All intel core i3 processors. Technical characteristics of Intel Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 processors. Packaging and accessories

Computer progress does not stand still; more and more new technologies are constantly appearing. Not everyone these days can explain the difference between one processor model and another. Let's try together to figure out the difference between the two most popular processor models today, Intel Core i3 and Intel Core i5.

Intel Core i3– latest generation dual-core processor. Originally designed for entry-level desktop computers. The processor is equipped with a built-in dual-channel DDR3-1066/1333 RAM controller with voltages up to 1.6 V. It is important to note that modules that are designed for higher voltages will not function with this chip, in addition, they can damage it. The processor is equipped with a built-in PCI Express 2.0 x16 controller, with which the graphics accelerator can be connected directly to the processor. The DMI bus with a bandwidth of 2 GB/s is used to connect to the system logic set. The i3 processors have a built-in GMA HD graphics core with a clock speed of 733 MHz and twelve pipelines. However, the base clock frequency for all Core i3 models is 133 MHz; nominal frequencies are achieved by using multipliers.

Intel Core i5– latest generation dual or quad core processor. Originally designed for mid-range desktop computers. The processor is equipped with a built-in dual-channel DDR3-1066/1333 RAM controller with a voltage of up to 1.6 V. A DMI bus with a bandwidth of 2 GB/s is used to connect to the system logic set. The processor is equipped with a built-in PCI Express 2.0 x16 controller, with which the graphics accelerator can be connected directly to the processor. However, in models equipped with a GMA HD graphics core, you can connect one video card in x16 mode to the chip, and if the model does not have built-in graphics, then two video cards in x8 modes each. Dual-core models feature Hyper-Threading technology. It is worth noting that if the model number ends with 1, then the graphics clock speed will be 900 MHz, and if it ends with 0, then 733 MHz. All i5s feature Turbo Boost technology that automatically increases clock speeds at resource-intensive rates.

differences between Intel Core i3 and Intel Core i5:

  1. i5 processors have 2- and 4-core versions, while i3 processors have only 2-core versions.
  2. L3 cache memory in i5 processors is 4 or 8 MB, common to all cores, in i3 it is only 3 MB.
  3. The i5 processor supports Turbo Boost technology.
  4. The built-in PCI Express 2.0 controller in i5 can have one x16 or two x8 lanes; in i3 processors there is only one x16 lane.
  5. The i5's integrated graphics can be clocked at 900 MHz, as opposed to the i3's clock speed of 733 MHz.

So what should you choose? Which model is better?
As can be seen from the comparison, these chips are very similar. Core i3 processors are quite powerful and at the same time inexpensive, ideal if you are strictly limited on budget. Core i5 600 series processors have high performance, however, they have a chip with integrated graphics. These models are aimed at office workers who do not need powerful graphics. The quad-core i5-750 is the best choice if you want to build a powerful computer for a reasonable price.

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The processor is the brain of the computer, but it takes a lot of your own brain to understand the differences between processors! Intel hasn't made it easy for consumers with its weird naming schemes, and the question most often asked is: what's the difference between an i3, i5, or i7 processor? Which one should I buy?

It's time to demystify it. In this article, I won't touch on other Intel processors, such as the Pentium series or the new Core M series laptop. They are good in their own right, but the Core series is the most popular and confusing, so let's just focus on that.

Understanding Model Numbers

Honestly, it's very simple. Intel Core i7 is better than Core i5, which in turn is better than Core i3. The problem is knowing what to expect from each processor.

First of all, i7 does not mean seven-core processor! These are just names to indicate relative performance.

Typically, the Core i3 series uses only dual-core processors, while the Core i5 and Core i7 series use dual-core, quad-core, and six-core processors. Quad-core processors are usually better than dual-core processors, but don't worry about that for now.

Intel releases families of chipsets such as the new generation of Skylake processors for the 6th generation Skylake family. Each family, in turn, has its own line of Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors.

You can determine which generation the processor belongs to the first digit in the four-digit model name. For example, Intel Core i3- 5 200 refers to 5 -th generation. Remember that the new generations of Intel will not support Windows 7, but since Windows 10 is a free upgrade anyway, use the newest generation.

Advice. Here's a useful rule of thumb. The other three numbers are Intel's assessment of how the processor compares to others in its own line. For example, the Intel Core i3-5350 is superior to the Core i3-5200 because 350 is more than 200.

