Core i7-3667U vs Core i5-5250U

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

The Core i7-3667U uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-5250U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1600 on the Core i7-3667U versus 1866 on the Core i5-5250U — 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: 16 (Core i7-3667U) vs 12 (Core i5-5250U) — the Core i7-3667U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM76,UM77,QM77,QS77 (Core i7-3667U) and Broadwell-U (Core i5-5250U).

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