The selection of a processor is a key decision on which the further performance of a personal computer will depend. Therefore, it is very important here to understand what results you expect from him, and decide in favor:

1. Manufacturer.
2. Generations of processors.
3. The lineup of the presented processors of the selected generation.

So, if you plan to use a computer, not for computer games and do not install powerful software, then a processor with an average range of characteristics will do just fine. In the case of multitasking (multithreading) and / or under a high load with demanding programs or games, no doubt, you will need to raise the bar when choosing and buying a processor.

The central processing unit is like the head heart of any device, in charge of calculations. An improperly selected CPU with a powerful video card and / or high-frequency RAM will not be able to fully reveal its potential, but will only slow down performance.

This article will give short description and a comparison of Intel brands of microprocessors such as the Pentium and the Celeron.

Pentium generation processors

The fifth generation Pentium microprocessors are manufactured by Intel Corporation with 03/22/1993... They are designed for more demanding tasks and are much faster than the Celeron line. Advantages: increased frequency and acceptable price depending on the configuration. They are not sharpened for entertainment (modern demanding games), but they feel quite confident, where the requirements are two cores and no more.

It is best, of course, to buy a microprocessor from the Pentium line, since it is much more powerful and with a long-term perspective. The official website presents 36 different processors, with minimum characteristics from:

• 6 GHz - base frequency.
• 2 megabytes of cache memory.
• 2 cores.
• 2 streams.

This series has an integrated module - Intel HD, allowing you to function without a video card (external). This will save you money if you don't need a lot of power to run your programs. And watch a movie or play simple game no problem.

Celeron generation processors

A large family of low-budget microprocessors is the Intel Pentium Celeron. Celeron is a stripped down and cheaper version of the Pentium. It will be optimal for low-demand people with a small budget.

Personal computers based on such CPUs are suitable for office work, as they have all the necessary functionality for surfing the World Wide Web, watching movies and working in text editors. They differ in lower performance compared to the more powerful line. reduced size of L2 cache-memory (second level) and bus frequency. As well as on the Pentium, there is an internal module - Intel HD.

The corporation's website contains 32 processors, with minimum characteristics from:

• 5 GHz - base frequency.
• 1 megabyte of cache memory.
• 2 cores.
• 2 streams.

Below is the comparison table according to the minimum standard characteristics, showing the general and distinctive points:

So, from the table discussed above, it can be seen that the characteristics are almost identical and the difference in price is usually no more than 15-20%... In order to save as much as possible, there is an OEM version that includes one processor (no cooler, no box, etc.). The maximum OEM package is a processor + a sachet or cardboard (plastic capsule). Therefore, the key question is, for what purpose do you plan to use the personal computer? After answering it, you can start picking up the product.

Comparing Pentium and Celeron in terms of heat dissipation, the latter will be in a more advantageous light. The Celeron generation is famous for its durability (7-10 years), since it has low heat dissipation, and usually the load on the power supply and on the motherboard itself is minimized. Celeron is normally operated with a standard cooler. There is usually enough air flow to cool it down. Even overclocked to 4.4.GHz, it keeps up perfectly without water cooling. On the Pentium, the factory fan is not enough, you should think over the ventilation system of the case itself, even if you do not plan to engage in overclocking.

An excellent option is to buy Celeron instead of Pentium, and for the difference in price between them, additionally purchase SSD... Such a system will operate at breakneck speed despite its low cost.

Measuring performance on tests of modern Intel Pentium and Celeron, it is clear that Celeron concedes quite a bit in performance, overclocking, cache-memory level to the Pentium. For office or home use without stress, it is perfect. If you are dreaming of having a gaming personal computer, do not hesitate to take Pentium, which has a Turbo-overclocking mode.

Which processor is the best for Gta5? Intel Pentium or Intel Celeron?

Most likely Pentium will be preferable. This is a more modern line, Intel Pentium is specified in the declared requirements of the game. In any case, it is better to take a more modern processor, it is easier to find it in a store, and at the same price, the latter will be more powerful. I am always in favor of moving forward in everything. I myself have Intel right now Pentium Core 2 Quad Q6600, with it the game runs at minimum-medium graphics settings.