Last letters: U, Q, H, K

Things have changed since we last looked at Intel's processor list. Decoding a list of processors. The model number is usually followed by one or a combination of the following letters: U, Y, T, Q, H, and K. Here's what they mean:

  • U: Ultra low power. U rating is for laptop processors only. They use less power and are better for battery life.
  • Y: Low power. Typically used for laptops and older generation mobile processors.
  • T:Power Optimized for desktop processors.
  • Q: Quad-core processor. The Q rating is only for processors with four physical cores.
  • H: High-performance graphics. The chipset has one of the best graphics units from Intel.
  • K: Unlocked. This means that you can overclock the processor yourself.

Understanding these letters and the numbering system above will help you know what the processor offers just by looking at the model number, without having to read the actual specifications.

You can find the meaning of other letters in the Intel manuals for processor numbers.

Hyper-Threading: i7 > i3 > i5

As you can see above, Intel specifically writes U and Q for the number of physical cores. Well, what other kernels are there, you ask? The answer is virtual cores activated using Hyper-Threading technology.

In layman's terms, hyperthreading allows one physical core to act as two virtual cores, thereby performing many tasks simultaneously without activating the second physical core (which will require more power from the system).

If both processors are active and using hyperthreading, these four virtual cores will compute faster. However, note that physical cores are faster than virtual cores. A quad-core processor will perform much better than a dual-core CPU with hyperthreading!

The Intel Core i3 series has hyper-threading. The Intel Core i7 series also supports hyperthreading. Intel Core i5 series does not support it.

Turbo Boost: i7 > i5 > i3

On the other hand, the Intel Core i3 series does not support Turbo Boost. The Core i5 series uses Turbo Boost to speed up your tasks, just like the Core i7.

Turbo Boost is a patented technology to intelligently increase the processor clock speed if the application requires it. For example, if you're playing a game and your system requires some extra power, Turbo Boost will kick in to compensate.

Turbo Boost is useful for those who use resource-intensive software such as video editors or video games, but it's not a big deal if you're only going to surf the web and use Microsoft Office.

Besides Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost, one of the main differences in the Core line is the cache size. The cache is the processor's own memory and acts as its personal RAM - and it's one of the little-known features that can slow down your PC.

Just like with RAM, the larger the cache size, the better. So if the processor performs one task over and over again, it will store that task in its cache. If the processor can store more tasks in its private memory, it can make them faster if they appear again.

The Core i3 series typically contains up to 3 MB of cache. The Core i5 series has between 3MB and 6MB cache. The Core i7 series has 4MB to 8MB cache.

Since graphics have been integrated into the processor chip, this has become an important consideration when purchasing processors. But as with everything else, Intel made the system a little confusing.

There are now typically three tiers of graphics devices: Intel HD, Intel Iris, and Intel Iris Pro. You'll see a model name like Intel HD 520 or Intel Iris Pro 580... and that's where the confusion begins.

Here's a quick example of how overwhelming it can be. Intel HD 520 is the main graphics chipset. The Intel Iris 550 is better than the Intel HD 520, but also basic. But Intel HD 530 is a high performance graphics unit and is better than Intel Iris 550. However, Intel Iris Pro 580 is also a high performance graphics unit and is better than Intel HD 530.

Best advice on how to interpret them? Just don't. Instead, rely on the Intel naming system. If the processor model ends with H, you know it is a high-end module.

Comparison of i3, i5, i7 cores

CPU

Number of Cores

Cache size

Hyper-Threading

Turbo Boost

Graphic arts

Price

2 3MB Eat No Low Low
2-4 3MB-6MB No Eat Average Average
2-6 4MB-12MB Eat Eat The best Expensive

Simply put, here's who each processor type is best for:

  • Core i3: main users. Economic choice. Convenient for browsing the Internet, using Microsoft Office, video calls and social networks. Not for gamers or professionals.
  • Core i5: Intermediate users. Those who want a balance between performance and price. Good for gaming if you buy an HQ processor or a Q processor with a dedicated GPU.
  • Core i7: Professionals. This is the best Intel can do right now.

How did you choose?

This article is a basic guide for those who want to buy a new Intel processor but are confused between Core i3, i5 and i7. But even after understanding all this, when it's time to make a decision, you may need to choose between two processors from different generations.

What other advice do you have for others who are similarly stuck buying a PCU and need to make a choice?

In the process of assembling or purchasing a new computer, users are always faced with a question. In this article we will look at Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, and also tell you the difference between these chips and what is better to choose for your computer.

Difference No. 1. Number of cores and support for Hyper-threading.

