CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-2400 vs Intel Core i5-760
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-2400 served as the baseline standard-power quad-core processor for the Sandy Bridge generation. Operating at a 95W TDP, it removed the power constraints of the 'S' series, allowing for a higher 3.1 GHz base clock and a 3.4 GHz turbo boost. Like other non-K i5s of its era, it operates without Hyper-Threading, strictly limiting it to four concurrent threads. It features the full 6 MB L3 cache and Intel HD 2000 integrated graphics. This chip was the quintessential mainstream desktop CPU of early 2011, offering a significant leap in IPC (Instructions Per Clock) over the previous Lynnfield architecture.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Handles legacy Office suites well, but slow for modern web apps.
Noticeably faster than the i5-750 in multi-threaded tasks, but still inadequate for modern productivity.
Gaming
Bottlenecks modern GPUs heavily, but great for pre-2015 games.
The best Lynnfield i5 for gaming, but still cannot handle modern AAA titles.
Virtualization
Adequate for a basic pfSense router or NAS OS.
Four cores at higher clocks provide usable virtualization for lightweight VMs.
Efficiency
Consumes more power per percentage of performance than modern chips.
95W for four 45nm cores at 2.8GHz is inefficient by modern standards.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration
- Cannot run modern local LLMs at usable speeds
No data
Content Creation
No data
Gaming
- Paired with a GTX 1060, it can run Skyrim and Fallout 3 excellently
- Will severely bottleneck anything above an RTX 2060
- Single-core speed is too low for modern eSports titles like Valorant
- Was a capable gaming CPU in 2010-2012 with a good discrete GPU
- Cannot run modern AAA games at playable frame rates
- Overclocking to 4.0GHz helps slightly but does not overcome architectural limitations
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Very cheap on the used market
- Excellent upgrade path to i7-3770
- Good retro-gaming performance
- Easy to cool
Cons
- No Hyper-Threading
- No modern instruction set support
- High power draw relative to performance
- Locked multiplier
- Weak HD 2000 graphics
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-2400
- AMD Phenom II X4 970Rival
Desktop
- AMD FX-4150Rival
Desktop
- AMD A8-3870KRival
Desktop APU
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-760Rival
Desktop
- Intel Xeon E3-1230Rival
Server/Workstation
Better clocks for nearly the same used price.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core i5-3450Alt
Ivy Bridge upgrade with PCIe 3.0 and lower power.
- AMD FX-6300Alt
More threads for heavily multi-threaded legacy tasks.
- Intel Xeon E3-1245Alt
Better integrated graphics and similar performance.
- Intel Core i7-2600Alt
Adds Hyper-Threading for a significant multi-thread boost.
Our Verdict on Each
An iconic processor that dominated the 2011 market, now best suited for retro gaming builds and lightweight server tasks.
Best for: Building a cheap retro-gaming PC or home server using recycled parts
Read the full reviewA solid refresh of the i5-750 that offered meaningful performance improvements. The best Lynnfield i5 for gamers, though entirely obsolete today.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-2400 or Intel Core i5-760?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-760 comes out ahead with a score of 5.5/10. 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 i5-2400 or Intel Core i5-760?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-2400 leads with a gaming performance score of 20/100 among Intel Core i5-2400 and Intel Core i5-760.
Do Intel Core i5-2400 and Intel Core i5-760 use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-2400: LGA 1155, Intel Core i5-760: LGA 1156), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-760 posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-2400 (2,800), Intel Core i5-760 (7,250). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.