Core i5 4200u vs 5200u: Intel Core i5-4200U vs i5-5200U

Intel Core i5-5200U benchmarks (vs Core i5-4200U and i5-4210U)

A few days ago I posted an article on the Intel Core i7-5500U processor, a higher-tier CPU part of Intel’s Broadwell U hardware platform, one that should make it into most top-configured ultrabooks that will be available in the next few months.

This time is the Intel Core i5-5200U’s turn, a main-stream, more affordable and only marginally slower processor, as proven in this side by side comparison between the i5-5200U and the i7-5500U. This post is here however to tell you a few more things about this mid-range Broadwell U CPU and show how it compares with the Haswell Core i5 offers, namely the i5-4200U and the later updated i5-4210U. This way, if you have to choose between one of the new Broadwell configurations and an older Haswell one, which should be BTW somewhat cheaper, you’d know what to expect and what to pick.

First though, a few words on this processor.

Broadwell U is only a Tick step in Intel’s Tick-Tock strategy, which means it’s a manufacturing process shrinkage. If we’re to get a bit technical, while the Haswell platform was based on a 22 nm lithography, the Broadwell is a 14 nm process. In simple words, that equals that more “components” can be placed on a similar sized processor, or, that the new processors are physically smaller and require less energy to operate than their predecessors. The latter is mostly the case here.

Of course, there are a handful on subtle differences and updates between a Haswell U and a Broadwell U processor, but as a large picture, you should not expect major performance boosts from the Broadwell platform when compared to last years’ offer (especially performance-per-clock).

With that in mind, let’s have a look at the specs.

	Intel Core i5-5200U (Ark)	Intel Core i5-4200U (Ark)	Intel Core i5-4210U (Ark)
Processor Base Frequency	2.2 GHz	1. 6 GHz	1.7 GHz
TurboBoost Max Frequency	2.7 GHz	2.6 GHz	2.7 GHz
Cache	3 MB	3 MB	3 MB
TDP	15 W	15 W	15 W
Memory Size	up to 16 GB DDR3, dual-channel	up to 16 GB DDR3, dual-channel	up to 16 GB DDR3, dual-channel
Graphics	Intel HD 5500	Intel HD 4400	Intel HD 4400
Graphics Frequency	300 – 900 MHz	200 – 1000 MHz	200 – 1000 MHz
Graphic Execution Units	24	20	20

Ok, so there are two major differences between the Core i5-5200U and the other processors above: base CPU frequency and the Integrated graphics embedded.

Due to the 14nm manufacturing processing, Intel were able to create a higher clocked processor and that will have some impact on everyday performance. Besides this, the differences between the graphics solutions might not seem that much on paper, but in reality they are significant, as proven by both the benchmarks and the actual gaming results that we’ll be mentioning below.

So for starters, here are some raw CPU benchmark results.

Benchmark	i5-5200U (2.2 GHz. 2.7 GHz TB)	i5-4200U (1.6 GHz, 2.6 TB)	i5-4210U (1.7 GHz, 2.7 GHz TB)
Cinebench R15 CPU	259 cb	229 cb	237 cb
Cinebench R15 CPU – Single Core	100 cb	99 cb	102 cb
Cinebench R11.5 CPU	2.84 pts	2.5 pts	2.6 pts
Cinebench R11.5 CPU – Single Core	1.18 pts	1.1 pts	1.2 pts
x264 HD Benchmark 4. 0 – Pass 1	86.66 fps	77.5 fps	79.5 fps

The data pool for the i5-5200U is still very limited and the numbers above are based on my XPS 13 2015 edition (with 4 GB of RAM and SSD) and that’s why you should be aware these results might vary within reasonable limits, based on the tested configuration. For the i5-4200U and the i5-4210U I used Notebookcheck.net’s median results, as they have a larger range of tested products over the years (available here and here).

With that in mind, we can draw a few conclusions:

1. Single Core performance between the two generations is within a 5% margin and that’s because when running these benchmarks, the CPUs should run at their maximum Turbo Boost frequencies, which are almost identical across the board (somewhat lower for the i5-4200U, visible in the results).
2. The Broadwell option steps in front when it comes to multi-core benchmarks, due to its higher base clock. Even so, the numbers are only withing 5-15% better when compared to the Haswell CPUs. SO while in reality you won’t really feel the difference between the two generations in casual everyday use, the i5-5200U and other Broadwell i5s will be somewhat snappier under more demanding tasks and multitasking.

Benchmark	i5-5200U normalized	i5-4200U normalized	i5-4210U normalized
Cinebench R15 CPU	117 cb	143 cb	139 cb
Cinebench R11.5 CPU	1.29 pts	1.56 pts	1.52 pts
x264 HD Benchmark 4.0 – Pass 1	39.4 fps	48.4 fps	46.7 fps
x264 HD Benchmark 4.0 – Pass 2	7.55 fps	9.05 fps	7.2 fps

However, if we normalize the multi-core results to 1GHz in order to determine each CPU’s performance per clock, we’d see that the i5-5200U actually trails behind the Haswell options. And that for me means one thing: immature drivers, as the platform was just recently released, which in time should translate to somewhat improved results and overall performance. It could also mean that the Broadwell U platform’s performance-per-clock is just designed to sit beneath Haswell’s.

