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Intel Core i5-2410M

Intel Core i5-2410M: Review and Relevance in 2025

Introduction

The Intel Core i5-2410M processor, released in 2011, has become a symbol of the era of entry-level and mid-range laptops. Despite its age, some devices based on this chip are still used for basic tasks. In this article, we will explore what this chip is capable of today, who it may be suitable for, and whether it is worth considering in 2025.

1. Architecture and Manufacturing Process: The Sandy Bridge Legacy

Cores, Threads, and Clock Frequencies

The Core i5-2410M belongs to the Sandy Bridge generation (2011), built on a 32nm manufacturing process. It is a dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading support, providing four virtual threads. Its base frequency is 2.3 GHz, and it can boost to 2.9 GHz for a single core or 2.7 GHz for both.

Architectural Features

Sandy Bridge introduced several key improvements:

- Increased IPC (instructions per cycle) by 10-15% compared to the previous generation (Westmere).

- Integration of Intel HD Graphics 3000 — the first integrated GPU with support for DirectX 10.1. Its frequency is 650 MHz (up to 1.2 GHz in turbo mode).

- Introduction of AVX instructions for accelerated floating-point operations.

For its time, this was a breakthrough, but today even budget CPUs (e.g., Intel Core i3-N305) demonstrate 5-7 times higher performance.

2. Power Consumption and TDP

The processor's TDP is 35W, which is typical for mobile chips of its class. However, modern equivalents (e.g., Intel Core i5-1335U) offer double the performance at a TDP of 15W.

Practical Advice:

Laptops with the i5-2410M often suffered from overheating under prolonged loads. If purchasing a used device, be sure to check the cooling system and replace the thermal paste.

3. Performance: Benchmarks and Real-world Tasks

Synthetic Benchmarks

- Geekbench 6: Single-Core — 444, Multi-Core — 913.

For comparison, a modern budget Intel Core i3-1215U scores around ~1800 (Single) and ~4500 (Multi).

Office Work and Multimedia

- Office applications (Word, Excel): work comfortably, but with a dozen browser tabs, there may be slowdowns.

- Video playback: 1080p/60fps — no problems, 4K — not supported hardware-wise.

- Photo editors: basic retouching in Lightroom is possible, but rendering will take 3-4 times longer than on newer CPUs.

Gaming

The integrated HD Graphics 3000 handles games released until 2012 at low settings:

- CS:GO — 20-30 FPS (720p, low);

- Minecraft — 25-40 FPS (without shaders).

Turbo Mode: Briefly speeds up task execution (for example, opening a heavy PDF), but under loads longer than 1-2 minutes throttling may occur.

4. Use Cases: Who Might Benefit from the i5-2410M in 2025?

- Students: for text work, presentations, and Zoom.

- Seniors: internet surfing, online banking.

- Retro Gamers: running older games (e.g., Half-Life 2).

Not suitable for:

- Video editing (even at 1080p).

- Modern games and applications with AI features.

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

Laptops with the i5-2410M typically came equipped with batteries rated at 44-56 Wh. Under light load (text + browser), battery life would be 3-4 hours. Today, considering battery wear, expect 1.5-2.5 hours.

Power-saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep: dynamic frequency scaling.

- C-states: turning off unused components.

Tip: Replacing the HDD with an SSD and increasing RAM to 8GB will slightly improve system responsiveness and reduce the load on the CPU.

6. Comparison with Competitors

AMD A6-3410MX (2011)

- 4 cores, but weaker in single-core performance (Geekbench 6: ~300/1200).

- Radeon HD 6520G graphics performed better in games.

Intel Core i5-2520M (Sandy Bridge)

A more powerful sibling of the i5-2410M: base 2.5 GHz, turbo up to 3.2 GHz. Performance difference is 15-20%.

Modern Analogues

- Intel Core i3-1215U (2023): TDP 15W, 6 cores, Geekbench 6 — 1800/4500.

- AMD Ryzen 3 7320U: 4 cores, Zen 2, integrated Radeon 610M graphics.

7. Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Reliability: many laptops are still running without failures.

- Sufficient performance for basic tasks.

- Low second-hand market price ($50-100 for used devices).

Weaknesses:

- No support for Windows 11 (only through modifications).

- High power consumption by modern standards.

- Lack of hardware decoding for VP9/AV1 (YouTube at 4K is unavailable).

8. Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

In 2025, new devices with the i5-2410M are no longer being produced. If you are considering a used option:

- Type of device: business laptop (e.g., Dell Latitude E6420).

- Required upgrades: SSD (at least 256 GB), 8 GB RAM.

- Check: battery condition, display (for dead pixels), USB ports.

Alternatives for new purchases:

- Budget laptops: Acer Aspire 3 with Intel N200 ($300-350).

- Ultrabooks: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 with Ryzen 5 7530U ($600-700).

9. Final Conclusion

The Intel Core i5-2410M in 2025 is suitable for very limited scenarios:

- As a temporary solution on a minimal budget.

- To run specialized software that does not work on modern operating systems.

- As a “workhorse” for tasks that do not require resources.

Key Benefits:

- Price: under $100 on the second-hand market.

- Ease of repair: components are easily replaceable.

However, for most users, it is more sensible to invest in modern devices that offer better battery life, support for new technologies, and a performance buffer for the future.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

January 2011

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.

i5-2410M

Code Name

Sandy Bridge

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.

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.

2.90 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

2.90 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.

FCBGA1023 | PPGA988

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.

32 nm

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.

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.

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.

DDR3 1066/1333

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.

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).

21.3 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

GPU Name

Intel® HD Graphics 3000

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

650 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.

1.20 GHz

Number of Displays Supported

Graphics Output

Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.

eDP/DP/HDMI/SDVO/CRT

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.

Instruction Set Extensions

Intel® AVX

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

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.

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 InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel Flex Memory Access

Yes

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

444

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

913

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

491

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1102

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1206

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

1934

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Celeron G1820

513 +15.5%

Xeon E5-2648L

481 +8.3%

Core i5-2410M

444

Core i3-2100T

411 -7.4%

Pentium G2010

379 -14.6%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i5-3340M

1113 +21.9%

Pentium G3450

1000 +9.5%

Core i5-2410M

913

Xeon E5-1410

761 -16.6%

A6-3620

660 -27.7%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

PRO A10-9700

522 +6.3%

A6-7400K

506 +3.1%

Core i5-2410M

491

PRO A4-8350B

475 -3.3%

Core i3-3120M

454 -7.5%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon L5609

1276 +15.8%

Core i3-6100U

1195 +8.4%

Core i5-2410M

1102

Pentium 4405U

1049 -4.8%

Pentium G840

942 -14.5%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Opteron 6386 SE

1305 +8.2%

Opteron X3216

1264 +4.8%

Core i5-2410M

1206

Celeron N4020

1148 -4.8%

A6-5345M

1094 -9.3%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i5-3427U

2244 +16%

Celeron G3900T

2089 +8%

Core i5-2410M

1934

Core i7-2637M

1831 -5.3%

Celeron G1820T

1631 -15.7%