Core i5-2520M vs Core i5-650

Core i5-2520M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2011

Core i5-650

2 Cores4 Thrd73 WWMax: 3.46 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-2520M

2 / 4

2,241

0.0%

2,254

+0.6%

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 i5-2520M is positioned at rank 1083 and the Core i5-650 is on rank 946, so the Core i5-650 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 i5-2520M

#1071

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2946%

#1072

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2903%

#1073

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2665%

#1074

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2653%

#1075

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2628%

#1077

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2538%

#1078

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2434%

#1079

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2430%

#1080

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2364%

#1083

Core i5-2520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1084

Core i7-2710QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $40

100%

#1089

Core i5-3610ME

MSRP: $276|Avg: $22

96%

#1090

Core m3-7Y32

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

96%

#1092

Celeron B720

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

95%

#1093

Celeron 847

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

95%

#1094

Core i7-2630QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

94%

#1096

Core i7-2635QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

94%

#1097

Celeron 877

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

94%

#1098

Celeron Dual-Core SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $50

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-650

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

24334%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

22993%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

16695%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

5029%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

3984%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

3485%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1996%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1970%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1794%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1794%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1774%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1726%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1702%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1695%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1679%

#946

Core i5-650

MSRP: $176|Avg: $22

100%

#947

A10-6790B

MSRP: $122|Avg: $50

99%

#948

Phenom X3 8600

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

99%

#949

Core i3-6100TE

MSRP: $250|Avg: $90

98%

#950

FX-4320

MSRP: $250|Avg: $100

98%

#951

Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition

MSRP: $990|Avg: $150

98%

#952

Celeron E1200

MSRP: $53|Avg: $98

98%

#954

Core i5-660

MSRP: $196|Avg: $150

97%

#955

Athlon II X2 250

MSRP: $87|Avg: $15

97%

#956

Core i3-2120T

MSRP: $127|Avg: $38

96%

#957

Phenom II X3 720

MSRP: $130|Avg: $64

96%

#958

Pentium E6300

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

96%

#959

Core i5-661

MSRP: $196|Avg: $40

95%

#960

Core i3-4150

MSRP: $281|Avg: $70

95%

#961

Core i5-750

MSRP: $210|Avg: $30

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-650 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-2520M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-2520M	Core i5-650
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($22)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i5-650 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 90% cheaper ($22 vs $225) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i5-2520M	Core i5-650
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+929%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($22)

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 i5-2520M Benchmark Check

Core i5-650 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-2520M and Core i5-650

Core i5-2520M

The Core i5-2520M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2011 (14 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 3.2 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: 2,241 points. Launch price was $225.

Core i5-650

The Core i5-650 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.46 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,254 points. Launch price was $35.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-2520M and Core i5-650 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i5-2520M versus 3.46 GHz on the Core i5-650 — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-650 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-2520M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-650 uses Clarkdale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-2520M scores 2,241 against the Core i5-650's 2,254 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i5-650. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-2520M vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i5-650.

Feature	Core i5-2520M	Core i5-650
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	3.46 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.2 GHz+28%
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)	Clarkdale (2010−2011)
PassMark	2,241	2,254

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-2520M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-650 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-2520M	Core i5-650
Socket	PGA988	LGA1156
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 i5-2520M) / not specified (Core i5-650). The Core i5-2520M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Core i5-650 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-2520M rivals Phenom II Black Edition N660.