Intel Core i5-2500

The Intel Core i5-2500 is a desktop processor built on Intel's Sandy Bridge architecture and released in 2011. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The cache hierarchy comprises 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. Built on a 32 nm process, the chip contains 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die. In the benchmark database, the i5-2500 records an average score of 1202 and sits at the 34th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals cluster tightly around this score, with averages between 1200 and 1206 and deltas no larger than 0.3%.

How It Compares

The nearest-rival data places the Core i5-2500 in a very tight performance cluster. Four rivals are listed, and the widest listed delta is 0.3%. This indicates that the i5-2500's aggregate performance is effectively at parity with several adjacent CPUs in the database. The two slowest rivals average 1200, the fastest averages 1206, and the i5-2500's 1202 sits in the middle of that band.

The Intel Core i5-3330 averages 1200, while the i5-2500 averages 1202. The deltaPct of 0.2 gives the i5-2500 a marginal lead. A 0.2% difference is small enough that the two chips should be treated as equivalent in aggregate benchmark performance. The i5-2500's advantage is present but not meaningful in practical scoring terms.

The AMD Athlon PRO 200GE also posts an average score of 1200. The deltaPct of 0.2 again favors the i5-2500. Because the Athlon PRO 200GE matches the Core i5-3330's average exactly, the i5-2500's advantage over both trailing rivals is the same 0.2% margin. These two trailing rivals are themselves tied at 1200.

The Intel Core i3-6100 averages 1205, which moves the comparison in the opposite direction. The deltaPct of -0.2 places the i5-2500 behind by 0.2%. This is the same magnitude as the i5-2500's lead over the two trailing rivals, just inverted. The i5-2500 falls between the i3-6100's 1205 and the trailing pair's 1200.

The Intel Core i3-8145UE has the highest average in the group at 1206. The deltaPct of -0.3 is the largest gap in the nearest-rival set. Even so, the i5-2500 remains within 0.3% of all four rivals. The delta pattern across the set is 0.2, 0.2, -0.2, and -0.3, making the i5-2500 the approximate midpoint of the group.

Power and Thermals

The Core i5-2500 carries a TDP of 95. This is the only power figure recorded for the CPU, and it defines the cooling class. A 95 W desktop chip is comfortably handled by a capable air cooler; the database provides no data that would require a larger cooling solution. The market segment is Desktop, which aligns with this mainstream power envelope.

The physical package is specified by a 32 nm process, a 216 mm² die, and 1,160 million transistors. These are the manufacturing parameters behind the thermal design. The database does not include measured temperatures or sustained power draw, so the TDP of 95 remains the anchor for any thermal assessment. A die size of 216 mm² is a substantial piece of silicon, and the 32 nm node is the process context for the power target. Together, these figures describe a thermal load that a conventional desktop air cooler can address.

The package also includes Intel HD 2000 integrated graphics. The multiplier is locked, so the CPU's clock behavior is defined by the recorded 3.30 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost clocks. With 4 cores and 4 threads, the 95 W TDP is the reference figure for this desktop processor. Because the multiplier is locked, the operating clocks are bounded by the base and boost figures, and the thermal solution is designed around that stock envelope. The production status is end-of-life, which does not alter the thermal assessment but defines the platform's availability.

Benchmark Performance

Five Cinebench results are listed for the Core i5-2500. The Cinebench R15 multicore score is 351. The Cinebench R20 multicore score is 1466, and the single-core score is 207. The Cinebench R23 multicore score is 3492, and the single-core score is 493. No other benchmark results are included in the FACT PACK.

The aggregate average score is 1202. This number is the basis for the nearest-rival deltas. The rivals are spread from 1200 to 1206, and the i5-2500's 1202 sits between the two 1200-scoring rivals and the 1205- and 1206-scoring rivals. The exact deltas are 0.2 ahead of the Core i5-3330, 0.2 ahead of the AMD Athlon PRO 200GE, 0.2 behind the Intel Core i3-6100, and 0.3 behind the Intel Core i3-8145UE. The average score is a separate aggregate metric, not a direct Cinebench result.

In Cinebench R20, the multicore result of 1466 is substantially higher than the single-core result of 207. The R23 results follow the same pattern: 3492 multicore versus 493 single-core. This is consistent with a 4-core, 4-thread processor where multicore workloads engage all available cores. The R15 multicore score of 351, the R20 score of 1466, and the R23 score of 3492 form a progression across benchmark versions, while the listed single-core scores move from 207 in R20 to 493 in R23. In both R20 and R23, the multicore score exceeds the single-core score by a wide margin.

The 34th percentile ranking places the i5-2500 above 34% of all CPUs in the database. A majority of CPUs score higher, which reflects the processor's position in the performance distribution. The 1202 average score, the 34th percentile rank, and the tight nearest-rival cluster all point to a chip sitting near the boundary between the lower and middle performance tiers.

FAQ

Q: What are the core and thread counts of the Core i5-2500?

A: It has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What are the base and boost clocks?

A: The base clock is 3.30 GHz and the boost clock is 3.70 GHz.

Q: What memory type does it support?

A: It supports DDR3 memory on a dual-channel bus. ECC memory is not supported.

Q: Does the processor include integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Intel HD 2000 integrated graphics.

Q: What is the L3 cache size?

A: The L3 cache is 6 MB shared.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: No, the multiplier is locked.

Platform and Compatibility

The Core i5-2500 uses the Intel Socket 1155 socket. Its architecture is Sandy Bridge, and the generation is listed as Core i5 (Sandy Bridge). The architecture and codename are both listed as Sandy Bridge. The process node is 32 nm, the die size is 216 mm², and the transistor count is 1,160 million. The part number is SR00T.

Memory support is DDR3 through a dual-channel memory bus. ECC memory is not supported. The integrated Intel HD 2000 provides graphics output within the desktop platform. The cache hierarchy, 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3, is part of the platform's memory subsystem.

PCIe connectivity is specified as Gen 3 with 16 lanes provided at the CPU level. The database notes that these lanes are CPU-only. This is the only PCIe specification recorded for the i5-2500. The 16 lanes are the CPU's direct contribution to the expansion subsystem.

The platform status is end-of-life, with a release date of 2011. The locked multiplier means the processor is not an unlocked part. The combination of the Intel Socket 1155 interface and the Sandy Bridge generation defines the compatibility boundary for this CPU. Because the part is end-of-life, the socket and generation together represent a fixed platform target rather than an active upgrade path.