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Intel Core i7-10610U

Intel Core i7-10610U: Review of the 2025 Ultrabook Processor

April 2025

Despite the emergence of more modern chips, Intel's 10th generation processors, such as the Core i7-10610U, are still found in budget and business laptops. Let's explore who should pay attention to this CPU in 2025, its strengths, and where it falls short against competitors.

Architecture and Process Technology: 14 nm in the Era of 5 nm

Comet Lake: The Final Note of the 14-nm Era

The Core i7-10610U belongs to the Comet Lake family, released in 2019–2020. It is one of the last Intel architectures on the 14-nm process, which by 2025 feels outdated compared to Apple's 5-nm M3 chips or AMD's 4-nm Zen 5. However, the "older" technology has its advantage: established stability and compatibility with most platforms.

CPU and iGPU Features

- Cores and Threads: 4 cores, 8 threads (Hyper-Threading).

- Frequencies: Base - 1.8 GHz, maximum Turbo Boost - 4.9 GHz (single core).

- Cache: 8 MB L3.

- Integrated Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics (10th generation) with 24 execution units (EUs) and a frequency of up to 1.15 GHz.

The UHD graphics are suitable only for basic tasks: working with office applications, watching 4K videos, and light games like Among Us or Stardew Valley. In comparison, the Iris Xe in Intel's 11th generation offered up to 96 EUs, and the Radeon 780M in the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U has three times as many compute units.

Power Consumption and TDP: A Balance Between Power and Battery Life

TDP 15 W: A Standard for Ultrabooks

The processor is designed for thin laptops with passive or modest active cooling. In theory, 15 W is the average power consumption, but under peak loads (e.g., during rendering), the chip can temporarily draw up to 25 W.

Energy-Saving Technologies

- Intel Speed Shift: Dynamic switching between P-states (performance states) to reduce latency.

- Adaptix Thermal Framework: Temperature management through algorithms that limit frequencies when overheating.

Performance: What Can the Core i7-10610U Do in 2025?

Office Tasks and Multimedia

- Microsoft Office, Browsers: Loading 10–20 tabs in Chrome + working in Excel causes no issues.

- Video Conferencing: The chip handles Zoom + simultaneous 1080p streaming.

- Photo Editors: Adobe Lightroom runs comfortably, but there are delays during batch processing of RAW files.

Gaming

- CS2 (Low settings): 30–40 FPS at 1280×720 resolution.

- The Sims 4: 50–60 FPS at 1080p.

- Turbo Mode: In devices with efficient cooling (e.g., Dell XPS 13 9310), the frequency can maintain levels of 3.8–4.2 GHz for 3–5 minutes.

Use Cases: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

1. Students and Office Workers: For document work, online courses, video calls.

2. Users Who Value Portability: Laptops weighing 1.2–1.5 kg with a 13–14 inch screen (e.g., HP EliteBook 840 G7).

3. Those Who Value Compatibility: Windows software, enterprise applications, outdated equipment (printers, scanners).

Not Suitable For:

- Gamers — discrete GPUs are required.

- Engineers and Designers — insufficient power for 3D modeling or 4K video editing.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Laptop Last?

Examples of Operating Time (with a 50–60 Wh battery):

- Web Surfing: 8–10 hours.

- Video (1080p): 12 hours.

- Load (Photoshop + browser): 3–4 hours.

Factors Affecting Battery Life:

- Screen Brightness: Reducing from 300 nits to 150 nits adds ~1.5 hours.

- Background Processes: Applications like Slack or antivirus reduce runtime by 10–15%.

Comparison with Competitors: AMD, Apple, and Previous Intel Generations

1. AMD Ryzen 5 5500U (Zen 2, 7 nm):

- Better in multi-threaded tasks (+20% in Cinebench R23).

- Vega 7 graphics outperform UHD by 40–50%.

- But has poorer optimization for Windows 11.

2. Apple M1 (5 nm):

- Twice the energy efficiency.

