Top overclocker James Trevaskis benchmarks a new Core i5-2500K against the older version and discovers massive improvements in graphics and video transcoding.
The only way to gauge the improvements in a new processor is to test it against the most comparable previous generation chip. Our tests in the APC Labs show Intel was not fooling around when it announced the large integrated graphics processor (IGP) performance gains with the new Sandy Bridge CPUs.
The new Core i5 (on the new, accompanying H67 chipset platform) quite simply blows away previous Core i5 (on the old H55 platform) when we used the 3DMark Vantage benchmark, which measures a system’s 3D gaming capabilities, based on comprehensive real-time 3D graphics and processor tests.
In our tests, we’ve taken a Core i5-2500K / H67 and compared it to a Core i5-650 / H55 and the results aren’t even close. The Core i5 / H67 achieves 2,186 marks, outperforming the older Core i5 by a factor of seven. Keep in mind, of course, that while performance increase from the new CPU is dramatic, the figure of 2,186 is a long way behind a dedicated graphics card that might achieve 18,000 marks in a similar configuration. Staying with the IGP focus, we were very excited to compare the media transcoding between the two platforms.
When a Core i5/ H55 did transcoding, it was purely CPU power that completed the task, but H67 based i5 processors have a media engine on board, a separate physical processor designed specifically with media encoding in mind. The end result is that the new Core i5 / H67 totally smashes the previous generation Core i5, also performing the task much faster than the H55. It’s not even a contest.
Unfortunately, once again, applications need to be specifically designed to utilise this technology, but already there are two products on the market with many more on the way. We expected to see a memory performance increase with Core i5/H67 due to the ring bus implementation, but the improvement we saw had us gasping for air. The new Core i5/H67 doesn’t just put the previous Core i5/H55 to shame; it makes the older Core i7/X58 combos look like budget platforms. While H67 unleashes a whopping 24,109 MB/s, the older platform comes in at a miserable 7,660 MB/s (keep in mind that both platforms are only dual channel memory).
The mind boggles at this sort of bandwidth being available on dual channel. By comparison, 10,000 MB/s is difficult on an AMD system and 20,000 MB/s is challenging to achieve even on the triple channel architecture available to X58. It seems that while ring bus does have some issues, it has also taken memory bandwidth to a new level.
This huge bandwidth boost will help with demanding applications such as gaming or video transcoding. Last, is our PCMark comparison. This benchmark completes a full analysis of all system components using reallife tasks such as internet web browsing and HD video playback to determine a final score. The Core i5 /H67 came first on 14,368 points, H55 lagging well behind at 11,643. This is actually a comprehensive thrashing, with the Core i5/H67 outscoring Core i5/H55 in the memory, graphics, video and hard disk sub tests.
There is no doubt Intel has come to the party with Core i5/ H67, delivering a needed IGP performance boost, quad core technology as standard and several significant advantages for the HTPC builder.
Until recently, it was hard to pick a clear winner between AMD and Intel in the home PC market, but Intel has just taken any doubt out of our minds.
Our benchmarks are PCMark05, 3DMark Vantage, Everest and MOVAVI Video
Encoding. These four diverse benchmarks allow us to gather enough data
to make an in-depth analysis. We have taken advantage of the integrated
graphics on Core i5/H67 and all comparisons are done using the IGP.