Core i3-4150 vs Core i5-2405S

The Core i3-4150 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-2405S offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-2405S has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i3-4150 versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-2405S — a 5.9% clock advantage for the Core i3-4150 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i3-4150 uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-2405S uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4150 scores 3,406 against the Core i5-2405S's 3,397 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i3-4150. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,071 vs 557, a 63.1% lead for the Core i3-4150 that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4150 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-2405S.

The Core i3-4150 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-2405S uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1600 memory speed. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H81,B85,Q85,H87,Q87,Z87,H97,Z97 (Core i3-4150) and H61,B65,Q65,H67,P67,Z68,B75,Z77 (Core i5-2405S).

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, EPT (Core i3-4150) vs VT-x / EPT (Core i5-2405S). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 4400 (Core i3-4150) and Intel HD Graphics 3000 (Core i5-2405S) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-4150 targets Budget Desktop, Core i5-2405S targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i3-4150 rivals FX-6300.

The Core i3-4150 launched at $281 MSRP, while the Core i5-2405S debuted at $309. At current prices ($70 vs $120), the Core i3-4150 is $50 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-4150 delivers 48.7 pts/$ vs 28.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-2405S — making the Core i3-4150 the 52.9% better value option.