Processor Intel Core i5: characteristics, comparison. Motherboard for Intel Core i5

Processors Intel Core i5 - among the most popular in the IT-market in Russia and in the world. Within the framework of this family, chips are produced, adapted to the widest range of tasks solved by users. What is the specificity of individual Intel Core i5 processors? Which ones are best adapted to overclocking?

General information about Core i5 processors

Processors Intel Core i5, reviews about which are different, are represented by microcircuits in several generations. Despite the similarity of the name, technologically the chips can vary very much.

Thus, i5 processors of the first generation appeared in 2009. They were adapted for "desktops", they used the core of Lynnfield, corresponding to the architecture of Nehalem. The next modification of i5 chips appeared in 2010. In these processors, the Clarkdale core was used, and a computer graphics processing module was built into them. Note that these chips, according to the IT-classification classification common to the IT community, are of the same generation.

In 2011, there were chips Core i5 with the architecture of Sandy Bridge. The main characteristic of this generation, produced within the Intel Core i5 series, is the complete integration of the graphics module with the chip chip. In 2012, there was a new line of processors - with the core of Ivy Bridge. In 2013, the American corporation released Haswell-type processors, one of which - Intel Core i5 4070K - soon became especially popular among gamers, as it could be, thanks to the unlocked multiplier, the most efficient way to overclock.

Let's consider in more detail the specifics of the newest generations - the 3rd and 4th, Intel Core i5 processors, the characteristics of the chips on the architecture of Ivy Bridge and Haswell - how much can they correspond to the leading position of the American corporation in the world market of microchips?

General information about Ivy Bridge processors

The peculiarities of the processors of the family under consideration are the presence of several cores, the lack of support for Hyper-Threading technology, which provides multithreading, and the presence of a cache of the third level in the size of 6 MB. As some experts note, processors within the family under consideration are characterized by a high degree of mutual similarity in the aspect of key technological characteristics. So, for example, all Ivy Bridge chips are implemented within the 22 nm process technology, there is an E1 type crystal in which there are 1.4 billion transistors.

The main strength of the new processor line is the upgraded graphics accelerator. So, in the considered series of chips modules of type HD Graphics 2500/4000 are used. They provide support, in particular, for interfaces such as DirectX in the 11th version, OpenGL 4.0, and also OpenCL 1.1. Characterized by excellent performance in the aspect of working with 3D games and demanding applications.

Ivy Bridge processors have high-tech memory controllers and PCI Express buses. Thus, if the motherboard for Intel Core i5 supports video cards using the PCI Express standard in version 3, the microchips of the family in question contribute to very high performance of the PC. The same can be said for memory modules such as DDR3 - the interaction between them and the Ivy Bridge processors also ensures the highest efficiency of the computer.

Consider now the features of popular processors in the third generation of the Intel Core i5 family. Characteristics of these chips, according to many users and IT experts, allow us to talk about microchips as very effective hardware components that help solve a wide range of user tasks.

Core i5-3570K specifications

This processor is considered the flagship within the 3rd generation. He leads the line in terms of the clock frequency, and also features a useful in many ways an option - an unlocked multiplier. It allows, in particular, to easily overclock the microchip. Above we noted that this feature also characterizes the Intel Core i5 4570K processor in the newest line - Haswell. However, it is fully functional. Many gamers in their reviews exclusively speak positively about the possibility of an effective overclocking of the processor. This chip is equipped with the same high-performance graphics module - HD Graphics 4000.

At the same time, there is a somewhat simplified modification of the processor - Intel Core i5-3570, that is, without an index. It is characterized, in turn, by the lack of the ability to use the unlocked multiplier. In addition, as the description of its characteristics indicates, this processor does not have the most productive version of the graphics module. It has an HD Graphics 2500 accelerator, which is inferior to the Graphics 4000 mentioned above.

Intel Core 3550 Features

Another notable model of Intel Core i5, reviews of which are also very numerous - i5-3550. This processor is characterized by a lower clock speed, and therefore works a little slower than the flagship model. But the difference is small - 100 MHz. Therefore, by the way, the cost of these processors is almost the same. However, as well as key characteristics.

Advantages of Intel Core i5-3470

It belongs to the category of junior models of the line in question, accordingly, it is distinguished by a lower price. However, in general, the performance of the chip is comparable to the flagship modification - so, it has 4 cores, the cache memory of the third level has a capacity of 6 MB, the processor clock speed exceeds 3 GHz. True, in this type of processor is installed a less efficient graphics module - Graphics 2500, while working at a frequency slightly lower than the same, but in older versions of the processor.

Specificity of Intel Core i5-3450

It is considered the youngest model in the considered line. Between it and the modification described above is a minimum of differences, which, in fact, are expressed in the clock frequency. In the modification of 3470 it is slightly higher. In other respects, the technical characteristics of the chips coincide.

Reviews about the third generation of Core i5

So, what do users say about the third generation Intel Core i5? Comparison of these models, as enthusiasts of microprocessor technologies note, essentially boils down to finding differences between the three indicators - the graphics accelerator version, the presence of an unblocked multiplier, and the clock frequency. According to the owners of PCs on which this or that chip is installed, even if the processor is characterized by the lowest frequency, does not support the unlocked multiplier, and also does not work as efficiently as analogs, it processes the graphics - that's because the Graphics 2500 module exists. But in any case The user receives an extremely high-performance tool.

The question that worries many PC owners with an Intel Core i5 processor - "how to overclock the processor" - suggests a very simple answer: all you need to do is set the required values for the multiplier, which is unlocked in the corresponding modifications of the chip.

