Intel Core i5-5350H

Intel Core i5-5350H

Intel Core i5-5350H in 2025: Is It Worth Considering an Outdated Processor?

Analysis for Practical Users


Architecture and Manufacturing Process: What Broadwell Hides

The Intel Core i5-5350H processor, released in 2015, is based on the Broadwell microarchitecture (5th generation Intel Core) and is manufactured using a 14nm process technology. Despite its age, it retains several features relevant for basic tasks:

- 2 cores and 4 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading.

- Base clock speed of 2.8 GHz, maximum frequency in Turbo Boost mode of 3.5 GHz.

- 4 MB of L3 cache, which provides decent data processing speed for a dual-core CPU.

- Integrated graphics Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 with 48 EU (Execution Units) and a frequency of up to 1050 MHz.

Architectural Features:

- Broadwell acted as a transitional link between Haswell and Skylake. It improved energy efficiency compared to the 22nm Haswell, but did not bring revolutionary changes in IPC (Instructions Per Cycle).

- The Iris Pro 6200 iGPU is one of the strengths of the processor. It supports DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.3, and 4K output, but by 2025, its capabilities will suffice only for undemanding gaming and graphics work.


Power Consumption and TDP: The Price for Performance

The processor's TDP is 47 W, which categorizes it as a "high-performance mobile CPU." For comparison, modern Intel 13th generation processors (e.g., Core i5-1340P) offer 4 cores and 8 threads with a TDP of 28 W.

What does this mean for the user?

- Laptops with the i5-5350H require an efficient cooling system. They are often models with hefty heat sinks and noisy fans.

- In Turbo Boost mode, power consumption can reach 55–60 W, reducing battery life.


Performance in 2025: What Can Broadwell Do?

Office Work and Multimedia

- Microsoft Office, Browsers (10+ tabs), Zoom: The processor handles these tasks smoothly, but running several resource-heavy applications simultaneously (e.g., Photoshop + Chrome) may cause stuttering.

- 4K Video: Playback from YouTube or local files is smooth thanks to decoding capabilities of the iGPU.

Gaming

- CS2, Dota 2, Overwatch (on low settings): Achieves 30–45 FPS at 1080p resolution.

- Modern AAA titles (Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield): Even on minimum settings, playing comfortably is not feasible—FPS drops below 20.

- Turbo Boost Mode: Momentary frequency boosts help in “choppy” scenarios (loading levels, streaming), but overheating compromises stability.


Usage Scenarios: Who Is the i5-5350H Suitable For in 2025?

1. Students and Office Workers — for document processing, online courses, and watching movies.

2. Budget Gamers — if the laptop is equipped with discrete graphics like NVIDIA GTX 1650, it can handle games from 2015–2020.

3. Owners of Older OS — for example, Windows 7/8.1, where drivers for new CPUs might be absent.

Important! For tasks involving video editing, 3D modeling, or machine learning, the i5-5350H is not suitable due to limited multithreading.


Battery Life: How Long Will the Battery Last?

Laptops with this processor typically came equipped with batteries rated at 45–60 Wh. By 2025, their capacity may have decreased by 20–30%, resulting in:

- 4–6 hours of web surfing at 50% brightness.

- 2–3 hours under load (gaming, rendering).

Power Saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep — dynamic frequency adjustment.

- C-states — disabling unused components.

- Windows Power Saver Mode — reducing performance to extend battery life.

Modern processors (e.g., AMD Ryzen 5 7540U) in similar conditions can operate 30–50% longer.


Comparison with Competitors: Who Performs Better?

Intel Core i5-1135G7 (Tiger Lake, 2020)

- 4 cores / 8 threads, 10nm process, TDP 15-28 W.

- 70% faster in multithreaded tasks, iGPU Iris Xe is 2.5x more powerful.

- New laptops — starting from $600.

AMD Ryzen 5 5500U (Zen 2, 2021)

- 6 cores / 12 threads, 7nm process, TDP 15 W.

- Suitable for video editing and gaming at medium settings.

- Price — starting from $500.

Apple M1 (2020)

- 8 cores (4+4), 5nm process, TDP 15 W.

- Performance is 3–4 times higher with half the power consumption.

- Laptops — starting from $800 (used — from $500).

Conclusion: The i5-5350H falls short even against budget models from 2023–2024.


Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Low cost of laptops (new models — $400–600).

- Compatibility with outdated software and OS.

- Reliability — a well-tested platform.

Weaknesses:

- Outdated architecture.

- High power consumption.

- Limited multithreading.


Recommendations for Laptop Selection

1. Type of Device:

- Budget Laptop — for example, Dell Inspiron 15 5559 (new old stock — around $450).

- Support for Discrete Graphics — look for models with NVIDIA MX150 or GTX 1050.

2. What to Pay Attention To:

- Cooling System — at least two fans.

- Battery — replacing the battery with a new one (cost — $50–80).

- Ports — USB-C with Power Delivery support for fast charging.


Final Conclusion: Who Is the i5-5350H Suitable For?

This processor should be considered only in two cases:

1. Very Limited Budget ($300–500) and the need for a basic laptop for internet and office work.

2. Specific Requirements — such as running legacy software that is incompatible with modern CPUs.

Key Benefits:

- Low price.

- Predictable performance in basic scenarios.

Alternative: If the budget allows $500–700, choose laptops with Ryzen 5 5500U or Core i3-1215U — they will last longer and not disappoint in the future.


Conclusion: The Intel Core i5-5350H in 2025 is a choice for those who value savings over progress. But remember: the $200 saved today may result in the need to replace the device within a year.

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.
i5-5350H
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).
2
Total Threads
?
Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.
4
Basic Frequency
3.10 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.
3.50 GHz
Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency
3.50 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
4 MB
CPU Socket
?
The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.
FCBGA1364
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
47 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.
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.
16
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 or 2x8 or 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.
DDR3L 1600/1866 LPDDR3 1600/1866
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.
2
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.
No

GPU Specifications

GPU Name
Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 6200
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
32 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
Max Resolution (VGA)
N/A
Number of Displays Supported
3
Graphics Output
?
Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.
eDP/DP/HDMI/VGA

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 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.
4 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 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