GUIDE TOWARDS INTEL'S CORE PROCESSOR FAMILY

For many of us computer users, a PC’s CPU – or central processing unit – is an unseen device that we know little about. We’re bamboozled by numbers and frequencies ('gigahertz' or GHz) that do little to assist in our understanding of why one computer's performance may be better than another. However, it helps to have some working knowledge about your next computer’s CPU, so you can make an informed buying decision and get a computer that’s fast enough for your needs.

At present, the most popular CPUs for new notebooks and desktop PCs are the Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7. These CPUs are available in various performance grades and they have plenty of features that ensure a fast computing experience.

       Intel Core i7-980X

Guide to CPUs

At a glance it’s hard to know which CPU to choose (unless you know some nitty gritty details), but you can follow this general guide. The Intel Core i3 CPU is featured in entry-level computers that can be used for basic office tasks, Internet browsing and online communications, photo editing, watching high-definition videos, and even for some basic video production. Pricing for computers with a Core i3 CPU starts from around $800.

The Intel Core i5 CPU is for mid-range computers and it supplies a little more speed for everyday tasks as well as gaming and video work. Computers with a Core i5 CPU generally cost around $1300 depending on the configuration.

The Intel Core i7 is for high-end computers and it offers the best performance for playing games, video editing and design work. If you require a really fast computer, and money is no object, then look for one with a Core i7 CPU. Prices start from around $1900 for computers with Core i7 CPUs.

Intel Core i3-540

More CPU details

While the guide above is a good rule of thumb, you may want to understand more about your new PC’s CPU. The main details you need to compare CPUs are the clock speed, the number of cores they have and whether they have Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost technologies.

Clock speed: The clock speed, or frequency, refers to the speed of the CPU, and this determines how quickly a task can be performed (for example loading a program). It is measured in gigahertz (GHz).

Number of cores: The number of cores relates to how many ‘engines’ are inside the CPU. A CPU with four cores (quad-core) will outperform a CPU with two cores (dual-core) in instances where you run multiple programs at the same time (also know as multitasking), or when you run high-end software such as Adobe Photoshop for photo editing or Adobe Premiere for video editing.

Hyper-Threading: Hyper-Threading is Intel’s proprietary technology that it uses to make a dual-core CPU perform as if it has four cores and a quad-core CPU perform like it has eight cores. Essentially, it allows each core to work on two tasks at the same time, thereby allowing you to multitask without noticing a drop in your PC's performance.

Turbo Boost: Turbo Boost is another Intel technology that it uses to make the CPU to run faster than its default speed when necessary. For example, a CPU with a clock speed of 2.4GHz can run as high as 2.93GHz if the CPU auto-monitoring tools determine the workload requires the faster speed and that the CPU environment is cool enough to handle the increase.

Intel Core i7-870

Intel Core i3:

Core i3 is Intel’s latest budget processor. Even though the Core i3 is the lowest of the bunch, it’s still a very good processor that has received well to outstanding reviews by the majority of experts and customers alike.

The technology behind Core i3 processors includes dual core base, hyper threading support, and virtualization. Core i3 processors do support 64-bit versions of Windows. By taking advantage of Intel’s new chipset and 32nm technology, Core i3’s have even been known to perform closely to lower end Core 2 Quad processors.

If you use your computer for basic tasks such as word processing, email, surfing the web, etc., a Core i3 processor is more than enough to handle all of that with ease. A core i3 processor is a solid, affordable choice for the heavy majority of people.

Some highlights from our review:

"The 2.93GHz Core i3-530 is based on the same 32-nanometer design, codenamed "Clarkdale," as are the newest Core i5 chips. In fact, apart from a lower clock speed, there's only one significant difference between the Core i3 and the Core i5 series: The Core i3 lacks the Intel Turbo Boost technology found on the Core i5 and i7."

"If you're interested in HD-video playback and light gaming, however, the Core i3-530's built-in graphics core is an enticing feature. It accelerates both 2D and 3D graphics when used with the H55, H57, or Q57 chipsets."

"The Core i3-530 took 4 minutes and 41 seconds to complete our Sony Vegas MPEG-2 rendering test; while this is much faster than the 6 minutes and 23 seconds it took last year's Core 2 Duo E8400 chip, it's nearly a minute longer than AMD's similarly priced Athlon II X4 635..."

Intel Core i5:

Core i5 is the latest “mid-range” processor by Intel. A step up from the Core i3, i5 processors will give you a noticeable difference in speed, depending on what type of applications that you run. If you are playing solitaire, you aren’t going to be able to tell a difference between Core i3 and Core i5 processors. If you are editing multiple files in Adobe Flash, with virtualization software, you may notice the Core i5 to be snappier.

Technically, Core i5 processors are marketed a bit differently. There are two main types of Core i5 Processors, dual core, and quad core. Dual core i5 processors have 32nm technology, hyper threading support, virtualization support, and Turbo Boost technology. Quad core i5 processors have 45nm technology, virtualization support and Turbo Boost technology, but do not have hyper threading support.

Do the two types of Core i5 processors offer similar performance? Yes, in most situations. However, one may be better than another when running multi threaded applications. Be sure to take note of which specific Core i5’s are dual core vs. Core i5’s that are quad core, if you are looking to buy a specific processor.

 In most situations, a Core i5 is a safe bet. Core i5’s offer enough performance to do stuff like video editing and gaming, and more than enough performance to do basic stuff like word processing, internet surfing, and email. A Core i5 processor is a great, mid-range priced processor for people who use their computers frequently and often multi task.

Intel Core i7:

 The Intel Core i7 CPU for notebook computers features two or four cores depending on the model, and it also supports Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost. The Intel Core i7 for desktop PCs is only available with four cores, and it has Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost.

The Intel® Core™ i7 processor delivers best-in-class performance for the most demanding applications. This quad-core processor features 8-way multitasking capability and additional L3 cache. With adaptive performance and built-in visual capabilities this 2nd generation processor brings more intelligence to your PC.

2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7 processors feature Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology◊, enabling required security applications and protocols to run efficiently in the background without compromising productivity.

Today's more visually sophisticated communication needs will be met with Intel® HD Graphics 2000 Technology, integrated into 2nd generation Intel Core processors. This eliminates the need for a discrete graphics card, reducing power consumption and system cost.

CPU naming conventions

Usually you will see a number after the CPU name. To be honest it looks like another cryptic code to be cracked, but it’s easy to understand if you have the correct abbreviation information.

For example, the Core i5 is available in the following models for a notebook computer: Core i5-520UM, Core i5-430M, Core i5-520M, and Core i5-540M. Overall, the higher the model number, the better the performance, unless the model name has a ‘U’ or an ‘L’ in it. These letters refer to low-power usage and indicate that the CPU will run with a slower clock speed than CPUs using standard voltage. For example, the Core i5-520UM is a slower CPU than the Core i5-520M.

Intel Core i5-750

Note that the additional letter ‘M’ in the CPU indicates that it's ‘mobile’, thereby signifying that it’s a CPU designed for a notebook.

When considering the Core i7, you might also see a ‘Q’ in the name; this stands for ‘quad-core’ and means that the CPU has four cores as opposed to two for the non-Q models.

Depending on your computing needs, Intel’s new family of CPUs offers great PC performance, no matter your budget. Before choosing your new PC, do a bit of homework and consider what your computing needs are today, and what they will be a few years from now. The PC you buy today – with some future-proofing – should provide for all your computing needs.

Comparison Chart Core i3,Core i5,core i7

Second Generation Core processor family