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Intel Core M-5Y51

Intel Core M-5Y51: Energy-Efficient Processor for Ultraportable Devices

April 2025

Introduction

The Intel Core M-5Y51 processor, released in 2015, marked an important step in the evolution of mobile chips. Despite its age, it is still found in used and budget ultrabooks. In this article, we will explore its relevance in 2025, what tasks it can handle, and who should pay attention to devices with this CPU.

Architecture and Process Technology

14 nm and Broadwell Microarchitecture

The Core M-5Y51 is based on the Broadwell microarchitecture (5th generation Intel Core) and is built on a 14 nm manufacturing process. This has helped reduce power consumption and improve thermal performance.

- 2 cores / 4 threads: Hyper-Threading enables parallel processing of lightweight tasks.

- Base frequency: 1.1 GHz, Turbo Boost up to 2.6 GHz (temporary boost for peak loads).

- L3 cache: 4 MB — ample for office applications and web browsing.

- Integrated graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5300 (24 EU, frequency up to 900 MHz).

Architecture Features:

- Passive cooling: With a TDP of 4.5 W, many devices operate without fans.

- Support for AVX2 instructions: Accelerates media tasks (such as video encoding).

Power Consumption and TDP

4.5 W — A Record for Its Time

The key feature of the Core M-5Y51 is its TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 4.5 W, which enabled the creation of ultra-slim laptops and hybrid devices.

- Energy efficiency: Intel Smart Cache and Dynamic Power Coordination technologies optimize load on the cores.

- Operating modes: In idle state, frequency reduces to 300 MHz, extending battery life.

Comparison with Contemporaries:

- Intel Core i5-5200U (15 W TDP) — 30% more powerful but requires active cooling.

- Apple A8X (2014) — similar TDP but higher performance in single-threaded tasks.

Performance in Real Tasks

Office and Multimedia

- Office applications (Word, Excel): Smooth performance even with large spreadsheets.

- Web browsing: 10-15 tabs in Chrome with 8 GB of RAM — some stuttering might occur.

- Video 1080p/4K: Smooth playback through VLC or YouTube (with hardware acceleration).

Gaming

- Light games: Minecraft (30-40 FPS on low settings), Stardew Valley, Hearthstone.

- Modern titles: Not intended for AAA games even on minimum settings.

Turbo Boost: Short-term Burst

Under load on 1-2 cores, the frequency can rise to 2.6 GHz, but it drops after 20-30 seconds due to overheating. For instance, when running Photoshop, the processor may “boost,” but will revert to base frequency during filter rendering.

Usage Scenarios

Who Should Consider the Core M-5Y51 in 2025?

1. Students: For text work, presentations, and online courses.

2. Travelers: Devices weighing up to 1 kg (for example, Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro) with 7-9 hours of battery life.

3. Secondary device: As a supplement to a powerful PC for trips.

Who Should Avoid It:

- Video editors, gamers, engineers (require at least 4 cores and dedicated graphics).

Battery Life

How TDP 4.5 W Affects Battery

With a battery capacity of 40 Wh, the operational time can reach 8-10 hours in reading/video playback mode.

- Power-saving technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep: Dynamic frequency adjustment.

- C-states: Disabling unused components.

- Tips: Disable Turbo Boost in OS settings to extend battery life by 15-20%.

Comparison with Competitors

AMD, Apple, and Previous Generations of Intel

- AMD A6-8500P (15 W TDP): Better graphics (Radeon R5) but higher power consumption.

- Apple M1 (2020): 3-4 times faster in multi-threaded tasks with similar TDP.

- Intel Core i3-10110U (10th Gen): 50% higher performance but requires active cooling.

Conclusion: The Core M-5Y51 falls short against modern chips but wins on price (devices available from $150 on the used market).

Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Passive cooling (quiet operation).

- Compact devices (thickness from 12 mm).

- Sufficient performance for basic tasks.

Weaknesses:

- Low multi-thread performance.

- Outdated graphics (HD 5300 does not support DirectX 12 Ultimate).

- Limited upgrade potential (RAM and SSD are often soldered).

Recommendations for Laptop Selection

Types of Devices

- Ultrabooks: Dell XPS 13 (2015), HP Spectre x360.

- Convertible tablets: Microsoft Surface Pro 4.

What to Look For:

1. RAM: Minimum 8 GB (4 GB in 2025 will be painful).

2. Storage: Only SSD (preferably NVMe).

3. Screen: Full HD (no less) for comfortable work.

4. Ports: USB-C/Thunderbolt for peripheral connections.

Prices: New devices with Core M-5Y51 are no longer produced, but used models cost between $150-300.

Final Conclusion

The Intel Core M-5Y51 is a specialized processor for ultraportable tasks. In 2025, it is suitable for:

- Budget users who need a lightweight laptop for internet and office tasks.

- Those who value silence and battery life.

Key Advantages:

- Low price on the used market.

- Ability to work all day without recharging.

Alternatives for 2025:

- New laptops with Intel Core i3-N305 (7 W TDP, starting at $400).

- ARM tablets (for example, Surface Pro X with SQ3).

If you are not willing to cope with limitations, it’s better to pay more for a modern processor. But for undemanding tasks, the Core M-5Y51 remains a practical choice.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

October 2014

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.

5Y51

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).

Total Threads

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

Basic Frequency

1.10 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.

2.60 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

2.60 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

4 MB

CPU Socket

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

FCBGA1234

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

4.5 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

95 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.

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.

x1 (6) | x2 (4) | x4 (3)

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.

LPDDR3 1333/1600; DDR3L/DDR3L-RS 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.

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

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

GPU Name

Intel® HD Graphics 5300

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.

900 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.

2560x1600@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

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.

4 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 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

1106

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

519

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1068

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1364

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2085

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Ryzen 3 3300U

824 +17.4%

Ryzen 3 3250C

762 +8.5%

Core M-5Y51

702

PRO A10-9700

655 -6.7%

A8-7680

624 -11.1%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

A8-9600

1415 +27.9%

A10-7870K

1237 +11.8%

Core M-5Y51

1106

Celeron J4105

978 -11.6%

A8-6500B

896 -19%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Pentium G2020

552 +6.4%

Xeon E5-2420 v2

533 +2.7%

Core M-5Y51

519

Xeon E7-4850 v2

504 -2.9%

Opteron 6348

489 -5.8%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i5-8200Y

1226 +14.8%

Athlon X4 750

1143 +7%

Core M-5Y51

1068

Celeron G555

984 -7.9%

Celeron J4025

888 -16.9%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Celeron G1840T

1431 +4.9%

A8-7650K

1398 +2.5%

Core M-5Y51

1364

Core i7-2675QM

1320 -3.2%

Xeon E5-2640 v2

1269 -7%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i3-3245

2363 +13.3%

Xeon E3-1220L v2

2234 +7.1%

Core M-5Y51

2085

Xeon E5507

1928 -7.5%

A8-5557M

1801 -13.6%