Quick Verdict
The fastest Clarkdale ever made, but at $294 for two cores, it was a tough sell against the i5-750. Now entirely obsolete.
Overview
Launch
2010
Status
DiscontinuedGeneration
1st Gen (Nehalem successor)
Market
Desktop
The Intel Core i5-680 is the final and fastest Clarkdale dual-core desktop processor at 3.6GHz, launched in April 2010 at $294.
The Core i5-680 pushed the 32nm Clarkdale architecture to its frequency limit at 3.6GHz base with a 3.866GHz turbo boost.
At $294, it was the most expensive Clarkdale i5 and continued the questionable pricing strategy of the i5-670. While it delivered strong single-threaded performance for 2010, the quad-core i5-750 at less than half the price offered dramatically better multi-threaded capability.
Specifications
Performance
Best single-threaded performance in Clarkdale but still insufficient for modern productivity.
Two cores with Hyper-Threading remain inadequate.
High clock speed helps slightly but the dual-core design remains a fundamental barrier.
73W for 3.6GHz on 32nm was reasonable for 2010 but poor by modern standards.
- •3.6GHz clock cannot compensate for two cores in modern games
- •733MHz HD Graphics far too weak for 3D rendering
- •Even with a discrete GPU in 2010, quad-cores were preferable
- •No AI acceleration
- •Unsuitable for any ML workload
Architecture
32nm
Process Node
Clarkdale
Codename
2C / 4T
Core Config
4 MB
L3 Cache
73 W
TDP
Architecture Overview
The i5-680 represents the frequency ceiling of the Clarkdale architecture on the 32nm process. With a 27x multiplier on the 133MHz BCLK, it achieved 3.6GHz while staying within the 73W TDP envelope. The 45nm graphics die and 32nm CPU die arrangement is unchanged from other Clarkdale SKUs.
CPU Design
Two Westmere cores at 3.6GHz with Hyper-Threading. Turbo Boost pushes a single core to 3.866GHz, approaching the 4GHz barrier that was significant in 2010.
Memory Subsystem
Dual-channel DDR3-1333 via the 45nm die's memory controller.
PCIe & I/O
16 PCIe 2.0 lanes directly from the CPU.
Overclocking
Locked multiplier. The high base clock leaves less BCLK headroom for additional overclocking compared to lower-clocked Clarkdales.
- 133MHz higher base clock (3.6GHz vs 3.466GHz)
- 133MHz higher turbo boost (3.866GHz vs 3.733GHz)
- Best single-threaded performance in Clarkdale family
Key Highlights
- Fastest Clarkdale processor ever made
- 3.866GHz turbo boost was impressive for 2010
- Maintained 73W TDP despite high clocks
- Strong single-threaded legacy performance
- Interesting piece of Intel frequency scaling history
- $294 price was exorbitant for two cores
- Dramatically outperformed in multi-threaded tasks by the $176 i5-750
- No AVX support
- Weak 733MHz integrated graphics
- Completely obsolete for any modern use
History
The Core i5-680 arrived on April 19, 2010, as the final chapter of Intel's Clarkdale desktop story. By this point, the narrative around Clarkdale i5s was already written: two cores with Hyper-Threading could not compete with four real cores at similar or lower prices. The i5-680 did not change this narrative, but it did push the 32nm Westmere architecture to an impressive 3.
6GHz base frequency while maintaining the same 73W TDP as lower-clocked models.</br></br>The late April launch, three months after the initial Clarkdale wave, suggested that Intel was binning 32nm dies that could hit higher frequencies and releasing them as a premium SKU. The $294 price point placed it within striking distance of the Lynnfield i7-860, which offered four cores, eight threads, and 8MB of L3 cache.
The value proposition was essentially nonexistent for any informed buyer.</br></br>As the last Clarkdale desktop processor, the i5-680 serves as a bookend to an experiment in dual-core-with-integrated-graphics computing that the market largely rejected in favor of quad-core Lynnfield. Clarkdale's legacy would eventually be vindicated when Intel made integrated graphics standard on all desktop processors with Sandy Bridge, but the i5-680 itself remains a footnote, a technically impressive chip that answered a question nobody was asking.
Improvements over Previous Generation
- 133MHz higher base clock (3.6GHz vs 3.466GHz)
- 133MHz higher turbo boost (3.866GHz vs 3.733GHz)
- Best single-threaded performance in Clarkdale family
Alternatives & Competitors
Should You Buy It?
Not Recommended for the right buyer
Completing a Clarkdale collection or keeping an existing system running
Avoid if…
- Any practical computing need
- Budget-conscious purchasing
- Any workload benefiting from multiple cores
Use Cases
Interesting Facts
The 3.866GHz turbo boost was one of the highest turbo frequencies of any desktop CPU in early 2010.
At $294, it was the most expensive Clarkdale i5 and cost nearly as much as the Lynnfield i7-870.
The 27x multiplier was the highest locked multiplier in the Clarkdale lineup.
Only one sSPEC code (SLBTM) exists, suggesting very limited production.
The i5-680 launched three months after the rest of the Clarkdale lineup, indicating it was a late binning addition.
Despite its premium price, it used the same 733MHz integrated graphics as the $176 i5-750-less i5-650.
Its 3.6GHz base clock exceeded the base clock of every Lynnfield i5 and even some i7 processors of the era.
The i5-680 was the final desktop processor to use the Clarkdale architecture before Intel moved on.
Some enthusiasts bought the i5-680 specifically for BCLK overclocking, using the high base clock as a starting point.
The 73W TDP at 3.6GHz demonstrated the 32nm process's efficiency advantage over the 45nm Lynnfield at similar frequencies.
People Also Ask
Is the i5-680 the fastest Clarkdale?
Yes, with a 3.6GHz base clock and 3.866GHz turbo boost, it is the highest-clocked Clarkdale processor.
Why was the i5-680 so expensive?
Intel priced it based on its high clock frequency, but this strategy was widely criticized given that cheaper quad-cores offered better overall performance.
Can the i5-680 run Windows 11?
No. It lacks TPM 2.0 and modern instruction sets.
What is the turbo boost of the i5-680?
Up to 3.866GHz on a single core.
Is the i5-680 better than the i5-750?
Only in single-threaded tasks. The i5-750's four cores make it significantly faster in virtually all multi-threaded workloads.
What was the launch price?
$294.
What is the TDP?
73 watts, same as other Clarkdale i5s except the i5-661.
Does the i5-680 have integrated graphics?
Yes, Intel HD Graphics at 733MHz.
When was the i5-680 released?
April 19, 2010, three months after other Clarkdale i5s.
Can the i5-680 be overclocked?
Only through BCLK adjustment since the multiplier is locked.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the base clock?
3.6 GHz.
How much L3 cache?
4MB shared.
Does it support Hyper-Threading?
Yes, 2 cores with 4 threads.
What is the multiplier?
27.0x (locked).
What chipsets are compatible?
Intel H55, H57, and P55.
Does it support ECC memory?
No.
What is the part number?
SLBTM.
What PCIe version?
PCIe 2.0 with 16 lanes.
What is the die size?
81mm² for the 32nm CPU die.
How many transistors?
382 million on the CPU die.