Intel Core i5-5287U vs Intel Pentium G4600 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a remarkably consistent picture: the Intel Pentium G4600 wins every recorded head-to-head comparison, and by nearly identical margins. Across five Cinebench tests, the Pentium G4600 holds a lead of 18.3% to 18.4% over the Core i5-5287U. This uniformity across both single-core and multi-core workloads suggests a fundamental performance advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Pentium G4600 scores 309 against 261 for the Core i5-5287U, an 18.4% advantage. The R20 multi-core test shows the same story: 1289 versus 1090, an 18.3% gap. The single-core results are just as one-sided. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Pentium scores 181 compared to 153, and in R23 single-core it posts 433 versus 366, both again an 18.3% delta. The R23 multi-core result, 3070 versus 2596, completes the sweep with another 18.3% margin.

What is striking is not merely that the Pentium wins, but that the margin is so stable. Whether the workload scales across both cores or runs on a single thread, the relative performance gap barely moves. This indicates the advantage comes from per-cycle efficiency and clock behavior, not from core count or thread scheduling. Both processors have 2 cores and 4 threads, so the multi-core results are not influenced by different parallel resources. The data points to the Pentium's higher base clock of 3.60 GHz playing a decisive role, especially considering the Core i5-5287U's base clock is 2.90 GHz and its boost clock reaches only 3.30 GHz.

The Core i5-5287U does have a Geekbench entry in the database, scoring 2007 multi-core and 1029 single-core, but no comparable Geekbench result exists for the Pentium G4600, so a direct comparison on that test is not possible. Nevertheless, the Cinebench suite alone offers enough evidence to characterize the performance relationship between these two parts.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and are built for different market segments. The Pentium G4600 is a Kaby Lake desktop part on Intel Socket 1151, while the Core i5-5287U is a Broadwell-U mobile chip on Intel BGA 1168. Both use the same 14 nm process node and are fabricated by Intel, but their design priorities diverge sharply.

The Pentium G4600 runs at a fixed 3.60 GHz with no boost clock listed, drawing 51 W TDP. The Core i5-5287U operates at 2.90 GHz base with a 3.30 GHz turbo, but consumes only 28 W. That 23 W difference in thermal design power reflects the mobile chip's emphasis on efficiency, while the desktop Pentium uses its higher power budget to sustain a faster clock. The data suggests the Pentium's clock advantage more than compensates for the Core i5's turbo capability: even at full boost, the Core i5-5287U runs 0.30 GHz slower than the Pentium's base clock.

Cache configurations are identical in structure: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 3 MB shared L3. Neither processor offers ECC memory support, and both have their multipliers locked. The Core i5-5287U is listed with 1,900 million transistors on a 133 mm² die, while the Pentium G4600 has no transistor or die size figures recorded in the database.

Memory support differs in both type and bandwidth. The Pentium G4600 supports DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Core i5-5287U uses DDR3, also dual-channel, but reaches only 29.9 GB/s. That 8.5 GB/s bandwidth gap could matter in memory-sensitive workloads, though the Cinebench results show the Pentium's lead in CPU-bound rendering tests regardless.

PCIe connectivity also separates the two. The Pentium G4600 provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the Core i5-5287U offers Gen 2 with 12 lanes. For a desktop platform, the wider and faster PCIe implementation makes sense. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Pentium carries Intel HD 630, while the Core i5-5287U ships with Intel Iris 6100. The Iris part is generally positioned as a stronger iGPU, but the benchmark records do not include graphics tests, so any graphical comparison would go beyond the available data.

The production status tells another part of the story. The Pentium G4600 is listed as Active, while the Core i5-5287U is End-of-life. The Pentium also released later, in January 2017 versus February 2015. The Core i5-5287U carries a launch MSRP of $315, while no launch MSRP is recorded for the Pentium.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Core i5-5287U posts an average benchmark score of 1072, while the Pentium G4600 averages 1056. Despite losing every head-to-head Cinebench test, the Core i5-5287U has a slightly higher aggregate score, likely because its Geekbench results are included in the average while no Geekbench score exists for the Pentium.

Q: How do the two compare in single-core performance?

A: The Pentium G4600 leads in both recorded single-core tests. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 181 versus 153, an 18.3% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 433 versus 366, also an 18.3% edge.

Q: Are both processors built on the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both use Intel's 14 nm process node. They differ in architecture generation, with the Pentium G4600 based on Kaby Lake and the Core i5-5287U based on Broadwell-U.