Sooner or later, each of us begins to realize that the power of his E2160 is no longer enough, and to some, Athlon 64 x2 3800+ also seems to be very slow. And the owners of such processors, after a while, will go to the store and buy new processors. The owner of the E2160 will buy a brand new Intel, and the owner of the Athlon 64 x2 3800+ will buy AMD, shining in the sun.

Why did they do this? Why didn't they need to compare Intel and Amd? Probably because each of these processors has faithfully served its owner for a long time.

Generally speaking, there are differences in the size of the memory cache and the number of cores. The higher these two indicators, the more efficient the processor will be. It is clear that the Core iX line will be much cooler than the budget Celeron, on which GTA is unlikely to launch at all.

In general, it was always believed before that celeron was a cropped version of the pentium. I don’t know how far the processor production has progressed now, but I think that Intel Pentium itself is much better than Celeron, if their declared characteristics are approximately equal.

There is such an unspoken rule: for Intel, only top-end processors can be considered full-fledged devices, everything else is a rejection and there is no guarantee that all this will work at the limit of its capabilities. That is, normal Intel processors are i7, i5, and maybe i3 (but it seems to me that not all models, for example, I3-41xx, have a rather low operating speed, which for some reason is not mentioned anywhere). Moreover, it is most comfortable to work with processors that have a turbo function, these are i5 and i7, they feel the load less than others. All other models, both Pentium G and Celeron, are defects of varying degrees, so they will never work better than top-end processors. If I had to choose between Pentium G and Celeron, I would have settled on Pentium G, after all, the larger cache makes itself felt under load. Celeron is only suitable for printing documents and the Internet, and even then with brakes.

If the characteristics are the same, Pentium and Celeron have, or more precisely, approximately the same, clock speed, for example, cache memory size, etc. then this can apparently be only in one case, when the Celeron is a more modern model, and the Pentium is outdated and therefore naturally better than the Celeron. He will also have a more modern technical process, and will work with faster memory, and may even be cheaper at the same time.

If Pentium or Intel Celeron are both from the same generation, then the most budget-friendly Celeron cannot have the same characteristics as Pentium. The latter is definitely faster.

Until recently, some 20 years ago, the performance of a computer was completely determined by the central processor. Actually, the computers themselves were named after the generation of processors - "three", "four", "pentium". And it was immediately clear to everyone what the system was capable of. But since 1997, 3D accelerators have begun to play an important role, dramatically increasing the performance in games. At first they were an addition to the main video card, but very soon they moved to it itself. Moreover, video cards have learned to take on some of the load that used to be on the central processor.

Therefore, today the performance of a PC is determined by a bundle of processor, video card, memory and storage. None of the components are capable of "pulling" speed alone. And yet the processor still sets the machine level, and this is where the choice of configuration begins.

I remember a time when choosing a processor was easy. They differed only in generation, frequency and, of course, price. The newer the generation and the higher the frequency, the faster. You evaluate your financial capabilities - and you buy. Those were good times. It is a pity that there was not enough money for normal processors then.

Interestingly, the “waffle” that comes out of the oven can have very different processors. I mean, the crystals are the same, but how they will be marked is a big question.

Now everything is, to put it mildly, more complicated. Let's take Intel products first. Three generations of processors (and in some cases four) for desktop systems are on sale at the same time. Each generation is divided into three families. Each family, in turn, is divided into groups, from 3 to 10 (!). And in each group there are from several pieces to fifteen processors. Okay, huh? Even a person who understands this a little can find it difficult to decide. And for normal people who need to quickly, without bothering to buy a computer, it is very difficult.

After reading this text to the end, you can choose a processor for your needs without spending on it extra money... Which, in fact, are very useful.