Perhaps, The main difference between Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors is the number of physical cores and support for Hyper-threading technology, which creates two threads of computation for each actually existing physical core. Creating two computation threads per core allows for more efficient use of the processing power of the processor core. Therefore, processors with Hyper-threading support have some performance benefits.

The number of cores and support for Hyper-threading technology for most Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors can be summarized in the following table.

Number of physical cores Hyper-threading technology support Number of threads
Intel Core i3 2 Yes 4
Intel Core i5 4 No 4
Intel Core i7 4 Yes 8

But there are exceptions to this table. Firstly, these are Intel Core i7 processors from their “Extreme” line. These processors can have 6 or 8 physical computing cores. Moreover, they, like all Core i7 processors, have support for Hyper-threading technology, which means the number of threads is twice the number of cores. Secondly, some mobile processors (laptop processors) are exempt. So, some Intel Core i5 mobile processors have only 2 physical cores, but at the same time have support for Hyper-threading.

It should also be noted that Intel has already planned to increase the number of cores in its processors. According to the latest news, Intel Core i5 and i7 processors with Coffee Lake architecture, scheduled for release in 2018, will each have 6 physical cores and 12 threads.

Therefore, you should not completely trust the table provided. If you are interested in the number of cores in a particular Intel processor, then it is better to check the official information on the website.

Difference No. 2. Cache memory size.

Also, Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors differ in cache memory size. The higher the processor class, the larger the cache memory it receives. Intel Core i7 processors get the most cache, Intel Core i5 slightly less, and Intel Core i3 processors even less. Specific values ​​should be looked at in the characteristics of the processors. But as an example, you can compare several processors from the 6th generation.

Level 1 cache Level 2 cache Level 3 cache
Intel Core i7-6700 4 x 32 KB 4 x 256 KB 8 MB
Intel Core i5-6500 4 x 32 KB 4 x 256 KB 6 MB
Intel Core i3-6100 2 x 32 KB 2 x 256 KB 3 MB

You need to understand that a decrease in cache memory is associated with a decrease in the number of cores and threads. But, nevertheless, there is such a difference.

Difference number 3. Clock frequencies.

Typically, higher-end processors come with higher clock speeds. But, not everything is so simple here. It is not uncommon for Intel Core i3 to have higher frequencies than Intel Core i7. For example, let's take 3 processors from the 6th generation line.

Clock frequency
Intel Core i7-6700 3.4 GHz
Intel Core i5-6500 3.2 GHz
Intel Core i3-6100 3.7 GHz

In this way, Intel is trying to maintain the performance of Intel Core i3 processors at the desired level.

Difference No. 4. Heat dissipation.

Another important difference between Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors is the level of heat dissipation. The characteristic known as TDP or thermal design power is responsible for this. This characteristic tells you how much heat the processor cooling system should remove. As an example, let's take the TDP of three 6th generation Intel processors. As can be seen from the table, the higher the processor class, the more heat it produces and the more powerful the cooling system is needed.

TDP
Intel Core i7-6700 65 W
Intel Core i5-6500 65 W
Intel Core i3-6100 51 W

It should be noted that TDP tends to decrease. With each generation of processors, the TDP becomes lower. For example, the TDP of the 2nd generation Intel Core i5 processor was 95 W. Now, as we see, only 65 W.

Which is better Intel Core i3, i5 or i7?

The answer to this question depends on what kind of performance you need. The difference in the number of cores, threads, cache and clock speeds creates a noticeable difference in performance between the Core i3, i5 and i7.

  • The Intel Core i3 processor is an excellent option for an office or budget home computer. If you have a video card of the appropriate level, you can play computer games on a computer with an Intel Core i3 processor.
  • Intel Core i5 processor – suitable for a powerful work or gaming computer. A modern Intel Core i5 can handle any video card without any problems, so on a computer with such a processor you can play any games even at maximum settings.
  • The Intel Core i7 processor is an option for those who know exactly why they need such performance. A computer with such a processor is suitable, for example, for editing videos or conducting game streams.

Not long ago, the concepts of “overclocking” and “inexpensive Intel processor” were considered contradictory. That is, initially they were perfectly compatible, but since 2010, when the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture came to Intel processors, the company decided to limit the list of CPUs available for overclocking to only a few models of a special overclocker series, which received the K suffix in model numbers. At that time, Intel, not without reason, decided that the widespread overclocking of processors was damaging its income and turned everything upside down. As a result, instead of allowing users to continue saving by overclocking inexpensive chips, it began charging overclockers an additional fee for the right to own a processor with an unlocked multiplier. In addition, such processors were classified exclusively as flagship products in the Core i7 and Core i5 series, which forced enthusiasts who wanted to operate the CPU beyond the rated frequencies to part with a significant amount of money, at least $240 or more.

