Core i5-5250U vs Phenom II X4 850

Core i5-5250U vs Phenom II X4 850 Performance Spectrum

Core i5-5250U

2 / 4

2,450

+0.4%

2,441

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 i5-5250U vs Phenom II X4 850 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 i5-5250U vs Phenom II X4 850: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-5250U

2015

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 6000, while Phenom II X4 850 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.

Phenom II X4 850

2011

Why buy it

✅Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,441 vs 2,450).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-5250U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-5250U better than Phenom II X4 850?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom II X4 850 is ahead with a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-5250U pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-5250U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-5250U still makes the most sense overall. Core i5-5250U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark.

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

Core i5-5250U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2011) 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 i5-5250U vs Phenom II X4 850 Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-5250U

The Core i5-5250U 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 1.6 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: 2,450 points. Launch price was $315.

Phenom II X4 850

The Phenom II X4 850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,441 points. Launch price was $111.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-5250U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X4 850 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 850 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Core i5-5250U versus 3.3 GHz on the Phenom II X4 850 — a 20% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 850 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-5250U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X4 850 uses Propus (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-5250U scores 2,450 against the Phenom II X4 850's 2,441 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i5-5250U. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-5250U vs 0 kB on the Phenom II X4 850.

Feature	Core i5-5250U	Phenom II X4 850
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz	3.3 GHz+22%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	3.3 GHz+106%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Broadwell-U (2015)	Propus (2009−2011)
PassMark	2,450	2,441

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-5250U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 850 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-5250U	Phenom II X4 850
Socket	FCBGA1168	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i5-5250U) / not specified (Phenom II X4 850). The Core i5-5250U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 6000), while the Phenom II X4 850 requires a dedicated GPU.