Core i5-2450M vs Core i7-610E

Core i5-2450M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2012

Core i7-610E

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-2450M

2 / 4

2,076

+0.2%

2,071

0.0%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-2450M is positioned at rank 1100 and the Core i7-610E is on rank 1125, so the Core i5-2450M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2450M

#1088

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3179%

#1089

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3132%

#1090

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2875%

#1091

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2862%

#1092

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2836%

#1094

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2739%

#1095

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2626%

#1096

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2622%

#1097

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2551%

#1100

Core i5-2450M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1101

Core i5-7Y57

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

100%

#1102

Core i5-7Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $100

100%

#1104

Pentium 997

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

98%

#1105

Pentium A1018

MSRP: $132|Avg: $15

98%

#1106

Core i5-2430M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

97%

#1108

Pentium Dual Core T4500

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

97%

#1109

Celeron B820

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

96%

#1110

Pentium B980

MSRP: $125|Avg: $35

95%

#1111

Celeron 867

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

95%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

95%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

94%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

94%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-610E

#1113

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3543%

#1114

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3492%

#1115

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3205%

#1116

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3191%

#1117

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3162%

#1119

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3053%

#1120

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2928%

#1121

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2923%

#1122

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2844%

#1125

Core i7-610E

MSRP: $250|Avg: $40

100%

#1126

Core i5-5350U

MSRP: $315|Avg: N/A

99%

#1127

Pentium Dual Core T4300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $99

99%

#1128

Core i7-3520M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

99%

#1129

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

99%

#1130

Core i3-2310E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $20

99%

#1131

Core i5-2510E

MSRP: $230|Avg: $30

99%

#1132

Core m5-6Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

99%

#1133

Core i3-2330E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $10

98%

#1135

Core i5-4288U

MSRP: $342|Avg: N/A

94%

#1136

Core m3-6Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

94%

#1137

Core i3-2340UE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

93%

#1138

Core i7-2820QM

MSRP: $568|Avg: N/A

93%

#1139

Core i5-520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-610E leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-2450M is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.2% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i5-2450M	Core i7-610E
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($40)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i7-610E stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 82% cheaper ($40 vs $225) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i5-2450M	Core i7-610E
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+461%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($40)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-2450M Benchmark Check

Core i7-610E Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-2450M and Core i7-610E

Core i5-2450M

The Core i5-2450M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,076 points. Launch price was $823.

Core i7-610E

The Core i7-610E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 2,071 points. Launch price was $332.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-2450M and Core i7-610E share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-2450M versus 3.2 GHz on the Core i7-610E — a 3.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-610E (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.53 GHz). The Core i5-2450M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-610E uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-2450M scores 2,076 against the Core i7-610E's 2,071 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i5-2450M. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-2450M vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-610E.

Feature	Core i5-2450M	Core i7-610E
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.2 GHz+3%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.53 GHz+1%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	2,076	2,071
Cinebench R23 Multi	1,352	—
Geekbench 6 Single	453	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	871	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-2450M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-610E uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-2450M	Core i7-610E
Socket	PGA988	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i5-2450M) / not specified (Core i7-610E). The Core i5-2450M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Core i7-610E requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-2450M rivals AMD A8-3500M.