We have heard the words Core i3 or Core i7 in relation to computers many times. We often wonder I’m sure if there are specs that makes other computers superior to other computers. What’s the point of having a fast laptop or a prestigious brand some people may be wondering. As long I can work and open as many tabs as possible when I’m working and it doesn’t affect the pace and or quality of my work then it’s a great computer right? Has any of these thoughts ever crossed your mind?

Well to prevent our brains from overheating today, we are going to talk about the processors only in this article.

What Do I Mean When I Say ” Processor”?

Also known as the Central Processing Unit, according to HN Computing,

A processor or micro-processor is the ‘brains’ of a computer system. It is the processor that controls the working of all of the hardware and software.

In simple terms, a processor’s main job is to receive input or instructions and produce the appropriate output or the end result at any given time just like the human brain. A processor is responsible for converting our instructions on the computer to the output we want. EG, If you want to construct a sentence on MicrosoftWord, a processor is responsible for converting the instruction( typing on the keyboard) into an output ( the sentence that appears on the screen). This is just a tiny example of the million processes a processor is able to produce.

There are 2 main manufacturers of Processors Intel and AMD ( Advanced Micro Devices). And just like the Samsung Apple debate, Intel and AMD have their fair share of stuff to debate about. Intel Core Processors, Intel Xeon, Intel Atom, Pentium, Celeron, Itanium, and Intel Quark are some of the most popular processors from Intel that are used by a lot of PC and laptop manufacturers. AMD’s Ryzen, Athlon, A-Series, FX Series and the Pro versions of some of these ranges are equally popular.

So What Do Terms Like Core i5, Dual Core stand For?

This jargon has always confused a lot of us whenever we want to buy a computer. Sales people in some instances have used our ignorance to sell their products to us because we really don’t understand some of these things and it’s sometimes too confusing to try and understand it all.

A core is a small part of a processor that receives instructions and performs calculations, or actions, based on those instructions. A set of instructions can allow a software program to perform a specific function. A processor can have a single core or multiple cores. So Dual and Quad Core mean the number of cores on the processor. Imagine having one brain and having 2 or 4 brains.

Core i3 doesn’t mean it has 3 core and core i5 doesn’t have 5 cores, in-fact, core i3 are dual cores and core i5s have quad cores, etc. The more the number of cores means multitasking will be easier and more efficient for your computer.

So Which Processor Is Best For What I Do?

At the end of it all,  it all boils down to what you do and what you use the computer for. Wasting a processor’s potential in the geek world is just an atrocity similar to that of wasting a physical talent in real life.

Gamers

Professional and Recreational gamers would and should prefer an Intel Core i9 which has the best gaming performance so far according to PC Gamers. An Intel Core i7 has a good gaming performance depending on what you prefer as an individual but it pretty much has the same cores with a core i9 but slightly cheaper among other things. A gamer can opt for this processor should their budgets not be big enough to buy a core i9. Another processor that fare well when it comes to gaming is an Intel Core i5. Most of these processes differ in the number of cores and price and a few but complicated specs but would work very well should you decide to use it for gaming purposes.

Serious Content Creation / Multimedia

For those who want to do live streaming, video editing, or any other serious content creation work, stepping up to Intel Core i9 makes sense as it has a much more powerful processor that delivers speeds that will make any content creator happy. However, not all of us can afford the Core i9, therefore, an Intel Core i7 which is usually a couple of bucks less expensive than a Core i9 in some instances, is a good alternative. An AMD Ryzen 5 offers great processing power if you want to use it for some serious content creation.

Normal Everyday Use

To quote PC World

Core i5 is the “better” chip. A step up from Core i3, it’s quad-core all the way, meaning it’ll be able to take on more CPU-intensive tasks, including entry-level gaming and multimedia.

However, the prices for most of the laptops with these processors especially the Intel Core i9 and sometimes Core i7 and even in some cases Core i5, are way beyond the reach of many as they range between $1000 and $5000 United States Dollars depending on the brand.

So, I want A Laptop With A Good Processor, But On A Tight Budget.

Let me introduce you to Intel Core i3 and Intel Celeron. In most cases, these processors have the same number of cores but some may differ in terms of speed. Laptops with these processors are usually reasonably priced and affordable to the masses that usually use laptops for everyday work. In case you are wondering which processor you need for everyday use like surfing the internet, using web-based software, and built-in software a laptop with an Intel Core i3 or Intel Celeron will be a good option as the processor is designed to withstand normal to slightly above normal processing load.

There are a lot of processors I didn’t talk about today as they are either not important or offer similar to the ones I have alluded to. Bottom line, don’t walk into a shop and be told to buy a laptop based on any of its other specs other than its brain because at the end the brains determine how it performs.