Intel Core i5-10210U

Intel Core i5-10210U is a 10th-generation Core mobile processor from Intel’s Comet Lake-U family. It pairs 4 cores with 8 threads, runs at a base clock of 1600.00 and a boost clock of 4.20, carries a TDP of 25, and is built on Intel’s 14 nm process. It uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket, supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory, includes Intel UHD Graphics, and reached end-of-life status after its 2019-08-20 release.

Benchmark Performance

The processor’s average benchmark score is 8350, placing it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs in the database. That percentile is a solid anchor: the i5-10210U sits comfortably above the median chip, though not among the very top performers. In Cinebench R23 it records 5186 multi-core and 732 single-core. Cinebench R20 shows the same shape, 2178 multi-core and 307 single-core. Geekbench reports 3054 multi-core and 1213 single-core, while PassMark lists 6104 multithread and 2131 single-thread. These are coherent numbers across suites: the multi-core results are consistently higher than the single-core results, as expected from a 4-core, 8-thread design.

The average score also places the chip inside a very tight cluster of nearest rivals. It is 0.5% above the Intel Xeon D-2799, whose average score is 8308. It is 0.6% above the Intel Core i7-1065G7, which averages 8300. It is also 0.6% above the Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, which averages 8298. The only negative delta in the nearest-rival group is against the Intel Core i7-8550U: that chip averages 8411, leaving the i5-10210U 0.7% behind. The striking part of the data is how narrow these gaps are. A mobile Core i5 from the Comet Lake-U generation is statistically nearly inseparable from a Xeon D, an Ice Lake-class i7, a Core Ultra 9, and an older Kaby Lake-R i7 in aggregate score.

The PassMark sub-scores add texture. Integer math reaches 22732, floating point math reaches 13657, and extended instructions score 5269. Data compression posts 80157, and random string sorting scores 10730. The find prime numbers score is only 18, which is a dramatic outlier relative to the other sub-scores and suggests that highly parallel prime-number search workloads are not where the architecture shines. Physics scores 410 inside PassMark, and encryption scores 2051. These sub-scores reinforce the same overall picture: useful general-purpose throughput, but not an extreme multi-threaded compute part.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The split between single-thread and multi-thread performance is consistent across every benchmark family. Cinebench R23 records 732 single-core and 5186 multi-core. Cinebench R20 records 307 single-core and 2178 multi-core. Geekbench records 1213 single-core and 3054 multi-core. PassMark records 2131 single-thread and 6104 multithread. In each case, the multi-thread figure is far above the single-thread figure, which makes sense for a chip with 4 physical cores and 8 threads.

Single-thread performance is important for everyday responsive use. The base clock of this part is only 1600.00, but the boost clock of 4.20 provides substantial headroom for lightly threaded tasks. The R23 single-core score of 732 and PassMark single-thread score of 2131 indicate that a single fast core is available when an application cannot use all 8 threads. This matters for office-style work, web browsing, and many legacy applications that run on one or two threads.

The multi-thread numbers show what the 8-thread arrangement can deliver when parallelism is available. Geekbench multi-core 3054 and PassMark multithread 6104 are strong enough for modest parallel workloads. In the PassMark sub-tests, integer math 22732 and floating point math 13657 are the big contributors, while extended instructions 5269 and data compression 80157 show that computation-heavy and data-oriented code both benefit from the thread count. The low find prime numbers score of 18 reveals the ceiling for one particular type of parallel workload; the chip is not built to chase extreme throughput in that niche.

How It Compares

Intel Xeon D-2799: The i5-10210U posts an average benchmark score of 8350, which is 0.5% higher than the Xeon D-2799’s 8308. Despite the server-oriented Xeon name, the data places the mobile Core part ahead in aggregate benchmarks by a narrow margin.

Intel Core i7-1065G7: The i7-1065G7 averages 8300, and the i5-10210U is 0.6% above it. The two mobile processors are effectively peers in average benchmark performance, with a gap small enough to be run-to-run noise rather than a meaningful tier difference.

