Intel Core m5-6Y54 vs Intel Core i5-7200U vs Intel Core m3-7Y30

Intel Core m5-6Y54

The Intel Core m5-6Y54 is a very power efficient dual-core SoC based on the Skylake architecture and has been launched in September 2015. Thanks to its extremely low TDP, the CPU can be found in passively cooled tablets and 2-in-1 notebooks. In addition to two CPU cores with Hyper-Threading clocked at 1.1 - 2.7 GHz (2 cores: max. 2.4 GHz), the chip also integrates an HD Graphics 515 GPU and a dual-channel LPDDR3-1866/DDR3L-1600 memory controller. The chip is manufactured using a 14 nm process with FinFET transistors.

Architecture

Skylake replaces both Haswell and Broadwell and brings the same microarchitecture in every TDP class from 4.5 to 45 W. The extensive improvements of the Skylake design include increased out-of-order buffers, optimized prefetching and branch prediction as well as additional performance gains through Hyper-Threading. Overall, however, performance per clock has been increased by only 5 to 10 percent (compared to Haswell) respectively under 5 percent (compard to Broadwell), which is quite modest for a new architecture ("Tock").

Performance

Actual performance of the Core m5-6Y54 greatly depends on cooling capabilities and TDP configuration of the related device. While the CPU may be almost similar to a Core i5-6200U (Skylake, 15 W) in short benchmarks, its performance will fall short of a Core i3-6100U under continuous full load. Overall, the chip has sufficient power for office and multimedia purposes as well as somewhat more demanding applications.

Graphics

The integrated graphics unit called HD Graphics 515 represents the "GT2" version of the Skylake GPU (Intel Gen. 9). The 24 Execution Units, also called EUs, are clocked at 300 - 900 MHz (limited by available TDP headroom) and offer a performance somewhere in range of the old HD Graphics 4400 (Haswell, 15 W). Only a few games of 2015 can be played smoothly in lowest settings. For more information about performance and features, check our page for the HD Graphics 515.

Power Consumption

Specified at a TDP of 4.5 W (including CPU, GPU and memory controller), the CPU is suited for passively cooled notebooks and tablets. Optionally, the TDP can be lowered to 3.5 watts (cTDP down) or raised to 7 watts (cTDP up), affecting both heat dissipation and performance.

Intel Core i5-7200U

The Intel Core i5-7200U is a dual-core processor of the Kaby Lake architecture. It offers two CPU cores clocked at 2.5 - 3.1 GHz and integrates HyperThreading to work with up to 4 threads at once. The architectural differences are rather small compared to the Skylake generation, therefore the performance per MHz is very similar. The SoC includes a dual channel DDR4 memory controller and Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics card (clocked at 300 - 1000 MHz). It is manufactured in an improved 14nm FinFET process at Intel. Compared to the old Skylake based Core i5-6200U, the i5-7200U offers a 300 MHz higher clock speed.

Intel Core m3-7Y30

The Intel Core m3-7Y30 is a very efficient dual-core SoC for tablets and passively cooled notebooks based on the Kaby Lake architecture and was announced in the end of August 2016. The CPU consists of two processor cores clocked at 1.0-2.6 GHz (2-core Turbo not specified yet). Thanks to Hyper Threading, the processor can execute up to four threads simultaneously. The chips also includes the Intel HD Graphics 615 GPU, a dual-channel memory controller (DDR3L/LPDDR3) as well as VP9 and H.265 video de- and encoder. It is still produced in a 14 nm process with FinFET transistors. 

Architecture

Intel basically used the familiar micro architecture from the Skylake generation, so the per-MHz performance is identical. Only the Speed-Shift technology for faster dynamic adjustments of the voltages and clocks was improved, and the matured 14 nm process now also enables much higher frequencies and better efficiency than before. 

Performance

Since Intel basically removed the Core m5 and Core m7 series or included them into the higher i5 and i7 series, respectively, the m3-7Y30 is officially the last Core-m chip. Thanks to its high Turbo clock, the 7Y30 can sometimes keep up with the 15 Watt models for short peak load and single-thread scenarios, but the clocks will drop significantly under sustained workloads. The CPU is still suitable for many more demanding applications as well as multitasking. Thanks to the improved efficiency, the CPU can often even beat the Core m5 and m7 siblings from the previous Skylake generation.

Graphics

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 615 GPU has 24 Execution Units (EUs) like the old HD Graphics 515 and runs with clocks between 300 and 900 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 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 an improved 14 nm process with FinFET transistors, so the power efficiency was once again improved significantly. The typical TDP for the Y-series is specified at 4.5 Watts, and can be adjusted in both directions depending on the usage scenario.