That's $90 off and the best price we could find. Buy Now at Dell Technologies
- 11th Generation Intel Core i5-1155G7 2.5GHz Quad-Core CPU
- 15.6" 1920x1080 (1080p) 120Hz display
- 16GB RAM; 512GB NVMe SSD
- Windows 11 Home
A 3-year Dell warranty applies to both models on offer. Pictured is the Refurb Dell Latitude 7320 11th-Gen. i5 256GB 13" Detachable Notebook for $369.99 (low by $994 for a refurb model). Shop Now at Woot! An Amazon Company
That's at least $150 less than the best price we could find elsewhere. Buy Now at eBay
- Intel Core i5-1335U 10-core CPU
- 1920 x 1200 IPS display
- 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
- Model: HP-Elitebook-i5-16-512
They're the best prices we could find for any Latitude 7414 rugged laptop with either storage option – you'd pay almost $600 for the 512GB option at Amazon today. A 90-day Woot warranty applies. Shop Now at Woot! An Amazon Company
- Intel Core i5-6300u 2.4GHz Skylake dual-core CPU
- 14" 1366x768 (720p) touchscreen
- 16GB RAM & 256GB SSD or 16GB RAM & 512GB SSD
- DVD burner
- Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Apply coupon code "10OFFCLEAR" for a total savings of $363. This laptop is perfect whether it's for everyday productivity or running your business. Buy Now at Dell Technologies
- 13th Generation Intel Core i5-1335U 3.4GHz Raptor Lake 10-core CPU
- 14" 1920x1080 (1080p) display
- 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD
- Windows 11 Pro
As one of its daily deals, Best Buy offers this at a $200 discount and the best price we've seen for it. Buy Now at Best Buy
- 12th Generation Intel Core i3-1215U 3.3GHz Alder Lake 6-core processor
- 15.6" 1920x1080 display
- 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 82QD00DHUS
Game anywhere and customize your laptop's look. It's $200 off. Buy Now at Dell Technologies
- 13th Generation Intel Core i5-13450HX 3.4GHz Raptor Lake 10-core CPU
- 8GB RAM and 512GB RAM
- 15.6" 1920x1080 (1080P) display
- Windows 11 Home
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB graphics
That's a savings of $170. Buy Now at Best Buy
- 12th Generation Intel Core i3-1215U 3.3GHz Alder Lake 6-core processor
- 15.6" 1920x1080 display
- 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 82QD00DHUS
That's a savings of $170. Buy Now at Dell Technologies
- 12th Generation Intel Core Evo i5-1235U 3.3GHz Alder Lake 10-core CPU
- 15.6" 1920x1080 display
- 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
This is the best price we've seen, and $100 less than you'd pay from Microsoft direct. Buy Now at Best Buy
- 12th Generation Intel Core Evo i5-1235U 3.3GHz Alder Lake 10-core CPU
- 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD
- 13.5" 2256x1504 touch display
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: QZI-00001
That's by far the best we've seen, $200 under our last mention, and a $500 savings today. Buy Now at Best Buy
- 12th-Gen. Intel Core i5-1235U 3.3GHz Alder Lake 10-core CPU
- 13.5" 2256x1504 touchscreen
- 8GB RAM & 512GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: R1S-00001
As one of its daily deals, Best Buy offers this laptop at a $250 savings. (It's also $200 less than you'd pay for a similar laptop, albeit with 16GB RAM, direct from Dell.) Buy Now at Best Buy
- 12th-Generation Intel Core i5-1235U 3.3GHz Alder Lake 10-core CPU
- 15.6" 1920x1080 (1080p) touchscreen
- 8GB RAM & 512GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
That's $90 off and the best price we've seen for this laptop outside of Black Friday. Buy Now at eBay
- Intel Core i5-1235U Processor with Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- 8GB Soldered DDR4-3200 RAM with 256GB SSD M.2 2242 PCIe 3.0x4 NVMe Storage
- 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) TN 220nits Anti-glare Display
- Windows 11 Home 64, English
- Model: 82QD003VUS
- UPC: 196801480216
Today only, save $260 on this laptop sporting a 12th-gen Intel CPU, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. Buy Now at Best Buy
- 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1215U processor
- 15.6" Full HD touch screen
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Weighs 3.42 lbs. and measures 0.7" thin
- Model: 82R700L5US
That's $120 off and at the best price we've seen. It includes a 2-year warranty with accidental damage covered. Buy Now at Sam's Club
- Choose in-store pickup to dodge the $10 shipping charge
- 12GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
- Model: 15-er1051cl
That's a $180 savings on this hard-to-find model from last year. Buy Now at Woot! An Amazon Company
- functions as a laptop or a tablet
- 13th-generation Intel Core i5-1335U 10-Core 1.3GHz/0.9GHz CPU
- 14" 1920x1200 touchscreen
- 8GB RRAM & 256GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 82Y0000FUS
That's $200 under Amazon and a great price for a 17" laptop with these specs. Buy Now at Woot! An Amazon Company
- Intel Core i5-1135G7 CPU
- 17.3" HD+ (1600x900) Non-Touch Display
- 8GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 17-cn0026nr
- UPC: 196548344376
That's a savings of $170. Buy Now at Best Buy
- 12th Generation Intel Core i3-1215U 3.3GHz Alder Lake 6-core processor
- 15.6" 1920x1080 display
- 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 82QD00DHUS
Coupon code "ANNUALSALE" gets you half of and the best deal we've seen. You'd pay $820 elsewhere. Buy Now at Lenovo
- 13th Generation Intel Core i5-13500H 1.9GHz Raptor Lake 12-Core CPU
- 16" 2560x1600 display
- 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB graphics
- Model: 83AQ000QUS
You'd pay $9 more at Lenovo direct. Buy Now at Walmart
- 13th Generation Intel Core i5-13500H 3.5GHz Raptor Lake quad-core CPU
- 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD
- 16" 1920x1200 IPS display
- Windows 11 Home 64-bit
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 6GB graphics
- Model: 82XW0011US
Core i5 Laptops: The Basics
When researching a laptop to buy, one of the main factors to consider is the processor. The processor handles the workload of the computer, so its performance and speed can have a large impact on the overall value of your system.
