Intel's Core i5 and i7 processors are still the most popular processors you can buy, for a reason. But what's the difference between them? Like most computer components, there are dozens of models to choose from at each level, which can be a bit confusing.

Big Eye analyzes all the differences between Intel's Core i5 and Core i7, including desktop and mobile terminals. They are closer than in previous years, but choosing the right processor can make your computer run very differently.

Intel Core i9 VS i7 VS i5 processor

What is the difference between Intel Core i5 and i7?

Intel divides its processors into different levels. Core i5 and Core i7 are located in the middle between the low-end Core i3 and the high-end Core i9. If you buy a new computer, it is likely to have a Core i5 or Core i7, which are the best processors for most people.

In the past few generations, there have been great differences between Core i5 and Core i7, but Intel has blurred the boundaries between these two series in the past few generations. Core i5 processor is the mainstream processor. Game, productivity, and everything in between, the Core i5 processor usually provides solid performance and great value.

The Core i7 processor is more powerful. Compared with the Core i5 processor, they have more cores and faster clock speed. If you are engaged in heavy work such as video editing or CAD, they are a good choice. However, this high-end product has been largely replaced by Core i9-12900K and other processors, making Core i7 series in the purgatory between the peak performance of Core i5 and Core i9 focusing on value.

Should you buy Core i5 or Core i7?

The i5 processor is in a sweet position in terms of price and performance. For most users, the i5 processor is enough to handle daily tasks, and they can even maintain their advantages in games. The latest i5 chip has a maximum of 14 cores on desktop computers and 12 cores on mobile devices, increasing the clock speed to more than 5GHz.

You can run some intensive applications on i5, such as Adobe Premiere, but in terms of games, you will see that i7 has more advantages. In particular, the latest desktop i7 provides more cores and threads, as well as an increase frequency of more than 5GHz. For video and audio editing, i7 is ideal, even if you can use i5 to handle some light tasks.

If you want to play games, browse the Internet and get involved in Premiere or Photoshop Wait for applications and stick to i5 (suppose you have a good graphics card to support it). Those who often use professional applications will want to choose i7 (or even upgrade to i9, especially if you are dealing with dynamic graphics and running simulations).

Comparison between i5 and i7 on desktop

On desktops, Intel's latest processor is the 13th generation Raptor Lake chip. Now only one Core i5 and Core i7 are available: Core i5-13600K and Core i7-13700K. This should change soon as Intel introduces more processors into its lineup throughout 2023.

The Core i5-13600K has 14 cores, which are divided into six performance (P) cores and eight efficient (E) cores. It is very suitable for games, as well as light video and photo editing, mainly relying on its enhanced cache and 5.1GHz maximum clock speed.

The Core i7-13700K doesn't make much difference. It has 16 cores, which are evenly distributed to P-cores and E-cores, and the clock speed is increased to 5.4GHz. The price difference between the Core i5-13600K and the Core i7-13700K is $100, so for most people, the Core i5 is certainly more valuable.

The 12th generation Alder Lake processor is still a good choice. There are four main choices: i5-12600K, i5-12600, 12500 and 12400. Every downgrade is slightly worse, so 12600K is among the top i5 products of Intel, and 12400 is at the bottom.

Each of these processors has several variations. For example, 12600K is unlocked and overclocked, while 12600 is not. The 12400F is not equipped with an integrated graphics card. You can infer the function of the processor from the suffix.

Like the i5 series processor, the Core i7 processor has several different functions. If you are buying a desktop, be sure to look for 12700K. It should be the most accessible chip, and it supports overclocking. Although the 12700F will be the most affordable, it still provides impressive performance.

Among all the desktop products at present, Big Eye recommends the Core i5-13600K, because it represents a good value and has enough ability to play games and light productivity tasks. If you are looking for more performance, the i7-13700K is your choice, but please remember that these two chips are very hot, so you should use high-quality coolers. The good news is that the 13th generation processor uses the same socket as the 12th generation processor, but before upgrading, carefully check whether your motherboard supports the LGA1700 socket.

Intel Core i7 processor

Comparison of i5 and i7 on notebook

The 12th generation Alder Lake series is extended to mobile devices. Alder Lake-U and Alder Lake-P are used for thin and light notebooks, while Alder Lake-H meets the needs of high-performance notebooks. The 13th generation Raptor Lake mobile processors have not yet appeared, but we expect them to appear in 2023.