Let's start from the basics

Processors for personal computers today two companies are doing - Inteland AMD... A couple of years ago, I would have said that you should only choose from Intel products, because AMD was catastrophically lagging behind in performance. But, fortunately, the company managed to close the gap, and today processors compete almost on equal terms. In this article we will talk about what Intel produces, and I will write about AMD later.

Desktop and laptop processors vary widely in performance and performance. Simply put, they generally have little in common, except for the names. Mobile versions significantly slower: Core i7 in an ultrabook loses to Core i3 in a home system. In this material, we are talking specifically about stationary, desktop versions. We can choose them according to our own taste, while in a laptop the chip is sealed tightly and cannot be replaced. You can only change the entire laptop.

The number of cores alone does not determine performance... Sellers in stores like to say the opposite: they say, four cores are better than two, take more! In fact, a lot depends on the tasks. If the computer will be used for typing, amateur photo manipulation and even 3D games, like World of Tanks, you won't feel the difference between 2 and 4 cores. Simply because most programs still know how to use only two cores, and the rest will be idle. Of course, if the chickens don’t peck money, we must take all the EXPENSIVE. But in a situation with limited budget a dual-core processor with a high frequency looks like a preferred purchase. It also makes sense to save on the processor if you don't have enough for a fast video card: it's definitely more useful in games. The four cores come in handy when rendering video, mass converting photos from RAW to JPEG, when working with 3D graphics, archiving large amounts of data, etc. etc. That is, when solving professional rather than domestic tasks.

The cache matters. Cache is ultra-fast memory built into the processor itself. In the old days, when RAM and storage were slow, cache size was a critical performance parameter. But seriously, when the cache size in the processor increased from 512 kilobytes to 1 megabyte, at the same frequency the speed jump was noticeable with the naked eye. Now the cache does not play such a role anymore, but nevertheless, when the most frequently used data is inside the processor, it is useful. This does not affect performance tests, but the higher the volume, the higher the responsiveness of the computer. In modern Intel processors, the cache size ranges from 2 to 12 megabytes.

Processors differ in generations. Now three generations lie side by side on the shelves. Intel Core- sixth, seventh and eighth. The first two differ purely cosmetic, use the same socket on the motherboard, and are generally interchangeable. Which is cheaper - then we take it. The eighth generation has undergone significant changes, which I will write about separately. And it, alas, requires a new motherboard, on which the processors of the sixth and seventh generations do not work. So the buyer is faced with a kind of dilemma: to buy a slightly cheaper non-scalable system based on processors of the old generation, where during the upgrade you will have to change both the processor and the motherboard, or take a new one right away, where - if possible - only the processor can be changed if necessary. This is such an illusory hope, because the "old" processor will have enough performance reserve for a long time, for sure for two years. And by then Intel will come up with some other incompatible socket. But hope, of course, is necessary.

What's the difference there?

Intel today has three processor families - Celeron, Pentium, and Core.

Celeronhistorically cheapest and slowest variety designed for basic computers. When they first appeared, it was not very comfortable to use them without overclocking. However, the first Celerons were overclocked well, I managed to overclock the Celeron 300A from 300 MHz to 450, which gave performance at the level of the top Pentium IIs of that time.

But times have changed. For example, Celeron G3950 operates at 3 GHz, has two cores and is made using a modern 14-nanometer process technology. And it costs a little more than 3 thousand rubles. Not a record holder, of course, but just perfect for most office machines.

Pentium- vigorous middle peasants... The Pentium G line is clocked at 3.5 to 3.7 GHz, which, combined with 3 MB of cache and two cores, provides decent performance, to put it mildly. Paired with a top-end video card, such a processor will not disgrace even a top-end game. The disadvantages include only the lack of technology support Turbo Boost, which additionally overclocks the processor cores under high load, but considering the base frequencies of modern Pentiums, this is hardly so important. Moreover, the new Pentium models, in contrast to the sixth and seventh generation Core i3, support Hyper-Threading technology, which helps to execute two threads of commands on one core. Price from 3300 to 5000 rubles.

Core- top family. But inside it, not everything is so simple, because very, very different processors live inside it.

