CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-450M vs Core i7-640M
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-450M is a slightly higher-clocked Arrandale dual-core mobile processor released in September 2010, offering 2.4 GHz base and 2.667 GHz turbo speeds with the same dual-die 32nm/45nm design as the i5-430M.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Marginally faster than the i5-430M in CPU-bound tasks, but the difference is barely noticeable in real use.
Strong single-core helps with older office apps.
Gaming
Slightly better than the i5-430M but still entirely dependent on discrete graphics for any gaming capability.
Requires a discrete GPU from that era for any gaming.
Virtualization
Slightly more headroom than the 430M but still impractical for serious VM workloads.
Capable of basic VMs but limited by 2 cores.
Efficiency
Same 35 W TDP with only ~6% more frequency than the i5-430M, resulting in slightly worse performance per watt.
Typical 35W 32nm efficiency.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI capabilities
- No AVX support
- Completely unsuitable for AI workloads
- No AI hardware
Content Creation
Gaming
- Graphics on chipset, not CPU
- GMA HD extremely limited
- Requires discrete GPU for any gaming
- Integrated graphics depend on motherboard chipset
- Not suitable for modern gaming
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Slightly faster than i5-430M at the same TDP
- Socket G1 allows upgrade to i7-620M
- AES-NI and VT-x/VT-d support
- Reliable and well-tested platform
- Hyper-Threading improves multitasking
Cons
- Minimal performance improvement over i5-430M
- Launched just months before Sandy Bridge made it obsolete
- No on-die GPU
- No AVX instruction support
- DDR3-1066 memory speed limitation
- Only 8 GB maximum RAM
Pros
- Very high clock speeds (3.46 GHz turbo)
- Socketed design allows upgrades
- Strong single-core performance
- AES-NI support
Cons
- Obsolete by modern standards
- Integrated graphics not guaranteed
- 35W TDP is high for a dual-core
- Limited to 1066 MT/s memory
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-450M
- AMD Turion II N530Rival
Mobile Mainstream
- AMD Phenom II N620Rival
Mobile Performance
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-430MRival
Mobile Mainstream
- Intel Core i5-520MRival
Mobile Performance
- Intel Core i7-620MRival
Mobile Performance
Fastest Arrandale i5 with 2.66 GHz base and 3.33 GHz turbo.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core i5-2410MAlt
Sandy Bridge replacement requiring a new laptop but offering on-die graphics and AVX support.
- AMD Ryzen 5 5500UAlt
Modern alternative with vastly superior performance for a new laptop purchase.
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
- AMD Phenom II P920Alt
AMD alternative with more cores but lower clocks.
- Intel Core i7-2640MAlt
Newer Sandy Bridge alternative if upgrading platform.
Our Verdict on Each
The i5-450M is a minor clock speed increase over the i5-430M that arrived just months before Sandy Bridge rendered the entire Arrandale lineup obsolete. Only relevant for existing Socket G1 laptop owners considering a cheap upgrade.
Best for: Found in an existing laptop at no additional cost
Read the full reviewAn extremely fast dual-core for its time, but heavily outdated by modern standards. The socketed design is a rare feature for laptops.
Best for: Upgrading a legacy Socket G1 laptop
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-450M 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 i5-450M or Core i7-640M?
For gaming, the Core i7-640M leads with a gaming performance score of 20/100 among Intel Core i5-450M and Core i7-640M.
Do Intel Core i5-450M and Core i7-640M use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the Intel Socket G1 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-450M posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-450M (3,000). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.