Core i5-5250U vs Core i7-3667U

Both the Core i5-5250U and Core i7-3667U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Core i5-5250U versus 3.2 GHz on the Core i7-3667U — a 16.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-3667U (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-5250U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-3667U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-5250U scores 2,450 against the Core i7-3667U's 2,451 — a 0% lead for the Core i7-3667U. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-5250U vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-3667U.

The Core i5-5250U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-3667U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1866 on the Core i5-5250U versus 1600 on the Core i7-3667U — the Core i5-5250U supports 15.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-3667U supports up to 32 of RAM compared to 16 — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i5-5250U) vs 16 (Core i7-3667U) — the Core i7-3667U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Broadwell-U (Core i5-5250U) and HM76,UM77,QM77,QS77 (Core i7-3667U).

Both support true virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics 6000 (Core i5-5250U) and Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Core i7-3667U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-3667U rivals AMD A10-4655M.