Intel Core i5-3230M vs Intel Core i5-8210Y vs Intel Core i5-10310Y

Intel Core i5-3230M

The Intel Core i5-3230M is a fast dual-core processor for laptops based on the Ivy Bridge architecture. Due to Hyperthreading, the two cores can handle up to four threads in parallel leading to better utilization of the CPU. Each core offers a base speed of 2.6 GHz but can dynamically increase clock rates with Turbo Boost up to 3.0 GHz (for 2 active cores) and 3.2 GHz (for 1 active core). As its Sandy-Bridge-based predecessors, it offers a 3 MB L3-Cache.

Ivy Bridge is an enhanced die shrink of the Sandy Bridge architecture with improvements on both GPU and CPU performance. The CPUs are produced in 22nm (versus 32nm Sandy Bridge CPUs) and are the first to introduce 3D transistors for increased energy efficiency when compared to similarly clocked Sandy Bridge processors. Other new features are integrated PCI Express 3.0 and  DDR3(L)-1600 support.

The performance of the Core i5-3230M is slightly above a similarly clocked Sandy Bridge processor due to the architectural improvements. As a result, overall performance is similar to the old i7-2620M.

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 offers 16 Execution Units (EUs) clocked at 650 MHz up to 1150 MHz with Turbo Boost, making it one of the faster variants.

Just like most other Ivy Bridge dual-cores, the i5-3230M is rated at a TDP of 35 W. Therefore, even smaller laptops can use the Core i5.

Intel Core i5-8210Y

The Intel Core i5-8210Y is a very efficient dual-core SoC for (passively) cooled notebooks based on the Amber Lake generation and was announced on 30th October 2018 with the new MacBook Air. The CPU consists of two processor cores clocked at 1.6 - 3.6 GHz and a TDP of 7 Watt. Thanks to Hyper Threading, the processor can execute up to four threads simultaneously. The chips also includes the Intel HD Graphics 617 GPU, a dual-channel memory controller (DDR3L/LPDDR3) as well as VP9 and H.265 video de- and encoder. Compared to the Kaby Lake-Y predecessors (e.g. Core i7-7Y75), Amber Lake uses the same architecture produced in the improved 14nm+ FinFET process (no 14nm++) but offers higher clock speeds at an increased TDP rating. The Core i5-8200Y is very similar when configured to 7 Watt (cTDP up) and offers even higher Turbo clocks, but a slightly slower GPU (-100 MHz).

Architecture

Intel basically used the familiar micro architecture from the Skylake / Kaby Lake generation, so the per-MHz performance is identical.

Performance

The performance of the Y series is highly depending on the cooling solution of the laptop / tablet and the TDP settings for sustained load. Therefore, the differences between a Core m3 and a i7 may be rather slim, if the thermals are very limited. The high Turbo clock speeds in Amber Lake should however lead to a very good single thread performance for short bursts.

Graphics

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 617 GPU has 24 Execution Units (EUs) like the old HD Graphics 515 and runs with clocks between 300 and 1050 MHz in combination with this processor. The performance heavily depends on the TDP limit as well as the memory configuration; with fast LPDDR3-1866 RAM in dual-channel mode, the GPU should sometimes be able to compete with the HD Graphics 520, but can also be much slower in other scenarios. Modern games from 2016 will, if at all, only run smoothly in the lowest settings.

Contrary to Skylake, Kaby Lake and Amber Lake now also supports hardware decoding for H.265/HEVC Main10 with a 10-bit color depth as well as Google's VP9 codec.

Power Consumption

The chip is manufactured in the 14 nm+ process with FinFET transistors. The typical TDP for the Amber Lake Y-series is specified at 5 Watts, but the i5-8210Y is specified at 7 Watt (for the MacBook Air).

Intel Core i5-10310Y

The Intel Core i5-10310Y is a extremely power efficient quad-core SoC for small laptops and tablets based on the Comet Lake (CML-Y) generation and was announced in August 2019. Compared to the similar Amber Lake processors (e.g. Core i7-8500Y), the only difference are two additional cores in the top models (except i3-10110Y). The processor cores are clocked between 1.1 and 4.1 GHz (all 4 cores 2.8 GHz max). Thanks to HyperThreading 8 threads can be used. Compared to the faster i7-10510Y, the level 3 cache is reduced to 6 MB and the clock rates are lower.

More information on Comet Lake and all the models and articles on it can be found here.

Performance

While we have not tested a single system built around the 10310Y as of August 2023, it's realistic to expect the chip to be about half as fast as the Core i5-10210U (Comet Lake, 4 cores, 8 threads, up to 4.2 GHz) in multi-thread workloads. Those 4 cores of the 10310Y are set to be very much constrained by the low TDP target leading to high DPC latencies and generally unresponsive system behaviour no matter the activity.

The integrated graphics adapter is still the same as in the previous generations. It should be still called Intel UHD Graphics 615 and clock from 300 - 1050 MHz in the i5. Furthermore, the SoC integrates a VP9 and H.265 de- and encoder.

The chip is now produced in the 14nm++ process (Amber Lake Y was 14nm+) but not 10nm like Ice Lake Y. The TDP is specified at 7 Watts but can be varied from 5.5 to 9 Watt from the manufacturer (cTDP up/down) resulting in different performance (especially Turbo durations).