Core i5-5200U vs Phenom II X4 N950

Core i5-5200U vs Phenom II X4 N950 Performance Spectrum

Core i5-5200U

2 / 4

2,503

+0.7%

2,485

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Core i5-5200U vs Phenom II X4 N950 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-5200U vs Phenom II X4 N950: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-5200U

2015

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌25500% higher power demand at 512W vs 2W.

Phenom II X4 N950

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 512W, a 510W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,485 vs 2,503).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-5200U better than Phenom II X4 N950?

Yes. Core i5-5200U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-5200U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-5200U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-5200U still makes the most sense overall. Core i5-5200U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-5200U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-5200U vs Phenom II X4 N950 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-5200U

The Core i5-5200U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,503 points. Launch price was $281.

Phenom II X4 N950

The Phenom II X4 N950 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 2,485 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-5200U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X4 N950 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 N950 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Core i5-5200U versus 2.1 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N950 — a 25% clock advantage for the Core i5-5200U. The Core i5-5200U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X4 N950 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-5200U scores 2,503 against the Phenom II X4 N950's 2,485 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-5200U.

Feature	Core i5-5200U	Phenom II X4 N950
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz+29%	2.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+12700%	2 MB
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Broadwell-U (2015)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	2,503	2,485

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-5200U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 N950 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.