Intel Core i7-5557U

The Intel Core i7-5557U is a dual-core Broadwell-U mobile processor from Intel, built on a 14 nm process with 2 cores and 4 threads. It operates with a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz, featuring 4 MB of shared L3 cache and an integrated Intel Iris 6100 graphics solution. Benchmark data places this chip at the 32nd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1111, indicating it remains a mid-pack performer for its era despite its end-of-life production status.

How It Compares

Against the Intel Core i3-7300, the Core i7-5557U is statistically identical, with both processors achieving an average benchmark score of 1111 and a deltaPct of 0%. This equivalence suggests that the older Broadwell-U architecture, despite its lower thermal design point, delivers compute performance on par with a newer Kaby Lake desktop i3 in mixed workloads. The i7-5557U’s dual-core design with Hyper-Threading effectively matches the i3-7300’s similarly configured core layout, making the two interchangeable in raw throughput.

The AMD Ryzen Embedded R1505G trails by a razor-thin margin, with the i7-5557U holding a 0.1% advantage (1111 vs 1110 average score). This delta is well within run-to-run variance, meaning the two processors are effectively peers in benchmark results. The i7-5557U achieves this parity while relying on an older 14 nm process and a lower 28 W TDP class, whereas the R1505G is a newer embedded part; the near-tie underscores that architectural efficiency, not just node generation, drives these scores.

Versus the Intel Core i5-4570T, the i7-5557U is slightly behind, with the i5-4570T posting an average score of 1113 and a deltaPct of -0.2% relative to the i7-5557U. This means the i5-4570T outperforms the i7-5557U by just 0.2%, a negligible margin in practical terms. The i5-4570T is a quad-core Haswell part, yet its lower clock speeds and older architecture narrow the gap to the dual-core i7-5557U with its higher 3.40 GHz boost, showing that thread count alone does not dominate this comparison.

The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U is the closest rival in the opposite direction, with the i7-5557U leading by 0.2% (1111 vs 1108 average score, deltaPct of 0.2%). The Ryzen 3 3200U is a dual-core Zen+ mobile chip, and the i7-5557U’s slight edge reflects its superior single-core frequency and mature Broadwell design. This margin is so small that real-world application differences would be imperceptible, but the data consistently places the i7-5557U just ahead in aggregate benchmark performance.

Power and Thermals

The Intel Core i7-5557U carries a TDP of 28 watts, placing it in the ultra-low-power mobile segment. This TDP class is typical for thin-and-light laptops and compact all-in-one systems, where cooling solutions are constrained by chassis thickness and acoustic limits. A 28 W processor does not require exotic cooling; a capable air cooler with a small heatpipe assembly or a modest fan is sufficient to maintain sustained operation without thermal throttling under normal loads.

Given the 14 nm process node and the dual-core layout, thermal density is moderate. The 1,900 million transistors packed into a 133 mm² die produce heat that a well-designed laptop cooler can manage easily. The integrated Intel Iris 6100 GPU adds to the thermal load when active, but the 28 W envelope covers both CPU and GPU under typical burst workloads. Users should expect that sustained all-core or combined CPU+GPU stress may push temperatures higher, but the chip’s design permits operation within standard mobile thermal limits without any special cooling tier beyond what is common in its market segment.

Benchmark results do not include thermal figures, but the TDP class alone implies that the i7-5557U is not a high-power part. It sits below mainstream 35 W mobile processors and far below desktop 65 W parts, meaning it is best suited for passive or low-noise cooling environments. The end-of-life status means no new thermal validation is forthcoming, but existing designs that incorporated this chip were built around its 28 W envelope, which is modest by any standard.

Benchmark Performance

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Core i7-5557U scores 270 points. This is a low-midrange result for a dual-core part, reflecting the limitations of 2 cores and 4 threads under fully threaded workloads. The nearest rivals, all scoring around 1110 in the average benchmark metric, suggest that this R15 number aligns with other dual-core mobile parts of similar vintage, though the i7-5557U’s 3.40 GHz boost helps it stay competitive in single-threaded tasks.

