Intel Core i5-10210U vs Intel Core i5-1035G7 vs Intel Core i5-1035G4

Intel Core i5-10210U

The Intel Core i5-10210U is a power efficient quad-core SoC for notebooks based on the Comet Lake (CML-U) generation and was announced in August 2019. Compared to the similar Whiskey Lake processors (e.g. Core i5-8665U), the only difference is support for higher memory speeds (up to LPDDR4-2933 vs DDR4-2400) and two additional cores in the top model (not in this i5). The processor cores are clocked between 1.6 and 4.2 GHz (all 4 cores 3.9 GHz max). Thanks to Hyper-Threading 8 threads can be used. Compared to the faster i5-10510U, the level 3 cache was reduced from 8 to 6 MB. More information on Comet Lake and all the models and articles on it can be found here.

The integrated graphics adapter however is still the same as in the previous generations. It's still called Intel UHD Graphics 620 and clocked from 300 - 1100 MHz in the i5. Furthermore, the SoC integrates a VP9 and H.265 de- and encoder.

Performance

The average 10210U in our database is just as fast as the AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, the Intel Core i7-8565U and the Intel Core i5-1035G1 are, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. While the i5 is not a performance monster, it sails through basic day-to-day workloads with little effort.

Thanks to its decent cooling solution and a long-term power limit of 30 W, the Frost Canyon NUC (NUC10i5FNK) is among the fastest systems powered by the 10210U that we know of. It can be more than twice as fast in CPU-bound workloads as the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

Power consumption

This Core i5 series chip has a default TDP, also known as the long-term power limit, of 15 W, a value that laptop makers are free to change to anything between 10 W and 25 W with clock speeds and performance changing accordingly as a result. By going for the lowest value, it is possible to build a passively cooled system around the i5. Please note that Comet Lake-U processors can briefly consume as much as 80 W or even 90 W when under heavy loads.

The Core i5-10210U is built with one of the old 14 nm Intel processes for very low, as of mid 2023, energy efficiency.

Intel Core i5-1035G7

The Intel Core i5-1035G7 is a power efficient quad-core SoC for laptops and Ultrabooks based on the Ice -Lake-U generation that was announced in Mai 2019 (Computex). It integrates four Sunnycove processor cores (8 threads thanks to HyperThreading) clocked at 1.2 (base) - 3.7 (single core Turbo) GHz. 2 cores can reach 3.6 GHz and all four 3.3 GHz using Turbo Boost. According to Intel the Sunnycove cores achieve 18% more IPCs (Instructions per Clock). The Core i5-1035G7 is the second fastest Ice Lake-U chip at the time of announcement in 2019.

The biggest improvement for Ice-Lake is the integrated Gen 11 graphics adapter called Iris Plus Graphics. The Core i7-1065G7 integrates the biggest G7 variant with 64 CUs clocked at 300 - 1100 MHz. The Iris Plus G7 should be twice as fast as the predecessors and best the AMD Vega 10 GPU in current Ryzen APUs.

Other improvements for Ice Lake are the AI hardware acceleration and the partial integration of Thunderbolt and Wifi 6 in the chip. The integrated DDR4 memory controller supports modules with up to 3200 MHz (and LPDDDR4-3733).

Performance

The average 1035G7 in our database is in the same league as the Ryzen 3 4300U and the Core i5-10210U, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. Which isn't bad at all as of late 2021. The Core i5-1035G4 and the Core i5-1035G1 are two other chips that nearly match the 1035G7 in multi-thread performance.

Thanks to its decent cooling solution and a long-term CPU power limit of 22 W, the Surface Laptop 3 13 is among the fastest laptops built around the 1035G7 that we know of. It can be at least 30% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

Power consumption

This Core i5 has a default TDP (also known as the long-term power limit) of 15 W, a value that laptop manufacturers are allowed to change to anything between 12 W and 25 W if required with clock speeds and performance changing accordingly. Those values are a little too high to allow for passively cooled designs.

The processor is built with Intel's second-gen 10 nm process for decent, as of late 2022, energy efficiency.

Intel Core i5-1035G4

The Intel Core i5-1035G4 is a low-power, Ice Lake family processor (SoC) featuring 4 cores, 8 threads, 6 MB of L3 cache and the Iris Plus G4 (48 EUs) iGPU. It saw the light of day in H2 2019. The chip is designed for use in highly portable laptops; its CPU cores run at 1.1 GHz to 3.7 GHz, with only 3.3 GHz achievable if all the cores are loaded.

Unlike the costlier Core i5-1035G7, the 1035G4 has the 48 EU Intel iGPU at its disposal as opposed to the more powerful Iris Plus G7 (64 EUs); CPU cores have a slightly lower base clock speed in the case of the 1035G4, too.

Architecture & Features

Ice Lake family chips are powered by Sunny Cove CPU cores.The latter aim to do what Palm Cove cores (that we never really got a chance to get a taste of) were expected to do, delivering a double-digit IPC uplift over the venerable Skylake architecture thanks to a range of small improvements across the board including scheduler improvements, larger caches and buffers, and support for new instruction sets.

Thunderbolt 3 support is built right into the Core i5 (meaning the latter has several PCIe 3 lanes exclusive to Thunderbolt devices, reducing the number of additional components required for Thunderbolt to work) and so is CNVi Wi-Fi 6 support (making it easier for Intel to sell its proprietary WLAN cards to laptop makers). The Core i5-1035G4 also has the DL Boost and GNA features for applications centered around machine learning.

The 4 GT/s bus is indicative of a consumer-grade chip, since CPUs for gaming laptops and portable workstations usually employ the faster 8 GT/s bus. RAM support is nothing to sneeze at, at up to DDR4-3200 or LPDDR4-3733. NVMe SSDs are supported, with data transfer rates limited to 3.9 GB/s (this is what four PCIe 3 lanes are good for). SATA drives and even eMMC chips are also natively supported here.

This is not a user-replaceable CPU, as it gets permanently soldered to the motherboard (BGA1526 socket interface).

OS support is limited to 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11, as well as many Linux distros.

Performance

The average 1035G4 in our database is very close to the Ryzen 5 2500U and the Core i5-10310U, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. This makes it a mid-range chip, as of late 2021. It can even be used for a bit of gaming if mated to a decent graphics card.

The Acer Spin 3 SP314-54N-56S5 is one of the fastest laptops with this chip that we have tested. Thanks to the power limit 1 of 16.5 W, the Acer can be roughly 30% faster than the slowest system with the 1035G4 we know of, depending on the circumstances.

Graphics

The Iris Plus G4 (48 EUs) runs at up to 1.05 GHz. This is a rather decent iGPU that can be as fast as Nvidia's GeForce MX110 or even MX130, depending on the circumstances. It will handle many games at 1080p or 720p provided one is content with low or medium quality settings, respectively.

This DX12-compatible graphics adapter will drive up to 3 monitors with resolutions as high as 5120 x 3200. There is no support for ray tracing here and no hardware support for the latest AV1 codec; the usual HEVC, AVC and VP9 codecs are supported, thankfully.

Power consumption

This 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor has a default TDP of 15 W (also known as the long-term power limit). Laptop makers are allowed to change that value to anything between 12 W and 25 W, with clock speeds and performance changing accordingly. This means the CPU is too power-hungry to be used as the base of a passively cooled laptop, tablet, mini-PC.

The Core i5-1035G4 is manufactured on Intel's 2nd generation 10 nm process (not "10 nm SuperFin" or "Intel 7") for average energy efficiency, as of early 2023.