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Intel Core i5-10500H

Intel Core i5-10500H: A Versatile Processor for Performance and Price Balance in 2025

(Relevant as of April 2025)

Architecture and Process Technology: 14 nm, 6 Cores, and Hidden Potential

The Intel Core i5-10500H processor, released in 2020, belongs to the Comet Lake-H generation and is still found in budget and mid-range laptops. Its architecture is based on an outdated 14-nm process, which by 2025 appears archaic compared to the 7-nm AMD Ryzen 6000/7000 or Intel Alder Lake (10 nm). However, this does not render the chip useless—its specifications are still relevant for many tasks:

- 6 cores and 12 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading;

- Base frequency: 2.5 GHz, maximum in turbo mode — 4.5 GHz;

- Integrated graphics Intel UHD Graphics for the 10th generation (24 EU, frequencies up to 1.05 GHz).

Architecture Features:

- Support for PCIe 3.0 (as opposed to 4.0/5.0 like competitors);

- Optimization for multi-threaded tasks but with limitations due to high TDP;

- The iGPU is suitable only for basic graphics tasks: office applications, 4K video, and older games on low settings.

Power Consumption and TDP: 45W – the Price for Power

A TDP of 45W classifies the i5-10500H as a processor for high-performance laptops. However, by 2025, this value is considered high:

- Thermal output: Requires an effective cooling system. Throttling (frequency reduction under overheating) may occur in thin chassis.

- Energy efficiency: Compared to the AMD Ryzen 5 6600H (45W, 6 nm) or Apple M2 (20W, 5 nm), Intel lags in "performance per watt" ratio.

Advice: Opt for laptops with the i5-10500H processor only if they have a high-quality cooling system (e.g., 2 fans + copper heat pipes).

Performance: Where is 10500H Still Relevant?

Test results in Geekbench 6:

- Single-core: 1435 points;

- Multi-core: 4995 points.

Use Cases:

1. Office Work and Multitasking: Easily handles dozens of browser tabs, Excel, Zoom.

2. Multimedia: Photo editing in Lightroom, 1080p video editing in Premiere Pro (with discrete graphics).

3. Gaming: Only with an external graphics card (e.g., NVIDIA RTX 3050). Integrated UHD graphics can only run Dota 2 or CS2 on low settings (40-50 FPS).

Turbo Boost Mode:

The processor can briefly boost up to 4.5 GHz, but under prolonged load (e.g., rendering), the frequency stabilizes around 3.8-4.1 GHz due to overheating.

Usage Scenarios: Who is i5-10500H Suitable for in 2025?

1. Students and Office Workers: For document work, online learning, and streaming video.

2. Budget Gamers: Paired with discrete GPU (RTX 3050/4050), a laptop priced between $800-1000 can deliver 60 FPS in Fortnite or Cyberpunk 2077 on medium settings.

3. Freelancers: Video editing, 3D modeling (Blender), but with the caveat that for professional tasks, a Ryzen 7 6800H or Intel Core i7-12700H is preferable.

Not Suitable For:

- Those valuing battery life (less than 4-5 hours of operation);

- Enthusiasts needing maximum performance for their money.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Laptop Last?

The average battery life of a laptop with the i5-10500H is 4-6 hours under moderate load (web surfing, YouTube). The reason is high power consumption.

Intel Power-Saving Technologies:

- SpeedStep: Dynamic frequency adjustment based on load.

- C-States: Disabling unused cores.

- OS Settings: It's recommended to activate "Power Saving" mode in Windows.

Advice: Look for models with a battery capacity of at least 60 Wh. For example, Acer Nitro 5 (2023) with a 57 Wh battery is not the best choice.

Comparison with Competitors: Who Offers More for the Same Price?

1. AMD Ryzen 5 6600H (6 cores/12 threads, 6 nm, TDP 45W):

- Higher iGPU performance (Radeon 660M vs UHD);

- Better energy efficiency;

- Laptops with Ryzen 5 6600H start at $750 (e.g., Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3).

