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Intel Core i5-5257U

Intel Core i5-5257U: An Outdated Yet Functional Tool for Basic Tasks?

Analysis of a 2015 Processor in the Reality of 2025

Architecture and Process Technology: Broadwell on 14 nm

The Intel Core i5-5257U, released in 2015, belongs to the Broadwell generation. It was one of the first Intel lines to transition to a 14-nanometer process, improving energy efficiency compared to its predecessors (Haswell, 22 nm). However, by modern standards (e.g., Intel's Meteor Lake on 7 nm or TSMC's 5 nm for Apple M3), these metrics appear outdated.

- Cores and Threads: 2 cores, 4 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. Base clock frequency — 2.7 GHz, turbo mode — up to 3.1 GHz.

- Cache: L3 — 3 MB (for comparison: modern Core i5 have 12–18 MB).

- Integrated Graphics: Iris Graphics 6100 with 48 execution units (EU) and a frequency of 300–1050 MHz. In 2015, this was a breakthrough — the iGPU could handle 4K video and light gaming.

Architecture Features:

- Improved power management through Speed Shift technology (allows quicker frequency switching based on load).

- Support for DDR3L-1600 / LPDDR3-1866 (modern laptops use DDR5/LPDDR5X).

Power Consumption and TDP: 28 Watts — A Compromise Between Performance and Battery Life

A TDP of 28 W is unusually high for U-series processors (typically 15–25 W). This meant that laptops with the i5-5257U required more extensive cooling systems, affecting the thickness and weight of the devices.

- Pros: High stable performance under load.

- Cons: Risk of overheating in compact cases. For instance, in the 2015 MacBook Pro 13", this CPU could throttle under prolonged load.

Performance: What Can Broadwell Do in 2025?

Looking at Geekbench 6 benchmarks:

- Single-Core: 901 — roughly on par with the budget Celeron N5100 (2021).

- Multi-Core: 1697 — close to the AMD A6-9500 (2016).

Real-world Scenarios:

1. Office Work:

- Browser with 10 tabs + Excel + Zoom — possible stutters during concurrent use.

- Lightweight OS (Chrome OS Flex) or Linux is recommended for optimization.

2. Multimedia:

- Watching 4K YouTube: possible, but with stress on the iGPU and drops in FPS.

- Editing photos in Lightroom: processing RAW files will take 2–3 times longer than on the Core i5-1240P (2023).

3. Gaming:

- CS:GO on low settings: 40–50 FPS at 720p.

- Fortnite: nearly unplayable even on minimal settings.

Turbo Boost: Under short loads (e.g., opening Photoshop), the frequency can rise to 3.1 GHz, but decreases after 20–30 seconds due to heating.

Usage Scenarios: Who Is the i5-5257U Relevant for in 2025?

- Students: For note-taking, document work, and Zoom.

- Office Tasks: Text editors, email, cloud services.

- Retro Gaming: Older games from the 2010s (Skyrim, GTA IV).

Not Suitable For:

- Modern gaming and 3D modeling.

- 4K video editing.

- Running neural network models (e.g., Stable Diffusion).

Battery Life: How Long Will the Laptop Last?

With a battery capacity of 50 Wh (typical for ultrabooks from 2015–2017) and TDP of 28 W:

- Web surfing: 4–5 hours.

- HD video playback: up to 6 hours.

Power-saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep: Dynamic frequency adjustment.

- C-States: Disabling unused cores.

Tip: Replacing the battery (if possible) + switching to SSD instead of HDD will extend the device's life.

Comparison with Competitors

Intel i5-5257U (2015):

- Cores/Threads: 2/4

- TDP: 28 W

- Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: 1697

- Price of the laptop (new): No longer in production

AMD Ryzen 3 7320U (2023):

- Cores/Threads: 4/8

- TDP: 15 W

- Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: 4500+

- Price of the laptop (new): $400–$600

Apple M1 (2020):

- Cores/Threads: 8/8

- TDP: 10–15 W

- Geekbench 6 Multi-Core: 7500+

- Price of the laptop (new): $999+

Conclusion: The i5-5257U significantly lags behind even budget CPUs of 2023–2025.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

- Low cost on the secondary market ($200–300 for a laptop).

- Sufficient performance for basic tasks.

- Support for Windows 10/11 (with limitations).

Cons:

- Only 2 cores — multitasking is limited.

- High power consumption for its time.

- No support for modern standards: USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

If you're considering a device with an i5-5257U in 2025:

1. Type of Device: Only entry-level ultrabooks or used business models (e.g., Dell Latitude 5460).

2. What to Look For:

- Presence of an SSD (mandatory!).

- Battery condition.

- Ports: HDMI and USB-A are still relevant for peripherals.

3. Alternatives:

- New budget laptops with Intel N100 ($300–$400) — more energy-efficient and powerful.

- Used MacBook Air M1 (from $500) — performance 3–4 times higher.

Final Summary

The Intel Core i5-5257U in 2025 is a choice for those who need a very cheap laptop for basic tasks: document editing, video watching, and internet surfing. Its key advantages are price and availability on the secondary market. However, for any serious work, creative tasks, or modern applications, it is better to consider newer processors, even from the budget segment.

Suitable For:

- Users with a budget of up to $300.

- Those who do not need high performance.

- Enthusiasts building retro PCs.

Not Suitable For:

- Gamers, designers, programmers.

- Those who value battery life and portability.

If you purchase such a laptop, consider it a temporary solution or a backup device. Technology is evolving, and even budget newcomers in 2025 will leave Broadwell far behind.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

March 2015

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.

i5-5257U

Code Name

Broadwell

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

2.70 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.

3.10 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.10 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

3 MB

CPU Socket

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

FCBGA1168

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

28 W

Max. Operating Temperature

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

105°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.

4x1 | 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.

DDR3L 1333/1600 | LPDDR3 1600/1866

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.

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

GPU Specifications

GPU Name

Intel® Iris® Graphics 6100

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.

1.05 GHz

Graphics Video Max Memory

16 GB

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

11.2/12

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.

2560X1600@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.

3840x2160@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

Graphics Output

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

eDP/DP/HDMI

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.

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 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 InTru 3D Technology

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.

4.3

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

901

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

1697

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

665

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1467

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1746

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2842

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i7-6500U

1007 +11.8%

Ryzen 3 5125C

957 +6.2%

Core i5-5257U

901

Ryzen Embedded V1202B

860 -4.6%

Ryzen Embedded R1606G

802 -11%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i7-3770T

2021 +19.1%

Core i5-3550

1846 +8.8%

Core i5-5257U

1697

Core i7-2720QM

1526 -10.1%

Core i5-2500S

1376 -18.9%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Pentium Gold G5600T

708 +6.5%

Xeon E5-2643

685 +3%

Core i5-5257U

665

EPYC Embedded 3351

643 -3.3%

Celeron N5100

617 -7.2%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i5-6440EQ

1640 +11.8%

Athlon X4 845

1550 +5.7%

Core i5-5257U

1467

A10 PRO-7850B

1394 -5%

Core i7-7Y75

1336 -8.9%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i5-6300HQ

1792 +2.6%

Core i7-5600U

1767 +1.2%

Core i5-5257U

1746

Xeon E5-2658 v3

1711 -2%

Xeon E5-2620 v3

1690 -3.2%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

A10-6700

3116 +9.6%

Core i5-3470T

2983 +5%

Core i5-5257U

2842

Athlon X4 740

2646 -6.9%

Core i7-2620M

2445 -14%