Intel Core i3 vs. i5 vs. i7 vs. i9: Which One Should You Buy?
Taking into consideration that 2006, Intel possesses carried designations favor Core i3, i5, i7, and also i9 for their processors. But what’s the disagreement in between these CPUs? This thorough guide will most certainly compare Intel Core processors side by side to aid you accurately weigh Core i3 vs. i5 vs. i7 vs. i9.
FYI: weigh out our CPU ordering guide if you’re asking yourself what to look for in your next desktop processor.
- Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9: The Basics
- Core i3 Cpus
- Core i5 Cpus
- Core i7 Cpus
- Core i9 Cpus
- Past i3, i5, i7, and also i9: Realizing Intel’s Variation Lettering Tool
- Core i3 vs. i5 vs. i7 vs. i9: Which Intel Processor Ought to I Obtain?
Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9: The Basics
Intel’s Core processors have aided Crew Blue stay at the optimal of the Intel vs. AMD contest since the launching of the 12th Gen Alder Lake CPUs. We currently have Intel’s 14th Gen Raptor Lake processors, letting loose some of the ideal toting out CPUs on the area.

Core i3 | Core i5 | Core i7 | Core i9 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cores/Threads | 4/8 | Upwards to 14/20 | Upwards to 20/28 | 24/32 |
Clock Pace (Advice/Concentration) | Upwards to 3.5 GHz/4.7 GHz | Upwards to 3.5 GHz/5.3 GHz | Upwards to 3.4 GHz/5.6 GHz | Upwards to 3.2 GHz/6.2 GHz |
L3 Cache | 12 MB | Upwards to 24 MB | Upwards to 33 MB | Upwards to 36 MB |
TDP (Advice/Fullest) | Upwards to 60W/110W | Upwards to 125W/181W | Upwards to 125W/253W | Upwards to 150W/253W |
Recollection Confirm | Upwards to DDR5 4800 MT/s Upwards to DDR4 3200 MT/s | Upwards to DDR5 5600 MT/s Upwards to DDR4 3200 MT/s | Upwards to DDR5 5600 MT/s Upwards to DDR4 3200 MT/s | Upwards to DDR5 5600 MT/s Upwards to DDR4 3200 MT/s |
PCIe Confirm | PCIe 5.0/PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0/PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0/PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0/PCIe 4.0 |
Onboard Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 730 | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | Intel UHD Graphics 770 |
Price Assortment | Wallet | Mid-hodgepodge | Overindulgence | Prices |
Safest For | Light intake/purse betting/occupational stretch occupational | Mid-hodgepodge betting and also reputable productivity | Overindulgence betting and also productivity | Veterans and also aficionado players |
The 14th Gen Core processors are part of the last generation of CPUs for Intel’s outbound LGA 1700 outlet. Intel is practicable to unleash a totality brand-new-made outlet with its 15th Gen schedule about the expire of 2024, which could readjust the Core i3 vs. i5 vs. i7 vs. i9 debate delicately.
Core i3 Cpus
Intel’s Core i3 processors have habitually been its lowest CPUs. They could be the lowest-specced contents in the schedule, yet they’re nice for entry-level betting, residence theater PCs (HTPCs), or PCs seated aside for light occupational stretch occupational. You can equip undertake with the compelled inventory CPU cooler.

Cores
The 14th Gen Core i3 CPUs come with ameliorate-down RAM pace stabilize and also onboard graphics, yet Intel doesn’t steal away hyperthreading, which helps the 4 physical cores vary proper into 8 “strings” or logical processors. These strings permit each core to oversaw several occupational with one voice at once.
Nice to interpret: these CPUs result overhead their weight and also are some of the ideal purse CPUs for betting.
Turbo Concentration
In terms of the substructure clock pace, the Core i3 processors don’t look with one voice that dissimilar from the greater-specced chips. At 3.5 GHz, they’ll execute and also feel also during loose reading, video intake, and also occupational stretch occupational. The Turbo Concentration regularity is in which they lack – at 4.7 GHz, they aren’t hellish yet are far behind their brother or siblings.
Cache Size
Cache is a tiny quantity of high-pace recollection directly on the CPU die, resulting in near-instantaneous outlines access. Chatting about L3 cache, in particular, the Core i3 chips come with a reputable 12 MB barrier, reciprocal among the 4 cores. This suffices for day-to-day occupational and also instead much any kind of non-compute-hefty workload.
Core i5 Cpus
The Core i5 processors establish on plenty of solution to both purse and also mid-hodgepodge constructing erectors for constructing merit-for-silver silver silver money PCs. In addition, the Core i5 CPUs introduce “unlocked” multipliers, permitting CPU overclocking.

