Core i5-5350U vs Core i5-680

CPU

GPU

Core i5-5350U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2015

Core i5-680

2 Cores4 Thrd73 WWMax: 3.86 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-5350U

2 / 4

2,589

0.0%

2,620

+1.2%

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 i5-5350U is positioned at rank 1126 and the Core i5-680 is on rank 1014, so the Core i5-680 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 i5-5350U

#1114

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3569%

#1115

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3517%

#1116

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3229%

#1117

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3214%

#1118

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3185%

#1120

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3075%

#1121

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2949%

#1122

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2944%

#1123

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2865%

#1126

Core i5-5350U

MSRP: $315|Avg: N/A

100%

#1127

Pentium Dual Core T4300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $99

100%

#1128

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

100%

#1129

Core i7-3520M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

100%

#1130

Core i3-2310E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $20

100%

#1131

Core i5-2510E

MSRP: $230|Avg: $30

100%

#1132

Core m5-6Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

99%

#1133

Core i3-2330E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $10

99%

#1135

Core i5-4288U

MSRP: $342|Avg: N/A

95%

#1136

Core m3-6Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

94%

#1137

Core i3-2340UE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

94%

#1138

Core i7-2820QM

MSRP: $568|Avg: N/A

94%

#1139

Core i5-520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

93%

#1141

Celeron 807

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-680

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

34985%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

33057%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

24002%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

7231%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

5728%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

5011%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2870%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2832%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

2579%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

2579%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

2550%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

2481%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

2446%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

2436%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

2414%

#1014

Core i5-680

MSRP: $294|Avg: $10

100%

#1015

Core 2 Duo E4300

MSRP: $113|Avg: $5

100%

#1017

Core 2 Duo E4500

MSRP: $133|Avg: $10

98%

#1019

Core 2 Duo E7600

MSRP: $133|Avg: $50

97%

#1020

Core i7-3970X

MSRP: $990|Avg: $60

97%

#1021

Core 2 Duo E8700

MSRP: $256|Avg: $30

97%

#1022

Core 2 Duo E6550

MSRP: $163|Avg: $20

96%

#1023

Phenom X3 8450

MSRP: $145|Avg: $147

95%

#1024

Core i7-3960X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $60

94%

#1025

Celeron 2.70

MSRP: $49|Avg: $49

93%

#1027

A10 PRO-7850B

MSRP: $426|Avg: $140

91%

#1028

Core 2 Quad Q8200

MSRP: $224|Avg: $36

91%

#1029

A12-9800E

MSRP: $426|Avg: $150

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-680 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-5350U in both compute-intensive tasks (1.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-5350U	Core i5-680
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($315)	✅ More affordable ($10)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i5-680 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 97% cheaper ($10 vs $315) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i5-5350U	Core i5-680
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+3088%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($315)	✅ More affordable ($10)

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 i5-5350U Benchmark Check

Core i5-680 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-5350U and Core i5-680

Core i5-5350U

The Core i5-5350U 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 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 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: 2,589 points. Launch price was $315.

Core i5-680

The Core i5-680 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 April 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.86 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: 2,620 points. Launch price was $272.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-5350U and Core i5-680 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Core i5-5350U versus 3.86 GHz on the Core i5-680 — a 28.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-680 (base: 1.8 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-5350U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-680 uses Clarkdale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-5350U scores 2,589 against the Core i5-680's 2,620 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i5-680. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-5350U vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i5-680.

Feature	Core i5-5350U	Core i5-680
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz	3.86 GHz+33%
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	3.6 GHz+100%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Broadwell-U (2015)	Clarkdale (2010−2011)
PassMark	2,589	2,620+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-5350U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-680 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to LPDDR3-1866 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i5-5350U) vs 16 (Core i5-680) — the Core i5-680 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-5350U	Core i5-680
Socket	FCBGA1168	LGA1156
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR3-1866	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	12	16+33%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 6000 (Core i5-5350U) and HD Graphics (Core i5-680) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-5350U targets Mobile, Core i5-680 targets Desktop.