Intel Revives Five-Year-Old Core i5-110 Processor

In an unexpected move, Intel has announced the rerelease of the Core i5-110 processor, a model originally launched five years ago. This new addition to the Series 1 lineup follows the Core i5-120, although the two chips share very few similarities.

The Core i5-110 is essentially identical to the older Core i5-10400, which was released under the Comet Lake architecture. It is manufactured using the older 14-nanometer process technology and features six CPU cores along with Hyper-Threading support, allowing for a total of 12 threads. The processor can reach a maximum clock speed of 4.3 GHz and comes equipped with a 12 MB Level-3 cache.

For graphics processing, the Core i5-110 includes the UHD Graphics 630, which operates at a frequency of 1.1 GHz and supports 4K displays at 60 Hz. The memory controller allows for support of up to 128 GB of DDR4-2666 RAM, while the Thermal Design Power (TDP) is rated at 65 watts.

Notably, the Core i5-110 will only function with older LGA1200 motherboards, specifically those based on the 400 and 500 chipset series. Previously, Intel had reintroduced the Core i5-12400 (Alder Lake) as the Core 5 120, compatible with the newer LGA1700 motherboards.

Intel has set a suggested retail price for the Core i5-110 at $200, which translates to approximately EUR205 when accounting for a 19% VAT. This pricing mirrors the initial launch price of the Core i5-10400. However, consumers can still find the original Core i5-10400 at significantly lower prices, starting around EUR116.89. Additionally, the newer and more performant Core Ultra 5 225 is available for under EUR180.

This reintroduction of an older processor model raises questions about Intel's strategy. It is speculated that the Core i5-110 may have been launched at the request of specific PC manufacturers. Consequently, the listed price might be more theoretical than actual, with real-world sales likely being negotiated at lower prices. However, the practice of reviving older processors often leaves consumers with mixed feelings.