No other experiments are required to produce, and it is not recommended that the algorithms of computation laid down by the manufacturer are not violated. It should also be understood that when the Intel Core i5 is overclocked, the CPU temperature may increase significantly. Thus, it is necessary to equip the processor with a more powerful cooler in advance.

Intel Core i5-4430 Features

Let's move on to studying the specifics of the chips of the newest generation - those in which Haswell's core is installed. The processor type i5-4430 can be considered the youngest in this line. It is characterized by a relatively low clock speed, besides it has not the most desirable property for gamers - the lack of the provided overclocking capabilities. However, in processors of this type - a floating multiplier, that is, their clock frequency is selected by the computer automatically, depending on the actual load. The chip has support for TurboBoost technology in version 2.0.

Advantages of Intel Core i5-4440

Among the main differences between this processor and the one discussed above is the difference in clock speed. The corresponding figure for the microchip i5-4440 is 100 MHz higher. The set of key instructions is generally the same. The other characteristics of the processors are identical.

Specificity of Intel Core i5-4460

Due to the increased frequency on 100 MHz, it works faster than the previous modification of the processor. Also, the instruction set is somewhat wider than that of the younger models of the ruler. Otherwise, the characteristics of the chips coincide. Many IT experts, as well as enthusiasts of microprocessor technology, consider the three lowest-end Haswell chips in a single context - like identical devices. In fact, the main difference between them is the clock frequency, and in some cases - a set of instructions.

Core i5-4570 Specifications

A model that is characterized as occupying a middle position in the family. It combines almost all the advantages of the newest line of Core i5 chips - such as, for example, the full work of TurboBoost, compatibility with vPro, and TXT. In the chips under consideration, all instructions provided by the technology line are supported.

The capacity of computers with the i5-4570 chip installed is sufficient to perform the basic tasks of the user and to run games - but provided that the necessary characteristics in terms of performance will be the motherboard for Intel Core i5, as well as the video card installed on it. A significant aspect is the quality of system programs. So, to fully use the capabilities of Intel Core i5 driver for all devices must be up-to-date.

Advantages of Core i5-4670K

This is the very processor that gamers love so much. The goal with which many of them buy the Intel Core i5 chip under consideration is overclocking. You can implement it, but still achieve the most outstanding results thanks to the unlocked chip multiplier.

However, in some aspects, the chip under consideration is inferior to the previous modification, in particular it does not support the vPro and TXT standards necessary to provide increased protection of the computer from malicious programs. The key characteristics of the i5-4570K are identical to the previous version. It does a great job with games - but again, provided that the high performance is characterized by the motherboard for Intel Core i5, and also, very importantly, the video card. The main methodology for overclocking microarrays is to increase the multiplier.

Core i5-4690 Features

This model is among the newest. It can be noted that there are no obvious changes in the characteristics in comparison with the previous modifications of the processors. Perhaps, only the clock frequency has increased in comparison with the Core i5-4570 at 100 MHz. Also in the processor appeared support for a number of modern instructions. But in general, Intel did not take revolutionary steps in the aspect of upgrading the chips, since, apparently, they already meet the criteria characterizing the manufacturer as the market leader.

Which of the processors we considered is the best? Intel Core i5, as we noted at the very beginning of the article - is a family of chips that are very different. And not only in the aspect of comparison of generations, but also sometimes within the same line. Each microchip from the number of investigated by us is optimum for the decision of the problems from the point of view of the price and productivity. It is important that on the PC on which the Intel Core i5 is installed, the device drivers are the most recent and quality. The software component is no less important in terms of achieving high computer performance than hardware components.

Optimal motherboard

What characteristics should ideally have a motherboard for Intel Core i5? So that all the processor's capabilities provided by the manufacturer could be fully utilized? Experts recommend the appropriate hardware component that supports the Z87 chipset - especially useful for users planning to overclock chips.

For example, Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3 - optimally suitable for such purposes, the motherboard. Intel Core i5 in those modifications that are suitable for overclocking, will be an excellent tool for the enthusiast of "overclocking" - if there is an appropriate hardware component in the structure of the PC. It can be noted that this motherboard is suitable for all processors that support the LGA 1150 standard - that is, it significantly expands its functionality. Regarding other useful characteristics of the hardware component under consideration, support for USB 2.0 ports, as well as 3.0, compatibility with SATA 3 can be distinguished. Another remarkable feature of the motherboard from Gigabyte is that it provides simultaneous operation of two video cards.

An excellent option for the Core i5 processors in the third generation is the MSI H61M-P31 (G3) motherboard, which is based on the H61 chipset. It supports two RAM modules of the G.Skill DDR3-1600 type with a capacity of 4 GB. There is support for high-performance video cards such as HD 7970. This motherboard is often used by IT experts when testing the performance of Intel Core i5 processors.

Another high-performance motherboard on which the processors of the family under consideration can be installed is Gigabyte G1.Sniper 5. It is characterized by a rather high price of about 20 thousand rubles, but cheaper models are not always capable of solving tasks corresponding to the performance of Intel Core i5 chips. This motherboard supports the LGA1150 standard, it can install 4 DDR3 RAM slots, operating at a frequency in the intervals from 1333 to 3000 MHz. There is support for the standard SLI / CrossFireX. Also, the motherboard allows you to install components that are compatible with a high-speed slot such as SATA, which allows data transfer with a speed of 6 Gbit / s. There is support for wireless technologies.