Intel Atom C3538 vs Intel Core i5-2500

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Atom C3538 or Intel Atom C3538 – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Atom C3538 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2017 and belongs to the 5 generation of the Intel Atom series.
To use the Intel Atom C3538, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1310 socket.
The Intel Core i5-2500 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2011 and belongs to the 2 generation of the Intel Core i5 series.
To use the Intel Core i5-2500, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1155 socket.
Intel Atom C3000 Group Intel Core i 2000
5 Generation 2
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Atom C3538 Name Intel Core i5-2500
Intel Atom Family Intel Core i5
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Atom C3538 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Atom C3538 is 2.1 GHz
The Intel Core i5-2500 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i5-2500 is 3.3 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.7 GHz.
No Hyperthreading No
4x Cores 4x
No Overclocking No
4 Threads 4
None None 3.7 GHz
4 CPU Cores 4
normal Core architecture normal
2.1 GHz Frequency 3.3 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Atom C3538 does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i5-2500 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i5-2500 uses the Intel HD Graphics 2000, which has 48 texture shaders
and 6 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- Shaders 48
-- Release date Q1/2011
-- Technology 32 nm
-- Direct X 10.1
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 2.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
-- Execution units 6
-- GPU frequency 0.85 GHz
-- Generation 6
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.1 GHz
GPU name Intel HD Graphics 2000
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- VP8 No
-- VC-1 Decode
-- JPEG No
-- AV1 No
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
-- AVC Decode / Encode
-- h264 Decode / Encode
-- VP9 No
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 256.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
DDR4-2133 Memory type DDR3-1333
Yes ECC No
256.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
2 Memory channels 2
34.1 GB/s Bandwidth 21.3 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 95 W watts.
15 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 95 W
100 °C Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Atom C3538 is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i5-2500 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 6.0 MB cache.
Q3/2017 Release date Q1/2011
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX
14 nm Technology 32 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
75 $ Release price --
Denverton Architecture Sandy Bridge S
0 bytes L3-Cache 6.0 MB
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Part Number --
BGA 1310 Socket LGA 1155
8.0 MB L2-Cache 0 bytes