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Intel Core i3-5005U

Intel Core i3-5005U: A Modest Workhorse for Basic Tasks

Analysis of the CPU's Capabilities and Relevance in 2025

Architecture and Process Technology: Broadwell in Detail

The Intel Core i3-5005U processor, released in 2015, belongs to the fifth generation of Broadwell architecture. Despite its age, it is still found in budget laptops, especially in developing markets. Its key specifications include:

- 2 cores and 4 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading technology.

- Base frequency of 2.0 GHz without Turbo Boost support — this is a fixed operating speed.

- 14nm process technology, which was considered a breakthrough at the time, but today lags behind modern 7nm and 5nm solutions.

- Intel HD Graphics 5500 — integrated graphics with a base frequency of 300 MHz and a maximum frequency of 850 MHz. It supports DirectX 11.2 and resolutions up to 4K (60 Hz via DisplayPort).

The Broadwell architecture focused on energy efficiency, making the processor popular in ultrabooks. However, the lack of Turbo Boost limits its performance in tasks that require temporary performance spikes.

Power Consumption and TDP: Balancing Power and Battery Life

The TDP (Thermal Design Power) of the processor is 15 W, typical for entry-level mobile solutions. This allows for:

- Passive or compact active cooling.

- Integration of the chip into thin enclosures (up to 18 mm).

- Maintaining low heat even under full load.

However, 15 W is not only a plus. In multitasking scenarios (such as running a browser with multiple tabs and video in the background), the processor can struggle, as it lacks headroom for dynamic frequency boosts.

Performance: What Can the Core i3-5005U Do in 2025?

Geekbench 6 results (617 Single-Core / 1227 Multi-Core) show that the processor handles basic scenarios but falls behind modern counterparts.

Office Work

- Microsoft Office, Google Workspace: Comfortable working with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Issues arise only when simultaneously editing complex files (e.g., Excel with macros).

- Web Browsing: 5-10 tabs in Chrome or Edge. Slowdowns are noticeable when streaming 4K video or using heavy web applications (Figma, Miro).

Multimedia

- Video: Decoding 1080p/60fps and 4K/30fps (with hardware acceleration support). However, rendering in editors like DaVinci Resolve will take 3-4 times longer than on a Ryzen 3 7300U.

- Photo Editors: Basic retouching in Lightroom is possible, but with delays when applying filters.

Gaming

The integrated HD Graphics 5500 can only handle light projects:

- CS:GO: 720p, low settings — 25-35 FPS.

- Minecraft: 720p, medium settings — 30-40 FPS.

- Indie Games (Stardew Valley, Hollow Knight): 60 FPS without issues.

For modern AAA games (even at low settings), the processor is unsuitable.

Use Cases: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

- Students — for studying, writing essays, Zoom conferences.

- Office Employees — handling email, documents, CRM systems.

- Elderly Users — web surfing, photo viewing, chatting in messengers.

- Backup Devices — laptops for travel or as a second home PC.

Not Suitable For: Gamers, designers, programmers working with heavy IDEs, and anyone using professional applications (Blender, AutoCAD).

Battery Life: How Long Will the Laptop Last?

With a battery capacity of 40-50 Wh (typical for ultrabooks in 2025 equipped with this CPU), the runtime is:

- 6-8 hours under moderate load (web browsing, office tasks).

- 3-4 hours with heavy usage (streaming, multitasking).

Power-saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep — dynamic frequency reduction during idle.

- C-States — turning off unused components.

- OS Optimization — Windows 11 (or Linux) with a "Power Saver" mode.

Tip: Choose laptops with low-brightness IPS screens (250 nits) and SSDs instead of HDDs — this will extend battery life.

Comparison with Competitors

In 2025, the i3-5005U seems outdated, but it has alternatives in the budget segment:

Intel Core i3-5005U:

- Cores/Threads: 2/4

- TDP: 15 W

- Geekbench 6 Single: 617

- Laptop Price (new): $300-$400

AMD Ryzen 3 5300U (2023):

- Cores/Threads: 4/8

- TDP: 15 W

- Geekbench 6 Single: 1250

- Laptop Price (new): $500-$600

Apple M1 (2020):

- Cores/Threads: 8/8 (4+4)

- TDP: 10-15 W

- Geekbench 6 Single: 2200

- Laptop Price (new): $800+

Conclusion: The Ryzen 3 5300U offers twice as many cores and is capable for light gaming. The Apple M1 is an energy efficiency flagship, but its price is 2-3 times higher. The Intel i3-5005U is only suitable for a strict budget of up to $400.

Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Low price of laptops ($300-$400).

- Sufficient for basic tasks.

- Quiet and cool operation.

Weaknesses:

- No support for modern standards: Wi-Fi 6, USB 3.2 Gen 2.

- Maximum of 16 GB RAM (DDR3L-1600).

- Outdated graphics.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

If you decide to buy a device with the i3-5005U in 2025, pay attention to:

1. Type of Device: ultrabook or compact laptop (e.g., Acer Aspire 5 or Lenovo IdeaPad 3).

2. Screen: Full HD (1920×1080) — HD (1366×768) will degrade the experience.

3. RAM: Minimum of 8 GB, better 12 GB for multitasking.

4. Storage: Only SSD (256 GB and above). HDD will slow down the system.

5. Ports: Presence of USB-C and HDMI for peripheral connections.

Avoid models with TN screens and 4 GB of RAM — this will make work torturous.

Final Conclusions

The Intel Core i3-5005U is a processor for those seeking the cheapest solution for simple tasks. It is suitable for:

- Education and working with texts.

- A first laptop for a child.

- Used as a "TV with a keyboard" (YouTube, Netflix).

Key Benefits: cost savings, long battery life, portability. But remember: this is a choice out of necessity, not desire. If the budget allows, it is better to pay extra for a modern Ryzen 3 or Core i5 of the 12th generation — their performance will justify the price difference.

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.

i3-5005U

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

2.00 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.

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.

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.

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

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

617

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

1227

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

491

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1080

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1143

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2016

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i7-4820K

696 +12.8%

Core i5-6440EQ

652 +5.7%

Core i3-5005U

617

Xeon X5680

574 -7%

Core i7-3520M

539 -12.6%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i3-6100U

1531 +24.8%

PRO A12-8870E

1392 +13.4%

Core i3-5005U

1227

A8-6600K

1082 -11.8%

Xeon E5-2667 v2

967 -21.2%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Xeon E5-2698 v4

521 +6.1%

FX-4130

505 +2.9%

Core i3-5005U

491

A10 PRO-7800B

475 -3.3%

A4-3420

454 -7.5%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Pentium G4500T

1246 +15.4%

Ryzen Embedded R1305G

1161 +7.5%

Core i3-5005U

1080

Athlon X4 730

1015 -6%

Pentium G630

908 -15.9%

Passmark CPU Single Core

A6-5400K

1263 +10.5%

Celeron 3955U

1204 +5.3%

Core i3-5005U

1143

Xeon E5-2608L v4

1092 -4.5%

Pentium B970

1045 -8.6%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i7-3537U

2320 +15.1%

Celeron J3455E

2193 +8.8%

Core i3-5005U

2016

Core M-5Y10c

1906 -5.5%

Pentium G2030

1742 -13.6%