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Intel Core i5-8210Y

Intel Core i5-8210Y: A Compact Processor for Mobility. Analysis in 2025

Overview of the capabilities and relevance of the processor years after its release

Architecture and Process Technology: 14 nm in the Era of 3 nm

The Intel Core i5-8210Y processor, released in 2018 and based on the Amber Lake Y microarchitecture, remains a niche solution for ultra-portable devices even in 2025. Its key features include:

- 2 cores, 4 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading;

- Base clock frequency of 1.6 GHz, turbo mode up to 3.6 GHz for a single core;

- Integrated graphics UHD 617 with a frequency of up to 1050 MHz;

- 14-nanometer process technology (for comparison, modern processors from Apple and AMD use 3-5 nm).

Despite the outdated process technology, 14 nm allowed Intel to maintain a low TDP (7 W) and eliminate the need for active cooling. However, in multitasking and energy efficiency, the i5-8210Y lags behind chips built on newer architectures — for instance, in Cinebench R23 tests, it is 30-40% slower than the quad-core AMD Ryzen 3 7320U (2023).

Power Consumption and TDP: A Balance Between Performance and Battery Life

The 7 W TDP is the processor's main advantage. This allows for:

- Integration of the chip into fanless devices (e.g., Microsoft Surface Go 3);

- Reducing heat to 60-70°C even under load;

- Using compact batteries (30-40 Wh) without compromising runtime.

However, the low TDP has a downside: under prolonged loads (e.g., video rendering), the processor's frequency drops to 2-2.4 GHz due to power constraints. This makes it unsuitable for professional tasks.

Performance: What Can the i5-8210Y Do in 2025?

Office Tasks

- Running Microsoft 365, browsing with 10-15 tabs, and messaging apps — no lags.

- A minimum of 8 GB RAM and SSD recommended (e.g., Samsung 980 256 GB).

Multimedia

- Watching 4K videos (YouTube, Netflix) — UHD 617 handles decoding via hardware codecs.

- Basic photo editing in Lightroom — acceptable, but exporting will take 2-3 times longer than on an Apple M1.

Gaming

- Only light projects: Minecraft (30-40 FPS on low settings), CS:GO (25-30 FPS, 720p), browser games.

- Incompatible with modern AAA titles (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077).

Turbo Mode

A brief "boost" to 3.6 GHz helps in scenarios such as:

- Opening "heavy" websites;

- Launching applications;

- PDF conversion.

However, after 10-15 seconds, the frequency drops to 2.4-2.8 GHz.

Use Cases: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

- Students — for lectures, text work, and Zoom meetings.

- Office Workers — email, Excel, presentations.

- Travelers — compact laptops like the Lenovo Yoga C630 (weighing from 1.2 kg).

Not Recommended For:

- Gamers — better to choose devices with Ryzen 5 7640U or Intel Core i5-1240U.

- Designers and programmers — lack of performance.

Battery Life: Up to 12 Hours Under Ideal Conditions

With a battery capacity of 40 Wh (e.g., HP Pavilion x360), the i5-8210Y provides:

- 8-10 hours of work under moderate use (50% brightness, Wi-Fi);

- Up to 12 hours in power-saving mode.

Energy-Saving Technologies:

- Intel Speed Shift — adaptive frequency switching;

- Panel Self Refresh — reduced load on the GPU during static images;

- Dynamic Tuning — AI optimization of load in real-time.

Comparison with Competitors: Who Is Ahead?

AMD Ryzen 3 7320U (2023)

- 4 cores / 8 threads;

- TDP 15 W, 6 nm;

- 45% faster in multi-threaded tasks;

- Downside: battery life is 15-20% lower.

Apple M1 (2020)

- 8 cores (4+4), 5 nm;

- 2-3 times higher performance;

- Price: laptops with M1 start from $900 (new), while devices with i5-8210Y start from $600.

Intel Core i5-1130G7 (2021)

- 4 cores / 8 threads, 10 nm;

- TDP 15 W;

- Best choice for those needing a balance between performance and battery life.

Pros and Cons of the i5-8210Y

Strengths:

- Low power consumption;

- Silent operation (passive cooling);

- Sufficient for basic tasks in 2025.

Weaknesses:

- Outdated 14 nm process;

- Weak multi-threaded performance;

- Limited upgrade potential (often soldered to the board).

Laptop Selection Recommendations

- Type of device: ultrabook or convertible (e.g., ASUS ZenBook 13 or Dell Inspiron 7391).

- What to check:

- Presence of SSD (not HDD!);

- Screen resolution of at least Full HD;

- USB-C ports with charging support;

- Weight up to 1.5 kg.

Average price in 2025: $600-800 for new models.

Final Conclusion: Who Is This Processor For?

The Intel Core i5-8210Y in 2025 is a choice for those who:

1. Value compactness and lightness;

2. Are not willing to pay more for "excess" performance;

3. Work primarily in office applications and browsers.

Key benefits:

- Affordable price;

- Rare charging (1-2 times a week under moderate use);

- Reliability of a proven platform.

If you need a laptop for the "future" or for demanding tasks, consider processors from Apple Silicon or AMD Ryzen 7000 series.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

January 2019

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.

i5-8210Y

Code Name

Amber Lake Y

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

1.60 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.

3.60 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.60 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.

FCBGA1515

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

7 W

Max. Operating Temperature

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

100

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.

1x4 | 2x2 | 1x2+2x1 and 4x1

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.

LPDDR3-2133 | DDR3L-1600

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

4 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).

33.3 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

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® UHD Graphics 617

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

4K Support

Yes | at 60Hz

DirectX Support

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

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

Number of Displays Supported

Graphics Output

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

eDP/DP/HDMI/DVI

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® Smart Cache

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 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.

4.5

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

950

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

1646

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

716

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1383

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1691

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2780

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Ryzen 5 3580U

1049 +10.4%

Core i7-6650U

1000 +5.3%

Core i5-8210Y

950

Core i7-4712HQ

898 -5.5%

EPYC 7282

857 -9.8%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

FX-9370

1974 +19.9%

Core i5-3450

1814 +10.2%

Core i5-8210Y

1646

Pentium Gold G5400

1508 -8.4%

Core i3-5020U

1340 -18.6%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i3-4360T

749 +4.6%

Pentium Silver N6005

735 +2.7%

Core i5-8210Y

716

Xeon E7-8880 v3

691 -3.5%

Celeron G3900T

673 -6%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i3-6100T

1534 +10.9%

Pentium G4600T

1460 +5.6%

Core i5-8210Y

1383

Core i3-3210

1310 -5.3%

Core i5-8200Y

1226 -11.4%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Xeon D-2166NT

1751 +3.5%

Xeon Silver 4114

1713 +1.3%

Core i5-8210Y

1691

A12-9800

1659 -1.9%

A6-9500

1627 -3.8%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i7-5557U

3081 +10.8%

Athlon X4 760K

2948 +6%

Core i5-8210Y

2780

Celeron G5900T

2620 -5.8%

Celeron 7305

2378 -14.5%