Intel Core i5-2400 vs Intel Core i7-8550U

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   For example there are difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i5-2400 vs Intel Core i7-8550U and decide which is better for games or normal use for streaming, rendering, machine learning, programming, video editing. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), GeekBench 6, 5.2, Furmark, PCMark 10, Dolphin Emulator, WPrime, Gears 5, 3DMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, SuperPi, MATLAB, PassMark, VeraCrypt, Prime95, Blender, AIDA64, RealBench, Handbrake, UserBenchmark, Blender.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

Rainbow Six Siege
Death Stranding
Overwatch
Borderlands 3
Grand Theft Auto V
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Fortnite
Halo Infinite
Cyberpunk 2077
Valheim
Last Man Standing
DOOM: Eternal
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Apex Legends
Watch Dogs Legion
Fallout 76
Valorant
Red Dead Redemption 2

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-8550U or Intel Core i5-2400.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-2400

51%

Core i7-8550U

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-2400

51%

Core i7-8550U

52%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: DOTA 2A, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Battlefield V, Monster Hunter World, Ghostrunner, Control, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, League of Legends (LOL), Hitman 3, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Horizon Zero Dawn, Forza Horizon 4, NBA 2K20, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Metro Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Half-Life: Alyx.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	90.5	91.9
Valorant	102.9	104.4
Cyberpunk 2077	57.6	58.5
Apex Legends	96.7	98.1
Call of Duty Warzone	77.2	78.3
Overwatch	83.3	84.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.0	72.0
DOOM Eternal	51.4	52.2
Warzone	80.2	81.4
Assassin's Creed	86.4	87.7
Valheim	85.4	86.6

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-2400

26%

Core i7-8550U

228%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-8550U is more energy efficient than the Core i5-2400 since it has less power consumption: 95W vs. 15W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-2400	Intel Core i7-8550U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	104	167
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	378	564
Cinbench 20 Single-core	267	354
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	941	1211
Cinbench 23 Single-core	635	979
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	2350	3111

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-2400	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	1589	2072
Multi-Core	3799	5970

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-2400	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	756	1027
Multi-Core	2483	3788

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in new games. The savings are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-2400	Intel Core i7-8550U
Announcement date	October 01, 2010	April 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	LGA1155	FC-BGA1356
Core name	Sandy Bridge	Kaby Lake R
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	2	8
Turbo Frequency	3.4 MHz	4 MHz
Frequency	3.1 MHz	1.8 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	4	8
Bus rate	5 GT/s	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	32 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2480 millions	1820 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	95 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133
Max. Memory	32 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	21 GB/s	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	8 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-2400 is 41% better than Core i7-8550U in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-2400 is better: 3
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-8550U is better: 29
Although it should be understood that the summary data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i5-2400 and Intel Core i7-8550U before making a selection which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-2400 specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-8550U specs and review.