Intel Core i5-2405S Review

[tinytomlogan]

The latest in a long line of SandyBridge processors is the low power Core i5-2405S. We put it to the test.



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[SieB]

Seems pretty pointless to release this when it offers nothing but a lower TDP and who would buy this when you can get the 2500k for the same money which you can also overclock

Even if you don't go for the 2500k the non K 2500 is still cheaper and faster than the 2405S.

 

[sheroo]

There's also the i5 2500T as well which is only 45W, but that's even more expensive than the 2500K.

 

[badtaylorx]

ok amd here is you chance.....hell i'll even write the slogan for you......."AMD's 980 BE--FASTER THAN THE LATEST I5!!!!!!!!!"

 

[Speed]

Seems pretty pointless to release this when it offers nothing but a lower TDP and who would buy this when you can get the 2500k for the same money which you can also overclock

Even if you don't go for the 2500k the non K 2500 is still cheaper and faster than the 2405S.

I think it is aimed more at system builders than anything, lower TDP means less cooling, cheaper parts etc. They would buy in bulk and OEM which would result in cheaper prices than the 2500. Which I'm guessing why PC World was mentioned in the conclusion. Not everyone overclocks but you make a valid point.

 

[Ya93sin]

Would it not make a better HTPC solution?

But then the 2500K isn't a hot chip, and you get a fair bit more for the money. What would be interesting is if you can passively cool these things and get something truly silent.

 

[JesseLactin]

I think low end AMD is more suitable for HTPCs. I got an mATX board that would do the same thing as an i3-2100 or i5-2405S rig can do. The Athlons are like $40 right now. It would be interesting to see if it's possible to passively cool the i5-2405S. That would be an advantage that the 2400S has. 45W to 65W CPUs can probably be cooled w/o a fan. My cousin's Dell Dimension 1100 was (Celeron D @ 2.53GHz).

 

[Speed]

I think low end AMD is more suitable for HTPCs. I got an mATX board that would do the same thing as an i3-2100 or i5-2405S rig can do. The Athlons are like $40 right now. It would be interesting to see if it's possible to passively cool the i5-2405S. That would be an advantage that the 2400S has. 45W to 65W CPUs can probably be cooled w/o a fan. My cousin's Dell Dimension 1100 was (Celeron D @ 2.53GHz).

The onboard GPU though is very efficent, so that is another advantage unless you are talking about AMD APUs. I'm running a small form factor system on a 2100 @ 2560x1600 with no issues. I've also just built a HTPC for someone around the same CPU, they are ideally suited for HTPC applications. Maybe not as cheap as the AMD solutions, but they generally perform better in my experience. Obviously if you don't need the extra HP, then the AMD solution is fine.

 

[JesseLactin]

The onboard GPU though is very efficent, so that is another advantage unless you are talking about AMD APUs. I'm running a small form factor system on a 2100 @ 2560x1600 with no issues. I've also just built a HTPC for someone around the same CPU, they are ideally suited for HTPC applications. Maybe not as cheap as the AMD solutions, but they generally perform better in my experience. Obviously if you don't need the extra HP, then the AMD solution is fine.

You're right. AMD's APUs are great for a HTPC solution. I overclocked my HD4250 to 900MHz (880G chipset) and topped out at (an inconsistent) 40 FPS in BC2 on low settings. When the i3-2100 was 30% more than it is now, it had no real place in the market. It was too expensive for the "budget / HTPC people" and lacked 2 cores and an unlocked multiplier for the mainstream enthusiast. When I built my rig, I think the i3 was over $160 or $170. Pricecanada.com only has the NCIX bundle, so I can't check it now (pricecanada has pricing history). At the same time, the Phenom II X4 955 was about $125. AM3+ boards weren't available at the time (it was like early April), so I got a budget AM3 board.