However, as can be judged by the events that began to occur subsequently, Intel's decision to deprive buyers of inexpensive systems of any access to overclocking turned out to be not so final and irrevocable. For the first time, the microprocessor giant gave up the slack three years ago, when the $70 Haswell generation suddenly appeared in the family of processors for overclocking. And then off we go: here you have the opportunity that has temporarily opened up with the help of the BCLK frequency, and Chinese engineers, and all sorts of options using Xeon processors in desktop systems.

In general, there is no stopping the train: there are a lot of options to save money through overclocking when building a modern configuration with an Intel processor, and the company seems to have completely decided to give up trying to put a spoke in the wheels of inventive enthusiasts. Instead, the focus is now on trying to discourage buyers from all sorts of semi-legal options in favor of another inexpensive new generation processor with officially supported overclocking - the Core i3-7350K. This processor lowers the bar for entry into the overclocking club: its official price is set at $168, which is 30 percent lower than the price or .

Indeed, the emergence of such an offer as the Core i3-7350K calls into question the advisability of fiddling with various overclocking options for neo-overclocking and engineering versions of Skylake, and also deals a certain blow to the positions of AMD FX processors, which have currently moved into the same category as the Core i3 price category. The Core i3-7350K is favored by its high clock speed and modern Kaby Lake microarchitecture. However, do not forget that, like any other Core i3 series processor, the 7350K is a dual-core processor. Therefore, by modern standards, this Intel proposal may give the impression of some kind of compromise option, like the same Pentium G3258 Anniversary Edition. But not everything is so simple. The Core i3 has support for Hyper-Threading technology, which means that the Core i3-7350K, like the Core i5 series processors, can execute four threads simultaneously, which is quite enough for general-purpose systems today.

Considering that the Core i3-7350K is an overclocking processor of the Kaby Lake generation, which is distinguished by its ability to reach frequencies, it is very interesting to check whether it has enough potential to withstand the younger Core i5 and older AMD FX. That is why, as soon as our laboratory received a sample of the Core i3-7350K, it immediately went to the test bench.

Actually, overclocking is the main thing, for which it was worth testing the Core i3-7350K. And here the processor did not disappoint. For the production of Kaby Lake processors, an upgraded 14-nm process technology with improved frequency potential is used, and the Core i3-7350K also has a more compact semiconductor crystal compared to the Core i7-7700K and Core i5-7600K. Therefore, it is not surprising that our copy of the Core i3-7350K was able to reach the 5-GHz frequency without much difficulty. To achieve this result, no scalping was required, no excessive increase in processor voltage, or the use of an inverse AVX multiplier. Stability at 5.0 GHz was achieved with the processor voltage set to 1.425 V.

Stability testing in LinX 0.7.1 passed without any problems; the maximum temperature when using the Noctua NH-U14S air cooler for heat removal was 95 degrees. Thus, it was the Core i3-7350K that became the first processor that passed through our hands, capable of stable operation at a 5-GHz frequency without any preliminary preparation.

However, you need to understand that overclocking to 5 GHz for any Core i3-7350K is not guaranteed, although on average such dual-core processors with normal cooling should be 100-200 MHz better than the Core i7-7700K and Core i5-7600K. So, judging by the reviews that can be found on the Internet, you should count on overclocking in the range from 4.8 to 5.1 GHz.

As for the overclocking procedure itself, there are no differences compared to the Core i7-7700K and Core i5-7600K. In the case of the Core i3-7350K, exactly the same set of parameters is available for change: base multiplication factor, BCLK frequency, maximum and minimum multipliers for the L3 cache frequency. A Kaby Lake-specific inverse AVX multiplier is also available, which allows you to slow down the processor when executing power-intensive AVX and AVX2 instructions. Moreover, as it turned out, the frequency of the Core i3-7350K can be varied depending on the number of cores loaded with work. That is, despite the fact that the processor itself does not support Turbo Boost technology, a similar operating mode can be fully implemented during overclocking. The Core i3-7350K does not have any artificial restrictions in terms of memory overclocking. The processor allows you to use all speed modes of SDRAM up to DDR4-4266.

