CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-560M vs Intel Core i5-580M
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-560M is a socketed dual-core Arrandale mobile processor featuring a 2.67 GHz base clock with 3.2 GHz Turbo Boost, Hyper-Threading for 4 threads, and an integrated GPU die, designed for upgradeable mainstream laptops.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Marginally better than the i5-540M in office tasks, but the difference is barely perceptible in daily use.
Highest single-threaded Arrandale i5 performance helps slightly in office tasks, but the difference from lower SKUs is minimal in practice.
Gaming
The slight clock increase over the i5-540M does not meaningfully change gaming capability. Still unsuitable for any modern title.
Identical to the socketed i5-580M. First-gen Intel HD Graphics prevents any meaningful gaming experience with modern titles.
Virtualization
VT-x and VT-d are present, but 2 cores and 3MB cache severely limit practical VM workloads.
VT-x and VT-d present, but 2 cores and 3MB cache make any serious virtualization impractical.
Efficiency
Same 35W TDP as other Arrandale chips. Efficiency is poor by modern standards.
Same 35W TDP as all Arrandale i5s. Higher turbo at same power shows good process binning.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI-specific instruction sets
- Cannot run any modern AI inference workloads
- No AI acceleration capabilities
Content Creation
Gaming
- First-gen Intel HD Graphics remains the bottleneck
- Slightly higher CPU clock has minimal gaming impact
- Playable only in pre-2010 games at low resolutions
- Performance identical to socketed i5-580M
- 3.333 GHz turbo irrelevant when GPU is the bottleneck
- Only viable for very old or lightweight games
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Socketed package allows CPU upgrades
- Higher clocks than i5-540M at same 35W TDP
- AES-NI hardware encryption support
- VT-x and VT-d virtualization support
- Inexpensive on the used market
Cons
- Obsolete for any modern workload
- Only 3MB shared L3 cache
- No AVX instruction support
- 8GB RAM ceiling
- First-gen Intel HD Graphics very weak
- Sandy Bridge launched just 4 months later
Pros
- Highest Turbo Boost in any Arrandale i5 BGA variant
- Best-binned 32nm silicon in a compact package
- AES-NI, VT-x, VT-d included
- Same 35W TDP as lower-clocked variants
Cons
- BGA package requires professional rework for replacement
- Zero upgrade path
- Only 3MB L3 cache
- No AVX support
- 8GB RAM ceiling
- Launched mere months before Sandy Bridge obsolescence
- Used market pricing may not reflect actual value
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-560M
- AMD Turion II N540Rival
Budget Mobile
- AMD Phenom II N660Rival
Mainstream Mobile
- Intel Core i7-620MAlt
Same socket, higher 3.33 GHz turbo and 4MB L3 cache for a meaningful upgrade.
Slightly higher turbo boost if available at similar price.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core i5-520MAlt
Lower cost option if the marginal clock difference does not justify the price premium.
Intel Core i5-580M
- AMD Turion II N570Rival
Performance Mobile
- AMD Phenom II N660Rival
Mainstream Mobile
- Intel Core i5-560M BGAAlt
133 MHz less turbo but potentially much cheaper and functionally similar for repair purposes.
- Intel Core i7-620M BGAAlt
Same turbo clock but with 4MB L3 cache if available for the specific motherboard.
- Intel Core i5-540M BGAAlt
Significantly cheaper on the used market with only modest performance reduction.
Our Verdict on Each
The socketed variant of the i5-560M holds slight historical interest as one of the last easily swappable mobile Intel CPUs, but offers no practical value for modern computing.
Best for: Upgrading a Socket G1 laptop that currently has a Core i3 or lower-clocked i5
Read the full reviewThe BGA i5-580M delivers the same impressive 3.333 GHz turbo as the socketed variant but in a non-upgradeable package, making it solely relevant for repair and preservation of specific laptop models.
Best for: Exact replacement for a failed BGA i5-580M (SLC29) in a specific laptop model during board-level repair
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-560M or Intel Core i5-580M?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-560M comes out ahead with a score of 4/10. 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 Intel Core i5-580M?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-580M leads with a gaming performance score of 19/100 among Intel Core i5-560M and Intel Core i5-580M.
Do Intel Core i5-560M and Intel Core i5-580M use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-560M: Intel Socket G1 (rPGA988A), Intel Core i5-580M: Intel BGA 1288), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-580M posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-560M (1,960), Intel Core i5-580M (2,070). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.