
Core i5-520UM vs Turion II M520

Core i5-520UM

Turion II M520
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 i5-520UM is positioned at rank 130 and the Turion II M520 is on rank 303, so the Core i5-520UM offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-520UM
Performance Per Dollar Turion II M520
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-520UM | Turion II M520 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Caspian (2009) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-520UM | Turion II M520 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-520UM and Turion II M520

Core i5-520UM
The Core i5-520UM 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 1.07 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800. Passmark benchmark score: 1,943 points. Launch price was $241.

Turion II M520
The Turion II M520 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,955 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Core i5-520UM packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Turion II M520's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.87 GHz on the Core i5-520UM versus 2.3 GHz on the Turion II M520 — a 20.6% clock advantage for the Turion II M520. The Core i5-520UM uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Turion II M520 uses Caspian (2009) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-520UM scores 1,943 against the Turion II M520's 1,955 — a 0.6% lead for the Turion II M520.
| Feature | Core i5-520UM | Turion II M520 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.87 GHz | 2.3 GHz+23% |
| Base Clock | 1.07 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 1 MB+100% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Arrandale (2010−2011) | Caspian (2009) |
| PassMark | 1,943 | 1,955 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-520UM uses the BGA1288 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Turion II M520 uses S1g3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-520UM | Turion II M520 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1288 | S1g3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | 800 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: true (Core i5-520UM) / not specified (Turion II M520). The Core i5-520UM includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake)), while the Turion II M520 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-520UM rivals Core 2 Duo SU9400.
| Feature | Core i5-520UM | Turion II M520 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | true | — |
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