CPU Comparison

Intel Core i5-750 vs Intel Core i5-760

A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-750 is a quad-core Lynnfield desktop processor that defined mainstream performance in 2009, offering four real cores on LGA 1156 without Hyper-Threading or integrated graphics.

Intel · Core i5
Intel Core i5-750
4C / 4T3.2 GHz95 W
5
Full review
Top pick
Intel · Core i5
Intel Core i5-760
4C / 4T3.333 GHz95 W
5.5
Full review

The Bottom Line

Overview & Launch

Brand
Intel
Intel
Market
Desktop
Desktop
Segment
Desktop
Desktop
Generation
1st Gen (Nehalem derivative)
1st Gen (Nehalem derivative)
Launched
2009
2010
Status
Discontinued
Discontinued
Codename
Lynnfield
Lynnfield
Series
Core i5
Core i5
Family
Lynnfield
Lynnfield
Predecessor
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400
Successor
Intel Core i5-760

Specifications Compared

Cores & Clocks
Cores
4
4
Threads
4
4
Base Clock
2.666 GHz
2.8 GHz
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz
3.333 GHz
Cache & Power
L3 Cache
8 MB
8 MB
TDP
95 W
95 W
Architecture
Architecture
Lynnfield
Lynnfield
Process Node
45nm
45nm
Memory
Memory Type
DDR3
DDR3
Memory Speed
DDR3-1333
DDR3-1333
Memory Channels
Dual (2)
Dual (2)
Max Memory
16 GB
16 GB
Platform & I/O
Socket
LGA 1156
LGA 1156
PCIe Version
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
PCIe Lanes
16
16
Integrated GPU
None
None
Unlocked
No
No

Performance Compared

Productivity

Intel Core i5-75025

Four cores help with basic multitasking but modern productivity apps will feel sluggish.

Intel Core i5-760Best27

Noticeably faster than the i5-750 in multi-threaded tasks, but still inadequate for modern productivity.

Gaming

Intel Core i5-75012

With a discrete GPU, can handle older games but cannot run modern titles at acceptable frame rates due to CPU limitations.

Intel Core i5-760Best14

The best Lynnfield i5 for gaming, but still cannot handle modern AAA titles.

Virtualization

Intel Core i5-75020

Four real cores provide usable virtualization for lightweight VMs.

Intel Core i5-760Best22

Four cores at higher clocks provide usable virtualization for lightweight VMs.

Efficiency

Intel Core i5-75025

95W for four 45nm cores is inefficient by modern standards.

Intel Core i5-760Best26

95W for four 45nm cores at 2.8GHz is inefficient by modern standards.

Specialized Performance

AI / ML

Intel Core i5-750None
  • No AI acceleration instructions
  • Far too slow for any ML workload
Intel Core i5-760

No data

Content Creation

Intel Core i5-750Very Poor
Intel Core i5-760

No data

Gaming

Intel Core i5-750Very Poor (Modern)
  • Cannot run modern AAA games at playable frame rates
  • With a capable discrete GPU, older titles (pre-2015) run adequately
  • The 2.666GHz base clock is a significant bottleneck
Intel Core i5-760Very Poor (Modern)
  • 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

Gaming
High
Workstations
Moderate
Content Creation
Moderate
Virtualization
Moderate

Best CPU by Use Case

Gaming (legacy)
Good for 2009-2012 era games with a discrete GPU
Good for 2010-2013 games with discrete GPU
Multi-Tasking
Four cores handle basic multitasking adequately
Four cores handle basic multitasking
Office Productivity
Functional for basic documents and spreadsheets
Modern Gaming
Unusable without a discrete GPU; limited even with one
Unusable for modern titles
Content Creation
Too slow for modern creative applications
Too slow for modern tools
Overclocking
Excellent BCLK overclocking potential

Target Audience

Gamers
Targeted
Targeted
Content Creators
Developers
Workstation Users
Streamers
Office / Productivity
Targeted
Targeted
Students
Targeted
Targeted

Strengths & Weaknesses

Intel Core i5-750

Pros

  • Four real cores provided strong 2009-era performance
  • 8MB L3 cache was generous for the price
  • Turbo boost significantly improved single-threaded performance
  • Excellent value that redefined mainstream desktop pricing
  • Overclockable via BCLK with good headroom

Cons

  • No Hyper-Threading limits multi-threaded vs i7 Lynnfield
  • No integrated graphics requires a discrete GPU
  • 45nm process is obsolete
  • No AVX instruction support
  • LGA 1156 platform is dead with no upgrade path

Competitors & Alternatives

Intel Core i5-750

  • AMD Phenom II X4 965

    Quad-Core Desktop

    Rival
  • AMD Phenom II X4 955

    Quad-Core Desktop

    Rival
  • Intel Core i7-920

    High-End Desktop

    Rival
    Compare head-to-head
  • AMD Phenom II X6 1055T

    Six-Core Desktop

    Rival
  • Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650

    Legacy Quad-Core

    Rival
  • Intel Core i7-860
    Alt

    Eight threads via Hyper-Threading for better multi-threaded performance.

  • Higher clock speed on the same platform for a small premium.

    Compare head-to-head

Intel Core i5-760

No rivals listed.

Our Verdict on Each

A landmark processor that offered excellent quad-core value in 2009-2010. Completely obsolete today but historically significant as the processor that established the Core i5 brand.

Best for: Keeping an existing LGA 1156 Lynnfield system functional for light tasks

Read the full review

A solid refresh of the i5-750 that offered meaningful performance improvements. The best Lynnfield i5 for gamers, though entirely obsolete today.

Read the full review

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Intel Core i5-750 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 i5-750 or Intel Core i5-760?

For gaming, the Intel Core i5-760 leads with a gaming performance score of 14/100 among Intel Core i5-750 and Intel Core i5-760.

Do Intel Core i5-750 and Intel Core i5-760 use the same socket?

Yes — all of these CPUs use the LGA 1156 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.

Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?

The Intel Core i5-760 posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-750 (6,750), Intel Core i5-760 (7,250). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.