Core i7-5500U vs Processor N250

CPU

GPU

Core i7-5500U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3 GHz2015

Processor N250

4 Cores4 Thrd6 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2025

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-5500U

2 / 4

2,807

+0.8%

2,786

0.0%

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. The Core i7-5500U is positioned at rank #733 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

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 i7-5500U

#721

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1045%

#722

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1030%

#723

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

945%

#724

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

941%

#725

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

933%

#727

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

901%

#728

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

864%

#729

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

862%

#730

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

839%

#733

Core i7-5500U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#744

Pentium 6805

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

98%

#748

Ryzen 3 7320C

MSRP: $299|Avg: $200

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Processor N250 (2025) utilizes 10 nm technology and DDR4, DDR5, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core i7-5500U	Processor N250
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Twin Lake (2024−2025) / 10 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-5500U (2015) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core i7-5500U	Processor N250
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 i7-5500U Benchmark Check

Processor N250 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-5500U and Processor N250

Core i7-5500U

The Core i7-5500U 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 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 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: 2,807 points. Launch price was $393.

Processor N250

The Processor N250 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Twin Lake (2024−2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 0.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1264. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 2,786 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-5500U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Processor N250 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Processor N250 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Core i7-5500U versus 3.8 GHz on the Processor N250 — a 23.5% clock advantage for the Processor N250 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 0.1 GHz). The Core i7-5500U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Processor N250 uses Twin Lake (2024−2025) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-5500U scores 2,807 against the Processor N250's 2,786 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i7-5500U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-5500U vs 6 MB (total) on the Processor N250.

Feature	Core i7-5500U	Processor N250
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	3 GHz	3.8 GHz+27%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+2300%	0.1 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	6 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (total)+700%
Process	14 nm	10 nm-29%
Architecture	Broadwell-U (2015)	Twin Lake (2024−2025)
PassMark	2,807	2,786
Geekbench 6 Single	956	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,933	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-5500U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Processor N250 uses FCBGA1264 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-5500U	Processor N250
Socket	FCBGA1168	FCBGA1264
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600 / LPDDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core i7-5500U) / not specified (Processor N250). The Core i7-5500U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 5500), while the Processor N250 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-5500U targets Ultrabook.