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Intel Core i3-6157U

Intel Core i3-6157U: Review and Practical Recommendations for Users in 2025

(Relevant as of April 2025)

Introduction

The Intel Core i3-6157U processor, released in 2016, is still found in budget laptops and ultrabooks on the secondary market as well as in some new entry-level devices. Despite its age, it remains relevant for basic tasks due to its successful combination of Skylake architecture and Iris 550 integrated graphics. In this article, we will discuss who should pay attention to this CPU in 2025 and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.

1. Architecture and Manufacturing Process: What's Inside?

Skylake Features and 14 nm Process

The i3-6157U is based on the Skylake microarchitecture (6th generation Intel) with a 14 nm manufacturing process. This was one of the first mass-market platforms to support DDR4 memory and improved energy efficiency.

- Cores and Threads: 2 cores, 4 threads (Hyper-Threading). Base frequency – 2.4 GHz, without turbo mode.

- Integrated Graphics: Iris Graphics 550 with 64 MB eDRAM. This is a key advantage of the model, providing graphics performance level reminiscent of entry-level discrete solutions from 2016-2018 (for example, NVIDIA GeForce 920MX).

- Cache: 3 MB L3.

Why is 14 nm still relevant?

Despite Intel's transition to 10 nm and 7 nm in newer generations, 14 nm remains a stable technology for budget devices. However, by 2025, this process falls behind modern AMD (5 nm) and Apple (3 nm) counterparts in energy efficiency.

2. Power Consumption and TDP: Balancing Performance and Battery Life

The processor has a TDP of 28 watts, which is higher than many mobile CPUs (for comparison, the Core i5-1235U from 2023 has a TDP of 15 watts). This means:

- Cooling Requirements: Laptops with this processor are equipped with active coolers, which may lead to noise under load.

- Impact on Weight and Thickness: Devices with i3-6157U are rarely thinner than 18 mm.

Practical Tip: Check the cooling system of the laptop before purchasing. For instance, ASUS VivoBook or Lenovo IdeaPad models with this CPU might overheat during extended use in Photoshop.

3. Performance: What Can the i3-6157U Do in 2025?

Office Tasks and Multimedia

- Geekbench 6: 771 (Single-Core), 1676 (Multi-Core). For comparison: Apple M1 (2020) scores around ~2300/8300.

- Real-world Scenarios:

- Document work (Word, Excel) – runs without issues.

- Streaming video (YouTube, Netflix) – 4K@30 FPS, but 4K@60 FPS may experience lag.

- Photo Editors (Lightroom, GIMP) – acceptable for basic retouching, but exporting will take time.

Gaming

Iris 550 is the main selling point for gaming:

- CS:GO: 720p, medium settings – 45-55 FPS.

- Fortnite: 720p, low settings – 30-40 FPS.

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

Turbo Mode: Absent, so frequencies above 2.4 GHz cannot be achieved.

4. Use Cases: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

- Students: For studying, writing papers, Zoom conferences.

- Office Workers: Handling emails, spreadsheets, CRM systems.

- Casual Users: Social media, online shopping, movie watching.

Who Should Avoid It:

- Gamers requiring high FPS.

- Designers and video editors.

- Programmers working with large project compilations.

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

With a TDP of 28 W, battery life depends on the capacity of the battery:

- Example 1: A laptop with a 42 W·h battery – 4-5 hours with moderate use.

- Example 2: A model with a 60 W·h battery – up to 7 hours.

Energy-saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep: Dynamic frequency management.

- OS Optimization: In Windows 11/12, the "Battery Saver" mode reduces CPU load.

Tip: Choose laptops with batteries of at least 50 W·h. For example, an Acer Swift 3 (2024) with the i3-6157U and a 56 W·h battery costs around $450.

6. Comparison with Competitors

AMD Ryzen 3 5300U (2021):

- 4 cores, 8 threads, Vega 6.

- Geekbench 6: ~950/3500.

- Price of laptops: starting from $500.

Apple M1 (2020):

- 8 cores, 7-core graphics.

- Geekbench 6: ~2300/8300.

- Laptops with M1: starting from $700 (new).

Conclusion: The i3-6157U lags behind modern counterparts but wins in terms of pricing.

7. Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Integrated Iris 550 graphics for casual gaming.

- Support for DDR4-2133 (relevant for budget upgrades).

- Low cost of devices (starting from $350).

Weaknesses:

- Only 2 cores – multitasking is limited.

- High TDP for a mobile CPU.

- No support for Thunderbolt 4/Wi-Fi 6.

8. Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

- Type of Device: Ultrabook or budget laptop.

- What to Look For:

- RAM: At least 8 GB (better 12 GB for Windows 12).

- Storage: SSD only (256 GB and above).

- Screen: IPS matrix with a resolution of 1920×1080.

Examples of 2025 Models:

- HP 15s-eq2000: 15.6" FHD, 8 GB+256 GB, $370.

- Dell Inspiron 14 3420: 14" FHD, 12 GB+512 GB, $420.

9. Final Conclusion: Who Should Choose i3-6157U?

This processor is a good choice if:

- The budget is limited ($300–450).

- A laptop is needed for basic tasks (work, study, streaming).

- Light gaming is important without the need for a discrete graphics card.

Key Benefits:

- Low price.

- Sufficient performance for everyday tasks.

- Best graphics among Intel i3 of its generation.

Alternative: If your budget allows for $500+, consider laptops with Ryzen 5 7500U or Apple MacBook Air M1.

In 2025, Intel Core i3-6157U is an option for those seeking an affordable device without heavy task requirements. However, keep in mind that technology is not standing still, and even budget newcomers from 2023-2024 offer more capabilities for the same price.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

July 2016

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.

i3-6157U

Code Name

SkyLake

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

2.40 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

CPU Socket

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

FCBGA1356 | FC-BGA1356

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

28 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.

DDR4-2133 | LPDDR3-1866 | DDR3L-1600

Max Memory Size

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

32 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).

34.1 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® Iris® Graphics 550

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.

1.00 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.

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.

4096x2304@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.

4096x2304@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.

4096x2304@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/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

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® 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 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 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

771

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

1676

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

549

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1261

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1440

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2756

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Xeon E3-1230L v3

893 +15.8%

Pentium Gold G6405

847 +9.9%

Core i3-6157U

771

PRO A6-8570

721 -6.5%

Core i5-3570S

663 -14%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i5-5287U

1989 +18.7%

Core i7-5650U

1838 +9.7%

Core i3-6157U

1676

Ryzen 3 2200U

1521 -9.2%

Pentium G4600T

1369 -18.3%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

FX-4350

584 +6.4%

Core i5-2430M

564 +2.7%

Core i3-6157U

549

Xeon E5-2620 v3

529 -3.6%

Xeon E5-2680 v2

514 -6.4%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i7-3540M

1415 +12.2%

Phenom II X4 980 BE

1352 +7.2%

Core i3-6157U

1261

Core i3-L13G4

1173 -7%

Core i5-2390T

1096 -13.1%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i7-2820QM

1494 +3.8%

A6-9500E

1475 +2.4%

Core i3-6157U

1440

Pentium Silver N6000

1416 -1.7%

Xeon E5-2420 v2

1382 -4%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

FX-4320

3072 +11.5%

Pentium G4560T

2940 +6.7%

Core i3-6157U

2756

FX-4100

2597 -5.8%

Xeon E5606

2365 -14.2%