Intel Pentium Silver N5000 vs Intel Core i5-7300U vs Intel Celeron J4115

Intel Pentium Silver N5000

The Intel Pentium Silver N5000 is a quad-core SoC primarily for inexpensive notebooks and was announced late 2017. It runs at 1.1-2.7 GHz (Single Core Burst, Multi Core Burst max. 2.6 GHz) and is based on the Gemini Lake platform. Similar to the Apollo Lake predecessor, the chip is manufactured in a 14 nm process with FinFETs but offers slightly improved processor cores, double the amount of L2 cache, a smaller package, a new generation of monitor outputs (Gen 10) and a partly integrated WiFi chip. Besides four CPU cores, the chip also includes a DirectX 12 capable GPU as well as a DDR4/LPDDR4 memory controller (dual-channel, up to 2400 MHz). The SoC is not replaceable as it is directly soldered to the mainboard.

Architecture

The processor architecture was slightly reworked and is now called Goldmont Plus. It features an increased level 2 cache (to 4 MB). That means the per-clock-performance should be a bit better, but not near the Core CPUs like Kaby Lake Y.

Performance

The average N5000 in our database is in the same league as the AMD 3050e and the Pentium 4415U, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. This is a really poor result, as of Q3 2023.

The Yoga 330-11IGM is among the fastest laptops featuring the N5000 that we know of. It can be more than 30% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system built around the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

GPU Performance

The UHD Graphics 605 (Gemini Lake) is based on Intel's Gen9 architecture, which supports DirectX 12 and is also used for the Kaby Lake / Skylake / Apollo Lake graphics adapters (like HD Graphics 520). Equipped with 18 EUs and a clock of up to 750 MHz, the performance should be roughly on par with the older HD Graphics 5300 and HD Graphics 505 (Apollo Lake).

The chip also includes an advanced video engine with hardware support for the playback of VP9 and H.265 material (8-bit color-depth).

Power Consumption

Similar to the predecessor, Intel specifies the TDP with 6 Watts (SDP 4.8 Watts – Scenario Design Power). The chip can therefore be cooled passively in theory, but SKUs with fans are possible as well.

Intel Core i5-7300U

The Intel Core i5-7300U is a fast dual-core processor for notebooks based on the Kaby Lake architecture and was announced in January 2017. It integrates 2 CPU cores with Hyper-Threading support clocked at 2.6 - 3.5 GHz (2 core Turbo also 3.5 GHz). Besides two cores, the processor is also equipped with the HD Graphics 620 GPU as well as a dual-channel memory controller (DDR3L-1600/DDR4-2400). It is manufactured in a 14nm process with FinFET transistors.

Architecture

Intel basically uses the same micro architecture compared to Skylake, so the per-MHz performance does not differ. The manufacturer only reworked the Speed Shift technology for faster dynamic adjustments of voltages and clocks, and the improved 14nm process allows much higher frequencies combined with better efficiency than before.

Performance

With 2.5 to 3.5 GHz, the Core i5-7300U clocks significantly higher than the old Core i5-7200U (2.5 - 3.1) and Core i5-6200U (2.3 - 2.8 GHz). Thanks to the fast Turbo frequency, the performance should be slightly below to the Core i7-7500U (2.7 - 3.5 GHz, but 4 MB L3 cache). Therfore, the performance is sufficient for demanding tasks.

Graphics

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 has 24 Execution Units (similar to previous HD Graphics 520) running at 300 - 1100 MHz. The performance depends a lot on the memory configuration; it should be comparable to a dedicated Nvidia GeForce 920M in combination with fast DDR4-2133 dual-channel memory.

Contrary to Skylake, Kaby Lake now supports hardware decoding for H.265/HEVC Main 10 with a 10-bit color depth as well as Google's VP9 codec. The dual-core Kaby Lake processors, which were announced in January, should also support HDCP 2.2.

Power Consumption

The chip is manufactured in an improved 14nm process with FinFET transistors, which improves the efficiency even further. Intel still specifies the TDP with 15 Watts, but it can also be reduced to 7.5 Watts by the notebook manufacturers (cTDP down). This will obviously affect the performance, because the Turbo Boost cannot be maintained for longer periods.

Intel Celeron J4115

The Intel Celeron J4115 is a quad-core SoC primarily for inexpensive mini PCs and was announced late 2017. It runs at 1.8 GHz to 2.5 GHz (Single Core Burst) and is based on the Gemini Lake platform. Similar to the Apollo Lake predecessors, the chip is manufactured on a 14 nm process with FinFETs but offers slightly improved processor cores, double the amount of L2 cache, all in a smaller package. Partial Wi-Fi 5 support is baked into the chip. Besides four CPU cores, the chip also includes a DirectX 12 capable GPU as well as a DDR4/LPDDR4 memory controller (dual-channel, up to 2400 MHz). The processor is not replaceable as it is directly soldered to the mainboard.

Architecture

The processor architecture ist still called Goldmont Plus. Compared to the older Goldmont cores in Apollo Lake, they feature a larger L2 cache (now 4 MB). That means the per-clock-performance should be a bit better, but not anywhere near the Core CPUs like Kaby Lake Y.

Performance

The average J4115 in our database only just matches the Core i5-4260U, a somewhat more power-hungry SoC that saw the light of day in 2014, in multi-thread performance. This means the Celeron is a very basic CPU that isn't really ready to handle anything beyond the most basic tasks such as writing e-mails and listening to Spotify.

Graphics

The UHD Graphics 600 (Gemini Lake) is based on Intel's Generation 9 architecture, which supports DirectX 12 and is also used for the Kaby Lake / Skylake / Apollo Lake graphics adapters (like HD Graphics 520). Equipped with 12 EUs and a clock of up to 750 MHz, the performance should be roughly on par with the older HD Graphics 500 (Apollo Lake).

The chip also includes an advanced video engine with hardware support for the playback of VP9 and H.265 (8-bit color-depth).

Power consumption

Like most other J-class Intel processors, the Celeron has a default TDP (also known as the long-term power limit) of 10 W. This is low enough to allow laptop makers to build passively cooled laptops, mini-PCs, tablets and other gadgetry around the chip.

The Intel Celeron J4115 is built with one of the old 14 nm Intel processes for poor, as of early 2023, energy efficiency.