The best thing about laptops powered by Intel Core i5 series processors is the number of options and features you get. In 2023, you can buy an Intel Core i5-powered laptop that’s solely focused on efficiency or you can buy one that gives you really high performance. Furthermore, you can also find Intel Core i5-powered laptops that offer the best of both worlds too.
For instance, you can find a value-for-money budget laptop like the Realme powered by an Intel Core i5 processor, giving it Thunderbolt 4 capabilities. Moreover, the HP Pavilion Gaming 15, which is probably the most affordable RTX 3050 laptop in India, can also be had with an Intel Core i5 ‘H’ series processor. In summary, you will find plenty of laptops with Intel Core i5 series processors in this list and they’re also available in a variety of different price ranges.
- 1.
For users who want a slim, big-screen laptop with plenty of ports and an Intel 11th gen Core i5 chip, the Inifix Inbook X2 Plus is a sensible choice. Its price tag is much lower than other laptops in its category but its feature list is just as good. For instance, the Inbook X2 Plus features a rather big 15.6-inch FHD display and also incorporates a 1080p webcam as well for clear video conferencing calls. Speaking more about the slim factor of the laptop, it is only 14.2mm thick and weighs just 1.58 kg. But despite the laptop’s slim design, it features plenty of I/O ports including two type-c ports, one of which is a Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB type-a 3.2 ports, an HDMI 1.4 slot, a micro SD card slot and a 3.5 mm audio jack. Moreover, the keyboard also has a pretty good 1.2mm key travel and the size of the trackpad is also quite generous. That’s not all because, despite an under Rs 40,000 price tag, the Infinix Inbook X2 Plus also features 16GB DDR4 memory and 512GB SSD as well.
- 2.
Intel introduced the Hybrid X86 architecture in its 12th gen series processors. This move massively improved the battery life in Intel 12th gen powered laptops. And if you’re looking to get your hands on such an affordable Intel 12th Gen Core i5 laptop then go for the MSI Modern 14. It features an Intel 12th Gen Core i5 1235U, a 10 core 12 thread chip, featuring 8 efficiency cores and 2 performance cores. And despite being one of the most affordable Intel 12th Gen Core i5 laptops, the MSI Modern 14 is still a complete package featuring 16GB DDR4 memory and 512GB SSD. Its feature list also includes plenty of I/O ports including an SD card slot, a Thunderbolt 4 port, and an HDMI out slot as well. Furthermore, a 1.5mm key travel makes this laptop’s keyboard comfortable for typing and its MIL-STG-810G certified build quality makes it quite durable. Lastly, the laptop packages a 14-inch 1080p display on top of its long feature list and tops it off with a mere 1.4kg body weight making it one of the most portable and compact laptops on this list.
- 3.
I am recommending the pricier HP Pavilion Gaming 15 powered by Intel 11th Gen Core i5 and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 instead of the cheaper HP Victus featuring the Intel Core 12th gen Core i5 and a GTX 1650 for two main reasons. Firstly, the RTX 3050 on the Pavilion Gaming 15 is a far better GPU compared to the GTX 1650. And secondly, the HP Victus only comes with 8GB DDR4 memory meanwhile the Pavilion gaming comes equipped with 16GB DDR4 dual channel memory for better performance. Overall, the HP Victus does have a better Intel 12th Gen Core i5 CPU but the Pavilion gaming 15 is a better gaming laptop thanks to a more powerful GPU and more memory. The Nvidia GeForce RTX series cards also boost performance in several games with the help of DLSS, further making it better than the GTX 1650. Meanwhile, both laptops have a strong cooling performance, which HP is famous for. The Pavilion Gaming 15 also features a wide variety of I/O ports including a full-size media reader slot, a ethernet port, and plenty of USB ports.
- 4.
