Home / Intel Core i5 / Intel Core i5-5575R: Performance and Specs

Intel Core i5-5575R

Intel Core i5-5575R: Review of an Outdated Yet Still Useful Processor for Budget Systems (April 2025)

Introduction

The Intel Core i5-5575R processor, released in 2015, is part of the Broadwell lineup — the last generation before Intel transitioned to the Skylake architecture. Despite its age, it continues to appear in budget builds and pre-built systems in 2025. Let’s explore who might still benefit from it today, as well as assess its strengths and weaknesses.

1. Key Specifications

Architecture and Process Technology

The Core i5-5575R is built on the Broadwell microarchitecture using a 14 nm process. It is a 4-core processor without Hyper-Threading support, which limits its multi-threaded performance. The base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with a maximum turbo frequency of 3.3 GHz.

Key Features:

- Iris Pro Graphics 6200 — integrated graphics with eDRAM (128 MB), which at the time outperformed comparable solutions from AMD and Intel.

- TDP 65 W — moderate power consumption suitable for compact PCs.

- 4 MB L3 cache — standard amount for mid-range processors of its era.

Performance:

- Geekbench 6: 1115 (single-core), 3402 (multi-core). For 2025, these are low scores. For example, a modern Ryzen 3 7300 (Zen 4) scores around ~2200 in single-core tests.

2. Compatible Motherboards

Socket and Chipsets

The processor uses the BGA1364 socket, which denotes its non-removable installation on the motherboard. This limits upgrades, as replacing the CPU without changing the motherboard is not possible.

Supported Chipsets:

- Intel HM86, HM87, QM87 — for mobile solutions (often found in mini-PCs and compact systems).

- Desktop motherboards: Rarely encountered, as Broadwell-R was aimed at embedded systems and pre-built PCs.

Examples of Motherboards:

- Intel NUC5i5RYK — a popular mini-PC featuring this processor.

- Pre-built solutions from Dell, HP, Lenovo (for instance, Dell OptiPlex 7040 Micro).

3. Supported Memory Types

The processor works with DDR3L-1600/1866 MHz and DDR3L-RS 1600/1866 MHz (for mobile systems), as well as DDR4-2133 MHz.

- Maximum Capacity: 32 GB (depends on the motherboard).

- Important: In 2025, DDR4 is outdated but still available. DDR5 is not supported.

Tip: Use a dual-channel configuration (2x8 GB DDR4) to enhance the performance of the integrated graphics.

4. Power Supply Recommendations

With a TDP of 65 W and no discrete graphics card, a 300-400 W power supply is sufficient.

- Examples:

- Be Quiet! System Power 10 400W ($45) — a reliable option for office builds.

- If a graphics card (e.g., GTX 1650) is planned, choose a PSU of 450-500 W (Corsair CX550, $60).

Important: Modern GPUs often require additional power connectors, which may be absent in older power supplies.

5. Pros and Cons

Advantages:

- Energy Efficiency: Suitable for quiet and compact systems.

- Good Integrated Graphics: The Iris Pro 6200 handles Full HD video and light gaming (e.g., Dota 2 on low settings).

- Low Cost: Available in the second-hand market (starting from $20) — cheaper than many modern equivalents.

Disadvantages:

- Outdated Architecture: Lacks support for AVX-512, PCIe 4.0, USB 3.2 Gen 2.

- Limited Performance: Modern applications (Photoshop 2025, Blender) will run slowly.

- Upgrade Issues: The BGA socket makes CPU replacement impossible.

6. Use Cases

Office Tasks

- Working with documents, browsing, video conferencing. Example: build based on Intel NUC5i5RYK + 16 GB DDR4 + SSD.

Multimedia

- Watching 4K video (with hardware decoding support), streaming.

Light Gaming

- Playing CS:GO, Minecraft, Overwatch (on low settings, 720-1080p).

Not Suitable For:

- Modern AAA games (Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield).

- Video editing, 3D rendering.

7. Comparison with Competitors

Intel Core i3-13100 (2025, $120):

- 4 cores + 8 threads, Geekbench 6: ~1800/6000.

- Support for DDR5, PCIe 5.0.

AMD Ryzen 3 7300 (Zen 4, $100):

- 4 cores/8 threads, Geekbench 6: ~2200/6500.

- Integrated graphics Radeon 740M (stronger than Iris Pro 6200).

Conclusion: The i5-5575R falls short even against budget newcomers of 2025.

8. Practical Assembly Tips

- Where to Buy: Only in the second-hand market (eBay, local platforms). New motherboards with this CPU are no longer produced.

- Optimal Configuration:

- Motherboard: Pre-built system (for example, used Intel NUC).

- Memory: 16 GB DDR4 (2x8 GB).

- Storage: NVMe SSD (if supported) or SATA.

- Cooling: The stock cooler is sufficient due to the low TDP.

9. Final Conclusion: Who is the i5-5575R Suitable For?

This processor should be considered only in two cases:

1. Budget build for basic tasks: If you have an existing system (like a mini-PC) and want to save costs.

2. Upgrade of an old PC: Replacing an outdated CPU within an existing platform.

Reasons to avoid it in 2025:

- Even new budget processors (Ryzen 3, Core i3) offer 3-4 times higher performance for $100-150.

- Lack of support for modern standards (DDR5, PCIe 4.0) limits build flexibility.

Conclusion

The Intel Core i5-5575R is a relic of the past, still useful in offices or media centers. However, for new systems, it’s better to opt for modern solutions: they are not only faster but also provide more future-proofing.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

May 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.

i5-5575R

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).

Basic Frequency

2.80 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.

3.30 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.30 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

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

65 W

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.

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.

Up to 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.

DDR3L-1333/1600/1866 @ 1.5V

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).

29.86 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® 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

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@24Hz

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 (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.

3840x2160@60Hz

Max Resolution (VGA)

1920x1200@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

Graphics Output

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

eDP/DP/HDMI/DVI/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 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.

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 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 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

1115

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

3402

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

827

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

2859

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2097

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

5069

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i7-6700T

1185 +6.3%

Xeon E5-2690 v4

1156 +3.7%

Core i5-5575R

1115

Athlon Gold PRO 3150G

1080 -3.1%

Core i5-6500T

1035 -7.2%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i3-9100E

3868 +13.7%

Xeon E3-1225

3621 +6.4%

Core i5-5575R

3402

Xeon X5672

3175 -6.7%

Ryzen 5 2600H

2988 -12.2%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Xeon Platinum 8260

864 +4.5%

Xeon Gold 5220S

848 +2.5%

Core i5-5575R

827

Xeon E5-2687W

811 -1.9%

Xeon Gold 5318Y

796 -3.7%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Ryzen 3 1300X

3150 +10.2%

Core i5-10200H

3015 +5.5%

Core i5-5575R

2859

Xeon E5640

2726 -4.7%

Core i5-4570S

2607 -8.8%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Xeon E3-1245 v3

2147 +2.4%

Xeon E3-1225 v5

2122 +1.2%

Core i5-5575R

2097

Xeon E3-1265L v4

2073 -1.1%

Core i5-3570K

2047 -2.4%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Xeon D-1521

5657 +11.6%

Pentium Silver N6005

5363 +5.8%

Core i5-5575R

5069

Xeon E5-2603

4695 -7.4%

Xeon E5-2609 v3

4444 -12.3%