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Intel Core i5-10310U

Intel Core i5-10310U: Review of the Processor for Thin Laptops in 2025

April 2025

Architecture and Technology Process: 14 nm in the Era of 3 nm

The Intel Core i5-10310U processor, released in 2020, is still found in budget and mid-range laptops. Despite its age, its Comet Lake architecture on a 14 nm technology process remains relevant for tasks that do not require extreme performance.

Key Specifications

- Cores and Threads: 4 cores, 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading.

- Clock Speeds: Base frequency — 1.7 GHz, maximum in turbo mode — 4.4 GHz (for a single core).

- Integrated Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics for the 10th generation (24 EU, frequency up to 1.15 GHz).

Despite the outdated technology process (with 3–5 nm dominating in 2025), the processor remains competitive due to architectural optimizations. However, the iGPU lags significantly behind AMD Radeon Vega and Apple M-series solutions.

Power Consumption and TDP: Balance Between Power and Battery Life

TDP 15 W is a key parameter defining usage scenarios. This is an energy-efficient processor designed for ultrabooks and business laptops.

Power Management Features

- Intel Turbo Boost 2.0: Temporary frequency increase to 4.4 GHz for handling "spikes" in load.

- Speed Shift Technology: Rapid switching between P-states to reduce latency.

However, under prolonged loads (e.g., video rendering), the processor may hit TDP limits, reducing frequency to 2.5–3 GHz.

Performance: What Can the i5-10310U Do in 2025?

Benchmark results from Geekbench 6 (1284 / 3414) indicate that the processor can handle everyday tasks but is not meant for professional workloads.

Real-World Scenarios

- Office Work: Smooth multitasking with 20+ Chrome tabs, Word and Excel documents, and Zoom — without lags.

- Multimedia: Converting a 30-minute video to 1080p in approximately 12 minutes (HandBrake).

- Gaming: Games at low settings — CS:GO (60–70 FPS), Fortnite (30–40 FPS), Minecraft (80+ FPS).

Turbo mode is effective for short tasks: launching applications, photo processing in Lightroom. However, in gaming or streaming, the iGPU quickly becomes a bottleneck.

Use Cases: Who is This Processor Suitable For?

- Students and Office Workers: Working with documents, online courses, video calls.

- Home Laptop Users: Watching Netflix, web surfing, light photo editing.

- Travelers: Compact ultrabooks with long battery life.

Not recommended for:

- Professional 4K video editing.

- Heavy gaming (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077).

- Machine learning or 3D modeling.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Battery Last?

With a battery capacity of 50–60 Wh, laptops with the i5-10310U can run 7–10 hours in mixed usage (brightness at 50%, Wi-Fi, office tasks).

Energy-Saving Technologies

- Intel Dynamic Tuning: Adaptive power management based on load.

- C-States: Turning off unused cores during idle times.

However, compared to the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U (7 nm) or Apple M1, battery life lags by 15–20% due to the less efficient technology process.

Comparison with Competitors

AMD Ryzen 5 5500U

- Pros: 6 cores / 12 threads, Radeon Vega 7 (40–60% better than UHD in gaming), 7 nm technology process.

- Cons: Higher price (laptops from $700).

Apple M1

- Pros: Extreme energy efficiency (18+ hours of battery life), powerful iGPU.

- Cons: Limited compatibility with Windows software.

Intel Core i5-1135G7 (Tiger Lake)

- Pros: More modern Iris Xe graphics, higher IPC.

- Cons: 20–30% more expensive in comparable laptops.

Pros and Cons of Core i5-10310U

Strengths:

- Affordable price: Laptops starting from $600.

- Support for Thunderbolt 3 and Wi-Fi 6 (in compatible models).

- Good multi-threaded performance for its category.

Weaknesses:

- Outdated 14 nm technology process.

- Weak graphics for gaming and creative tasks.

- Heating under prolonged workloads.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

1. Type of Device:

- Ultrabooks: ASUS ZenBook 14 (price: ~$650) — weight 1.2 kg, 1080p display.

- Business Laptops: Lenovo ThinkPad E14 (price: ~$700) — durable chassis, backlit keyboard.

- Budget Models: Acer Aspire 5 (price: ~$600) — balance of price and quality.

2. What to Look For:

- Cooling: 2 fans are better than 1.

- RAM: Minimum 8 GB, ideally 16 GB for multitasking.

- Display: IPS matrix with 1080p resolution.

- SSD: 512 GB NVMe is optimal.

Final Conclusion: Who is the i5-10310U Suitable For in 2025?

This processor is a choice for those seeking an affordable yet reliable laptop for basic tasks. It is ideal for:

- Users who value the balance of price and performance.

- Those who do not need top-tier graphics but prioritize portability.

- Fans of the Windows ecosystem with a limited budget.

Key Benefits:

- Availability: Laptops are cheaper than equivalents on Ryzen or Apple.

- Versatility: Support for all modern interfaces (USB-C, Thunderbolt 3).

- Proven reliability: The Comet Lake architecture is well-studied and optimized.

If your budget allows for an extra $100–200, consider models with Ryzen 5 5600U or Intel Core i5-1135G7. However, for basic tasks, the i5-10310U remains a great option even in 2025.

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.

i5-10310U

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

1.70 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.

4.40 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.

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

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.

6 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

1284

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

3414

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

781

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

2427

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2225

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

6433

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i5-9400F

1368 +6.5%

Core i5-9300HF

1326 +3.3%

Core i5-10310U

1284

Xeon Gold 5220R

1246 -3%

EPYC 9334

1205 -6.2%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Ryzen Embedded R2544

3873 +13.4%

Core i3-9100F

3661 +7.2%

Core i5-10310U

3414

Xeon W-11555MRE

3200 -6.3%

Xeon D-1548

3012 -11.8%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i5-3570K

814 +4.2%

Core i7-6700TE

799 +2.3%

Core i5-10310U

781

Pentium Gold 6500Y

761 -2.6%

Xeon Platinum 8253

742 -5%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Ryzen 7 2800H

2691 +10.9%

Core i5-4570R

2577 +6.2%

Core i5-10310U

2427

Xeon E5-2609 v3

2274 -6.3%

Pentium Gold 8500

2108 -13.1%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Xeon Gold 5218T

2282 +2.6%

Core i7-4940MX

2255 +1.3%

Core i5-10310U

2225

Core i7-4790S

2202 -1%

Xeon E3-1241 v3

2168 -2.6%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Xeon E5-4607

6986 +8.6%

Xeon E5-2448L

6774 +5.3%

Core i5-10310U

6433

Core i7-8665U

6241 -3%

Xeon E3-1225 v5

5991 -6.9%