Buy Intel Core i5 Laptops | Shop Lenovo Laptops

Unless you’re a laptop shopper with money to burn, choosing the right processor is a key part of your selection process. You know you want top quality, so you’re eying models with the Intel Core series of multi-core CPUs. But which one? For many of today’s buyers, the logical choice is an Intel Core i5 laptop from Lenovo.

Within the Intel Core family, the Core i5 processor sits between the value-focused Core i3 brand and the more advanced Core i7 (which Intel calls its “performance” line). As such, the Core i5 is a great middle-of-the-road choice for business users and students alike, from the home office to the research lab. While the Core i3 selection is dominated by dual-core chips, the Core i5 line-up is more focused on quad-core technology. This is important, because core-count matters. Each core can be dedicated to separate processes – almost like you’ve multiplied the number of processors in the system.

This makes Core i5 laptops ideal for heavy multi-tasking – the kind we do in offices, labs, classrooms and everywhere else PCs are used today. Plus, since the i5 is more economical than the competing Core i7, it’s a great choice for the buyer who wants top-notch processing but doesn’t wish to pay the premium associated with the next higher chip in the line-up.

Lenovo’s best Core i5 processor laptops

When it comes to buying a new Core i5 processor laptop, you can’t go wrong with Lenovo. We use the powerful and highly popular i5 CPU across our full line-up of laptops – with models built for business use, home office and family computing, educational pursuits and much more.

Here are some of the recognizable Lenovo PC brands that feature laptops with the versatile Core i5 processor:

ThinkPad – Secure and business-ready, it’s the leading name in laptop technology today

IdeaPad – Delivers advanced processing speeds in highly stylish, lightweight systems

Legion – Game-ready systems with multiple performance and ergonomic features

Yoga – Get ultimate versatility in systems that work both as laptops and tablets

Our mobile workstations are also popular. If number-crunching is your game, these high-performance laptops are up to the task.

In each of these popular Lenovo laptop series, you’ll find multiple models with the multi-core Intel Core i5 processors you’re seeking. Or just scan this page – it lists our i5 laptops exclusively. There’s never been an easier way to find the perfect Lenovo system for your needs.

i5 laptops

One of the most vital concerns for many people looking for a new laptop computer is the processor type. When purchasing a new laptop computer, you have many options. It's crucial to understand what sets the Intel Core i5 apart from the competition. "Core i5 is designed for mainstream customers who value performance," says the simple response. Core i5 CPUs are all-around chips that can easily handle gaming, web surfing, and light productivity applications.

The i5 CPUs are an excellent compromise between price and performance. An i5 can handle day-to-day chores for most users, and they can even compete in gaming. The latest i5 processors have six desktops and four cores on mobile, with boost clock rates approaching 5GHz.

Laptops with an Intel Core i5 processor

Intel has shifted to a capability-driven marketing pitch with the current-generation Core processors. Additional capabilities are what the Core i5 processor has.

Core i5 is better for media creation and multitasking, and it will boost your PC's performance if you frequently complain about it being slow.

Tiger Lake processors are currently available for thin and light laptops from Intel. These chips cram as much power as possible into a small package, reducing power and thermal demands.

The lineup isn't too complicated. The i5-1130G7 and 1135G7 are two i5 CPUs with four cores and eight threads.

Intel's Tiger Lake H35 CPUs are available outside of thin-and-light notebooks. The "H" stands for "high performance," and the "35" stands for "35-watt TDP."

In this category, Intel only has one high-performance i5: the i5-11300H. Although it has a slower clock speed, it still has four cores and eight threads.

Intel's older Ice Lake processors are also worth highlighting. They were a substantial graphical advance over the 8th generation and were based on the same 10nm process as the newer-gen Tiger Lake chips. But they can't compete with Tiger Lake's Xe graphics. However, general compute performance isn't substantially inferior. So, if you're looking to save money, going with a higher-tier Ice Lake CPU rather than a Tiger Lake alternative may be a decent way to do it.