Q: Do these processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the Pentium G4600 and the Core i5-5287U list ECC memory support as false.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Pentium G4600 has a TDP of 51 W, while the Core i5-5287U has a TDP of 28 W. The mobile chip draws 23 W less, reflecting its design for notebook-class systems.

Q: Which processor has the higher clock speed?

A: The Pentium G4600 runs at a base clock of 3.60 GHz with no boost clock. The Core i5-5287U has a 2.90 GHz base clock and a 3.30 GHz boost clock. The Pentium's base clock exceeds the Core i5's maximum turbo frequency by 0.30 GHz.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear conclusion for raw CPU performance: the Pentium G4600 is the faster processor in every measured Cinebench scenario. A consistent 18.3% lead across both single-core and multi-core tests indicates that the Kaby Lake desktop chip outperforms the Broadwell-U mobile part by a meaningful margin. The Pentium's 51 W TDP and 3.60 GHz clock appear to be decisive factors driving this result.

The Core i5-5287U's case rests on different grounds. Its 28 W TDP and mobile BGA socket make it suitable for compact or power-constrained systems, and its Iris 6100 integrated graphics and DDR3 support reflect its laptop-oriented design. However, the benchmark data does not include any tests where the Core i5-5287U wins.

The average benchmark scores add nuance: the Core i5-5287U sits at 1072, slightly above the Pentium's 1056, and lands in the 30th percentile of all CPUs versus the Pentium's 29th. The Core i5-5287U's nearest rival is the Intel Core i3-4170T with an identical average score of 1072, while the Pentium G4600's closest competitor is the Intel Core i7-2760QM at 1057, a 0.1% difference. These aggregate figures suggest the two chips occupy similar overall performance tiers despite the Pentium's head-to-head dominance.

For anyone selecting between these two based purely on the recorded Cinebench results, the Pentium G4600 is the stronger choice. For scenarios where lower power consumption and mobile integration matter more than peak CPU throughput, the Core i5-5287U remains a viable option, though its End-of-life production status and the Pentium's Active status may factor into availability considerations.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Pentium G4600 | Intel Core i5-5287U |

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

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | Intel BGA 1168 |

| Architecture | Kaby Lake | Broadwell |

| Codename | Kaby Lake | Broadwell-U |

| Base clock | 3.60 GHz | 2.90 GHz |

| Boost clock | None | 3.30 GHz |

| TDP | 51 W | 28 W |

| Process node | 14 nm | 14 nm |

| Transistors | Not listed | 1,900 million |

| Die size | Not listed | 133 mm² |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR3 |

| Memory bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 29.9 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes | Gen 2, 12 Lanes |

| Integrated graphics | Intel HD 630 | Intel Iris 6100 |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release date | 2017-01-02 | 2015-02-28 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $315 |

| Part number | SR35F | SR26H |

| Average benchmark score | 1056 | 1072 |

| CPU percentile | 29th | 30th |

Where Each One Wins

The Pentium G4600 wins in every recorded CPU benchmark category. Its 18.4% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 18.3% leads across R20 and R23, both single and multi-core, establish it as the superior choice for rendering workloads and CPU-bound tasks. The desktop socket, DDR4 support with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, and Gen 3 PCIe with 16 lanes further position it for a full desktop build where expansion and memory throughput matter. Its Active production status also makes it a more current option in the market.

The Core i5-5287U's advantages are not visible in the CPU benchmark data but appear in its platform characteristics. Its 28 W TDP makes it suited for thermally constrained systems, and its BGA 1168 socket indicates a soldered mobile design. The Iris 6100 integrated graphics could offer an advantage in graphics workloads, though no graphics benchmarks are recorded to quantify this. Its higher average benchmark score of 1072, driven by included Geekbench results, and its 30th percentile ranking slightly above the Pentium's 29th, suggest that in a broader benchmark set, the Core i5-5287U might close the gap or even overtake the Pentium in some tests. The 1,900 million transistor count and 133 mm² die size also indicate a more complex design, which may contribute to capabilities not captured in the Cinebench suite.

For a desktop system prioritizing CPU rendering performance, memory bandwidth, and modern PCIe connectivity, the Pentium G4600 is the data-backed pick. For a mobile or low-power application where the 28 W TDP and integrated Iris graphics are priorities, the Core i5-5287U holds its own niche, despite trailing in every recorded CPU benchmark.