2. Apple M2 (8 cores, 5 nm, TDP 20W):

- Twice the battery life;

- More powerful in single-core tasks;

- Minus: macOS and limited compatibility with Windows software.

3. Intel Core i5-12450H (Alder Lake, 10 nm, 8 cores):

- 15-20% faster in multi-threaded tests;

- Support for PCIe 4.0;

- Laptop prices: starting from $900.

Conclusion: In 2025, the i5-10500H should only be considered when discounted (laptops below $700).

Pros and Cons: Why Are They Still Being Bought?

Strengths:

- Affordable laptop prices (starting at $600);

- Support for Windows 10/11 and Linux;

- Reliability—the 14 nm technology has been proven over the years.

Weaknesses:

- No support for PCIe 4.0, Thunderbolt 4;

- Weak integrated graphics;

- High thermal output.

Laptop Selection Recommendations

1. Device Type:

- Gaming Laptop: ASUS TUF Gaming F15 (RTX 3050, 16 GB RAM, price $800);

- Workstation: HP Victus 15 (512 GB SSD, IPS display);

- Versatile: Avoid ultrabooks—processor is too "hot."

2. What to Pay Attention To:

- Cooling: At least 2 fans.

- Display: Full HD 144 Hz for gaming, IPS matrix for work.

- Upgradeability: Free slot for SSD and RAM.

Final Conclusion: Is it Worth Buying a Laptop with i5-10500H in 2025?

This processor is suitable for those who:

- Are looking for an affordable laptop for work and gaming with discrete graphics ($700-900);

- Do not plan to use it for heavy tasks (4K editing, ML);

- Are willing to accept average battery life.

Key Benefits:

- A balance of price and performance;

- A proven platform with minimal "growing pains";

- Wide compatibility with peripherals.

If your budget allows spending $100-200 more, consider AMD Ryzen 5 7600H or Intel Core i5-13450H. However, for basic tasks, the i5-10500H remains a viable option.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

October 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.

i5-10500H

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

2.50 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.

4.50 GHz

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

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0

Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best performing core(s) on a processor and provides increased performance on those cores through increasing frequency as needed by taking advantage of power and thermal headroom.

Yes

CPU Socket

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

FCBGA1440

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

45 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.

Up to 1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8+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.

DDR4-2933

Max Memory Size

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

128 GB

Memory Channels

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

Bus Speed

8 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.

350 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.

1.05 GHz

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.

4096 x 2304@30Hz

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

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.

12 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 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

1435

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

4995

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

1085

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

4907

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2596

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

11288

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i9-10900X X-series

1544 +7.6%

Ryzen 7 5825C

1489 +3.8%

Core i5-10500H

1435

Core i7-10700T

1387 -3.3%

Core i7-1185G7E

1353 -5.7%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Xeon D-1732TE

5653 +13.2%

Xeon Silver 4114

5390 +7.9%

Core i5-10500H

4995

Ryzen 5 PRO 1600

4685 -6.2%

Core i7-7700

4454 -10.8%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i9-9980XE

1122 +3.4%

Ryzen 7 5700U

1107 +2%

Core i5-10500H

1085

Core i3-10320

1064 -1.9%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

1040 -4.1%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon W-10855M

5379 +9.6%

Ryzen 5 2600E

5101 +4%

Core i5-10500H

4907

Core i5-10600T

4661 -5%

Core i7-1195G7

4413 -10.1%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

2679 +3.2%

Pentium Gold G6605

2642 +1.8%

Core i5-10500H

2596

Pentium Gold G7400T

2554 -1.6%

Core i7-1185GRE

2522 -2.9%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Ryzen 3 PRO 7330U

12758 +13%

Core i7-10750H

11989 +6.2%

Core i5-10500H

11288

Core i5-1230U

10801 -4.3%

Xeon Silver 4109T

10348 -8.3%