Intel Core i5-5287U vs Intel Core i7-2760QM Comparison

The Intel Core i7-2760QM and Intel Core i5-5287U represent two distinct generations of Intel mobile processors, with the former being a quad-core Sandy Bridge part from 2011 and the latter a dual-core Broadwell part from 2015. The benchmark data reveals a split personality: the older i7 wins every Cinebench test, while the newer i5 dominates Geekbench. The average scores are close, with the i7-2760QM at 1057 and the i5-5287U at 1072, placing them at the 29th and 30th percentiles of all CPUs respectively. This suggests that real-world performance depends heavily on the specific workload and application behavior.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-2760QM has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-5287U has 2 cores and 4 threads. This difference is central to the multi-core benchmark results.

Q: What is the clock speed difference between the two?

A: The i7-2760QM has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The i5-5287U has a higher base clock of 2.90 GHz but a lower boost clock of 3.30 GHz.

Q: Which chip has a smaller manufacturing process node?

A: The i5-5287U uses a 14 nm process node, while the i7-2760QM uses a 32 nm node. The i5 also has a smaller die size at 133 mm² compared to 216 mm² for the i7.

Q: How do the integrated graphics compare?

A: The i7-2760QM includes Intel HD 3000, while the i5-5287U includes Intel Iris 6100. The data does not provide benchmark scores for the graphics, only their presence.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each chip?

A: The i7-2760QM has an average benchmark score of 1057, and the i5-5287U has an average score of 1072. They are separated by only 15 points, a difference of roughly 1.4%.

Q: Which chip has a higher memory bandwidth rating?

A: The i5-5287U lists a memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, while the i7-2760QM does not have a memory bandwidth figure in the database. Both support dual-channel memory.

The Verdict

For tasks that rely on multiple threads, the Intel Core i7-2760QM is the clear choice. It wins all three Cinebench multi-core tests by margins of roughly 40%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 366 versus 261, and in R20 Multi-core it scores 1525 versus 1090. The i7-2760QM also wins in single-core Cinebench tests, with a 40.5% lead in R20 Single-core (215 vs 153) and a 39.9% lead in R23 Single-core (512 versus 366). The data shows a consistent pattern: across all five Cinebench tests, the i7-2760QM is ahead by nearly identical margins, suggesting a fundamental advantage in this workload type.

For Geekbench, the situation flips. The i5-5287U wins the Geekbench multi-core test with a score of 2007 versus 1625, a 19% lead. More dramatically, it wins Geekbench single-core with 1029 versus 534, a 48.1% lead. This is a substantial difference, indicating that the newer architecture of the i5, despite having fewer cores, is far more efficient at the specific operations measured by Geekbench.

The choice depends on the user's primary application. If the workload is predominantly Cinebench-style rendering or heavily multi-threaded, the i7-2760QM is the better option. If the workload involves Geekbench-type tasks, which often include memory and integer performance, the i5-5287U is superior. The average scores are nearly identical (1057 versus 1072), suggesting that for a mix of tasks, the two chips are broadly comparable, but their strengths are in different domains.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is the Geekbench single-core test. The i5-5287U scores 1029, while the i7-2760QM scores 534. The i5 is 48.1% higher, meaning the newer chip completes the single-threaded operations in this test in roughly half the time. This is a massive architectural advantage, likely due to the much newer Broadwell design and higher base clock (2.90 GHz versus 2.40 GHz).

In the Cinebench R20 Multi-core test, the i7-2760QM scores 1525 against 1090 for the i5, a delta of 39.9%. The i7 has twice as many physical cores and four extra threads, which directly benefits this workload. The i7's advantage here is consistent with its core count, but the percentage gap is slightly less than the core count difference, indicating diminishing returns from hyper-threading in this test.

The Cinebench R15 Single-core test shows the i7-2760QM at 51 points versus the i5-5287U, which did not have a recorded score for that test. The database only lists the i7's R15 single-core score of 51, which is lower than its R20 single-core score of 215. This suggests that R15 is a different workload, but without the i5 data, a direct comparison is impossible.

In the Cinebench R23 Multi-core test, the i7-2760QM scores 3631 and the i5-5287U scores 2596, a 39.9% margin. The pattern is clear: the i7 wins by a wide margin in all Cinebench versions, regardless of single or multi-core. The i5's only wins are the two Geekbench tests, where it leads by 19% and 48.1% respectively.

The wins distribution is 5 for the i7-2760QM and 2 for the i5-5287U. The i7's wins are all in the Cinebench suite, while the i5's are in Geekbench. This is a perfect split between two benchmark families, indicating that the processors are optimized for different instruction mixes.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is the core count: the i7-2760QM has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-5287U has 2 cores and 4 threads. This doubles the parallel processing capacity of the i7.

