Intel Core i5-520M

Details and Benchmarks for Intel Intel Core i5-520M

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Please take all results with a big grain of salt. Sysbuilds is in alpha stage at the moment which can lead to wrong data, strange counting errors, silly results and more. This site is under active development.

Benchmark Results

Combined benchmark scores based on multiple data points, giving a quick overview of this processor's performance.

Overall Score

Overall score for Intel Core i5-520M based on all benchmark results gathered. Look at this like a meta score, you will find more specific workload ratings below.

4,153 Rank: 1739
Rank Name Score Visual
1735 Pentium P6100 4,158
+0.1%
1736 Core i3-4012Y 4,158
+0.1%
1737 Celeron 3965Y 4,156
+0.1%
1738 E2-9010 4,156
+0.1%
1739 Intel Core i5-520M 4,153
1740 Phenom II X4 805 4,152
+-0%
1741 A6-3600 4,151
+-0%
1742 A6-9220 4,150
-0.1%
1743 A4-3330MX 4,150
-0.1%
1744 A8-7410 4,148
-0.1%

View full ranking →

Multicore Score

Multicore performance score for Intel Core i5-520M based on multi-threaded benchmark results.

4,382 Rank: 1500
Rank Name Score Visual
1496 Intel Core i5-450M 4,383
+0%
1497 Celeron G1830 4,383
+0%
1498 A10-5757M 4,383
+0%
1499 Celeron G3900T 4,382
+0%
1500 Intel Core i5-520M 4,382
1501 Phenom II X3 705e 4,382
+0%
1502 Intel Core i3-380M 4,381
+-0%
1503 Core M3-7Y30 4,380
+-0%
1504 Pentium G3240 4,380
+-0%
1505 Pentium G860 4,380
+-0%

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Singlecore Score

Single-core performance score for Intel Core i5-520M based on single-threaded benchmark results.

4,001 Rank: 1766
Rank Name Score Visual
1762 Celeron 3755U 4,010
+0.2%
1763 A8-3530MX 4,008
+0.2%
1764 Pentium 3556U 4,006
+0.1%
1765 Core i5-4210Y 4,005
+0.1%
1766 Intel Core i5-520M 4,001
1767 A8-3510MX 3,996
-0.1%
1768 Xeon D-1518 3,995
-0.1%
1769 Xeon E5504 3,995
-0.1%
1770 A8-4500M 3,994
-0.2%
1771 A4-3310MX 3,993
-0.2%

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Workload Scores

Performance scores grouped by workload type, normalized and aggregated from multiple raw benchmark results.

Number Crunching

Aggregated score for Intel Core i5-520M based on integer math, floating point math, and prime number computation benchmarks.

-- Rank: --

Number Crunching score not yet available.

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Data Processing

Aggregated score for Intel Core i5-520M based on data encryption, data compression, and string sorting benchmarks.

-- Rank: --

Data Processing score not yet available.

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Physics & Compute

Aggregated score for Intel Core i5-520M based on physics simulation and extended instruction set (SSE/AVX) benchmarks.

-- Rank: --

Physics & Compute score not yet available.

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Intel Core i5-520M Details

The Intel Core i5-520M, released in 2010, is a dual-core mobile processor built on the Westmere microarchitecture at a 32 nm process node. Despite being over a decade old, it remains notable for its integrated graphics and efficient 35 W TDP, making it suitable for light computing tasks in laptops of its era. As of March 2026, it's far behind modern processors in performance, but it offers a glimpse into Intel’s early integration of turbo boost and hyper-threading in mainstream mobile chips.

The i5-520M features two cores with four threads, thanks to Intel’s Hyper-Threading technology, and operates at a base frequency of 2.4 GHz, with a turbo boost frequency reaching 2.93 GHz. It includes 3 MiB of L3 cache, 0.5 MiB of L2 cache, and 0.125 MiB of L1 cache, all supporting efficient data access. The processor supports DDR3-1280 memory, up to 8 GB in dual-channel mode, with a maximum memory bandwidth of 15.88 GiB/s. It uses the rPGA-988A and BGA-1288 packages and is compatible with the Calpella platform and Intel's Ibex Peak chipset.

Integrated into the chip is Intel’s HD Graphics (Ironlake), which runs at 500 MHz with a maximum boost of 766 MHz and features 12 execution units. It supports up to two displays and provides basic graphics performance suitable for office applications and HD video playback. While not powerful by today’s standards, it was competitive for its time in thin and light notebooks.

The processor supports a range of advanced features, including AES-NI, Intel VT-x and VT-d virtualization, Intel Enhanced SpeedStep, and Intel Turbo Boost 1.0. It also includes Intel vPro technology for enterprise management and extended memory access support. The i5-520M was priced at $225 at launch and remains a benchmark for early 2010s mobile computing.

In benchmark testing, the i5-520M achieves an Overall Score of 4,153, placing it #1,739 of 2,060 processors, with a Singlecore Score of 4,001 (#1,766) and a Multicore Score of 4,382 (#1,499). Its multicore performance is relatively strong compared to its single-core output, indicating that it scales better in multi-threaded workloads. It performs slightly better than the Core i3-380M and Pentium G3240 but trails behind modern low-power processors like the Celeron 3965Y.

When compared to the top 50 processors in the benchmark rankings, the i5-520M is significantly outpaced by contemporary high-end chips such as the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9995WX and Core Ultra 9 285K. However, its position within the middle of the pack reflects its role as a capable mid-range mobile processor in its generation. Today, it’s best suited for retro computing, educational use, or systems where power efficiency and legacy compatibility are priorities.
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Intel Intel Core i5-520M

Main Specifications

Designer: Intel
Name: Intel Core i5-520M
Family: Core
Series: i5-500
Model Number: i5-520M
Cores: 2
Threads: 4
Base Frequency: 2399.99 MHz
Turbo Frequency (1 core): 2933.33 MHz
Turbo Frequency (2 cores): 2666.66 MHz
Clock Multiplier: 18x (locked)
Microarchitecture: Westmere
Core Name: Arrandale
Core Family: 6
Core Model: 37
Package: rPGA-988A and BGA-1288
Chipset: Ibex
Target Segment: Mobile
Max CPUs: 1
TDP: 35 W
Release Price: $225.00

Cache Specifications

L1 Cache: 128 KiB
L1 Instruction Cache: 64 KiB (4-way set associative)
L1 Data Cache: 64 KiB (8-way set associative)
L2 Cache: 0.5 MiB (8-way set associative)
L3 Cache: 3 MiB (12-way set associative)

Memory Specifications

Supported Memory Type: DDR3-1280
Memory Channels: 2
Maximum Memory: 8 GB
Maximum Bandwidth: 15.88 GB/s
ECC Support: No

Integrated Graphics

GPU: HD
GPU Designer: Intel
GPU Max Frequency: 766 MHz
Execution Units: 12

Physical Specifications

Process: 32 nm
Die Area: 81 mm²
Transistor Count: 0.38 billion
Manufacturer: Intel
Technology: CMOS
Word Size: 64-bit
ISA: x86-64 (x86)

CPU Features

MMX EMMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4.1 SSE4.2 AES x86-16 x86-32 x86-64 Real Protected SMM FPU NX HT EIST TXT vPro VT-x VT-d EPT Flex Memory TBT 1.0 FMA BPT
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