Apple : In Depth: Intel processors: what you need to know to get started

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In Depth: Intel processors: what you need to know to get started Posted: Introduction and Core processors Not so long ago, processors were judged largely by raw clock speed alone, a measure of how many calculations the chip is capable of performing in the space of a second. These days, it's all about cores, which have allowed chipmakers like Intel to boost speed by splitting tasks across a number of processing units that exist on the same die. Coupled with software designed to take advantage of multiple cores, such processors can wind up tackling intensive work faster than ever before. However, shopping for a new processor isn't quite as simple as picking the one with the fastest processor speed and the most cores, but we're here to help outline the subtle (and not-so subtle) differences before purchasing your next PC. Let's start with a bit of backstory on what Intel has to offer - but if you're just curious which processors are the fastest currently available, jump straight to the wrap-up to find out. Intel inside For the purposes of our discussion, we'll focus strictly on central processing units (CPUs) manufactured by Intel, who is considered the market leader powering the majority of Windows and Mac OS X-based systems available. (Competitor AMD typically costs less, and is therefore more commonly found on budget-priced Windows boxes.) Intel also makes processors dedicated to servers and embedded devices, as well as an increasing number of mobile devices. While these CPUs are classified into a number of product families - familiar names like Xeon, Atom and Core - our focus will mostly be on the traditional desktop and notebook CPUs the company is best known for. Core i3, i5 and i7 The most popular Intel processors would be the Core "i" series, now in its fifth desktop generation with the current Broadwell code name. A successor to the Core 2 processor introduced in 2006, the "i" series is broken into three categories that could be generally classified as "good, better and best." Despite their names, Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 do not signify how many processing cores each has - rather, they are simply designations that classify how many stars Intel would assign to a given chip, based upon expected performance. (Intel abandoned the previous star rating system in favor of this numeric designation.) One of the easiest ways to categorize Intel Core processors is to look at how Apple has implemented them into its line of popular notebooks. Core i7 processors are used to power the high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, while Core i5 processors are used in a variety of speeds for the less expensive 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, as well as the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models. Apple doesn't currently utilize the lower-end Core i3 processor in its notebook or desktop lineup, but plenty of Windows OEMs certainly do - if you happen to see an advertisement for a system with a price that appears too good to be true, there's a good chance it may powered by something from the Pentium, Celeron or Core i3 family. What's in a core? Core i7 debuted first in 2008 with a 1.6GHz clock rate at the lower end of the spectrum, ramping up to as fast as 4.4GHz more recently. The i7 category actually breaks down into two camps: Quad-core processors that dissipate a modest amount of power (45 to 130 watts), and those intended for desktop systems (between 130 and 150 watts) which offer a variety of more powerful multi-core options (more on that in a moment). The next rung down the ladder is Core i5, the popular midrange processor lineup Intel first introduced in 2009. Core i5 chips are available for desktop and laptop systems in dual-core and quad-core configurations that are surprisingly efficient (17 to 95 watts). Last but not least, Core i3 is considered the new kid on the motherboard, introduced in 2010 as a cost-effective, dual-core option with initial clock speeds of 2.4GHz that have been increased to 3.7GHz in recent months. While the Core i3 may fall short in raw power, it more than makes up for that in low power dissipation (between 35 and 73 watts), but generally speaking, this series will be found in budget-priced systems. Pentium: 20 years and counting The Core lineup certainly wasn't Intel's first rodeo - far from it! The company introduced the Pentium line way back in 1993 with a meager clock rate starting at 60MHz (yes, megahertz!) and not a second core in sight until 2005, when the Pentium D/Extreme Edition (EE) served up a dual-core CPU capable of running multi-threaded applications. A year later, the first-generation Intel Core processor would be introduced, eventually paving the way for Intel Core and Core 2 CPUs and the eventual leap to the current Core i3/i5/i7 lineup. Along the way, Intel introduced a dizzying variety of Pentium-class chips, including the MMX (1996-1999), Pentium Pro (1995-1998), Pentium II (1997-1999), Pentium III (1999-2003), Pentium 4 (2000-2008) and the Pentium M (2005-2008). Remarkably, the Pentium 20th Anniversary Edition was released in 2014 to celebrate this venerable granddad of PC processors, which continues to hold a strategic position at the lower end of the Intel lineup. The rest of the family Celeron, Atom and Xeon With all this talk about Pentium and Core processors, it's almost easy to overlook three other members of the Intel processor family. Two