CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-5300U vs Core i7-5600U
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-5300U is a dual-core Broadwell-U mobile processor with Intel HD 5500 graphics, offering slightly higher clocks than the i5-5200U for mainstream ultrabooks requiring balanced 15W performance.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Slightly better than the i5-5200U due to higher clocks but the improvement is barely noticeable in everyday use.
Good for office tasks, but dual-core limits heavy multitasking.
Gaming
HD 5500 graphics are identical to the i5-5200U and insufficient for any modern gaming.
HD 5500 is only suitable for very old or 2D games.
Virtualization
Dual-core design is not suitable for virtualization workloads.
vPro helps, but dual-core limits running multiple VMs.
Efficiency
Reasonable efficiency for 2015, though modern processors deliver far more performance per watt.
Excellent efficiency for 2015 business laptops.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration hardware
- Dual-core design cannot handle AI workloads
- Not applicable for this processor class or era
- No AI hardware
- Dual-core limits inference
Content Creation
Gaming
- HD 5500 identical to i5-5200U
- Only the lightest casual games are playable at 720p low
- No eDRAM means limited GPU memory bandwidth
- Not suitable for any modern gaming
- Not designed for gaming
- HD 5500 is very weak
- Only for basic 2D applications
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Slightly higher clocks than i5-5200U
- Same 15W TDP with 7.5W cTDP option
- Cost-effective smaller die
- Good for basic computing tasks
- Adequate HD video playback
Cons
- Barely faster than i5-5200U in real-world use
- Only 2 physical cores with dual-core limitation
- HD 5500 without eDRAM is weak for GPU tasks
- DDR3 memory is obsolete
- Not compatible with Windows 11
- Same price as much better Iris-equipped variants
Pros
- Intel vPro for enterprise management
- Excellent battery life for its era
- Good for office productivity
- Low 15W TDP
Cons
- Only 2 cores
- Outdated DDR3 memory
- Weak integrated graphics
- Soldered to motherboard
- Struggles with modern multitasking
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-5300U
- AMD A10-8700PRival
Mobile Budget
- AMD FX-7500Rival
Mobile Mainstream
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-5200URival
Mobile Ultrabook
- Intel Core i3-5010URival
Mobile Ultrabook
- AMD A8-7410Rival
Mobile Budget
- Intel Core i5-6300UAlt
Skylake successor with DDR4, improved architecture, and similar power profile.
- Intel Core i5-8250UAlt
Four cores at 15W for dramatically better multi-threaded performance.
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200UAlt
Budget dual-core with Vega graphics and DDR4 support.
Modern dual-core with Iris Xe graphics and 10nm process.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5500UAlt
Six cores with Vega 7 graphics in a 15W envelope, vastly outperforming this chip.
Core i7-5600U
- AMD A8-7100Rival
Mobile APU
- Intel Core i7-5500URival
Mobile Thin & Light
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-5300URival
Mobile Business
- Intel Core i7-6600UAlt
Skylake successor with DDR4 and vPro.
Modern quad-core vPro alternative with massive performance gains.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 4500UAlt
Modern 6-core alternative for business laptops.
Modern 10nm alternative with better efficiency and graphics.
Compare head-to-head- Alt
Revolutionary efficiency and performance for mobile work.
Compare head-to-head
Our Verdict on Each
The i5-5300U offers a small clock speed bump over the i5-5200U but remains in the same dual-core performance class, making it equally outdated for modern computing needs.
Best for: Buying a used business laptop for under $80 for basic web browsing and email
Read the full reviewA solid Broadwell-U chip tailored for enterprise environments with vPro, offering good efficiency and adequate performance for office work.
Best for: Buying a refurbished ThinkPad or Latitude for basic typing.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-5300U or Core i7-5600U?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Core i7-5600U comes out ahead with a score of 6.5/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-5300U or Core i7-5600U?
For gaming, the Core i7-5600U leads with a gaming performance score of 20/100 among Intel Core i5-5300U and Core i7-5600U.
Do Intel Core i5-5300U and Core i7-5600U use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the Intel BGA 1168 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-5300U posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-5300U (2,700). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.