Core i5-2405S vs Core i3-4150

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

The Core i5-2405S uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4150 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 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: H61,B65,Q65,H67,P67,Z68,B75,Z77 (Core i5-2405S) and H81,B85,Q85,H87,Q87,Z87,H97,Z97 (Core i3-4150).

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

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