However, keep in mind that this “normalization” is far from accurate, as I’ve considered that each CPU runs at its base frequency. However, the processors aren’t running at the exact base frequency during the tests, they might run higher (due to Turbo Boost) or lower (due to overheating, throttling, etc), depending on the implementation. So take these particular results as a general reference ONLY.

Broadwell U vs Haswell U

Still, that should not matter much to end users. What  you should know is that the i5-5200U is overall 5-15% faster than the Haswell based 15W Core i5 processors and it should also be 10-20% more efficient, based on Intel’s press-releases and my limited experience with the platform so far. But we’ll talk more about that in a future article, once I get to test more Broadwell U configurations.

As for the graphics, I also plan on analyzing the Intel HD 5500 chip in a separate and more detailed article. But I’ll give you some spoilers here as well.

Benchmark	i5-5200U (HD 5500)	i5-4200U (HD 44000)	i5-4210U (HD 4400)
Cinebench R15 GPU	30.22 fps	~20 fps	~20 fps
Cinebench R11.5 GPU	24.63 fps	~18 fps	~18 fps
3DMark 1	P1147	~P900	~P920
3DMark Cloud Gate	5057	~3400	~3500

Again, the i5-5200U results are based on the Dell XPS 13 2015, while the Haswell CPUs’ numbers are based on several different reviews I did over the years. Thus, you should only take them as a general reference, they will vary from product to product, from configuration to configuration.

The bigger picture is that the Intel HD 5500 chip is actually significantly faster then the Intel HD 4400 solutions. And that’s noticeable both in benchmarks, but especially if you plan to run some light games on your ultraportables. Still, like I said, you should read my latest reviews for more updates or wait for the in-depth post about the HD 5500 graphics chip, should be available here on the site in a few weeks, as I gather more data.

At the end of the day, I’d say Intel did a fine job with the mid-range Core i5-5200U processor and if paired with 8 GB of RAM and a proper SSD, such a configuration should do well for most of you, as long as you plan on using your computer for everyday activities such as browsing, editing texts, chatting, listening to music, watching all sorts of video contents and even play some casual games.

Compared to the previous Haswell i5 processors, this one offers slightly better results in RAW CPU benchmarks (and it’s actually really close to the Haswell i7 processors) and significantly better results in anything graphics related. On top of these, it should be more efficient, which translates in longer runtimes, cooler laptops and potentially new and more compact form factors.

Time will tell.

If you want to know how the i5-5200U compares to the i7-5500U, you should follow this link. And if I get to test any of the Broadwell i3 configurations, I’ll have a dedicated post about it as well.

For now, we’ll wrap it up here. This post should show you what to expect from the Intel Core i5-5200U CPU and whether it’s a good buy or not. In my opinion it is, but if you’re on a tight budget or just find a very good deal on a Haswell configuration, that could prove to be a smarter pick. Just get in touch if you have any questions or anything to add and I’ll get back to you.

Intel Core i5-4200U vs Intel Core i5-5200U

Intel Core i5-4200U vs Intel Core i5-5200U

Comparison of the technical characteristics between the processors, with the Intel Core i5-4200U on one side and the Intel Core i5-5200U on the other side. The first is dedicated to the ultrabook sector, It has 2 cores, 4 threads, a maximum frequency of 2,6GHz. The second is used on the laptop segment, it has a total of 2 cores, 4 threads, its turbo frequency is set to 2,7 GHz. The following table also compares the lithography, the number of transistors (if indicated), the amount of cache memory, the maximum RAM memory capacity, the type of memory accepted, the release date, the maximum number of PCIe lanes, the values ​​obtained in Geekbench 4 and Cinebench R15.

Note: Commissions may be earned from the links above.

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Specifications:

Processor		Intel Core i5-4200U				Intel Core i5-5200U
Market (main)		Ultrabook				Laptop
ISA		x86-64 (64 bit)				x86-64 (64 bit)
Microarchitecture		Haswell				Broadwell
Core name		Haswell-ULT				Broadwell-U
Family		Core i5-4000				Core i5-5000
Part number(s), S-Spec		CL8064701477702, SR170				FH8065801620204, SR23Y
Release date		Q3 2013				Q1 2015
Lithography		22 nm				14 nm
Transistors		1. 400.000.000				1.300.000.000
Cores		2				2
Threads		4				4
Base frequency		1,6 GHz				2,2 GHz
Turbo frequency		2,6 GHz				2,7 GHz
Bus speed		5 GT/s				5 GT/s
Cache memory		3 MB				3 MB
Max memory capacity		16 GB				16 GB
Memory types		DDR3L 1333/1600, LPDDR3 1333/1600				DDR3L 1333/1600, LPDDR3 1333/1600
Max # of memory channels		2				2
Max memory bandwidth		25,6 GB/s				25,6 GB/s
Max PCIe lanes		12				12
TDP		15 W				15 W
GPU integrated graphics		Intel HD Graphics 4400 Mobile				Intel HD Graphics 5500
GPU execution units		20				24
GPU shading units		160				192
GPU base clock		200 MHz				300 MHz
GPU boost clock		1000 MHz				900 MHz
GPU FP32 floating point		304 GFLOPS				364,8 GFLOPS
Socket		BGA1168				BGA1168
Maximum temperature		100°C				105°C
CPU-Z single thread		220				224
CPU-Z multi thread		617				761
Cinebench R15 single thread		99				110
Cinebench R15 multi-thread		232				260
Cinebench R23 single thread		506				610
Cinebench R23 multi-thread		1. 224				1.174
PassMark single thread		1.313				1.506
PassMark CPU Mark		2.181				2.499
(Windows 64-bit) Geekbench 4 single core		2.436				2.818
(Windows 64-bit) Geekbench 4 multi-core		4.576				5.175
(SGEMM) GFLOPS performance		65,2 GFLOPS				54,5 GFLOPS
(Multi-core / watt performance) Performance / watt ratio		305 pts / W				345 pts / W
Amazon
eBay

