Final thoughts
Understanding that Intel has a wide range of CPUs in its arsenal, we set out to examine the overall proposition presented by four presently-available Core i5 2500 chips that are all priced at around the £150 mark.
Enthusiasts should be familiar with the Core i5 2500K, rated at 95W TDP. This four-core, four-threaded processor can be multiplier-overclocked and features the best integrated graphics produced by Intel. Able to run close to 5GHz with moderate air-cooling, providing an impressive overclock, it's our recommended CPU for any mid-range self-build.
But you can save a few pennies and opt for a Core i5 2500 (non-K). This chip has the same CPU specifications as the K-suffixed model but, knowing that it's multiplier-locked upwards, cannot be easily overclocked, due to how the various parts of the processor work together. Get past that and the 2500 offers inferior graphics, thus making it very difficult to recommend for the build-it-yourself enthusiast.
Rounding out the 2500-series line are the S- and T-suffixed parts. Harder to purchase from a retail channel, their main claim to fame is lower power-draw. The 2500S gives up CPU frequency in order to achieve a 65W TDP rating. Benchmarking a little below 2500 and 2500K, our power-draw measurements show that there's not a whole heap to be gained by switching down to 65W.
Whereas Core i5 2500K focuses on speed, Core i5 2500T goes for a different tack and puts power-draw ahead of straight-line performance. Specified with a super-low 45W TDP, which isn't reflected in our power-draw figures, CPU performance is appreciably lower. Interestingly, however, Intel boosts the graphics speed to 2500(S)-beating levels.
Look at the broader picture and Intel's significantly cheaper Core i3 provides adequate CPU performance and Core i5-matching GPU performance. AMD's A8 3850, available for £100, is easily beaten in CPU-centric tasks but then hands out a whipping of its own when it comes to IGP-based 3D.
After seeing four £150-ish Intel Core i5 chips in action, we'd recommend the 2500K for the enthusiast, for the reasons discussed above. The 2500 'regular' chip makes little sense for our readers, while the 2500S is neither fast nor particularly power-frugal in real-world usage. Users looking for an ultra-quiet PC that has most of the bases covered may want to give the Core i5 2500T a look, though we'd be inclined to save the money and go for a Core i3 chip instead.
HEXUS Awards
Intel Core i5 2500K
HEXUS Where2Buy
A range of second-generation Intel Core i5 processors are available at Scan.co.uk.
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