- Better graphics (8 GPU cores).

- Limited compatibility with Windows.

3. Intel Core i5-1135G7 (11th generation):

- Newer Iris Xe graphics (up to 80 EUs).

- Support for PCIe 4.0.

Pros and Cons of Core i7-10610U

Pros:

- Stability and compatibility with Windows.

- High single-thread performance (Geekbench 6 Single Core — 1187).

- Support for Thunderbolt 3.

Cons:

- Outdated 14-nm process technology.

- Weak integrated graphics.

- Heating under prolonged loads.

Recommendations for Laptop Selection

Device Types:

- Ultrabooks: Dell XPS 13, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (price: $800–$1200).

- Business Laptops: HP EliteBook 850, ASUS ExpertBook B9.

What to Look For:

1. Cooling: 2 fans + copper pipes are better than passive cooling.

2. RAM: At least 16 GB DDR4.

3. Ports: Presence of Thunderbolt 3 for connecting external GPUs or 4K monitors.

Final Conclusion

The Intel Core i7-10610U in 2025 is a choice for those who:

- Are looking for a budget laptop (under $1000) for work and study.

- Value compatibility with the Windows ecosystem.

- Do not plan to run heavy applications or games.

Alternatives:

- If the budget allows — AMD Ryzen 5 7530U or Intel Core i5-1240P.

- For maximum battery life — MacBook Air M1 (starting at $999).

Despite its age, the Core i7-10610U remains a reliable option, but only if you are willing to accept its limitations in graphics and energy efficiency.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

April 2020

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.

i7-10610U

Code Name

Comet Lake

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).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

1.80 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

4.90 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.

2.0

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

8 MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCBGA1528

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.

100°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.

3.0

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.

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.

1x4 | 2x2 | 1x2+2x1 and 4x1

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.

DDR4-2666 | LPDDR3-2133 | LPDDR4-2933

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

64 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

4 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).

45.8 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® UHD Graphics for 10th Gen Intel® Processors

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.

1.15 GHz

Graphics Video Max Memory

32 GB

4K Support

Yes | at 60Hz

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

Execution Units

The Execution Unit is the foundational building block of Intel’s graphics architecture. Execution Units are compute processors optimized for simultaneous Multi-Threading for high throughput compute power.

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.

4096 x 2304@24Hz

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.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)

Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

Graphics Output

Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.

eDP/DP/HDMI/DVI

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

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.

8 MB Intel® Smart Cache

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 Boot Guard

Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.

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 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.

4.5

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

1187

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

3066

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

1015

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

3081

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2301

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

6814

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i5-8300H

1269 +6.9%

Xeon W-2175

1227 +3.4%

Core i7-10610U

1187

Xeon E3-1505M v5

1161 -2.2%

Core i3-8130U

1123 -5.4%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Processor U300E

3542 +15.5%

Core i7-4960X

3327 +8.5%

Core i7-10610U

3066

Xeon E3-1240L v5

2897 -5.5%

Pentium Gold 7505

2590 -15.5%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i5-1250PE

1060 +4.4%

Pentium 8500

1035 +2%

Core i7-10610U

1015

Core i7-8700T

993 -2.2%

Core i7-4790

968 -4.6%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

EPYC 7542

3323 +7.9%

Core i5-12500TE

3210 +4.2%

Core i7-10610U

3081

Xeon E3-1230L v3

2952 -4.2%

Xeon E3-1585L v5

2792 -9.4%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Xeon Gold 6238

2362 +2.7%

Core i3-10100E

2333 +1.4%

Core i7-10610U

2301

Core i3-8300

2268 -1.4%

Core i5-5675R

2239 -2.7%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Xeon E3-1270 v3

7304 +7.2%

Xeon E3-1245 v3

7015 +2.9%

Core i7-10610U

6814

Core i7-4820K

6528 -4.2%

Core i7-4760HQ

6300 -7.5%