Cores
The Core i5 chips earn earn use of of Intel’s inimitable crossbreed layout, being composed of effective “Capability-cores” (P-cores) and also less effective “Rewarding-cores” (E-cores). You’ll position a greatest of six P-cores (twin-threaded) and also 8 E-cores (singular-threaded) on the Core i5 CPUs, with the unexpurgated quantity greatest string count being 20. These Rewarding-cores are lacking from the Core i3 schedule.
This crossbreed layout intelligently gains earn use of of the 2 species of cores for topmost energy performance.
Tip: battling with derogatory performance in an app? Allocate particular cores to an prayer in Windows.
Turbo Concentration
The Fullest Turbo regularity watched on the Core i5 chips is 5.3 GHz, which sells a monumental uplift compared to the i3 CPUs. The substructure regularity on the P-cores is still 3.5 GHz, while the E-cores are clocked low at 2.6 GHz. The Core i5 processors result the ideal tenacity in between rate and also performance.
Cache Size
The L3 cache in addition check outs a burly bump to 24 MB, with the L2 cache at 20 MB in addition being drastically greater than the 5 MB on the Core i3 chips.
Core i7 Cpus
The Core i7 processors introduce a absorbed move-upwards in performance for those gazing at extravagance betting rigs and also absorbed productivity tools. If you stab singular the ideal PC contents for a extravagance construct and also have the proper troposphere conditioning installation, these chips are for you.

Cores
The Core i7 processors attribute upwards to 8 P-cores and also 12 E-cores, totaling a greatest of 28 strings. The auxiliary Rewarding-cores bargain a monumental simplify to non-betting occupational, favor video editing and also enriching, rendering, and also filming.
Turbo Concentration
The Fullest Turbo regularity you’ll review here is 5.6 GHz on the P-cores and also 4.3 GHz on the E-cores, which is delicately greater than that on the Core i5 CPUs. In addition, the substructure regularity on the P-cores and also E-cores is 3.4 GHz and also 2.5 GHz specifically.
Cache Size
The cache is in which you review a tenacious increase: 33 MB of L3 and also 28 MB of L2 cache, a burly move upwards compared to the ideal the Core i5 CPUs have to bargain. This uplift drastically reinforces both your betting and also productivity prayers.
Core i9 Cpus
Taking into consideration that the ninth Gen Core schedule, the Core i9 processors have been the flagship CPUs of Intel’s entire schedule. They’re targeting enthusiasts that stab a no-compromise setback and also are anxious to husk out the gourmet for it. They’re the multitudinous stern consumer CPUs in the earth, necessitating the ideal CPU colders to be able to execute at their greatest.

Cores
Keeping the pattern intact, the Core i9 CPUs review a greatest of 8 P-cores and also 16 E-cores, totaling a greatest of 32 strings. Veterans, framerate-chasers, and also enthusiasts are the target for these 24-core beast processors.
Turbo Concentration
The Core i9-14900KS is the singular CPU in the earth that’s able to attain a simplify clock (Fullest Turbo) of 6.2 GHz. The substructure regularities on both the P-cores and also E-cores are marginally low than those on the Core i7 CPUs.
Cache Size
The Core i9 chips increase both the L3 and also L2 cache barriers to a greatest of 36 MB and also 32 MB specifically, benefitting compute-hefty occupational.
Past i3, i5, i7, and also i9: Realizing Intel’s Variation Lettering Tool
The lettering device Intel gains earn use of of for its CPU models will most certainly aid you interpret auxiliary about particular models. The greater the number at the take off of the tag, the more recent generation of CPUs it belongs to. The next number stresses the particular tier within a CPU household, i.e., within Core i3, i5, i7, or i9. Finally, the suffix (or the lack thereof) at the expire confers you auxiliary outlines about the model disparity.

For instance, the Core i9-14900K is an i9 household CPU belonging to the multitudinous existing 14th Gen CPUs with an unlocked multiplier. Also, the Core i5-14400 and also Core i5-14600 are dissimilar Core i5 chips within the horribly same 14th Gen processor household.
Desktop computer Models
- K suffix: unlocked multiplier for overclocking
- Certainly no suffix: cannot be overclocked
- F suffix: no included graphics
- KF suffix: unlocked chips without onboard graphics
- T suffix: intended for decreased-power desktops

Laptop Models
- HX suffix: highest performance with unlocked multipliers
- HK suffix: highest performance with unlocked multipliers
- H suffix: highest performance without unlocked multipliers
- P suffix: performance-carried the multitudinous of chips for thin and also light laptop computer systems
- U suffix: ultra-decreased-power processors for ultrabooks
- Y suffix: drastically decreased-power chips
- G1, G4, or G7 suffix: manifest the graphics level for more recent Intel phone processors
Nice to interpret: position out whether betting laptop computer systems are well worth it.

Core i3 vs. i5 vs. i7 vs. i9: Which Intel Processor Ought to I Obtain?
Intel’s Core processor schedule possesses plenty of choices for each sort of borrower: invariant users, players, superstars, producers, and also enthusiasts. Which CPU you should acquire trust funds your particular intake shell, your purse, and also in which you are in terms of the upgrade lifecycle of your PC.
- Core i3 CPUs are ideal for loose users gazing for a reputable day-to-day household computer, HTPC, or also a purse betting device.
- Core i5 chips are the ideal bang-for-your-buck choices for multitudinous users, letting loose enough performance for mid-hodgepodge betting, some productivity occupational, and also the aptitude to overclock your CPU.
- Core i7 CPUs kick points upwards a notch and also equip fingering for those that stab a extravagance, twin-adage, betting-orgasm-workstation powerhouse.
- Core i9 processors are overkill for multitudinous users and also are believed singular for enthusiasts that stab wholeheartedly nothing yet the ideal.
Tip: confronting high CPU temps when betting? Locate out the optimum CPU temp for betting and also how to funky it down.
Image credit rating: Unsplash