Intel Pentium Gold 8505 – Best budget mobile processor from the Alder Lake-M series
Hailing from Intel’s 12th generation processors, codename Alder Lake, the Intel Pentium Gold 8505 is the first in the Pentium range to appear in the market to feature a multi-core setup. And, by that we mean combining performance and efficient cores in the same die. This makes it the best budget processor money can buy.
Intel Pentium Gold 8505 – What is it based on?
Launched in Q1 of 2022, the budget mobile processor from the Alder Lake family is making its mark on the Internet with amazing budget performance. Using a total of 5 cores, a combination of 1 performance core and 4 efficient cores, the CPU is capable of 6 computing threads. Two from the performance cores and one each from the 4 efficient cores. But that is not all. Those cores have a maximum turbo frequencies of 4.40GHz and 3.30GHz respectively mated with 8MB of on board smart cache. That kind of clock speed can really crunch the numbers. On top of that, you have the power efficiency of 15W at base speed and 55W at turbo speed, making this a green processor too.
What we really like the most about the processor is its onboard graphics. Using Intel’s 12th gen onboard graphics, the Intel UHD Graphics with 48 Execution Units, it is powerful enough to support up to 8K resolution and you can hook up to a maximum of 4 displays. Depending on how the processor is applied by the manufacturers, it is capable of supporting up to 64GB of fast LPDDR5 memory on its dual memory channel configuration. Being from the 12th generation family also gives it access to new technologies like the Intel Thunderbolt 4, Gen 4 PCIe and a whole barrage of Advanced Technologies from Intel.
How does Intel Pentium Gold 8505 compares with Intel Core i3-1210U and Intel Core i3-1215U Processors
Two of the main 12th Gen Intel Core i3 processors available in laptops currently in the market, the Intel Core i3-1210U and Intel Core i3-1215U, are the closest cousins to the Intel Pentium Gold 8505. With the same turbo frequency across the range, they only differ in the additional core and extra 2MB onboard cache. They are also the closes, performance wise to the Intel Pentium Gold 8505. See table below for a comparison based on benchmarks by PassMark.
| Processor | Total Cores | Max Turbo Frequency | Cache | Ave | Single |
| Intel Pentium Gold 8505 | 5 | 4.40GHz | 8MB | 9035 | 3313 |
| Intel® Core™ i3-1210U Processor | 6 | 4.40GHz | 10MB | 11087 | 3554 |
| Intel® Core™ i3-1215U Processor | 6 | 4.40GHz | 10MB | 11150 | 3385 |
| Intel® Core™ i3-1220P Processor | 10 | 4.40GHz | 12MB | 14423 | 3402 |
In the graph above, both Intel Core i3-1210U and 1215U processors are 22.7 and 23.4% faster than the Intel Pentium Gold 8505 respectively in the Average CPU Mark ratings but only 2-7% faster in single thread performance. These are small compromises as the Intel Pentium Gold 8505 is already fast enough to take on your everyday tasks. It will handle browsing the web, checking emails and editing documents with ease. It will even let you do a spot of photo editing with the right amount of memory. But it really shines when compared to other budget laptops based on Intel Celeron processors, more in the next section.
Performance Benchmark – Miles ahead compared to Celeron’s
Don’t just take it from us, look at the numbers. The Intel Pentium Gold 8505 scored a respectable 9035 points in the average CPU mark and 3313 points when considering single thread performance. While the numbers are not your typical 5 figures from the current Intel Core class processors, the Average CPU Mark rating is almost double those from the ultra budget Intel Celeron processors.
The best we have seen from the Celeron family at the time of writing is the Intel Celeron N4120 and that only managed 2542 in the Average CPU Mark rating and 1102 in single thread performance. Compared, the Intel Pentium is more than 3.5 times faster in Average and 3 times faster in single thread performance. So if you are thinking, Celeron or Pentium, definitely go for Pentium Gold 8505.
| Processor | Total Cores | Max Turbo Frequency | Cache | Ave | Single |
| Intel Pentium Gold 8505 | 5 | 4.40GHz | 8MB | 9035 | 3313 |
Laptops based on Intel Pentium Gold 8505
Currently, there is only one laptop that uses the processor, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3. It has a full size 17.3-inch display albeit HD+ resolution only making it a great laptop replacement. That’s 1600 x 900 pixel resolution. What you are going to find limiting is its memory and storage. At 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD, it is not making the most of its processor’s capabilities.
The specification does indicate that you can max the memory out at 12GB by installing a further 8GB RAM. This would make it significantly better at multitasking. No such luck with the SSD storage though. However, you can offload data, media and big installation files into a separate USB-C flash or external drive. Additionally, there is a 4-in-1 SD card slow that you can also use. Even with the big display, the entire unit only weighs 2.04kg with a depth of 19.9mm.
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What about Desktop
Yes, there are all-in-one desktops that use mobile parts including mobile processors. The Intel Pentium Gold 8505 will become a firm favourite among manufacturers making budget all-in-one laptop. Already, the Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 3i is gaining popularity. With its 23.8-inch display and all in one PC design, it is not only compact and space saving, thanks to the Intel Pentium Gold 8505, it is both efficient and fast too. The Full HD display packs more pixels than its laptop counterpart and the bezel less design puts the display front and centre. Other nifty features include the HDMI port for external display, four USB ports around the back with cable management and a pop-up webcam.
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What will be disappointing through is the 4GB RAM memory. This can be jacked up to 16GB by replacing the 4GB RAM module but you will have to do this post purchase. The saving grace is the 256GB SSD storage, which is double that on the laptop above. May not be big enough for power users, but plenty for the average users. Overall, this is a great value machine.
Final Thoughts
Ever so after a seriously good value processor comes by that will punch above its weight and give you the best bang for buck. We see a lot of this from AMD. For Intel to introduce hybrid architecture into their Pentium line, combining different CPU cores – Performance-cores and Efficient Cores offers incredible leap in performance not see in the Celeron end of processors. Kudos to Intel for doing this. For the bargain hunters, forget Intel Celeron processors and pick up a seriously good value Intel Pentium Gold 8505 machine instead.
