Home / Intel Core M / Intel Core m3-7Y30: Performance and Specs

Intel Core m3-7Y30

Intel Core m3-7Y30 in 2025: Is This Processor Worth Choosing for an Ultrabook?

Introduction

Even in 2025, Intel Core m3 processors remain popular in budget ultrabooks and compact devices. The Intel Core m3-7Y30, released back in 2017, is still found in new entry-level laptops. But how relevant is it? Let's explore who this chip is suitable for and what tasks it can perform.

1. Architecture and Process Technology: Kaby Lake in the Age of 3nm Technologies

The Intel Core m3-7Y30 is built on the Kaby Lake architecture (7th generation) with a 14nm process technology. It is a dual-core CPU with Hyper-Threading support, providing 4 threads. Clock speeds are as follows:

- Base: 1.0 GHz

- Turbo Boost: up to 2.6 GHz (during short bursts of load).

Integrated graphics – Intel HD Graphics 615 with 24 execution units (EU) and a clock speed of 300–900 MHz. This is a weak iGPU even by 2025 standards, but it is sufficient for basic tasks.

Architecture Features:

- Supports DDR3L/LPDDR3 and LPDDR4 (up to 16 GB of RAM);

- 4 MB of L3 cache;

- Intel Speed Shift and Quick Sync Video technologies for rapid frequency switching and video decoding.

2. Power Consumption and TDP: Why is 4.5W an Advantage?

The processor's TDP is 4.5W, which allows for passive cooling. This is a key reason why the m3-7Y30 is still found in ultra-thin laptops:

- Low heat generation = silent operation;

- Ability to create devices less than 1 cm thick.

Energy-saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep – dynamic voltage and frequency management;

- C-States – reduced power consumption during idle;

- "Fanless" mode – no fan saves battery charge.

3. Performance: What Can You Do with the Core m3-7Y30?

Geekbench 6 (2025 test):

- Single-Core: 768;

- Multi-Core: 1481.

Real-World Scenarios:

- Office Work: Google Docs, Excel, Zoom – no issues. However, simultaneous running of 10+ tabs in Chrome may lead to lag.

- Multimedia: 4K video playback (thanks to VP9 and H.265 decoding). Editing in DaVinci Resolve is only suitable for short 1080p clips.

- Gaming: Only light projects – Minecraft (30–40 FPS on minimum settings), Stardew Valley, older games like Half-Life 2.

Turbo Boost: In turbo mode, the processor speeds up to 2.6 GHz, but only for 10–15 seconds. This is inefficient for prolonged loads (such as rendering).

4. Use Cases: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

- Students – for lectures, text work, and web surfing.

- Office Workers – if heavy software like AutoCAD is not needed.

- Users on-the-go – compact laptops with 8–10 hours of battery life.

Not Suitable For:

- Gamers;

- Video Editors;

- Programmers working with Docker or virtualization.

5. Battery Life: How Does TDP Affect Runtime?

Laptops with the Core m3-7Y30 are equipped with batteries ranging from 35–45 Wh. In real-world conditions, this results in:

- 8–10 hours when working with documents;

- 5–6 hours during streaming (YouTube, Netflix).

Tip: For maximum battery life, choose models with Full HD IPS screens (not 4K) and SSDs with 256 GB or more.

6. Comparison with Competitors: What Do AMD and Apple Offer?

- AMD Athlon Silver 7120U (2024, 4 cores, 4.5W): Better in multi-threaded tasks (Geekbench 6 Multi-Core ~1800), but pricier ($400–$500).

- Apple M1 (2020): 2–3 times higher performance, but M1 laptops start at $700.

- Intel Core i3-1215U (2024, 6 cores, 15W): More powerful in multitasking but requires active cooling.

Conclusion: The Core m3-7Y30 falls behind modern alternatives but wins on price. New laptops with this CPU cost $300–$400.

7. Pros and Cons: When to Choose and When to Pass?

Strengths:

- Low power consumption;

- Silent operation;

- Affordable price.

Weaknesses:

- Weak multi-threaded performance;

- Outdated architecture (no support for PCIe 4.0, Thunderbolt 4);

- Limited upgrade options (memory is often soldered).

8. Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

Types of Devices:

- Ultrabooks: For example, Chuwi Minibook X (2025) – 8.9” screen, weight 800g, price $350.

- Hybrid Laptops: HP Pavilion x360 11-inch (price $400) with a touchscreen.

Things to Consider:

- RAM Size: At least 8 GB (preferably 16 GB for Windows 11);

- Storage Type: Only SSD (256 GB and above);

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

9. Final Conclusion: Who Is the Core m3-7Y30 Suitable For?

This processor is a choice for those who value portability and battery life but are not willing to pay for modern chips like the Apple M2 or Intel Core i3-N300. It is suitable for:

- Working with texts and spreadsheets;

- Watching movies and video calls;

- Using while on the move (lightweight, no fan).

Key Benefits:

- Laptops with the Core m3-7Y30 are the most affordable in the ultrabook category (starting from $300);

- Battery life is sufficient for a full workday.

If your budget is tight and your tasks are simple, this is a worthy option. However, for future-proof solutions, it's better to consider processors from 2024-2025.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

July 2016

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.

M3-7Y30

Code Name

Kaby Lake

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

1.00 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.

2.60 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

2.60 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

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

GPU Name

Intel® HD Graphics 615

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

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

768

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

1481

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

596

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1223

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1384

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2579

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

EPYC 7351P

889 +15.8%

Xeon E3-1290

833 +8.5%

Core m3-7Y30

768

Xeon E5-2608L v3

709 -7.7%

Celeron G5900TE

659 -14.2%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Opteron 3380

1773 +19.7%

FX-6350

1626 +9.8%

Core m3-7Y30

1481

A10-7890K

1314 -11.3%

Athlon X4 840

1156 -21.9%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

EPYC Embedded 3351

643 +7.9%

Celeron N5100

617 +3.5%

Core m3-7Y30

596

Xeon E7-4830 v4

577 -3.2%

Pentium G2140

559 -6.2%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Pentium Gold G5500T

1383 +13.1%

Athlon X4 740

1310 +7.1%

Core m3-7Y30

1223

PRO A10-8750B

1142 -6.6%

Xeon E5-2680 v2

1066 -12.8%

Passmark CPU Single Core

FX-770K

1442 +4.2%

Xeon E5-2630L v2

1418 +2.5%

Core m3-7Y30

1384

3015Ce

1341 -3.1%

Core i3-7102E

1292 -6.6%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

FX-770K

2915 +13%

Core i3-7100U

2721 +5.5%

Core m3-7Y30

2579

Celeron G3920

2358 -8.6%

Pentium G3440

2224 -13.8%