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Intel Core i3-5015U

Intel Core i3-5015U

Intel Core i3-5015U: Review of a Budget Processor for Everyday Tasks

Analysis of the capabilities and usage scenarios of a 2015 processor in 2025

1. Architecture and Process Technology: Broadwell in Detail

The Intel Core i3-5015U, released in 2015, belongs to the Broadwell generation and is manufactured using a 14-nanometer process. This was an advancement compared to the previous Haswell generation (22 nm), which helped reduce power consumption and improve thermal characteristics.

- Cores and Threads: 2 physical cores with Hyper-Threading support (4 threads). Base clock frequency is 2.1 GHz. Turbo mode is absent, which is typical for i3 processors of that time.

- Cache Memory: 3 MB L3 cache, which is sufficient for simple tasks but may become a bottleneck in multi-threaded workloads.

- Integrated Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5500 with 24 execution units (EUs) and a frequency of up to 900 MHz. The graphics support DirectX 11.2 and resolutions up to 4K (60 Hz via DisplayPort).

The Broadwell architecture was optimized for mobile devices, focusing on energy efficiency. However, by 2025 even budget processors (such as Intel Alder Lake-N or AMD Mendocino) are offering more modern technologies, such as a 7-nm process and support for DDR5.

2. TDP 15 W: Balancing Performance and Battery Life

A TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 15 W indicates that the processor is designed for ultrabooks and thin laptops. This value determines not only heat dissipation but also cooling system requirements.

- Power Consumption: In idle mode, the processor consumes less than 5 W thanks to Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology. Under load (e.g., video rendering), power can reach 15 W.

- Thermal Dissipation: Passive cooling can handle it only in light scenarios. A fan is required for stable operation under load.

In 2025, similar processors (e.g., AMD Ryzen 3 7320U) at 15 W TDP demonstrate 2-3 times higher performance due to a 6-nm process and Zen 2 architecture.

3. Performance: What Can the Core i3-5015U Do in 2025?

Geekbench 6 scores:

- Single-Core: 702 points.

- Multi-Core: 1412 points.

Real-world Scenarios:

- Office Tasks: Working with documents (Word, Excel), a browser with 10-15 tabs, Zoom conferences — the processor performs adequately, but slowdowns may occur with multiple heavy applications running simultaneously.

- Multimedia: Watching 4K video (with hardware acceleration), basic photo editing in Lightroom. Rendering 1080p video in DaVinci Resolve will take 3-4 times longer than on a modern Core i5.

- Gaming: Only older and less demanding games: CS:GO on low settings (30-40 FPS), Minecraft (without shaders), Stardew Valley. The integrated HD Graphics 5500 does not support DirectX 12 Ultimate and modern APIs.

Turbo Mode: Absent, which limits peak performance. Modern budget CPUs (e.g., Intel Core i3-N305) automatically boost their frequency to 3.8 GHz under load.

4. Usage Scenarios: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

- Students: For studying, writing essays, working with PDFs.

- Office Workers: Email, spreadsheets, presentations.

- Casual Users: Social media, YouTube, online shopping.

Not Suitable For:

- Gamers (except for casual 2D games).

- Designers and video editors.

- Those working with virtualization or AI tools.

5. Battery Life: How Long Will the Battery Last?

Laptops with the Core i3-5015U were equipped with batteries ranging from 40 to 50 Wh. In 2025, such devices (if new) offer:

- Up to 8 hours for document work (50% brightness, Wi-Fi on).

- Up to 5 hours for video playback.

Power-saving Technologies:

- Enhanced Intel SpeedStep: Dynamic frequency scaling.

- C-States: Turning off unused cores.

However, modern processors (e.g., Apple M1) provide 2-3 times greater battery life for similar tasks.

6. Comparison with Competitors

- AMD A9-9420 (2016): 2 cores/2 threads, Radeon R5 Graphics. Lags in multi-threading but excels in graphics.

- Intel Core i3-1115G4 (2020): 2 cores/4 threads, 10-nm process, Iris Xe Graphics. 60% faster in single-thread tasks.

- Apple M1 (2020): 4 cores/4 threads, 5-nm process. Outperforms the i3-5015U by 4 times in multi-thread performance.

Prices in 2025:

- New laptops with the i3-5015U are rare, but some brands (e.g., Chuwi) offer them for $250-$300.

- For $400-$500, one can buy a device with AMD Ryzen 3 7320U or Intel Core i3-N305.

7. Pros and Cons of the Core i3-5015U

Strengths:

- Low cost of laptops.

- Sufficient performance for basic tasks.

- Compact cooling systems.

Weaknesses:

- No Turbo Boost.

- Weak integrated GPU.

- Outdated process technology (14 nm vs. 7 nm from competitors).

