Intel Core i5-11320H

Intel Core i5-11320H

Intel Core i5-11320H: A Versatile Processor for Mobile Tasks. Review of 2025


Introduction

The Intel Core i5-11320H, released in 2021, remains popular in budget and mid-range laptops. Despite the introduction of newer generations (such as Meteor Lake), it continues to be relevant due to its successful combination of performance, energy efficiency, and affordable price. In this article, we will explore who this chip is suitable for in 2025, how it handles modern tasks, and what to consider when choosing a device.


Architecture and Technology Process: Tiger Lake and 10 nm SuperFin

Cores, Threads, and Cache

The Core i5-11320H is based on the Tiger Lake architecture using Intel's 10nm SuperFin manufacturing process, which marked a step forward in the competition against AMD. The processor features:

- 4 cores and 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading;

- A base frequency of 3.2 GHz and a maximum turbo frequency of 4.5 GHz;

- 8 MB L3 cache, which speeds up the processing of frequently used data.

Integrated Graphics: Iris Xe

The built-in Intel Iris Xe GPU, featuring 96 execution units (EU) and a frequency of up to 1.35 GHz, provides:

- Support for 4K displays and HDMI 2.0;

- Acceleration for AI tasks (e.g., noise cancellation in Zoom);

- Gaming at low settings: CS:GO, Dota 2, GTA V — up to 40-60 FPS at 1080p resolution.


Power Consumption and TDP: Balancing Power and Longevity

With a TDP of 28W, it belongs to the class of high-performance mobile processors. This means:

- Laptops with this chip typically come with active cooling systems (1-2 fans);

- In idle mode, consumption drops to 5-7W, extending battery life;

- Intel Dynamic Tuning technology automatically adjusts power based on load.


Performance: Real-World Scenario Tests

Office Work and Multitasking

- Running 20+ tabs in Chrome + Office 365 + Zoom — no lag;

- Rendering PDF documents in Adobe Acrobat: 15% faster than the i5-10300H (Geekbench 6 Single Core: 1843).

Multimedia

- Video conversion in HandBrake (1080p → 720p): ~12 minutes for a 4GB file;

- Photo editing in Lightroom: filters applied almost instantly.

Gaming

- The Witcher 3 (Low, 720p): 35-45 FPS;

- Valorant (Medium, 1080p): 60-75 FPS;

- Turbo mode raises the frequency to 4.5 GHz, but throttling begins after 10-15 minutes due to overheating in thin chassis.


Use Cases: Who Is the i5-11320H For?

1. Students and Office Workers — for studying, document handling, and video conferencing.

2. Freelancers — editing short videos in Premiere Pro, basic 3D modeling.

3. Casual Gamers — playing less demanding games or streaming via cloud services (GeForce NOW).

4. Travelers — compact laptops weighing 1.3-1.6 kg with a battery life of 6-8 hours.


Battery Life: How Long Will It Last?

- Web surfing and text work: 7-9 hours (for devices with a 50-60 Wh battery);

- In maximum performance mode: 2-3 hours;

- Power-saving technologies:

- Intel Speed Shift — instant switching between C-states;

- Adaptive Brightness — automatic adjustment of screen brightness.


Comparison with Competitors

AMD Ryzen 5 5600U (Zen 3)

- Pros: 6 cores, better for multi-threaded tasks (e.g., rendering);

- Cons: Weaker graphics (Vega 7 vs. Iris Xe).

Apple M1

- Pros: Record battery life (up to 18 hours), cool operation;

- Cons: Limited compatibility with Windows applications.

Intel Core i5-1235U (Alder Lake)

- Pros: Hybrid architecture, higher multi-threaded performance;

- Cons: Laptops with the 12th generation are 20-30% more expensive.


Pros and Cons of the Core i5-11320H

Strengths

- Strong single-threaded performance

- Powerful integrated graphics

- Thunderbolt 4 support

Weaknesses

- Only 4 cores (Ryzen 5 5600U offers 6)

- Heat build-up under load in thin cases

- No PCIe 4.0


Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

1. Type of Device:

- Ultrabooks (Acer Swift 3, Lenovo Yoga 7) — focus on portability.

- Business Laptops (HP EliteBook 840 G8) — reliability and data protection.

- Compact Gaming Laptops (MSI Stealth 15M) — with discrete GPU (RTX 3050).

2. What to Look For:

- Cooling: A dual-fan system performs better in turbo mode.

- Display: An IPS panel with 300 nits brightness and sRGB >90% for color work.

- Battery: At least 50 Wh for 6+ hours of battery life.

3. Prices: Laptops featuring the i5-11320H in 2025 cost $650–$900. For example:

- Asus VivoBook Pro 14 ($699): 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, 2.8K OLED display.

- Dell Inspiron 15 5510 ($749): Slots for RAM and SSD expansion.


Final Conclusion: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

The Intel Core i5-11320H is an optimal choice for those seeking a versatile laptop at a reasonable price. It can handle everyday tasks, light gaming, and work on the go. However, if you need 6-core performance or extreme battery life, consider looking into the Ryzen 5 6600U or Apple M2. In 2025, this processor is particularly advantageous in devices with discounts — it can be found 30-40% cheaper than new models without sacrificing quality.

Basic

Label Name
Intel
Platform
Mobile
Launch Date
June 2021
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.
i5-11320H
Code Name
Tiger 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).
4
Total Threads
?
Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.
8
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 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
8 MB
CPU Socket
?
The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.
FCBGA1449
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.
10 nm SuperFin
TDP
28 W
Max. Operating Temperature
?
Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.
100°C
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
Microprocessor PCIe Revision
Gen 4

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.
DDR4-3200 | LPDDR4x-4267
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.
2
Bus Speed
4 GT/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.
No

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® Xe Graphics eligible
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.
1.35 GHz
DirectX Support
?
DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.
12.1
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.
96
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@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.
7680x4320@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
Number of Displays Supported
4
Graphics Output
?
Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.
eDP 1.4b | MIPI-DSI 2.0 | DP 1.4 | HDMI 2.0b

Miscellaneous

Intel Image Processing Unit
6.0
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 | Intel® AVX-512
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.
8 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 High Definition Audio
Yes
Intel Volume Management Device (VMD)
?
Intel® Volume Management Device (VMD) provides a common, robust method of hot plug and LED management for NVMe-based solid state drives.
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 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 Control-Flow Enforcement Technology
?
CET - Intel Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET) helps protect against the misuse of legitimate code snippets through return-oriented programming (ROP) control-flow hijacking attacks.
Yes
Intel Deep Learning Boost (Intel DL Boost)
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.
4.6
OpenCL Support
?
OpenCL (Open Computing Language) is a multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for heterogeneous parallel programming.
3.0
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
1843
Geekbench 6
Multi Core Score
5411
Geekbench 5
Single Core Score
1390
Geekbench 5
Multi Core Score
4765
Passmark CPU
Single Core Score
2953
Passmark CPU
Multi Core Score
11011

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core
1937 +5.1%
1710 -7.2%
Geekbench 6 Multi Core
6118 +13.1%
5713 +5.6%
5070 -6.3%
4769 -11.9%
Geekbench 5 Single Core
1534 +10.4%
1452 +4.5%
1332 -4.2%
1289 -7.3%
Geekbench 5 Multi Core
5266 +10.5%
5008 +5.1%
4539 -4.7%
4315 -9.4%
Passmark CPU Single Core
3130 +6%
2892 -2.1%
2811 -4.8%
Passmark CPU Multi Core
12398 +12.6%
11547 +4.9%
10539 -4.3%
10081 -8.4%