Quick Verdict
The i5-5200U was a solid ultrabook chip in 2015 but is now thoroughly outdated for modern workloads, offering only basic computing capability by today's standards.
Overview
Launch
2015
Status
End-of-lifeGeneration
5th Gen (Broadwell-U)
Market
Mobile
The Intel Core i5-5200U is a dual-core, four-thread mobile processor from the Broadwell-U family, built on Intel's 14nm process for thin-and-light ultrabooks requiring balanced performance and power efficiency.
The Intel Core i5-5200U is a Broadwell-U processor featuring 2 cores and 4 threads with a base clock of 2.2 GHz and turbo boost up to 2.7 GHz.
With a 15W TDP and configurable down to 7.5W, it was purpose-built for thin-and-light laptops. The integrated HD 5500 graphics handle basic display tasks and light media work.
It supports dual-channel DDR3-1600 memory and 12 PCIe Gen 2 lanes. While adequate for office tasks and web browsing at launch, its dual-core design struggles with modern multitasking and heavier applications.
Specifications
Performance
Sufficient for basic document editing and email but struggles with heavy spreadsheet workloads or multitasking.
Not suitable for virtualization due to limited cores and memory bandwidth.
The HD 5500 integrated graphics can barely manage older or lightweight titles at low resolution and settings.
The 14nm process was efficient for its era, though modern 10nm and 7nm chips far surpass it.
- •HD 5500 with 24 EUs is insufficient for modern gaming
- •Older titles like CS:GO and Minecraft run at playable frame rates at 720p low
- •No support for modern graphics APIs beyond DirectX 11.2
- •Shared memory architecture reduces GPU performance
- •No dedicated AI acceleration hardware
- •Dual-core design makes AI inference impractical
- •Not suitable for any machine learning workloads
Architecture
14nm
Process Node
Broadwell-U
Codename
2C / 4T
Core Config
3 MB
L3 Cache
15 W
TDP
Architecture Overview
Broadwell-U represented Intel's tick in the tick-tock model, shrinking the Haswell microarchitecture from 22nm to 14nm. The i5-5200U uses the smaller 82mm² die with 1.3 billion transistors, excluding the larger GT3 graphics configuration found in Iris-equipped variants. This die retains the same basic microarchitectural features as Haswell but benefits from the denser process node, allowing either lower power consumption at equivalent clocks or slightly higher clocks at the same power budget. The dual-core design with Hyper-Threading provides four logical threads, and the 3MB shared Smart Cache helps mask memory latency during multi-threaded workloads.
CPU Design
Two Broadwell CPU cores with Hyper-Threading, each core featuring 64KB L1 and 256KB L2 cache, sharing a 3MB L3 Smart Cache across both cores.
Memory Subsystem
Dual-channel DDR3-1600 controller integrated on-die with 25.6 GB/s theoretical bandwidth, sufficient for the era's ultrabook workloads.
PCIe & I/O
12 PCIe Gen 2 lanes from the CPU, fewer than desktop counterparts, reflecting the ultrabook focus on limited external connectivity.
Overclocking
Locked multiplier with no overclocking support; BGA soldered to the motherboard.
- Shrink from 22nm to 14nm process
- Improved integrated graphics from HD 4400 to HD 5500
- Better power efficiency at similar clock speeds
- Configurable TDP support added
Key Highlights
- Low 15W TDP ideal for thin laptops
- Configurable TDP down to 7.5W for fanless designs
- First 14nm consumer processor generation
- Intel HD 5500 better than Haswell's HD 4400
- Hyper-Threading provides 4 logical threads
- Only 2 physical cores limit multi-threaded performance
- DDR3 memory support is outdated
- PCIe Gen 2 lanes are slow by modern standards
- No dedicated AI or hardware security features
- End-of-life with no security updates or support
- Integrated graphics inadequate for modern workloads
History
The Core i5-5200U arrived in March 2015 as part of Intel's long-awaited Broadwell-U family, which had been delayed significantly due to yield challenges on the new 14nm process node. Broadwell represented Intel's tick in their famous tick-tock cadence, shrinking the proven Haswell microarchitecture to a smaller, more power-efficient process.</br></br>For ultrabook manufacturers, the i5-5200U was a workhorse chip that balanced cost and capability.
It offered a meaningful improvement in integrated graphics performance over the previous i5-4200U, moving from HD 4400 to HD 5500 with more execution units. This made it viable for light casual gaming and smoother video playback without a discrete GPU.</br></br>The chip found its way into countless mid-range ultrabooks from Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Acer throughout 2015 and 2016.
Its 15W TDP made it ideal for the thin-and-light designs that were becoming the dominant laptop form factor. However, the dual-core limitation became increasingly apparent as software grew more multi-threaded, and by 2017 the i5-5200U was already being outclassed by newer Kaby Lake and AMD Ryzen mobile processors that offered four real cores.
