You can run some intensive applications, such as Adobe Premiere, on an i5, but will see more of a benefit with an i7 than you might in gaming. The most recent i5 chips top out at six cores on desktop and four cores on mobile with boost clock speeds closing in on 5GHz. For most users, an i5 is more than enough to handle day-to-day tasks, and they can even hold their own when it comes to gaming. The i5 processors sit in a sweet spot of price versus performance. Should you buy a Core i5 or a Core i7? Bill Roberson/Digital Trends We’re using Intel’s most recent processors, but keep in mind that you can often find processors from the previous generation or two.
We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about these two product ranges across desktop and mobile. Core i7 processors have a little more power, and they’re best for users running demanding applications and games at the highest settings.īetween a Core i5 and Core i7, though, there’s a lot more to the story. Intel Core i5 vs i7: What’s the difference?Ĭore i5 processors are great all-purpose chips, offering solid performance for gaming, web browsing, and light productivity tasks. But what’s the difference between them? Like most computer components, there are dozens of models at each tier to choose from, and it can get a little overwhelming. Intel’s Core i5 and i7 CPUs are still the most popular processors you can buy - and for good reason.
