CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-2500T vs Intel Core i5-3470T
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-2500T is a low-power quad-core desktop processor from the Sandy Bridge generation, featuring a 45 W TDP designed for slim form factor PCs and all-in-one systems.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Can handle legacy office applications but will struggle with modern web apps and multitasking.
Handles basic office applications and web browsing but struggles with heavy multitasking or large datasets.
Gaming
Intel HD 2000 graphics are completely insufficient for any modern 3D gaming.
The HD 2500 integrated graphics and dual-core design make it completely unsuitable for modern gaming.
Virtualization
VT-d and VT-x support are present, but four threads limit practical virtual machine usage.
Dual-core with limited cache severely restricts virtualization capabilities.
Efficiency
Impressive efficiency for a 2011 quad-core desktop chip, though modern chips are far more efficient.
The 35W TDP was impressive for 2012, though modern low-power chips deliver far more performance per watt.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration hardware
- Lacks AVX2 and modern matrix math instructions
- Completely unsuitable for AI workloads
- No dedicated AI hardware
- Dual-core design insufficient for AI inference
- Not applicable for this era of processor
Content Creation
Gaming
- Intel HD 2000 cannot handle modern game engines
- Suitable only for 2D games or pre-2010 titles at low resolutions
- Thermal constraints prevent sustained high performance
- HD 2500 graphics with only 6 Execution Units
- No capability for modern titles even at 720p low
- Dual-core bottleneck limits even paired discrete GPUs
- Outdated video decoding for modern codecs
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Very low 45 W power draw for a quad-core desktop CPU
- Retained full enterprise feature set (VT-d, TXT)
- Capable of 3.3 GHz turbo for bursty workloads
- Allowed quad-core performance in slim chassis designs
- AES-NI hardware encryption support
Cons
- Low base clock of 2.3 GHz limits sustained multi-core performance
- Intel HD 2000 graphics are extremely weak
- No Hyper-Threading
- Locked multiplier
- Completely obsolete for modern computing
Pros
- Very low 35W TDP for quiet or compact desktop builds
- Hyper-Threading provides 4 threads from 2 cores
- 3.6 GHz turbo boost offers good single-thread burst performance
- PCIe 3.0 support for full-bandwidth GPU connectivity
- LGA 1155 platform offers wide compatibility with budget motherboards
Cons
- Only 2 physical cores severely limit multi-threaded performance
- HD 2500 integrated graphics are very weak
- 3MB L3 cache is half of standard quad-core i5 models
- No Windows 11 support
- End-of-life platform with no upgrade path beyond Ivy Bridge
- DDR3 memory is obsolete
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-2500T
- AMD Phenom II X4 910eRival
Low Power Desktop
- AMD A8-3850Rival
Desktop APU
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-2400SRival
Low Power Desktop
- AMD A6-3650Rival
Budget Desktop
- Intel Core i3-2100TRival
Low Power Dual-Core
If the chassis can handle 65 W, the 2500S offers much better sustained multi-core performance.
Compare head-to-headIvy Bridge successor offering better integrated graphics and slightly better efficiency.
Compare head-to-head
Intel Core i5-3470T
- AMD A8-5500Rival
Desktop Low Power
- AMD A10-5700Rival
Desktop Mainstream
- Intel Core i3-3220Rival
Desktop Mainstream
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-3470SRival
Desktop Low Power
- AMD A6-5400KRival
Desktop Budget
Haswell successor with slightly better performance and improved integrated graphics.
Compare head-to-headModern 4-thread processor with dramatically better single-thread performance and platform features.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 3 3200GEAlt
Low-power quad-core with Vega graphics for modern compact builds.
6-core low-power Coffee Lake processor for modern SFF desktops.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5600GEAlt
Efficient 6-core processor with strong integrated graphics for small form factor builds.
Our Verdict on Each
An interesting engineering exercise for its time that brought quad cores to low-profile chassis, but thoroughly obsolete by modern standards.
Best for: Replacing a failed CPU in a legacy all-in-one PC with proprietary BIOS whitelist restrictions.
Read the full reviewThe i5-3470T was an efficient choice for compact desktops in 2012, but its dual-core design and outdated platform make it unsuitable for modern workloads.
Best for: Maintaining an existing legacy system for basic tasks
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-2500T or Intel Core i5-3470T?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-3470T comes out ahead with a score of 4.5/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-2500T or Intel Core i5-3470T?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-3470T leads with a gaming performance score of 12/100 among Intel Core i5-2500T and Intel Core i5-3470T.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Core i5-3470T has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-2500T (45 W), Intel Core i5-3470T (35 W).
Do Intel Core i5-2500T and Intel Core i5-3470T use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the LGA 1155 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core i5-2500T has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core i5-2500T (4 cores), Intel Core i5-3470T (2 cores).
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-3470T posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-2500T (3,000), Intel Core i5-3470T (3,500). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.