Description of the tools used to measure computing performance:

Comprehensive benchmarks:

  • BAPCo SYSmark 2014 SE - testing in Office Productivity scenarios (office work: preparing texts, processing spreadsheets, working with email and visiting Internet sites), Media Creation (working on multimedia content - creating a commercial using pre-shot digital images and video), Data/Financial Analysis (processing an archive of financial data, their statistical analysis and investment forecasting based on a certain model) and Responsiveness (analysis of system responsiveness when launching applications, opening files, working with an Internet browser with a large number of open tabs, multitasking , copying files, batch operations with photos, encrypting and archiving files and installing programs).
  • Futuremark 3DMark Professional Edition 2.2.3509 - testing in the Time Spy 1.0 scene.

Applications:

  • Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 - testing performance when processing graphic images. The average execution time of a test script is measured, which is a creative reworking of the Retouch Artists Photoshop Speed ​​Test, which involves typical processing of four 24-megapixel images taken with a digital camera.
  • Blender 2.78a - testing the final rendering speed in one of the popular free packages for creating 3D graphics. The duration of building the final model from Blender Cycles Benchmark rev4 is measured.
  • Corona 1.3 - testing rendering speed using the renderer of the same name. The speed of building a standard BTR scene used to measure performance is measured.
  • Microsoft Edge 20.10240.16384.0 - performance testing of Internet applications built using modern technologies. A specialized test, WebXPRT 2015, is used, which implements algorithms actually used in Internet applications in HTML5 and JavaScript.
  • WinRAR 5.40 - archiving speed testing. The time spent by the archiver to compress a directory with various files with a total volume of 1.7 GB is measured. The maximum degree of compression is used.
  • x264 r2744 - testing the speed of video transcoding into H.264/AVC format. To evaluate performance, we use an original 1080p@50FPS AVC video file with a bitrate of about 30 Mbps.
  • x265 2.2+17 8bpp - testing the speed of video transcoding into the promising H.265/HEVC format. To evaluate performance, the same video file is used as in the x264 encoder transcoding speed test.

Games:

  • Ashes of Singularity. Resolution 1920 × 1080, DirectX 11, Quality Profile = High, MSAA = 2x.
  • Battlefield 1. Resolution 1920 × 1080, DirectX 11, Graphics Quality = Ultra.
  • Civilization VI. Resolution 1920 × 1080, DirectX 11, MSAA = 4x, Performance Impact = Ultra, Memory Impact = Ultra.
  • Grand Theft Auto V. Resolution 1920 × 1080, DirectX Version = DirectX 11, FXAA = Off, MSAA = x4, NVIDIA TXAA = Off, Population Density = Maximum, Population Variety = Maximum, Distance Scaling = Maximum, Texture Quality = Very High, Shader Quality = Very High, Shadow Quality = Very High, Reflection Quality = Ultra, Reflection MSAA = x4, Water Quality = Very High, Particles Quality = Very High, Grass Quality = Ultra, Soft Shadow = Softest, Post FX = Ultra, In -Game Depth Of Field Effects = On, Anisotropic Filtering = x16, Ambient Occlusion = High, Tessellation = Very High, Long Shadows = On, High Resolution Shadows = On, High Detail Streaming While Flying = On, Extended Distance Scaling = Maximum, Extended Shadows Distance = Maximum.
  • Hitman™. Resolution 1920 × 1080, DirectX 12, Super Sampling = 1.0, Level of Detail = Ultra, Anti-Aliasing = FXAA, Texture Quality = High, Texture Filter = Anisotropic 16x, SSAO = On, Shadow Maps = Ultra, Shadow Resolution = High.
  • Total War: WARHAMMER. Resolution 1920 × 1080, DirectX 11, Quality = Ultra.
  • Watch Dogs 2. Resolution 1920 × 1080, Field of View = 70°, Pixel Density = 1.00, Graphics Quality = Ultra, Extra Details = 100%.

There is no doubt that the Core i5 series processors are generally faster than the Core i3. Likewise, the Core i7 series always looks more interesting than the Core i5. However, the average consumer, when choosing a processor for his system, is guided by more than just performance. Price also plays an important role. And the Core i3-7350K reviewed today is attractive not so much because of its pure performance, but because in the right hands it can provide a very decent speed level for only $168.

And in this vein, it can be presented as a good option for moderately priced gaming builds. As tests have shown, even in the most modern and processor-dependent games, performance is limited in power Core i3-7350K not so often. Although two cores with support for Hyper-Threading technology are considered just the minimum required for gaming, video cards like the GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 480 will be able to be opened up using the Core i3-7350K without any noticeable impact on frame rates, especially if you take into account the possibility its acceleration. Therefore, the Core i3-7350K can be recommended as a worthy option for “mass gaming” and online battles.