Intel 12th gen H series chips are known for their high performance. Combine that performance with a gorgeous OLED display and you get the ASUS Vivobook S14 OLED. The laptop gets the powerful Intel Core i5-12500H, a 12-core 16-thread chip with Wi-Fi 6E support as well. And as its name suggests, the laptop features a 1800p OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 16:10 aspect ratio. That’s not all because the OLED display comes with a 600nits peak brightness and a billion-to-one contrast ratio. The Vivobook S14’s OLED display also has 100% DCI-P3 colour space coverage is also perfect for creative professionals who do colour grading and for those too who like to consume content in HDR. The laptop packs in 16GB LPDDR4 memory, where the ‘LP’ stands for ‘low-powered,’ for overall improved efficiency. The laptop also comes with 512GB memory, which can be expanded to up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 standard. The laptop’s webcam also comes with a camera shutter and ASUS has integrated a fingerprint sensor with the power button, which is a great move in my opinion. The OLED screen also has a 180-degree hinge and the entire laptop weighs just 1.5kg and is 18.9mm thick, making it easy enough to carry around all day.
- 5.
The MSI Katana GF66 is one of the most value-for-money gaming laptops powered by an Intel 12th gen Core i5 processor. It comes powered by an Intel 12th Gen Core i5-12450H, an 8 core 12 thread super-fast processor. The laptop is also paired with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU which has the distinct advantage of offering the DLSS tech that instantly improves in-game FPS without sacrificing graphics quality. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 also supports Ray Tracing but it is limited due to its meagre 4GB GDDR6 VRAM. Other specs of the Intel Core i5-powered gaming laptop include 16GB DDR4 memory and 512GB SSD, which should be enough to store and run most games. The laptop’s display is also a 144Hz 1080p panel which is more than good enough to play AAA games like GTA V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and eSports titles like Fortnite and Valorant. Being a gaming laptop, the MSI Katana GF66 also includes plenty of ports including multiple type-a and type-c ports along with an HDMI 2.0 output port and an ethernet slot. If this laptop had an HDMI 2.1 output port then it’d have also been suitable to power an ultrawide monitor and play games on it. But as of right now, it is limited to only a 16:9 aspect ratio screen.
- 6.
For the designers and the creatives, a touch screen and a 360-degree hinge are a blessing. But add an OLED display and a capable Intel 11th Gen Core i5 quad-core processor to the mix and the result is the ultimate creative machine. The machine has a name and it’s called the ASUS Zenbook 13 Flip OLED and its 13-inch 1080p display comes with 550nits peak brightness with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage. Every creative work requires strong I/O port support so the ASUS Zenbook 13 Flip OLED delivers but in its own way. For instance, it comes with two Thunderbolt 4 ports and each of them can separately power a 4k display. Moreover, the laptop also has a USB type-a 3.2 gen 1 port and an HDMI out port as well. So there isn’t a space for an SD card slot or more than one type-a port but you can attach a USB hub using the three ports and get reasonably fast speed as well. Lastly, keeping connectivity in mind, the laptop also comes with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 support.
- 7.
Most gaming laptops do not succeed in nailing down the ‘aesthetics,’ which gamers are looking for in their machines. But the ASUS TUF DASH F15 is one exception. It is a very well-proportioned 15.6-inch laptop with a white matte finish. And it’s not just the design part this laptop absolutely nails but also the performance part. Powered by an Intel 11th gen Core i5-11300H series processor combined with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 gives you the power to run every modern game at 1080p high graphics settings easily at 60FPS and above. In terms of specs, the laptop comes with 16GB DDR4 memory but you can expand it to up to 24GB. Similarly, you can also increase its 512GB SSD to a maximum of 2TB as well. And doing so is also quite easy thanks to pop-open screws. The laptop’s display also checks all the right boxes. It features 100% sRGB colour gamut coverage, 144Hz high refresh rate support along with adaptive sync technology which reduces screen tearing, lowers stuttering and minimizes input lag. And the I/O support for the laptop is also pretty strong as it features all the important ports including a Thunderbolt 4 port and an ethernet slot but does not feature an SD card slot.
