Best Intel processor: Core i3, i5 and i7 explained
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Intel's Core i chips are a super-strong brand found on the majority of laptops, but how do you know what you're actually buying? We bust Intel's jargon.
Around 80% of new PCs, and over 90% of laptops, have Intel processors. This means that if you’re in the market for a new computer, you’ll most likely be considering an Intel-powered model.
Finding the right chip is hard. Intel's processor ecosystem is strewn with confusing model numbers that actually tell you a lot about the processor you're about to buy, albeit only if you know what you're actually looking for.
Intel’s branding doesn’t make it particularly easy for you to choose: it’s not at all obvious what the difference between a Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 processor is, apart from an ever-increasing amount of cash removed from your wallet.
We'll explain all in this article. Read on to find out everything you need to know...
Despite their underlying similarities, there are some key differences that can drastically affect each model’s performance. First, have a look at the table below to see how the ranges compare. We’ll explain what the terms mean later in the article.
DESKTOP
|
Core i3
|
Core i5
|
Core i7
|
No. of cores
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
Frequency range
|
3.4-4.2GHz
|
2.4-3.8GHz
|
2.9-4.2GHz
|
Turbo Boost
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Hyper-Threading
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Cache
|
3-4MB
|
6MB
|
8MB
|
NUMBER OF CORES
The first thing you’ll notice from the table is that Core i5 and i7 processors have four cores, while Core i3 models only have two. Out of all the differences between the Intel processor ranges, this is the one that will affect performance the most.
Each core is effectively its own processor – your PC would still work (slowly) with just one core enabled. Having multiple cores means that the computer can work on more than one task at a time more efficiently, which will help keep your system running snappily even if you have tasks, such as an antivirus scan or video render, running in the background.
Having several cores can also drastically increase the speed at which certain programs run. This doesn’t apply to all applications, as creating software that takes advantage of multiple cores is difficult. While two cores are now the accepted minimum in a processor, if you generally only tend to have a handful of tabs open in a web browser and your most demanding application is a word processor, you won’t see a huge benefit from a quad-core chip. However, modern games benefit from quad-core chips as does video encoding.
Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/best-intel-processor-core-i3-i5-i7#hb9PH4o2zvRDOI9t.99