Improvements over Previous Generation
- Shrink from 22nm to 14nm process
- Improved integrated graphics from HD 4400 to HD 5500
- Better power efficiency at similar clock speeds
- Configurable TDP support added
Alternatives & Competitors
Should You Buy It?
Not Recommended for the right buyer
Purchasing a used ultrabook under $100 for basic web browsing and document editing
Avoid if…
- Buying a new laptop in 2026
- Running modern applications or multitasking
- Any gaming beyond casual browser games
- Video conferencing with virtual backgrounds
- Content creation of any kind
Use Cases
Interesting Facts
The i5-5200U uses the smaller 82mm² die with only 1.3 billion transistors, compared to the 133mm² die with 1.9 billion transistors used in Iris-equipped Broadwell-U chips.
Broadwell was Intel's first 14nm consumer processor generation, and the U-series variants were among the first to ship in volume.
The configurable TDP feature allowed OEMs to design the same chip into both fanless tablets and traditional ultrabooks.
Intel HD 5500 graphics featured 24 Execution Units, a significant step up from the 20 EUs in HD 4400.
The BGA 1168 socket meant the processor was permanently soldered to the motherboard with no upgrade path.
This chip was widely used in popular 2015 ultrabooks including several Dell Inspiron and Lenovo IdeaPad models.
The 14nm process used here was the foundation that Intel continued to refine through multiple generations until 10nm finally arrived.
Despite being a 2015 chip, many laptops with the i5-5200U remained in active use well into the 2020s due to adequate web browsing performance.
The launch price of $281 reflected Intel's premium positioning for ultrabook-class processors at the time.
Broadwell-U was technically a delayed architecture, arriving over a year after Haswell-U due to 14nm yield challenges.
People Also Ask
Is the Intel Core i5-5200U still good in 2026?
The i5-5200U is only suitable for the most basic computing tasks like web browsing and document editing. Any modern workload including HD video conferencing, multitasking, or cloud applications will feel sluggish.
Can the i5-5200U run Windows 11?
No, the i5-5200U does not meet Windows 11's TPM 2.0 requirement and is not on Microsoft's supported CPU list. Windows 10 support ended in October 2025.
What graphics does the i5-5200U have?
It features Intel HD 5500 integrated graphics with 24 Execution Units running at 300-900 MHz. This is sufficient for HD video playback but not for gaming.
How much RAM does the i5-5200U support?
The i5-5200U supports up to 16GB of DDR3-1600 memory in dual-channel configuration.
Is the i5-5200U good for gaming?
No, the HD 5500 integrated graphics cannot handle modern games. Only very old or lightweight titles like Minecraft or older Sims games run at playable frame rates on low settings.
What is the TDP of the i5-5200U?
The standard TDP is 15W, with a configurable TDP down to 7.5W for fanless or ultra-thin designs.
What socket does the i5-5200U use?
It uses the Intel BGA 1168 socket, meaning it is soldered directly to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded or replaced.
What generation is the i5-5200U?
The i5-5200U is a 5th Generation Intel Core processor, codenamed Broadwell-U.
Can the i5-5200U be overclocked?
No, the i5-5200U has a locked multiplier and is soldered to the motherboard, so overclocking is not possible.
What is the difference between i5-5200U and i5-5300U?
The i5-5300U has slightly higher base (2.3 vs 2.2 GHz) and turbo (2.9 vs 2.7 GHz) clocks, but otherwise shares the same architecture, cache, graphics, and TDP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the i5-5200U support DDR4 memory?
No, it only supports DDR3 memory up to 1600 MT/s. DDR4 support came with the 6th Generation Skylake processors.
What PCIe version does the i5-5200U support?
It supports 12 PCIe Gen 2 lanes directly from the CPU. PCIe Gen 3 is not supported.
Is the i5-5200U a 64-bit processor?
Yes, it supports Intel 64 (x86-64) instruction set.
Does the i5-5200U support virtualization?
Yes, it supports VT-x for basic virtualization and VT-d for directed I/O virtualization.
What is the maximum temperature for the i5-5200U?
The maximum case temperature (Tcase) is 105°C.
Does the i5-5200U have AES-NI support?
Yes, it supports AES New Instructions for hardware-accelerated encryption and decryption.
How many transistors does the i5-5200U have?
It has approximately 1.3 billion transistors on an 82mm² die.
What part number is the i5-5200U?
The standard part number is SR23Y.
Can I upgrade the i5-5200U in my laptop?
No, it uses a BGA socket which means it is permanently soldered to the motherboard and cannot be removed or upgraded.
Does the i5-5200U support AVX2 instructions?
Yes, it supports AVX2 (Advanced Vector Extensions 2) for improved SIMD performance in supported applications.