Intel also sells a 10th-generation Core i5 processor, which adds to the confusion. Because of the faster clock rates, general compute performance is better than Ice Lake's, but graphical performance is inferior.

These slightly older chips can save you some money if you're not interested in gaming. On the other hand, Tiger Lake chips come with Intel's latest Xe graphics. Gaming with integrated graphics isn't optimal, and Xe doesn't improve that. In games like Battlefield V and Civilization VI, Intel is getting closer to matching entry-level gaming laptops with Xe, reaching 60 fps per second at medium settings.

The Core

The Core i5 parts will, mostly, provide better CPU performance.

Dual-core and quad-core Core i5 processors are available. A real quad-core CPU will almost always outperform a dual-core processor, especially for multimedia applications like video transcoding and photo editing.

The system will live longer with the newer processor because the older CPU does not have a year's worth of advances. We recommend purchasing the newer processor if all other aspects are equal unless the older system sells. The key lesson within the same generation is that buying a CPU with a higher model number will give you better performance in each iteration. For example, a Core i5-5020U should perform better than a Core i5-4010U.

Turbo-Boost

Intel's "overclocking" technology, Turbo Boost, is integrated into its processors. When only two or one processor core is required, the CPU can run faster than its basic clock speed. For example, when doing a single-threaded operation, that must be completed immediately. Most Core i5 processors employ Turbo Boost. So the Core i5-4300U CPU has a base rate of 1.9GHz, but when the workload requires it, the processor's cores can be rapidly clocked up to 2.9GHz.

The Cache

Core i5 CPUs have a bigger cache that aids the CPU in dealing with recurring jobs more quickly. Because this information is stored in the cache, the calculations are virtually immediate when you alter a number. Multitasking is also aided by larger cache sizes, as background processes will be ready when you move focus to another window.

Hyper-Threading

Intel Hyper-Threading makes a processor appear to have more cores than the operating system and programs of multithreading technologies. Hyper-Threading improves speed in multithreaded processes, such as a user running multiple programs simultaneously. It can, however, be utilized for a variety of tasks, including multimedia. Core i5 processors use Hyper-Threading to make a dual-core CPU act like a four-core chipset. However, it isn't available on Core i5 processors with four actual cores. For the time being, the Core i5 is limited to four streams, using either four real cores or two cores with Hyper-Threading.

Integrated Graphics

Intel HD graphics, integrated graphics embedded into the processor core, were debuted with the Westmere generation of Core processors. Intel integrated graphics were previously placed into motherboard chipsets rather than the processor. Older Sandy Bridge CPUs have DX10-compatible Intel HD Graphics 2000/3000, whereas older Ivy Bridge processors have DX11-compatible Intel HD Graphics 2500/4000. Because the same mathematical rules apply, Intel HD Graphics 4000 outperforms Intel HD Graphics 2000. Intel HD graphics are available on Core i3 and i5 processors depending on the component number. The Intel Iris 6100 is the current top dog for Core i5, and depending on the game, it will allow you to play 3D games at low to moderate settings.

Core i5 CPUs will provide you with greater performance in the long run. With various models to choose from, the easiest way to decide is to look at the performance data for each one.

Conclusion

Thanks to multiple threads and cores, your processor can handle more data at once. The processor distributes the workload rather than overloading a single core or thread. The advantage of having more threads and cores is obvious: it allows the CPU to handle multitasking better.

Computer components are intricate; what appears to be a minor feature can significantly impact your device's output. With most file compression and decompression, Adobe Premiere, and Handbrake software, certain applications are deliberately geared to profit on various risks.

Only a few applications still use your computer's single thread or core. Most apps will take advantage of all of your processor's threads and cores, resulting in a smooth and efficient experience.

When you buy the most recent generation of i5, you get around four cores and eight threads. These cores and threads are ideal for browsing the Internet, using word processors, and performing other comparable tasks on your laptop.