Leo, I canât remember the article number where you discussed the difference
between the various processor speeds. A slow i3 versus a similar core 2 duo on
an i5, on an identical i3, etc. I bought a 17-inch laptop for a ridiculous price
with an i3 running a slow 2.1 (Iâm assuming you mean 2.1 Ghz). The department
manager told me I should get the incredibly heavier and more expensive Dell
that had been simultaneously, ridiculously cheap running an i5 2.5. She claimed
you need the faster processor for a 17-inch laptop. But is this true? I got my
cheapo unit delivered, but I havenât opened the box and I just would like you or a
staff member to let me know the number of the article about processor speeds.
In this excerpt from
Answercast #6, I discuss some of the considerations in buying a new
computer, and whether or not the size of the computer has anything to do with
it.
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Search Ask Leo!
So the article is âWhatâs the difference between i3, i5 and i7 processors?â and a quick search on Ask Leo! for (I think) i3 or i5 or both of them would have taken you directly to that article.
How much speed do you need?
So, the statement that you need a faster processor for a 17-inch laptop is either hyperbole or just flat out not true.
The size of your laptop doesnât dictate the speed of the processor that you need. What dictates the speed of the processor you will need are two things: the cost (in other words, how much you can spend, how much itâs worth to you), and how you intend to use that laptop.
If all youâre going to do is read email and surf the web, chances are the 2.1 Ghz is just fine. On the other hand, if youâre doing things like video processing, or audio encoding, or a heavy-duty calculation in Excel or anything thatâs really CPU intensive, youâre going to want a faster CPU.
It has nothing to do with what kind of computer you have; it has everything to do with what you intend to do with it. So, I hope thatâs helpful.
I really donât think that the i3 or i5 processor article is going to help you much because it mostly talks about how confusing the different nomenclature is.
What I would suggest is to think deeply about how you intend to use the computer and your budget. Then, try to make a halfway compromised decision between your budget and your need; to see if you can get a processor that will do what you need it to do down the road.
Back to â Answercast #6
First, the Core2Duoâs and Core2Quadâs are not available in new PCâs as they were replaced by Intelâs âIâ series processors. Originally, the I3 and I5âs were âdual-coreâ processors and the I7 was a quad-core. These had problems and Intel replaced this line with the âSecond-Generationâ, âSandy Bridgeâ âIâ series. Now, the I3 is a dual-core and the I5 is a quad-core. The I7âs are quad-core but now are even available in a âsix-coreâ model. Also, Intel did away with the âfront-side busâ and integrated the video chip into these âSandy Bridgeâ models for a much faster response.
Unless you are a hard-core gamer or a graphics or game designer, even the slowest 2nd generation I3 will easily do what you need. The screen size really has very little, if anything at all, to do with your processor.
Wow, I didnât know that I3 was only dual-core! (See, that reaction is just engrained; if the president of Intel came to Ask Leo and said donât worry even if your 17âł laptop is running the âslowest 2nd generation ID?â Wouldnât believe him. Maybe itâs just human nature, or else the effectiveness of advertising + keeping up with the Joneses. I guess a stupid follow-up question to your response is: Will laptop manufacturers disclose whether the I3 youâre getting a steal on is Sandy Bridge? Or is an I3 dual-core oldie-but-goody marketed as a Sandy Bridge I3?