Note: Commissions may be earned from the links above.

We can better compare what are the technical differences between the two processors.

Price: For technical reasons, we cannot currently display a price less than 24 hours, or a real-time price. This is why we prefer for the moment not to show a price. You should refer to the respective online stores for the latest price, as well as availability.

We see that the two processors have an equivalent number of cores, the turbo frequency of Intel Core i5-5200U is bigger, that their respective TDP are of the same order. The Intel Core i5-5200U was started more recently.

Performances :

Performance comparison between the two processors, for this we consider the results generated on benchmark software such as Geekbench 4.

	CPU-Z — Multi-thread & single thread score
Intel Core i5-5200U	224 761
Intel Core i5-4200U	220 617

In single core, the difference is 2%. In multi-core, the difference in terms of gap is 23%.

Note: Commissions may be earned from the links above. These scores are only an
average of the performances got with these processors, you may get different results.

CPU-Z is a system information software that provides the name of the processor, its model number, the codename, the cache levels, the package, the process. It can also gives data about the mainboard, the memory. It makes real time measurement, with finally a benchmark for the single thread, as well as for the multi thread.

	Cinebench R15 — Multi-thread & single thread score
Intel Core i5-5200U	110 260
Intel Core i5-4200U	99 232

In single core, the difference is 11%. In multi-core, the difference in terms of gap is 12%.

Note: Commissions may be earned from the links above. These scores are only an
average of the performances got with these processors, you may get different results.

Cinebench R15 evaluates the performance of CPU calculations by restoring a photorealistic 3D scene. The scene has 2,000 objects, 300,000 polygons, uses sharp and fuzzy reflections, bright areas, shadows, procedural shaders, antialiasing, and so on. The faster the rendering of the scene is created, the more powerful the PC is, with a high number of points.

	Cinebench R23 — Multi-thread & single thread score
Intel Core i5-4200U	506 1.224
Intel Core i5-5200U	610 1.174

In single core, the difference is -17%. In multi-core, the differential gap is 4%.

Note: Commissions may be earned from the links above. These scores are only an
average of the performances got with these processors, you may get different results.

Cinebench R23 is cross-platform testing software that allows you to assess the hardware capabilities of a device such as a computer, tablet, server. This version of Cinebench takes into account recent developments in processors with multiple cores and the latest improvements in rendering techniques. The evaluation is ultimately even more relevant. The test scene contains no less than 2,000 objects and more than 300,000 polygons in total.

	PassMark — CPU Mark & single thread
Intel Core i5-5200U	1.506 2.499
Intel Core i5-4200U	1.313 2.181

In single core, the difference is 15%. In multi-core, the difference in terms of gap is 15%.

Note: Commissions may be earned from the links above. These scores are only an
average of the performances got with these processors, you may get different results.

PassMark is a benchmarking software that performs several performance tests including prime numbers, integers, floating point, compression, physics, extended instructions, encoding, sorting. The higher the score is, the higher is the device capacity.

On Windows 64-bit:

	Geekbench 4 — Multi-core & single core score — Windows 64-bit
Intel Core i5-5200U	2.818 5.175
Intel Core i5-4200U	2.436 4.576

In single core, the difference is 16%. In multi-core, the difference in terms of gap is 13%.

On Linux 64-bit:

	Geekbench 4 — Multi-core & single core score — Linux 64-bit
Intel Core i5-5200U	2.931 5.074
Intel Core i5-4200U	2.411 3.997

In single core, the difference is 22%. In multi-core, the difference in terms of gap is 27%.

On Android 64-bit:

	Geekbench 4 — Multi-core & single core score — Android 64-bit
Intel Core i5-5200U	2.436 4.184
Intel Core i5-4200U	2.128 3.422

In single core, the difference is 14%. In multi-core, the difference in terms of gap is 22%.

On Mac OS X 64-bit:

	Geekbench 4 — Multi-core & single core score — Mac OS X 64-bit
Intel Core i5-5200U	3.