The base clock is higher on the i5 at 2.90 GHz versus 2.40 GHz, but the boost clock is higher on the i7 at 3.50 GHz versus 3.30 GHz. This means the i7 can reach a higher peak speed, but the i5 runs faster at idle.

The TDP is 45 watts for the i7 and 28 watts for the i5. The i5 is a more power-efficient part, which is typical for a newer generation.

The socket differs: the i7 uses Intel BGA 1224, while the i5 uses Intel BGA 1168. These are not interchangeable.

The process node is 32 nm for the i7 and 14 nm for the i5. The i5 also has a different die size, 133 mm² versus 216 mm², and a different transistor count, 1,900 million versus 1,160 million.

The L3 cache is 6 MB shared for the i7, and 3 MB shared for the i5. The L1 and L2 caches are the same at 64 KB per core and 256 KB per core respectively.

The i5-5287U lists memory support for DDR3 and a memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, while the i7-2760QM does not list memory support or bandwidth. Both are dual-channel.

The integrated graphics are Intel HD 3000 for the i7 and Intel Iris 6100 for the i5. The i5 also lists PCIe Gen 2, 12 Lanes (CPU only), while the i7 does not list any PCIe information.

The launch date is 2011-09-03 for the i7 and 2015-02-28 for the i5. The i5 has a launch MSRP of $315, while the i7 has no MSRP listed. Both are mobile, end-of-life parts.

Architecture Differences

The i7-2760QM is based on the Sandy Bridge architecture, while the i5-5287U uses Broadwell. The codenames reflect this: Sandy Bridge versus Broadwell-U.

The generation is listed as "Core i7 (Sandy Bridge)" for the i7 and "Core i5 (Broadwell-U)" for the i5. This directly indicates the generation gap.

The process node is smaller for the i5, 14 nm versus 32 nm. The i5 also has a smaller die size (133 mm² versus 216 mm²) but more transistors (1,900 million versus 1,160 million).

Cache structure differs: the i7 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5 has 3 MB. The per-core L3 is larger on the i7.

The i5 has a list of memory support, specifically DDR3, and a bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s. The i5 is a Broadwell-U part, which is designed for ultra-low power, hence the 28 W TDP.

The i7 is a Sandy Bridge part, which was a 45 W design. The i5 has a smaller socket (BGA 1168) versus the i7 (BGA 1224).

The integrated graphics are different generations: Intel HD 3000 for the i7 and Intel Iris 6100 for the i5.

The number of PCIe lanes is listed only for the i5: Gen 2, 12 Lanes (CPU only). The i7 has no such listing.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-2760QM wins in all Cinebench tests, which are CPU-intensive rendering workloads. It wins R15 Multi-core by 40.2%, R20 Multi-core by 39.9%, R20 Single-core by 40.5%, R23 Multi-core by 39.9%, and R23 Single-core by 39.9%. This indicates that the i7 is better for applications that use Cinebench's rendering engine, which is a common proxy for 3D rendering.

The i5-5287U wins in both Geekbench tests. It wins Geekbench multi-core by 19% (2007 versus 1625) and Geekbench single-core by 48.1% (1029 versus 534). Geekbench is a general-purpose CPU test that uses a suite of different tasks, including integer, floating-point, and memory operations. The i5's wins here suggest it has a more efficient core design, which is evident from the single-core results.

The i5-5287U also has a lower TDP (28 W versus 45 W), which is not a benchmark win but a practical advantage. It will likely generate less heat and consume less power, making it suitable for thinner laptops. The i7's higher TDP and quad-core design will require more cooling.

The i7-2760QM has 6 MB of L3 cache versus 3 MB, which could be beneficial for workloads that frequently access a large working set of data.

The i5 has a higher base clock (2.90 GHz) and a smaller process node (14 nm), which contributes to its single-core Geekbench win.

The i7's higher boost clock (3.50 GHz) might help in short bursts of single-threaded activity, but the benchmark data shows that in Geekbench single-core, the i5 wins decisively, which is likely due to its architecture.

For users working with video editing or 3D modeling software that uses Cinebench-style algorithms, the i7-2760QM is the better processor, but it comes with the cost of higher TDP. For general productivity, web browsing, and office applications that are more like Geekbench, the i5-5287U is superior. The data shows that the i5-5285U is a more balanced chip in terms of efficiency, while the i7 is a dedicated workhorse for multi-threaded rendering.