8. Recommendations for Laptop Selection

- Type of Device: Ultrabook or budget laptop (e.g., ASUS VivoBook or Lenovo IdeaPad).

- Minimum Specifications:

- 8 GB RAM (for Windows 11).

- 256 GB SSD (not HDD!).

- Full HD display (avoid HD+).

- Tip: Choose models with additional cooling if you plan on workloads longer than 30 minutes.

9. Final Conclusion

In 2025, the Intel Core i3-5015U is a choice for those who need a maximum budget laptop for simple tasks. Its advantages include low price, acceptable battery life, and compactness. However, for $300-$400 it’s worth considering more modern options based on AMD Ryzen 3 or Intel N-series — they will provide more performance headroom for the future.

Who Is It Suitable For:

- Seniors, school students.

- Users who only require a PC for browsing and office applications.

Key Benefit: Cost savings. But remember: such a laptop will not "grow" with your needs.

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Basic

Label Name
Intel
Platform
Mobile
Launch Date
March 2015
Model Name
?
The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.
i3-5015U
Code Name
Broadwell

CPU Specifications

Total Cores
?
Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).
2
Total Threads
?
Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.
4
Basic Frequency
2.10 GHz
Intel Turbo Boost Technology
?
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.
No
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
?
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.
Yes
L3 Cache
3 MB
CPU Socket
?
The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.
FCBGA1168
Technology
?
Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.
14 nm
TDP
15 W
Max. Operating Temperature
?
Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.
105°C
PCI Express Version
?
PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.
2.0
Number of PCI Express Lanes
?
A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.
12
Intel 64
?
Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.
Yes
Instruction Set
?
The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.
64-bit
PCI Express Configurations
?
PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.
4x1 2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type
?
Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.
DDR3L 1333/1600 LPDDR 1333 /1600
Max Memory Size
?
Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.
16 GB
Memory Channels
?
The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.
2
Bus Speed
5 GT/s
Max Memory Bandwidth
?
Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).
25.6 GB/s

GPU Specifications

GPU Name
Intel® HD Graphics 5500
Graphics Base Frequency
?
Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.
300 MHz
Graphics Frequency
?
Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.
850 MHz
Graphics Video Max Memory
16 GB
DirectX Support
?
DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.
11.2/12
Max Resolution (HDMI)
?
Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.
2560x1600@60Hz
Max Resolution (DP)
?
Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.
3840x2160@60Hz
Max Resolution (VGA)
N/A
Number of Displays Supported
3
Graphics Output
?
Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.
eDP/DP/HDMI

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
?
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.
Yes
Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
?
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.
Yes
Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)
?
Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.
Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology
?
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.
Yes
Execute Disable Bit
?
Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.
Yes
Cache
?
CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.
3 MB
Intel AES New Instructions
?
Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.
Yes
Intel Clear Video HD Technology
?
Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.
Yes
Intel Clear Video Technology
Yes
Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
?
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.
Yes
Intel InTru 3D Technology
Yes
Intel Flex Memory Access
Yes
Intel OS Guard
Yes
OpenGL Support
?
OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.
4.3
Intel Quick Sync Video
?
Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.
Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6
Single Core Score
702
Geekbench 6
Multi Core Score
1412
Geekbench 5
Single Core Score
444
Geekbench 5
Multi Core Score
966
Passmark CPU
Single Core Score
1018
Passmark CPU
Multi Core Score
1842

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core
Xeon D-1541
821 +17%
Xeon D-1587
761 +8.4%
Core i3-5015U
702
Athlon X4 845
655 -6.7%
Xeon E5-4617
623 -11.3%
Geekbench 6 Multi Core
Core i5-4570T
1719 +21.7%
Core i7-5550U
1543 +9.3%
Core i3-5015U
1412
Pentium D1508
1236 -12.5%
A10 PRO-7800B
1095 -22.5%
Geekbench 5 Single Core
Xeon E5-2470
481 +8.3%
Xeon E5-2609 v4
465 +4.7%
Core i3-5015U
444
Celeron N4000
421 -5.2%
Athlon X4 840
394 -11.3%
Geekbench 5 Multi Core
Core i5-3437U
1120 +15.9%
Core M-5Y31
1061 +9.8%
Core i3-5015U
966
A6-3410MX
876 -9.3%
PRO A6-8570
809 -16.3%
Passmark CPU Single Core
Pentium G645T
1117 +9.7%
A8-3800
1072 +5.3%
Core i3-5015U
1018
Xeon D-1559
957 -6%
Athlon X2 450
878 -13.8%
Passmark CPU Multi Core
Pentium G2140
2092 +13.6%
Xeon E5603
1935 +5%
Core i3-5015U
1842
PRO A4-8350B
1635 -11.2%
Opteron X3216
1475 -19.9%