Core i7-2620M vs Pentium Silver N5000

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 i7-2620M vs Pentium Silver N5000 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 i7-2620M vs Pentium Silver N5000: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-2620M

2011

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD 3000, while Pentium Silver N5000 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,424 vs 2,442).
❌Launch MSRP is still $346 MSRP, while Pentium Silver N5000 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌483.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 6W.

Pentium Silver N5000

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 6W instead of 35W, a 29W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-2620M can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Silver N5000 better than Core i7-2620M?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-2620M is ahead with a 1.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Silver N5000 pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Silver N5000 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Silver N5000 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium Silver N5000 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $346 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. Core i7-2620M only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (7.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA988.

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

Pentium Silver N5000 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-2620M vs Pentium Silver N5000 Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-2620M

The Core i7-2620M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,424 points. Launch price was $346.

Pentium Silver N5000

The Pentium Silver N5000 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 December 2017 (7 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont Plus (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1090. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,442 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-2620M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium Silver N5000 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium Silver N5000 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Core i7-2620M versus 2.7 GHz on the Pentium Silver N5000 — a 23% clock advantage for the Core i7-2620M (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Core i7-2620M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium Silver N5000 uses Goldmont Plus (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-2620M scores 2,424 against the Pentium Silver N5000's 2,442 — a 0.7% lead for the Pentium Silver N5000. Both processors carry 4 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-2620M	Pentium Silver N5000
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz+26%	2.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+145%	1.1 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB	4 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB	4 MB (total)+700%
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Goldmont Plus (2017)
PassMark	2,424	2,442
Geekbench 6 Single	509	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,222	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-2620M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Silver N5000 uses FCBGA1090 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-2620M	Pentium Silver N5000
Socket	PGA988	FCBGA1090
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-2620M) / not specified (Pentium Silver N5000). The Core i7-2620M includes integrated graphics (HD 3000), while the Pentium Silver N5000 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-2620M targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i7-2620M rivals Core i5-2410M.