Intel Core Ultra 9 285H: The Core Ultra 9 285H averages 8298, and the i5-10210U is 0.6% above it. The newer product name and higher product positioning do not translate into a lead in the aggregate data; the delta is nearly identical to the i7-1065G7 comparison.

Intel Core i7-8550U: The i7-8550U averages 8411, and the i5-10210U trails it by 0.7%. This is the only negative delta among the nearest rivals, but the deficit remains tiny. In the context of all four comparisons, the i5-10210U sits within a narrow band of roughly one percentage point of every nearest rival.

FAQ

Q: What is the average benchmark score of the Intel Core i5-10210U?

A: The average benchmark score is 8350, and the processor ranks in the 68th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Does the processor support ECC memory?

A: No. The data lists DDR3 and DDR4 as supported memory types, and ECC memory support is false.

Q: What integrated graphics does it include?

A: The processor includes Intel UHD Graphics.

Q: Can the multiplier be unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The data lists multiplierUnlocked as false.

Q: When was the processor released, and is it still in production?

A: The release date was 2019-08-20, and the production status is end-of-life.

Q: How many cores and threads does it have?

A: It has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Power and Thermals

The TDP is 25. That single figure defines the thermal class of this processor. A 25 TDP rating puts it in a low-power mobile category, especially when combined with the market segment label “Mobile” and the 14 nm Comet Lake-U architecture. The data does not include a separate maximum turbo power figure, so the 25 TDP is the only power target available for cooling design. A 25-class chip can be handled by a modest cooling solution in a thin-and-light chassis; the boost clock of 4.20 adds a performance ceiling, but the data records no additional power value to quantify how much headroom that boost requires. The thermal story is therefore simple: the processor belongs in a low-power cooling envelope, not a desktop-class one.

Who Should Consider It

The workload fit follows directly from the benchmark scores. For single-thread-heavy office use, the PassMark single-thread score of 2131 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 732 point to responsive daily performance. For multi-threaded creation work, the R23 multi-core score of 5186, R20 multi-core score of 2178, Geekbench multi-core score of 3054, and PassMark multithread score of 6104 indicate a level of parallel throughput that can handle moderate rendering, exporting, and compilation-style tasks. The PassMark data compression score of 80157 suggests archive and data-heavy workflows benefit from the 8-thread arrangement. The integer math score of 22732 and floating point math score of 13657 give it room in math-oriented applications, while extended instructions 5269 adds optional SIMD-friendly workload capacity.

Gaming is a more complicated story because the only graphics solution listed is Intel UHD Graphics. The data contains no discrete GPU results and no gaming-specific benchmarks, so the processor itself can be considered for gaming only when paired with a separate GPU. The 4.20 boost clock and 8 threads provide reasonable CPU-side headroom for game logic, but the integrated UHD Graphics is not positioned as a high-end graphics solution in the fact pack. The processor is therefore best suited to users whose primary demand is smooth everyday computing and occasional parallel work, not to users whose workload is dominated by heavy graphics or extreme multi-threaded compute.

Platform and Compatibility

The platform details are clearly defined in the data. The socket is Intel BGA 1440, which means the processor is attached to the board rather than installed in a replaceable socket; upgrades are therefore tied to the platform as a whole. The architecture is Comet Lake, with the codename Comet Lake-U, built on a 14 nm process and belonging to the Core i5 (Comet Lake-U) generation. Memory support covers both DDR3 and DDR4, though ECC memory is not supported. The cache layout is 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. Integrated graphics are provided by Intel UHD Graphics. The data does not list a PCIe lane count, so PCIe expansion details cannot be stated from the available information. The market segment is Mobile, and the production status is end-of-life with a release date of 2019-08-20. For users looking at an upgrade path, the 25 TDP, BGA 1440 socket, and mobile market segment all point to a self-contained system-level decision rather than a simple processor swap.