Intel- i3, i5, i7

A processor is one of the most essential parts of a computer. The processor does all the work to give you what you see on your screen. The structure and working of a processor is actually very complex. In the current decade, Intel and AMD are the main competitors in processor marketing. In this post, we will discuss about what Intel has to offer us. [Everything we discuss in this post is with reference to a PC]

Earlier, the processors were sold with their Gigahertz and Megahertz (Clock speed) value. As a customer, one would prefer a processor with more GHz value. But this is not a right practise as other features should also be taken into consideration. However, Intel ended this confusion by shifting their marketing away from frequencies. They accomplished this by introducing i3, i5 and i7 models. Before we get into their features, there are some "words" you'd have to know. Let's start with those.

1) Cores
A core can be thought as an individual processor. More the number of cores, the better you can multi-task. Basically, if you have a multi-core processor and you run two applications at the same time, then each application will have its own processor backing it. Multi-cores are very important to improve performance if you're working with multi-threaded applications likes video editing or photoshop.

2) Hyper-threading
Hyper-threading is a technology which allows you to double your number of cores. It creates two "logical cores" in a single physical core. This boosts multi-tasking and multi-threaded application. Although, the logical cores aren't as efficient as the real cores, the overall performance is improved.

3) Overclocking
Some Intel processor models have a suffix "K" wich implies that the processor is "unlocked". It further implies that your PC can be subjected to overclocking. You can use the BIOS settings to boost your clock speed. In this way, we can push the frequency up by around 0.5GHz.

4) Turbo Boost
Turbo Boosting is the automatic overclocking of your PC when the CPU temperature is cool enough. It increases the clock speed more than its default settings, providing better performance.

5) Cache Memory
Cache memory, also called CPU memory, is RAM which the processor can access more quickly and easily than it can access from RAM. Its basic purpose is to store program instructions which are freqently referenced by software during operation. Therefore, the processor has fast access to these instructions and this increases the overall speed of the software program.

These are the features which must also be taken into consideration when you're buying a processor. Now, with reference to the above features, let's see what i3, i5 and i7 are capable of:

[Note: i7 can have upto 8 cores.]

In the end, you might still have a question: Which processor should I buy? Well, the answer depends on your use. If you need it for day-to-day use and not for games requiring high graphics, i3 is the way to go. If you are a gamer with a "not very high" budget or if you're working with photo/video editing then i5 is the right choice. Usually, i7 is very expensive due to its features. If you're a very serious gamer who plays games which demand high CPU performance or if you work with a lot of video editing (especially 4k) then you could consider buying an i7, provided your budget permits.