Core i5 is a line of processors made by Intel that are intended for the mainstream user. Within the Core i5 family, there are several generations and models of products. The most recent Intel Core generations are listed below, along with their code name (Intel’s naming scheme for the platforms they develop):
- 10th Generation : Comet Lake, Ice Lake, or Amber Lake Y
- 9th Generation : Coffee Lake
- 8th Generation : Coffee Lake, Whiskey Lake, Kaby Lake R or G, or Amber Lake Y
- 7th Generation: Kaby Lake
Deciphering the Processor Name
When reviewing the specifications for a laptop at a certain retailer, you may not see the generation listed in the processor name. However, you can determine this by the first number listed in the name of the processor after “i5”. For instance, “Intel Core i5-1035G1” has a 10 after i5, which indicates it is 10th gen. Along the same lines, “Intel Core i5-9300H” is 9th gen.
The last letter or number/letter combination in this string also has meaning , and represents certain features. As examples, an “H” on the end means high performance graphics, while a “U” means ultra-low power.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which i5 Processor Generation Should I Choose?
Most of the Core i5 laptop deals listed on DealNews are at least 8th gen; the majority are 10th gen. Generally speaking, the latest generation of a processor represents advances in technology compared to previous generations.
That said, according to Intel , “A higher number within a processor class or family generally indicates more features, but it may be more of one and less of another.” So it’s worth checking into the specifics once you’ve narrowed down your choices. A slightly older processor at a great deal may be perfectly sufficient compared to spending more for the very latest development.
How Many Cores Are in an i5 Laptop?
Core i5 processors for laptops can go up to six cores, but more typically have two or four cores. The majority of i5 laptop deals on DealNews are for quad-core systems. Having multiple cores basically means your processor can multitask, doing up to six things at once (or more with hyper-threading ).
Quad-core is commonly recommended for average users that aren’t using specialized software that’s designed to take advantage of additional cores. Dual-core may also suffice, particularly if cost is the main driver of the purchase.
Should I Buy a Core i5 or Consider i3, i7, or i9?
When considering a Core i5 laptop deal, you may be wondering if you should upgrade to i7 or i9 — or save money by opting for i3. Like the processor generations mentioned above, the higher numbers generally mean higher performance. Core i5 would be a step above i3, i7 a step above i5, and so on.
That said, there can be a lot of variance within these lines, and several factors besides the number of cores will affect performance, including:
- Clock Speed : Measures how fast the processor is, with higher numbers meaning higher speeds (higher speeds also use more power and generate more heat)
- Turbo Boost : Speeds up processor performance during peak loads
- Hyper-Threading : Allows multiple threads to run on each core (doing more simultaneously without slowing down)
Intel highlights some of the key features in the Intel Core processor family and provides detailed comparison charts for the following mobile processors:
This chart is not available for Core i9 , but Intel also offers a handy tool for comparing processors using their Product Specifications Page (ARK). If you are considering a couple of specific models and want to view the processor specifications side-by-side with differences highlighted, you can follow the instructions for using the search with the option to compare.
When making a choice between the i5 and other CPUs, it will likely come down to how much you can afford. All other things being equal or at least comparable, you’ll want to get the latest and greatest processor possible for the money you plan to spend. That said, shelling out for a processor with way more power than you need isn’t necessary. That extra power will only benefit those that run high-end games and complex software.
How Can I Get a Discount On an i5 Laptop?
You can browse the i5 laptop deals here at DealNews to find several options for getting a discount. Many of the i5 deals we find come from these stores:
If you don’t see a deal, you can search the model number for the system you are interested in to check prices. To potentially get even more savings, you can search DealNews for coupons for the stores that sell it. Once you’ve determined the prices and whether coupons are available, you can compare to find out which store has the lowest price.
Sarah Jones is the resident coupon expert at DealNews and oversees a team that covers deals, coupons, and Black Friday content. Her articles or quotes have been featured on sites such as Christian Science Monitor, Oprah.com, Fox Business, Kiplinger, and Lifehacker.