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Intel Core m3-6Y30

Intel Core m3-6Y30: Compact Power for Mobile Tasks

Analysis of a 2015 Processor in the Context of 2025

Architecture and Process Technology: A Foundation for Ultraportability

The Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor, released in 2015, became part of the lineup designed for ultrabooks and hybrid devices. Its Skylake architecture, built on a 14-nm process, allowed for reduced power consumption without significant loss of performance.

- Cores and Threads: 2 cores and 4 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. Base frequency is 900 MHz, with a maximum in turbo mode of 2.2 GHz.

- Integrated Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 with 24 execution units and a frequency of up to 850 MHz. Supports 4K through DisplayPort and HDMI.

- Features: The chip is optimized for passive cooling, making devices thinner (up to 9 mm) and quieter. AVX2 instruction support enhances media content processing.

Despite its age, in 2025, such processors are still found in budget ultrabooks where battery life is prioritized over raw performance.

Power Consumption and TDP: Balancing Power and Efficiency

The 4.5 W TDP is a key feature of the Core m3-6Y30. This has enabled the creation of fanless laptops, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 line.

- Thermal Profile: Under load, the chip briefly consumes up to 7 W but quickly returns to base values to avoid overheating.

- Comparison with Peers: 2015 counterparts, such as the AMD A6-8500P (15 W), lagged in energy efficiency but excelled in multi-threaded tasks.

For 2025, a 4.5 W TDP is modest (new Intel Core Ultra U-series have a TDP of 9–15 W), but it is sufficient for basic tasks.

Performance: What Can the Core m3-6Y30 Do in 2025?

Evaluation through the lens of modern demands:

- Office Tasks: Working with browsers (10+ tabs), Google Docs, or Microsoft 365 documents—the processor can handle it, but there may be lags when running Zoom simultaneously.

- Multimedia: Streaming 4K video (YouTube, Netflix) without lags. Photo editing in Lightroom—only basic adjustments.

- Gaming: CS:GO on low settings yields 25–30 FPS; Minecraft reaches 40–45 FPS. Modern AAA titles (Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield) are not accessible.

- Turbo Boost: In turbo mode, the frequency rises to 2.2 GHz but only for 10–15 seconds. For example, it helps quickly open a "heavy" PDF or launch an application.

Geekbench 6 (693/1364) shows that the chip even falls behind budget processors from 2025, like the Intel N100 (1100/3200), but it is sufficient for web surfing and text work.

Use Scenarios: Who is This Processor Suitable For?

1. Students: For lectures, writing essays, and watching classes.

2. Office Workers: Dealing with emails, spreadsheets, and presentations.

3. Travelers: Lightweight laptops under 1 kg (e.g., ASUS ZenBook UX305) with battery life of 8–10 hours.

Not Suitable For: Gamers, video editors, engineers working in CAD.

Battery Life: How Does 4.5 W TDP Affect Operating Time?

Laptops with the Core m3-6Y30 were equipped with 35–45 Wh batteries, providing:

- 10–12 hours of web surfing (brightness 50%, Wi-Fi).

- 6–8 hours of video playback.

Power-Saving Technologies:

- Speed Shift: Dynamic frequency management to reduce latency.

- C-states: Putting unused cores into a "sleep mode."

In 2025, even budget processors (like Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3) offer up to 20 hours of battery life, but devices with the Core m3-6Y30 remain relevant due to their low price.

Comparison with Competitors: Who Was Stronger?

- Intel Core i5-7200U (2016): 2 cores/4 threads, TDP 15 W, Geekbench 6 ~900/1800. More powerful, but requires active cooling.

- AMD A9-9410 (2016): 2 cores, TDP 15 W, Radeon R5 Graphics. Better for gaming, but battery life is 30% lower.

- Apple M1 (2020): Comparison is not fair due to differences in architecture, but M1 is 5–7 times faster.

Conclusion: In its class (4.5 W), the Core m3-6Y30 was optimal, but by 2025, it is outdated even against Intel Alder Lake-Y (2022).

Pros and Cons: Is It Worth Getting in 2025?

Pros:

- Silent operation (no fan).

- Affordable price: laptops starting at $400 (new, e.g., Chuwi Minibook X).

- Support for Windows 11 (requires TPM 2.0, but some models have it).

Cons:

- Weak for multitasking.

- No support for Wi-Fi 6 or Thunderbolt 4.

- Limited upgradeability: RAM and SSD are often soldered.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

1. Device Type: Ultrabooks (Dell XPS 12), convertibles (Lenovo Yoga 710).

2. Memory: At least 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD.

3. Screen: IPS display with a resolution of 1920×1080.

4. Ports: USB-C with charging support, HDMI for projectors.

Examples of 2025 Models:

- HP Pavilion 11 x360: $550, 8 GB/256 GB, touchscreen.

- ASUS VivoBook Flip 14: $500, 12-hour battery life.

Final Conclusion: Who is the Core m3-6Y30 For?

This processor is suitable for those who:

- Seek an ultra-light and quiet laptop.

- Do not plan to run "heavy" applications.

- Have a budget constraint ($400–$600).

Key Benefits: battery life, portability, price. However, in 2025, it is better to consider it as a temporary solution or a secondary device for travel. For serious work, consider Intel Core Ultra 5 125U or Apple M3 processors.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

July 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.

M3-6Y30

Code Name

SkyLake

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

900 MHz

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.

2.20 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

2.20 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

4.5 W

Max. Operating Temperature

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

100°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.

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.

LPDDR3-1866 | 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).

29.8 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® HD Graphics 515

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.

850 MHz

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

Max Resolution (VGA)

N/A

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 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.

4.5

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

693

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

1364

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

487

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1096

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1179

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2169

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Ryzen 7 2700U

811 +17%

Core i7-7820EQ

746 +7.6%

Core m3-6Y30

693

Core i3-6167U

647 -6.6%

Celeron G4900

611 -11.8%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Athlon X4 970

1676 +22.9%

Core i3-5157U

1519 +11.4%

Core m3-6Y30

1364

Core i7-2635QM

1190 -12.8%

Core i7-2640M

1066 -21.8%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Xeon E5-4660 v4

514 +5.5%

Xeon E5-2609 v3

499 +2.5%

Core m3-6Y30

487

Celeron G1620T

469 -3.7%

Pentium 4405U

450 -7.6%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon E3-1265L v3

1266 +15.5%

Core i5-3230M

1175 +7.2%

Core m3-6Y30

1096

Core i5-2415M

1036 -5.5%

Celeron 3955U

934 -14.8%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i3-3130M

1285 +9%

Core i7-2630QM

1226 +4%

Core m3-6Y30

1179

Core M-5Y10

1119 -5.1%

A4-3400

1078 -8.6%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i5-3210M

2471 +13.9%

A10-6700T

2299 +6%

Core m3-6Y30

2169

Core i5-2430M

2002 -7.7%

Core i5-2510E

1889 -12.9%