of them are aimed at less-expensive devices, while the third can be found in some of the most powerful workstations and servers around. The elder member of the group is the relatively low-powered Intel Celeron, which first debuted in 1998, a decade before the CPU powered budget PCs during the ill-fated "netbook" era. With an initial clock speed of 266MHz that's currently ramped up to 3.6GHz, this single- and dual-core performer is amazingly still a member of the Intel production line. More focused on energy savings than raw power, the versatile Intel Atom line has found a home inside budget laptops in recent years, as well as network-attached storage (NAS) boxes. First introduced in 2008 with a meager clock speed of 800MHz, the Atom line currently powers a variety of mobile devices, robotics and health care equipment with speeds up to 2.13GHz. That leaves only the "big daddy" of Intel's processor lineup, the Xeon. Initially launched in 1998 with clock speeds in the 400MHz range, Xeon has made possible top-of-the-line workstations like the Mac Pro, most recently maxing out at 4.4GHz and available in 12 and 15-core flavors. Cores to the max By now you might be wondering what all the fuss is over multiple cores. As their names might indicate, dual-core means two cores, quad-core means four, hexa-core means six, octa-core delivers eight, while the latest 12 and 15-core provide the maximum processing power available. Generally speaking, the more cores your CPU has, the better the performance it will be capable of - although software and even the type of internal storage can have a big impact as well. (After all, solid-state flash storage is faster than traditional hard drives.) Ultimately, the number of cores will depend upon what you need to do with the system in question. Casual web browsing, email and basic productivity tasks all perform respectably on Core i3 or even older Core 2 Duo processors, while Core i5 should be considered the absolute minimum for more artistic endeavors such as Adobe Photoshop or 3D modeling software. Hardcore gamers have the most to gain from higher-end Core i7 processors, although computing tasks like video encoding or editing and music creation will certainly benefit as well. More than just cores There are also other considerations when comparing processors. For many chips, Intel uses hyper threading (HT) technology that allows the processor to perform two instructions (or threads) at the same time. The result is performance that approaches that of two separate processors working in tandem. Desktop and laptop Core i7 processors all support hyper threading with a minimum of four cores, for a combined total of eight possible threads running at the same time. Coupled with a larger cache size and typically more system RAM, and it's not hard to see why Core i7 is quite popular with power users. Other technology like Intel's Turbo Boost allows the processor to dynamically ramp the clock speed up or down when needed. Turbo Boost offers a significant advantage for Core i5 chips - which all include such technology - over Core i3 processors, which do not. The fastest processors available What's in a number? It's also worth noting that not all Intel Core processor brands are the same, even if they carry the i3, i5 or i7 modifier. There's also an alphanumeric code used to describe the processor model, and each one can tell prospective buyers something about what they can expect from it. For example, an Intel Core i7-4770K model number breaks down as such: The first number after the brand modifier indicates the generation (in this case, the number four equals fourth-generation), followed by a three-digit numeric stock keeping unit (SKU) that helps differentiate each for the retailer. The processor may include one or more product line suffixes. In the above example, the trailing "K" signifies an unlocked desktop model with a CPU capable of performing to peak potential, versus other letters like S or T, which are optimized for "lifestyle" performance or power, respectively. You may have heard Intel processors also referred to by their internal code names. Although you'll rarely see them marketed that way, code names like Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Haswell have become part of the tech media lexicon in recent years; Broadwell and Skylake are the latest kids on the block. See you next year Much like the notebooks, desktops and mobile devices they power, Intel releases new processors on a near-annual basis, so whatever you purchase today will no longer be cutting edge a year from now. With that wisdom in mind, a notebook or desktop powered by an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 is likely to be the best investment, unless the buyer is financially solvent enough to shell out thousands of dollars for a powerhouse with Xeon inside. Rumors have been spreading that Intel plans to expand the popular Core series with something called i9, but to date the chipmaker seems content squeezing every bit of potential out of the Core i5 and Core i7 series, which offers the closest thing to future-proofing we're likely to get from a CPU. Speed trio Speed curious? Here's a look at the top three fastest Intel processors powering desktop and notebook computers, according to 3DMark: Desktop: 1. Intel Core i7-5960X (12540) 2. Intel Core i7-4960X (12480) 3. Intel Core i7-5930K (12440) Notebook: 1. Intel Core i7-4870HQ or Intel Core i7-4860HQ (8430) 2. Intel Core i7-4940MX (7170) 3. Intel Core i7-4930MX (7070)

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