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Intel Core M-5Y71

Intel Core M-5Y71: An Ultra-portable Processor for Those Who Value Mobility

(Relevance Analysis in 2025)

The Intel Core M series processors, released in 2014-2015, were revolutionary for their time due to their combination of low power consumption and sufficient performance for thin laptops. A prominent representative is the Intel Core M-5Y71 based on the Broadwell microarchitecture. Despite its age, these chips are still found in used devices, and some new niche models (for instance, for educational institutions) may utilize them due to their availability. Let's explore who might find this processor interesting in 2025 and what compromises it offers.

Architecture and Manufacturing Process: 14 nm, Two Cores, and Modest iGPU

Broadwell Code, 14 nm, 2 Cores / 4 Threads

The Core M-5Y71 is built on the Broadwell microarchitecture (5th generation Intel Core). It is Intel's first 14 nm manufacturing process, which allowed for reduced power consumption and improved transistor density. The processor has 2 cores with Hyper-Threading (4 threads), a base clock speed of 1.2 GHz, and Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz. The integrated graphics is the Intel HD Graphics 5300, featuring 24 execution units and a frequency of up to 900 MHz.

Architecture Features:

- Emphasis on energy efficiency: the cores are optimized for low TDP (4.5 W).

- Passive cooling: The absence of a fan makes devices thinner (e.g., early MacBook 12").

- Support for technologies: AVX2, Quick Sync Video for 4K decoding, but lacking support for modern standards like PCIe 4.0 or DDR5.

TDP 4.5 W: Silent Operation, but Limited Boost

The TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 4.5 W is a key feature of the Core M-5Y71. This allows for the creation of fanless laptops, such as the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro or Dell XPS 12 (2015). However, the low TDP limits the duration of Turbo Boost. For example, under load across both cores, the frequency may drop to 2.0–2.4 GHz due to overheating, even in well-designed casings.

Example Thermal Behavior:

- Short-term load (opening a browser): frequency rises to 2.9 GHz.

- Long-term load (PDF rendering): frequency stabilizes at 1.6–1.8 GHz.

Performance: Office Yes, Gaming No

Geekbench 6: 667 (Single-Core), 1125 (Multi-Core)

By 2025, these scores lag behind even budget processors like the Intel Celeron N5100 (around 800/1800). However, for basic tasks, the Core M-5Y71 remains functional:

- Office applications: Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, PDF work.

- Multimedia: 4K video playback (thanks to the Quick Sync decoder), but editing in DaVinci Resolve is impossible.

- Gaming: Only older or lightweight games (e.g., Minecraft at low settings achieves 25–30 FPS).

Turbo Boost Mode: The short-term boost to 2.9 GHz aids in "bursty" tasks, such as loading a heavy webpage.

Use Cases: Who Is the Core M-5Y71 Relevant for in 2025?

1. Secondary Market: Used ultrabooks (price $150–$250) — an option for students or as a temporary solution.

2. Specialized Equipment: Terminals, information kiosks where silence is crucial.

3. Office Tasks: Document work, Zoom conferences (but no background filters).

Who It’s Not Suitable For:

- Gamers and video editors.

- Users of modern OS with heavy updates (for example, Windows 11 requires more resources).

Battery Life: Up to 8 Hours — But Only with a New Battery

With a battery capacity of 40–50 Wh, laptops with the Core M-5Y71 in 2015 provided 7-9 hours of operation. By 2025, battery wear reduces this time to 3-5 hours.

Power-saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep: Dynamic frequency adjustment.

- Panel Self-Refresh: Reduces GPU load when displaying static images.

- C-States: Disabling unused cores.

Tip: Replacing the battery and using Linux (e.g., Ubuntu Lite) can extend battery life.

Comparison with Competitors: What Were Compromised in 2015?

- AMD A6-8500P (2015): Better graphics (Radeon R5) but TDP of 15 W and heating.

- Apple M1 (2020): A revolution in energy efficiency — 3-4 times the performance at similar TDP.

- Intel Core i5-5200U (2015): 15 W TDP, but stable frequency of 2.7 GHz and higher multithreading.

Conclusion: The Core M-5Y71 lagged behind even its contemporaries in performance but excelled in portability.

Pros and Cons in 2025

Strengths:

- Passive cooling — perfect for quiet devices.

- Sufficient performance for Linux and lightweight OS.

- Low cost of used devices.

Weaknesses:

- Outdated technical support: no security updates for the chipset.

- Weak multithreading.

- No support for USB 3.2, Wi-Fi 6.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

If you are considering a device with the Core M-5Y71 in 2025:

1. Device Type: Ultrabook with SSD (minimum 256 GB) and 8 GB RAM.

2. Check the Battery: Replace if capacity is below 70%.

3. Operating System: Choose Linux (Lubuntu, Xubuntu) or Windows 10 LTSC.

4. Price: Don't overpay — new budget laptops (e.g., based on Intel N100) cost $300–$400 and are more powerful.

Examples of Models from 2015-2016:

- Asus ZenBook UX305

- HP Spectre x2

- Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (partially).

Final Conclusion: Who Is the Core M-5Y71 Still Relevant For?

This processor is suitable for those who:

- Seek the cheapest laptop for text tasks.

- Value silence and compactness.

- Are willing to accept limitations in exchange for a price under $200.

Key Benefit: Ultra-portability and "nostalgic" reliability of devices from the peak era of ultrabooks. However, for most users in 2025, it’s better to focus on modern Intel Alder Lake-N or AMD Mendocino processors, which offer a better price-to-performance ratio.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

October 2014

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.

5Y71

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

1.20 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.

2.90 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

2.90 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.

FCBGA1234

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

4.5 W

Max. Operating Temperature

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

95 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.

x1 (6) | x2 (4) | x4 (3)

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 1333/1600; DDR3L/DDR3L-RS 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.

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 5300

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.

900 MHz

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.

2560x1600@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.

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 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

667

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

1125

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

626

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1096

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1276

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2025

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i5-5200U

778 +16.6%

Celeron G5905

724 +8.5%

Core M-5Y71

667

Core i7-3540M

634 -4.9%

Pentium G4560T

593 -11.1%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Pentium Gold G5620

1456 +29.4%

Celeron G5900

1271 +13%

Core M-5Y71

1125

Pentium G3260T

1020 -9.3%

A8-7670K

923 -18%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i3-4160T

672 +7.3%

Core i5-3450S

649 +3.7%

Core M-5Y71

626

Xeon Silver 4116T

601 -4%

Celeron G3900TE

582 -7%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i7-2640M

1256 +14.6%

Athlon Silver 3050U

1173 +7%

Core M-5Y71

1096

Core i3-3110M

1024 -6.6%

Pentium G2010

930 -15.1%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Athlon X4 740

1368 +7.2%

Core i3-7020U

1323 +3.7%

Core M-5Y71

1276

A4-4020

1220 -4.4%

Core i5-480M

1167 -8.5%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i7-3517U

2320 +14.6%

Core i3-2105

2193 +8.3%

Core M-5Y71

2025

Core M-5Y10

1906 -5.9%

Celeron 3965U

1743 -13.9%