CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-560M vs Core i7-640M
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-560M in BGA 1288 packaging is a soldered dual-core Arrandale mobile processor with 2.67 GHz base and 3.2 GHz Turbo Boost, selected by OEMs for slim laptop designs where socketed CPUs were unnecessary.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Same 5% improvement over the i5-540M, noticeable only in benchmarks.
High clocks help with legacy office apps.
Gaming
Identical gaming capability to the Socket G1 variant. First-gen Intel HD Graphics remains the primary limitation.
Weak IGP cannot handle modern games.
Virtualization
VT-x and VT-d present but 2 cores severely constrain any meaningful virtualization.
Basic VMs are fine but limited by core count.
Efficiency
35W TDP is identical across all Arrandale i5 SKUs. No efficiency advantage over lower-clocked variants.
Standard 35W efficiency for the era.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration capabilities whatsoever
- No AI hardware
Content Creation
Gaming
- Identical to socketed i5-560M in gaming performance
- Integrated GPU is the bottleneck, not the CPU
- Unplayable in any post-2012 game
- Ironlake graphics are too weak
- No modern API support
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Slightly higher clocks than i5-540M at same TDP
- AES-NI hardware acceleration
- VT-x and VT-d virtualization
- Mature 32nm process meant good binning quality
Cons
- BGA package requires professional rework to replace
- No upgrade path whatsoever
- Only 3MB L3 cache
- No AVX support
- 8GB RAM maximum
- Launched just months before Sandy Bridge made it obsolete
Pros
- Extremely high clock speeds
- Soldered package for durability
- Integrated HD Graphics
- Strong single-core performance
Cons
- Cannot be upgraded (BGA)
- Obsolete by modern standards
- Weak integrated graphics
- Limited memory speed
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-560M
- AMD Turion II N540Rival
Budget Mobile
- AMD Athlon II P360Rival
Budget Mobile
- Intel Core i5-580M BGAAlt
Higher 3.333 GHz turbo if compatible with the specific laptop motherboard.
- Intel Core i5-540M BGAAlt
Functionally similar and potentially cheaper for repair purposes.
- Intel Core i7-640LMAlt
Lower 25W TDP variant if thermal constraints are a concern, though with lower clocks.
Core i7-640M
- AMD Phenom II N930Rival
Mobile
- Intel Core i7-620MRival
Mobile
- AMD Turion II Ultra M640Rival
Mobile
- Intel Core i7-720QMRival
Mobile
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-540MRival
Mobile
- Intel Core i7-640M (rPGA)Alt
Socketed version if upgradeability is needed.
- AMD Phenom II P920Alt
AMD quad-core alternative.
- Intel Core i7-2640MAlt
Newer Sandy Bridge alternative.
Our Verdict on Each
The BGA variant of the i5-560M offers identical performance to its socketed counterpart but cannot be upgraded, making it relevant only for repair scenarios on existing hardware.
Best for: Board-level repair of a specific Arrandale laptop that originally shipped with this exact BGA part
Read the full reviewA top-tier Arrandale processor offering excellent 2010 performance, but the BGA package means no upgrades are possible.
Best for: Legacy laptop repair
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-560M or Core i7-640M?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Core i7-640M comes out ahead with a score of 6/10. 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 i5-560M or Core i7-640M?
For gaming, the Core i7-640M leads with a gaming performance score of 20/100 among Intel Core i5-560M and Core i7-640M.
Do Intel Core i5-560M and Core i7-640M use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the Intel BGA 1288 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-560M posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-560M (1,960). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.