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Intel Pentium 3825U

Intel Pentium 3825U: A Budget Processor for Everyday Tasks

Analysis of Capabilities and Relevance in 2025

Architecture and Technology Process: The Foundation of Broadwell

The Intel Pentium 3825U processor, released in 2015, is based on the Broadwell microarchitecture (5th generation Intel Core) and is manufactured using a 14nm process technology. It was one of the first Intel chips to implement 14nm technology, which reduced energy consumption without a significant loss in performance.

Key Specifications:

- Cores and Threads: 2 cores, 4 threads (thanks to Hyper-Threading).

- Clock Speeds: Base clock of 1.9 GHz, maximum turbo boost of 2.5 GHz.

- Cache: L3 cache of 2 MB, which is modest even for its time, but sufficient for light tasks.

- iGPU: Intel HD Graphics (Broadwell GT1) with 12 execution units (EUs) and a frequency of up to 850 MHz. Supports DirectX 11.2 and 4K@60 Hz resolution (via DisplayPort).

Architecture Features:

- Energy Efficiency: The 14nm process technology and TDP of 15W make it ideal for ultrabooks.

- Outdated Technologies: Lack of support for AVX2 and modern AI instructions (e.g., DL Boost) limits its use in machine learning tasks.

Power Consumption and TDP: A Balance Between Performance and Autonomy

A TDP of 15W indicates that this processor is designed for passive or low-power active cooling. This means:

- Pros: Laptops with this CPU are slim (up to 18 mm) and lightweight (1.2–1.5 kg).

- Cons: Extended loads (e.g., video rendering) can lead to throttling — a drop in frequency due to overheating.

Power-Saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep: Dynamically adjusts frequency based on load.

- C-states: Powers down unused cores to conserve charge.

Performance: What Can the Pentium 3825U Do in 2025?

Geekbench 6 Scores:

- Single-Core: 296 — comparable to the Intel Core i3-5005U (2015).

- Multi-Core: 580 — weaker than budget AMD Ryzen 3 5300U (2020), which scores around 1200 points.

Real-World Scenarios:

1. Office Work:

- Google Docs, Excel, a browser with 10+ tabs — works comfortably, but slowdowns may occur when running Zoom simultaneously.

- Tip: Close background applications.

2. Multimedia:

- Playing 4K video (via YouTube or local files) — manages well if hardware decoding is used.

- Photo editing in Lightroom — slow but possible for basic corrections.

3. Gaming:

- Older games: Minecraft (30–40 FPS on low settings), CS:GO (25–30 FPS).

- Cloud gaming (GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud) — an optimal option for modern titles.

Turbo Boost Mode:

- Temporary boost to 2.5 GHz helps with "bursty" loads (e.g., opening a heavy PDF), but is ineffective for prolonged tasks (video conversion).

Usage Scenarios: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

- Students: For studies (typing, presentations, online courses).

- Office Workers: Document and email handling.

- Casual Users: Social media, music/video streaming.

- Not Suitable For: Gamers, video editors, engineers (CAD, 3D modeling).

Battery Life: How Long Will the Laptop Last?

Average battery life for devices with the Pentium 3825U is 6–8 hours under:

- Screen brightness of 150 nits.

- Active use of browser and office applications.

Factors That Reduce Battery Life:

- Running Chrome with 20+ tabs.

- Connecting external devices (HDD, USB gadgets).

Tip: Choose laptops with a battery of at least 45 Wh (e.g., Acer Aspire 5) — they retain a charge even after 2–3 years of use.

Comparison with Competitors

1. AMD A6-9220 (2017):

- Pros: Better graphics (Radeon R4).

- Cons: Higher power consumption (TDP 15W, but actual usage can reach 25W).

2. Intel Celeron N5100 (2021):

- Pros: Support for AVX2, modern 10nm technology.

- Cons: More expensive (laptops from $350).

3. Apple M1 (2020):

- A clear leader in performance and battery life, but starts at $999.

Conclusion: The Pentium 3825U remains relevant only in the budget segment (under $300), where alternatives are used devices or Chromebooks.

Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Low cost of laptops (new models range from $250–$350).

- Sufficient performance for basic tasks.

- Compactness and quiet operation (fanless in some models).

Weaknesses:

- Outdated architecture: lags behind even budget processors of the 2020s.

- Limited multitasking: "hangs" when running several heavy applications simultaneously.

- Weak graphics: inability to game comfortably.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

1. Type of Device:

- Ultrabook: For example, Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 — weighs 1.4 kg, portable.

- Budget Laptop: HP 15-dw2000 — 15.6" display, HDD + SSD slot.

2. What to Look For:

- RAM: At least 8 GB (DDR3L).

- Storage: Ensure it has an SSD (even 128 GB is enough for the OS).

- Screen: IPS panel with a resolution of 1920×1080.

3. What to Avoid:

- Versions with HDD instead of SSD.

- Models without support for Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac).

Final Conclusion: Who Is the Pentium 3825U For?

This processor is suitable for those who:

- Are looking for the cheapest new laptop for basic tasks.

- Do not plan to run "heavy" programs or games.

- Value battery life and portability.

Key Benefits:

- Price under $350.

- Adequate performance for 80% of everyday tasks.

- Upgrade potential (add SSD or RAM).

Alternative: If your budget allows $400–500, it's better to choose a laptop with Intel Core i3-1215U or AMD Ryzen 3 7320U — they will last longer and not disappoint in performance.

This article is relevant as of April 2025. Prices are listed for new devices in the USA.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

March 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.

3825U

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

1.90 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.

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

2 MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCBGA1168

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

15 W

Max. Operating Temperature

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

105°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.

4x1 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 LPDDR3 1333/1600

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

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).

25.6 GB/s

GPU Specifications

GPU Name

Intel® HD Graphics for 5th Generation Intel® Processors

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

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

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

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.

2 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.

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.

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

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

296

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

580

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

372

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

820

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1091

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

1365

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Pentium G645T

381 +28.7%

Celeron J4105

346 +16.9%

Pentium 3825U

296

Celeron G5905T

246 -16.9%

Celeron N2806

149 -49.7%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

A10-5757M

796 +37.2%

Celeron G1610T

674 +16.2%

Pentium 3825U

580

Celeron 1017U

476 -17.9%

Celeron G440

287 -50.5%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

PRO A10-8750B

433 +16.4%

Core i7-2635QM

411 +10.5%

Pentium 3825U

372

A8-5557M

343 -7.8%

Opteron 6262 HE

303 -18.5%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i3-5020U

976 +19%

EPYC 7551P

879 +7.2%

Pentium 3825U

820

A6-5200

729 -11.1%

Pentium B960

626 -23.7%

Passmark CPU Single Core

A8-3870K

1200 +10%

Xeon E5-2440 v2

1139 +4.4%

Pentium 3825U

1091

A8-5550M

1039 -4.8%

Xeon E5-2403

991 -9.2%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

A10-4655M

1655 +21.2%

Celeron G1610

1514 +10.9%

Pentium 3825U

1365

A4-5300B

1248 -8.6%

Opteron 2220

1106 -19%