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Intel Core i5-2400

Intel Core i5-2400: An Obsolete Warrior or a Budget Option in 2025?

We consider a decade-old processor in the context of modern tasks.

1. Key Specifications: Sandy Bridge in Detail

Architecture and Process Technology

The Intel Core i5-2400, released in 2011, is based on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture (32 nm). This was the first generation of Intel where the cores, cache, and graphics chip were integrated into a single die. Four physical cores without Hyper-Threading support (4 threads) operate at a base frequency of 3.1 GHz (up to 3.4 GHz with Turbo Boost). A TDP of 95 W is typical for processors from that era.

Performance

- Geekbench 6: 585 (Single-Core), 1724 (Multi-Core).

For 2025, these figures are modest. For instance, a current budget processor, the Intel Core i3-13100 (4 cores/8 threads, 12th generation), scores around ~1800/6000 points. However, the i5-2400 is still viable for basic tasks.

Key Features

- Integrated Intel HD Graphics 2000 is sufficient for display output but not for gaming.

- Support for AVX instructions, which was rare for its time.

- Power-saving technologies: Enhanced SpeedStep, C1E.

2. Compatible Motherboards: Hunting for Rarities

Socket and Chipsets

The processor uses LGA1155. Compatible chipsets include: H61, P67, H67, Z68, B65. In 2025, new motherboards for this socket are not being produced. Remaining stock on the market (e.g., ASUS P8H61-M LX) ranges from $50 to $100, but their quality and lifespan are questionable.

Choice Considerations

- Check for SATA III and USB 3.0 support — available only in the Z68 and H67 chipsets.

- Update the BIOS to the latest version (if possible) for SSD compatibility.

Practical Example

A user built a PC with an i5-2400 and a Gigabyte GA-H61M-S1 motherboard. After installing an SSD, the system boots in 15 seconds, but USB 3.0 had to be added via a PCIe card.

3. Supported Memory: DDR3 — Limits of Capability

The maximum capacity is 32 GB of DDR3-1333 MHz in dual-channel mode. By 2025, DDR3 is considered morally obsolete:

- No compatibility with DDR4/DDR5.

- Latencies (CL9-CL11) are higher than modern standards.

- The price for 16 GB of DDR3 is $40-60 (new modules are rare, mostly used).

Advice

Use two 8 GB modules for dual-channel mode — this will provide a 10-15% boost in performance for gaming and rendering.

4. Power Supply: Modest Needs

With a TDP of 95 W and no overclocking, a 400-450 W PSU is sufficient. Examples:

- EVGA 450 BR ($45) — 80+ Bronze certification, reliable overload protection.

- Be Quiet! System Power 10 450W ($50) — quiet operation.

Important!

- If adding a graphics card (e.g., GTX 1650), choose a PSU rated for 500 W.

- Avoid cheap no-name power supplies to reduce the risk of failure.

5. Pros and Cons: Weighing the Arguments

Pros

- Low price: used processors range from $15-25, new (rare) from $50-70.

- Reliability: Sandy Bridge processors are known for their long lifespan.

- Sufficient for office tasks, web surfing, and older games.

Cons

- No support for PCIe 3.0, USB 3.1, NVMe (only through adapters).

- Weak IPC (Instructions Per Cycle) — 200-300% lag behind modern CPUs.

- Limited upgrade options: the max for LGA1155 is the i7-3770K.

6. Usage Scenarios: Where the i5-2400 is Still Relevant

- Office Tasks: Word, Excel, a browser with 5-10 tabs.

- Multimedia: Watching 1080p videos, streaming services.

- Retro Gaming: Skyrim, GTA V on low settings (with a GPU like the GTX 1050).

- Server Tasks: NAS, media server, router based on PC.

Real Case

A user runs an i5-2400 with an SSD and a GT 1030 to play Minecraft and Stardew Valley, maintaining a stable 60 FPS.

7. Comparison with Competitors: The Battle of Generations

- AMD Phenom II X4 965: A cheap alternative from 2010. Falls short in energy efficiency and IPC.

- Intel Core i3-10100F (2020): A new budget option. Advantages: 4 cores/8 threads, DDR4 support, PCIe 3.0. Price: $80-90.

- Ryzen 3 4100 (2022): 4 cores/8 threads, DDR4, PCIe 4.0. In Geekbench 6 Multi-Core — around 4500 points. Price: $70.

Conclusion

Even modern budget CPUs exceed the i5-2400 by 2-3 times. Its justification lies in the ultra-low cost of components.

8. Practical Assembly Tips

- SSD is essential: Kingston A400 240 GB ($25) will reduce boot time.

- Graphics Card: Choose models without additional power requirements (GTX 1650, RX 6400).

- Cooling: The stock cooler is sufficient, but for quiet operation, consider the Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 ($20).

- OS: Windows 10 LTSC or Linux (Ubuntu LTS) for resource optimization.

Caution!

- Do not buy new motherboards for LGA1155 — high risk of defects.

- Avoid Windows 11 — there is no official support, and glitches may occur.

9. Final Conclusion: Who is the i5-2400 Suitable for in 2025?

This processor is an option for:

1. Budget Enthusiasts ($100-150 for the entire build).

2. Restoring an Old PC without investing in new components.

3. Specialized Tasks (e.g., terminal for a café or a children's learning computer).

Why Not?

If you require work with Photoshop, video editing, or modern games — even the Intel Pentium Gold G7400 ($60) would be a better choice.

Final Verdict

The i5-2400 is a “workhorse” for extremely limited budgets. However, in 2025, it should only be considered as a temporary solution or a niche option.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

January 2011

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i5-2400

Code Name

Sandy Bridge

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

3.10 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

3.40 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.40 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

LGA1155

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

32 nm

TDP

95 W

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

2.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR3 1066/1333

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

32 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

5 GT/s

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

21 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

GPU Name

Intel® HD Graphics 2000

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

850 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.10 GHz

Number of Displays Supported

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Instruction Set Extensions

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

6 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel Flex Memory Access

Yes

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

585

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

1724

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

717

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

2220

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1581

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

3862

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i7-2600S

659 +12.6%

Xeon E3-1260L

626 +7%

Core i5-2400

585

Core i5-3360M

549 -6.2%

Core i7-980

509 -13%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

FX-8370

2057 +19.3%

Core i5-3570T

1861 +7.9%

Core i5-2400

1724

Ryzen Embedded R1505G

1547 -10.3%

A8-9600

1415 -17.9%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Celeron G5900E

750 +4.6%

Core i3-7100T

736 +2.6%

Core i5-2400

717

Core i7-7Y75

692 -3.5%

FX-9590

674 -6%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i7-3612QM

2534 +14.1%

Xeon E3-1505L v6

2381 +7.3%

Core i5-2400

2220

Ryzen 3 3300U

2063 -7.1%

Core i3-7101TE

1930 -13.1%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Atom x7433RE

1646 +4.1%

Xeon E5-1603 v3

1617 +2.3%

Core i5-2400

1581

Xeon E5-2450 v2

1557 -1.5%

PRO A12-9800E

1519 -3.9%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i3-7100

4342 +12.4%

Core i5-2550K

4099 +6.1%

Core i5-2400

3862

PRO A12-9800

3666 -5.1%

Xeon E5620

3502 -9.3%