Cinebench R20 multicore yields a score of 1127, while single-core reaches 158. The multicore score is nearly identical to the average benchmark score of 1111, indicating that the R20 multicore test is representative of the chip’s overall throughput. The single-core score of 158 is modest, but when compared to the R20 multicore result, the ratio implies that the i7-5557U scales to about 7.1x from one core to four threads, which is typical for a hyper-threaded dual-core design.

Cinebench R23 multicore shows 2684, and single-core is 378. The multicore result is over twice the R20 multicore score, reflecting the heavier workload of R23, but the relative position against rivals remains consistent. The single-core R23 score of 378 is the highest single-core figure in the benchmark suite, showing that the 3.40 GHz boost clock provides a solid foundation for lightly threaded applications.

Geekbench multicore delivers 2099, with single-core at 1060. These scores place the i7-5557U in the lower third of modern processors, consistent with its 32nd percentile standing. The multicore Geekbench result is roughly double the single-core score, again confirming the expected scaling from dual-core with Hyper-Threading. Across all benchmarks, the i7-5557U consistently trails the i5-4570T by 0.2% and beats the Ryzen 3 3200U by 0.2%, while tying the i3-7300 exactly and edging the R1505G by 0.1% — a tight cluster where the i7-5557U’s performance is firmly mid-pack.

Platform and Compatibility

The Intel Core i7-5557U uses the Intel BGA 1168 socket, which is a soldered, non-upgradeable platform. This means the processor is permanently attached to the motherboard, and end users cannot swap it for a different chip. The socket is specific to Broadwell-U mobile designs, so any upgrade path requires replacing the entire system rather than just the CPU.

Memory support is limited to DDR3, running on a dual-channel memory bus with a peak bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s. The dual-channel configuration is essential for the integrated Intel Iris 6100 GPU, which shares system memory for graphics operations. ECC memory is not supported, so this chip is unsuitable for error-correcting workloads like server or critical data processing tasks.

PCIe connectivity is provided via Gen 2 with 12 lanes from the CPU only. This is a modest allocation, adequate for a discrete GPU or a couple of NVMe drives, but not for high-bandwidth multi-GPU setups. The Gen 2 standard limits per-lane bandwidth compared to Gen 3, but for a mobile chip of this era, the 12 lanes were typical for thin laptops where expansion is minimal.

The production status is end-of-life, and the release date was in early 2015. The launch MSRP was $426. The platform supports Windows and Linux operating systems that include Broadwell drivers, but newer OS versions may lack optimized support given the chip’s age. The memory bus and PCIe limitations mean this platform is best suited for basic productivity, media consumption, and light creative tasks, not for high-performance computing or gaming with modern GPUs.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-5557U compare to the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U?

A: The i7-5557U has an average benchmark score of 1111, which is 0.2% higher than the Ryzen 3 3200U’s 1108. This means the i7-5557U is marginally faster in aggregate performance, though the difference is negligible in real-world use.

Q: What is the TDP of the i7-5557U, and what cooling does it need?

A: The TDP is 28 watts, which is an ultra-low-power mobile class. This requires only a basic air cooler with a modest heatpipe setup; no advanced liquid or vapor chamber cooling is necessary for this chip.

Q: Can the i7-5557U be upgraded to a faster processor?

A: No, the processor is soldered to the Intel BGA 1168 socket, making it non-upgradable. Any performance improvement requires replacing the entire laptop or motherboard.

Q: What memory does the i7-5557U support?

A: It supports DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a maximum memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported.

Q: Is the i7-5557U better than the Intel Core i5-4570T?

A: No, the i5-4570T has an average score of 1113, which is 0.2% higher than the i7-5557U’s 1111. The i7-5557U is slightly slower, but the difference is within measurement error.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the i7-5557U?

A: The launch MSRP was $426, though the processor is now end-of-life and no longer sold at that price.