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Intel Core i5-3439Y

Intel Core i5-3439Y: A Retrospective of a Compact Processor for Ultrabooks

(April 2025)

Architecture and Process Technology: The Legacy of Ivy Bridge

The Intel Core i5-3439Y, released in 2013, belongs to the third generation of the Ivy Bridge architecture. It was one of the first Intel lines to transition to a 22nm process technology, which allowed for reduced power consumption and improved thermal characteristics.

- Cores and Threads: 2 physical cores with Hyper-Threading support (4 threads).

- Clock Speeds: Base frequency — 1.5 GHz, maximum Turbo Boost frequency — 2.3 GHz.

- Graphics: Integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 with 16 execution units (EUs) and frequencies ranging from 350 to 850 MHz.

The Ivy Bridge architecture brought optimizations for multithreading and improved IPC (Instructions Per Cycle) by 5–10% compared to Sandy Bridge. The integrated HD 4000 graphics became 20–30% faster than its predecessor, the HD 3000, and introduced support for DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.0.

Power Consumption and TDP: Balancing for Thin Devices

The processor has a TDP of 13 watts, placing it in the ultra-low voltage (Y-series) category. This enabled its use in ultrabooks, tablets, and hybrid devices with passive or compact active cooling.

- Thermal Mode: Even under peak loads, the processor does not overheat, but in compact cases, throttling (frequency reduction) could occur after 10–15 minutes of operation.

- Energy Efficiency: The 22nm process technology and power optimization reduced idle power consumption to around 2–3 watts.

Performance: What Could the Chip Handle in Real Tasks?

Office Work: For tasks in Word, Excel, and browsing (5–10 tabs), the processor was sufficient. Launching Zoom along with documents pushed the load to 70–90%, but without lag.

Multimedia: Playback of Full HD video was trouble-free. Converting a 10-minute video in Handbrake took approximately 25 minutes.

Gaming: The integrated HD 4000 handled games from 2010 to 2013 at low settings:

- CS:GO — 25–35 FPS (720p);

- Skyrim — 20–25 FPS (720p, Low);

- Modern games from 2025, such as Hades II, would not run at all.

Turbo Boost: In single-threaded tasks, the frequency could reach 2.3 GHz, but in multi-threaded tasks, it peaked at 2.0 GHz. Performance gain — up to 15%.

Usage Scenarios: Who is it Suitable for in 2025?

- Office Tasks and Studies: Document work, online courses, video calls.

- Media Consumption: Watching movies, streaming, simple photo editing.

- Second-tier Devices: Budget laptops for travel or backup PCs.

Not Suitable For: Video editing, 3D modeling, modern gaming.

Battery Life: How TDP Affects Operating Time

From 2013 to 2015, laptops with the i5-3439Y (e.g., Dell XPS 12) were equipped with 40–50 Wh batteries, providing 6–7 hours of moderate use. In 2025, such devices (if still brand new in stock) would cost between $300 and $400, but their battery life lags behind modern models with ARM processors (15–20 hours).

Power Savings Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep — dynamic frequency scaling;

- C-states — disabling unused CPU blocks;

- Intel HD Graphics with adaptive frequency scaling.

Comparison with Competitors: AMD, Intel, Apple

1. AMD A6-4455M (2012): 2 cores, Radeon HD 7500G, TDP 17 watts. Lacked in IPC but offered graphics that were 10–15% faster.

2. Intel Core i5-7Y57 (2016): 2 cores, 4.5 watts TDP, frequency up to 3.3 GHz. More modern and energy-efficient.

3. Apple M1 (2020): 8 cores, 10 watts TDP. 4–5 times the performance, with battery life twice as good.

Conclusion: In 2025, the i5-3439Y is an archaic option even compared to budget Intel N100 (2023) or Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (2024).

Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Low heat generation;

- Sufficient for basic tasks;

- Support for virtualization (VT-x).

Weaknesses:

- 2 cores represent a bottleneck in multitasking;

- No support for USB 3.1 or Wi-Fi 6;

- Outdated 22nm process technology.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

If you are considering a device with the i5-3439Y in 2025, check for:

1. Device Type: Ultrabook weighing up to 1.5 kg (e.g., Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro).

2. Screen: IPS panel with a resolution of at least 1080p.

3. Memory and Storage: At least 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD.

4. Price: New old stock should not exceed $400. It’s better to opt for a modern budget model based on Intel N200 ($450–600).

Final Conclusion: Who Should Consider the Core i5-3439Y?

This processor is a relic from the early 2010s. In 2025, it is relevant only as:

- A budget solution for very basic tasks;

- An experimental PC for learning about older technologies;

- A backup device for travel.

Key Benefit: Low cost (if you can find it new) and compactness. However, for comfortable use in 2025, it’s better to choose a laptop based on Intel Alder Lake-U (2022) or ARM chips — they offer better battery life and performance for the same $500–700.

Advice: Do not invest in technology with the i5-3439Y for long-term use. The 2025 market offers far more beneficial options even in the low-end segment.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

January 2013

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.

i5-3439Y

Code Name

Ivi 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.

Basic Frequency

1.50 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.

2.30 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

2.30 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

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.

22 nm

TDP

13 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

105 C

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

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/L/-RS 1333/1600

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

5 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).

25.6 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 4000

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.

850 MHz

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.

Yes

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

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 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 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 5

Single Core Score

435

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

873

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1197

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

1907

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Xeon E7-4809 v3

472 +8.5%

Xeon E7-4820 v4

453 +4.1%

Core i5-3439Y

435

Core i3-2330M

414 -4.8%

A4-4020

372 -14.5%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core M-5Y10c

1059 +21.3%

Core i7-3517U

959 +9.9%

Core i5-3439Y

873

A10-5745M

804 -7.9%

EPYC 7351

713 -18.3%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Pentium G2020T

1298 +8.4%

A4-5300B

1249 +4.3%

Core i5-3439Y

1197

Celeron G540

1138 -4.9%

Opteron 6380

1091 -8.9%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i3-5010U

2195 +15.1%

Core i3-2102

2029 +6.4%

Core i5-3439Y

1907

Pentium G3250T

1754 -8%

Celeron G1840T

1576 -17.4%