.6% margin repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i7-960 posts 1211 versus 1010. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23 multi-core as well: 2885 for the i7-960, 2406 for the i5-5257U, again a 16.6% gap.

Single-core results tell the same story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i7-960 scores 170 while the i5-5257U manages 142, a 16.5% difference. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 407 versus 339, a 16.7% margin. The consistency of these deltas suggests the advantage is structural, not workload-specific.

The aggregate benchmark picture reinforces this. The i7-960 holds an average benchmark score of 993, placing it in the 27th percentile of all CPUs. The i5-5257U averages 976, sitting at the 26th percentile. While the percentile difference is minimal, the per-test deltas are not. The i7-960's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-965, AMD Phenom II X6 1065T, and Intel Xeon W3565, all matching its 993 average score. The i5-5257U's nearest rivals, the Intel Core i3-4150T, Intel Core i3-4130, AMD Athlon X4 840, and AMD A10-7870K, all sit at 975, a hair below its 976 average.

The i5-5257U does have one advantage the raw benchmark scores do not capture: its Geekbench results. It scores 922 single-core and 1773 multi-core in that suite. The i7-960 has no recorded Geekbench results in the database, so no direct comparison is possible there. For the tests both chips share, the outcome is unambiguous.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-960 wins every benchmark where both processors have recorded scores. That includes all four Cinebench variants: R15 multi-core, R20 multi-core, R20 single-core, R23 multi-core, and R23 single-core. If a workload scales with raw compute throughput, the i7-960 is the stronger part.

The i5-5257U wins in categories the benchmark scores do not cover. It is the only one of the two with integrated graphics, featuring Intel Iris 6100. The i7-960 has no integrated graphics at all. For a system that needs a display output without a discrete GPU, the i5-5257U is the only choice from this pair.

The i5-5257U also wins on power draw. Its TDP is 28 watts, while the i7-960 draws 130 watts. That is a substantial difference for any thermal or power-constrained build. The i5-5257U is a mobile part, while the i7-960 is a desktop processor, and that distinction shows in their respective power envelopes.

In terms of platform flexibility, the i7-960 has the advantage of more raw cores and threads: four cores and eight threads versus two cores and four threads on the i5-5257U. That directly explains its multi-core lead. But the i5-5257U is a far more modern design, built on a 14 nm process versus 45 nm, and it includes features like a smaller die size and lower transistor count that point to a more efficient architecture.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-960 is faster in every shared multi-core test. It leads by 16.6% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core, scoring 290, 1211, and 2885 respectively, against the i5-5257U's 242, 1010, and 2406.

Q: Does the i5-5257U beat the i7-960 in any benchmark?

A: No. The i7-960 wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The i5-5257U has no wins in the recorded head-to-head results, though it does have Geekbench scores (922 single-core, 1773 multi-core) that the i7-960 lacks.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i5-5257U includes Intel Iris 6100 integrated graphics. The Intel Core i7-960 has no integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is required for display output.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The i5-5257U has a TDP of 28 watts, while the i7-960 has a TDP of 130 watts. The i5-5257U is a mobile processor, while the i7-960 is a desktop part.

Q: What are their release dates?

A: The i5-5257U was released on 2015-02-28, and the i7-960 was released on 2009-10-19. Both are end-of-life products.

Q: How do they compare in the overall CPU percentile ranking?

A: The i7-960 sits at the 27th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 993. The i5-5257U sits at the 26th percentile, with an average score of 976.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The i5-5257U has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-960 has 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks differ as well: the i5-5257U runs at 2.70 GHz base and 3.10 GHz boost, while the i7-960 runs at 3.20 GHz base and 3.47 GHz boost.

TDP is a major differentiator. The i5-5257U draws 28 watts, the i7-960 draws 130 watts. Their sockets are incompatible: the i5-5257U uses Intel BGA 1168, the i7-960 uses Intel Socket 1366. The memory controller also differs, with the i5-5257U using dual-channel DDR3 and the i7-960 using triple-channel DDR3. The i5-5257U has a recorded memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, while the i7-960 has no bandwidth figure in the database.

PCIe support differs. The i5-5257U has Gen 2 with 12 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-960 has Gen 2 without a lane count specified. The i5-5257U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris 6100), the i7-960 does not. The i5-5257U has a launch MSRP of $315; the i7-960 has no recorded launch MSRP.

Market segments also differ: the i5-5257U is a mobile part, the i7-960 is a desktop part. Release dates are far apart, with the i5-5257U launching in 2015 and the i7-960 in 2009. Their part numbers are SR26K for the i5-5257U and SLBEU for the i7-960. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is generational. The i5-5257U is built on Broadwell architecture (codename Broadwell-U), using a 14 nm process node. The i7-960 is built on Nehalem architecture (codename Bloomfield), using a 45 nm process node. That process shrink is massive: the i5-5257U packs 1,900 million transistors on a 133 mm² die, while the i7-960 uses 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die.

Cache layouts differ as well. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the shared L3 cache is different. The i5-5257U has 3 MB shared L3, while the i7-960 has 8 MB shared L3. The larger cache on the i7-960 is a direct consequence of its older, larger process node and higher power budget.

Both support DDR3 memory and do not support ECC memory. The i5-5257U's dual-channel memory interface with 29.9 GB/s bandwidth is a more modest design than the i7-960's triple-channel setup, though the i7-960 lacks a recorded bandwidth figure.

The i5-5257U integrates the Intel Iris 6100 graphics core, which is a significant architectural feature absent from the i7-960. The i7-960 relies entirely on discrete graphics. The i5-5257U also uses a newer PCIe implementation with 12 lanes, while the i7-960's PCIe configuration is listed simply as Gen 2 with no lane count.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split. For raw compute performance, the Intel Core i7-960 is the stronger processor. It wins every shared benchmark by a consistent 16.6% margin, has twice the cores and threads, and offers a larger L3 cache. Its average benchmark score of 993 edges out the i5-5257U's 976, and it sits one percentile higher in the overall ranking.

For efficiency and platform simplicity, the Intel Core i5-5257U is the better choice. Its 28-watt TDP versus 130 watts is a dramatic difference, and its integrated Intel Iris 6100 graphics mean no discrete GPU is required. It is also a much newer design, built on a 14 nm process with a far smaller die and lower transistor count.

The choice depends entirely on the use case. If the goal is a desktop build where performance per thread or multi-core throughput matters most, and power consumption is not a concern, the i7-960 is the pick. It delivers a solid, if unspectacular, 27th-percentile performance level, on par with the Intel Core i7-965 and AMD Phenom II X6 1065T.

If the goal is a compact, low-power system with integrated graphics, the i5-5257U is the only viable option from this pair. Its 26th-percentile standing is nearly identical to the i7-960's, yet it achieves that with a fraction of the power draw and a much more modern architecture. The i5-5257U sits alongside the Intel Core i3-4130 and AMD A10-7870K in performance, but offers features those chips lack, such as the Iris 6100 GPU.

Neither processor is a performance leader by modern standards. But for the right application, each has a place. The i7-960 rewards those who need brute compute and have the power budget to feed it. The i5-5257U rewards those who value efficiency and integration over raw speed. The benchmark data does not declare a single winner, it declares two winners for two different jobs.