As for other aspects of performance, the Core i3-7350K is primarily strong due to its high clock speed, which allows for very good responsiveness in single-threaded applications, which are mostly intended for the Internet or office. But if we talk about resource-intensive creative tasks, then the Core i3-7350K begins to choke on them: two cores with Hyper-Threading technology are generally weaker than the full four cores offered by Core i5 or Core i7 class processors.

True, the Core i3-7350K has another undeniable advantage: an unlocked multiplier, which determines its overclocking capabilities. Since the Core i3-7350K belongs to the Kaby Lake generation, you can quite count on it reaching a 5-GHz frequency and receiving an additional performance increase of about 10-15 percent. However, the main thing here is not even this, but the fact that an inexpensive overclocking processor is simply a very convenient “guinea pig” that can become an entrance ticket to the fascinating world of overclocking for many novice enthusiasts.

As a result, when choosing a processor in the price range from $150 to $200, giving preference to the Core i3-7350K makes sense in several cases. Firstly, if you plan to experiment with overclocking, but don’t want to bother with selecting boards and finding the “correct” firmware for the Core i5-6400. Secondly, if you want to save money, but still expect to get decent gaming performance, especially in older or online multiplayer projects. And thirdly, if the main range of applications you run on your computer (besides games) is a browser, a multimedia player and various office tools.

Intel Corporation offers a large number of . Depending on their capabilities, they are divided into families. The simplest in the family is Celeron, the next is Pentium, and finally, the latest model processors are i3, i5 and i7. They are also known as Intel Core.

First i3 processors appeared on the market in 2010 and were an evolution of the Intel Core 2 Duo.

According to Intel's classification, the i3 processor is in the "budget" segment as it is intended for users with a limited budget. However, the possibilities i3 processor covers the needs of 80 to 90% of PC users.

Core. i3 processor has 2 cores. In addition, there is a “simultaneous multi-threading” feature that allows the processor to function and process four threads in parallel. If you have no idea what this is, don't worry. This means that most of your applications will run smoothly with this processor. Applications that require a large number of processor cores, for example, graphic editors, video processing, 3D image rendering.

Integrated video card. i3 processor has integrated graphics card. And the benefits of the new generation of processors don’t stop there. With an i3 processor you can get a cheaper discrete computer, but in this case you will have to use . Which is undoubtedly not very good, as it will lead to problems with running several programs at the same time.

Integrated memory controller. i3 processor except for the video card added memory controller. Although this innovation has the obvious advantage of faster direct access, you will only be able to use DDR 3 RAM on the i3 model.

Built-in PCI Express. I3 processors have a built-in PCI Express 2.0 controller. Thus, the graphics card, in case of discrete use, will be connected directly to the processor.

The i3 processor is almost perfect. As said earlier, it covers the basic needs of 80% of users. As a result, it remains for those who use the computer for gaming or working in professional applications, where the performance of the i3 processor may drop.

Versions of i3 processors.

i3 previous or first generation.

You can find this processor on the Internet by simply typing in the search bar: "previous generation". Line for personal PCs: i3-5xx and laptops: i3-3xx. In this TDP generation, the maximum power consumption is 73 W. The bus connecting the chipset to DMI has a bandwidth of 1 Gbp/s.

i3 second generation or Sandy Bridge.

In this segment, the line is i3-21xx for PCs and i3-23xx for laptops. This processor, at the same speed, is significantly better than the previous i3. We're talking about a 10% improvement. But this is noticeable, first of all, on the graph.

The I3 comes with an HD 2000 or 3000 graphics card, which is twice as powerful as the previous generation. In addition, the QuickSync system has been added, which allows you to encode and decode video at high speed; DirectX 10.1 is supported. DMI in Sandy Bridge connects the processor to the chipset at up to 2GB/s. TDP in desktop processors is 65 W.

Don't forget that one of the key improvements is the improvement in the instructions supported by the processor. In this case, AVX acceleration of some operations is added, such as signal processing, scientific and financial calculations, and so on.

Third generation I3 processor or Ivy Bridge.

Ivy Bridge is a clear improvement in manufacturing technology. With transistors ranging from 32 to 22 nanometers wide, the same area can contain twice as many processors. The improvement is especially noticeable in the increase in power supply and Intel graphics card. In addition, the i3 Ivy Bridge processor can provide a 10% increase in performance. Directx 11 support. TDP in desktop processors 55 W.