The lineup here is a bit complicated. There are two i5 processors under the Alder Lake-P series, namely, i5-1250P and i5-1240P. This series is suitable for performance oriented light-weight notebooks. Both have a total of 12 cores and 16 threads. The only difference is the maximum frequency of Iris Xe graphics. Under the Alder Lake-U series, it aims to provide lower TDP for modern thin and light notebooks. There are four models: i5-1230U, i5-1235U, i5-1240U and i5-1245U. All these chips have 10 cores and 12 threads, but have different P-Core and E-Core clock speeds.

Similarly, Core-i7 has various models under Alder Lake-P and Alder Lake-U series. There are three performance oriented models: i7-1260P, i7-1270P, and i7-1280P. The first two have 12 cores and 16 threads, which differ in basic and turbocharging clock speeds. The 1280P outperforms these two products by including two additional performance cores, additional threads, a higher turbocharged clock speed, and a more intelligent cache.

In addition to thin and light notebook computers, Intel also has its Alder Lake-H chip. H refers to high performance. These chips usually appear on game laptops. There are three models under the Core i5 and Core i7 series respectively. Sitting at the bottom of the queue is the i5-12450H, which has an eight core (4E+4P) layout and 12 threads. The peak turbocharging clock speed of the performance core is 4.4GHz. Further up, we have i5-12500H and i5-12600H, both of which provide a higher number of cores and threads (12 cores and 16 threads), a more intelligent cache, and a higher execution unit (EU) on Iris Xe graphics. As for the Core i712650H, which is equipped with 10 cores and 16 threads, there are 64 execution units on Iris Xe graphics, while the more powerful 12700H and 12800H are equipped with 14 cores, 20 threads, and more graphic execution units. In terms of clock speed, there is no big difference between the three Core i7 models.

Like desktop chips, the Core i7 processor is often much more expensive. For example, if you purchase XPS 13, the price of Core i7 CPU may be 300 to 400 dollars higher in other similar configurations.

The higher clock speed is better, so if you have extra cash, the 12th generation i7 is a good choice. The power consumption of the i7-1280P is the same as that of the i5-1250P. At the same time, the i7-1280P has a higher clock speed, making it an ideal choice for high-performance slim notebook computers. However, the Core i5 is still outstanding, representing solid midrange performance with low power requirements.

It is also worth mentioning Intel's earlier Tiger Lake chip. They are based on the same 10 nanometer process as the new generation Alder Lake chip, although they introduce the next generation Iris Xe graphics, which is a transition from the old Intel UHD. However, the general computing performance is not much worse, so if you want to save some money, it may be a good way to choose a higher level Tiger Lake CPU instead of an Alder Lake replacement within the budget.

Intel Core i9 VS i5 processor

How about the Core i9?

Intel's Core i5 and Core i7 processors may be very powerful, but they are mainstream, consumer oriented CPUs. Intel's high-end Core i9 chips are usually more targeted at professionals or the richest game players, who need more powerful performance. In the past, most chips with this title cost more than $1000. However, in 2022, their prices will be much more affordable.

12900HX is currently the most powerful chip provided by Intel in the mobile field. It loads 16 cores into the laptop CPU, but you can only find it in the heavy game laptops such as MSI GT77 Titan.

However, for desktop computers, Intel recently provided the Core i9-13900K. This is definitely an impressive CPU. Compared with the previous generation Core i9 model, the performance has made a great leap. Its clock speed can be increased to 5.2GHz, and it is a large power consumer. The rated turbine TDP is 252W.

If your workload can use the extra power of i7, you can consider buying i9 (especially if you can buy the last generation chip).

Laptop is a different beast. Even the fastest notebook processor may perform poorly in the wrong machine, so it is important to check the evaluation of individual notebooks.

Are more cores and threads necessary?

Now, with Intel's latest round of product launch, the gap between i5 and i7 processors is getting smaller and smaller, especially for desktop users. With more threads and cores, your processor can process more information at the same time. The processor does not put pressure on a single core or thread, but distributes the workload. Therefore, the benefit of more cores and threads is obvious: it enables processors to better handle multitasking.

Computer components are complex; Some seemingly small functions may have a significant impact on the output of your device. Some applications are explicitly optimized to take advantage of multiple protections, and are compatible with most file compression and decompression, Adobe Premiere and Handbrake Applications together.

Only a few applications still use your computer's single thread or core. Most applications will use all threads and cores of your processor, so they run smoothly and efficiently.

If you are looking for the best choice for the game, you will want no less than six or eight cores to get the most fluent graphics and experience no delay. If you exceed this number, the only benefits you will see are in production applications, such as video editing and transcoding.