Corei3 until recently were very similar to the Pentium. Differences were found only in frequencies (a little higher) and cache size (4 megabytes instead of 3). There was no point in overpaying, to be honest. But recently, the 8th generation Core i3 appeared on sale, where at the old price of a dual-core model they give a quad-core one, and the cache size is 8 megabytes. In Russia, however, there is still a difference in price with older models, but not serious, several hundred rubles. For example, Intel Core i3-8100 costs about 9 thousand, and if not all users will feel the "free" cores, then the 8-megabyte cache is very relevant. The price of Core i3, depending on the generation and frequency, ranges from 7 to 14 thousand rubles.

Corei5 - the golden mean. In the vast majority of cases, this is the top processor for home needs. Everything is there at its best - 4 cores for serious tasks, and high frequencies, and Turbo Boost for acceleration under load, and there is enough cache. And in the eighth generation, the number of cores in the top Core i5 was increased to 6 pieces. To be honest, it's hard for me to imagine a task where so much will be useful. There are still few applications that know how to load four cores properly, but when will they learn to work with six? It's a big question. On the other hand, here, as with the Core i3, the principle "more cores at the same price" is used. And if six stand like four - why not take it? For the sake of all the same cache. Honestly I warn you: you won't feel the difference. But moral satisfaction is quite possible. The range of prices is again large - from 11 to 24 thousand rubles.

Corei7 - top of the tops. Difference from Core i5 in higher frequency and increased cache size. Plus, there is such a beast as the already mentioned Hyper-Threading. It's pretty old technology, which appeared back in the Pentium 4, thanks to which each core pretends to be two at once for applications. That is, from the point of view of programs, the system has not 4 cores, but eight. Well, or not 6, but 12, if we talk about the eighth generation. There is no serious point in buying a Core i7 home. That's just not all. Recommended only for those who cannot eat until they buy the coolest. In the eighth generation, the Core i7 also received 6 cores and as much as 12 megabytes of cache. The price of the issue is from 20 to 34 thousand rubles. By the way, I have a Core i7.

Useful Tips

– Do not spare money on the motherboard... Here, do not regret it, and that's it. So that both the breed is good, and there are plenty of connectors, and even some excesses will not interfere, such as improved built-in sound and Wi-Fi / Bluetooth modules. The mother is the head of everything, and it depends on her how stable the system will work. I like ASUS, ASRock and Gigabyte products.

– The name of the processor familyCorethere is a letter K at the end... For example, Intel Core i7-8700K. This means that the processor has a multiplier unlocked, and you can try to overclock it to a higher frequency. by standard means motherboard, without additional witchcraft. There is no economic sense in this, because the multiplier is unlocked only in the most expensive and productive models, already operating at high frequencies. But you can have fun. The main thing is not to forget to buy a good cooler with a large radiator.

– Dual coreCeleron, Pentiumand Corei3 may well work with passive cooling if there is at least one fan in the computer case. It is enough to put an efficient radiator on them and lubricate them with thermal paste sparingly.

– In all modern processorsIntelthere is a built-in graphics core... It is poorly suited for games, but it copes with everything else. Moreover, all current models have hardware video encoding and decoding, which used to be an attribute of older processors.

– I deliberately left the ruler behind the scenes.CoreX where there are absolutely expensive models for wealthy maniacs. If you already have a lot of money, you will find yourself one without my prompts.

A sequel to AMD is in the works. Questions can (and should) be asked at

Previously, the performance of a computer was determined only by the processor. The selection of the required model was based on the generation of the processor - the newer, the higher the frequency, respectively, the more expensive. Now Intel products produce three generations of Celeron, Pentium and Core, each of them is divided into families, and they are divided into groups.

Performance

Chips "Celeron" or "Pentium" have unique characteristics who cope with certain tasks. But the speed of a computer depends not only on the characteristics of the processor, but on many factors.

The productivity of the machine is formed by:

• processor - cache, clock speed, number of cores;
• video card and graphics system;
• cooling system.

Cache is an area of ​​ultra-fast memory for storing the most frequent processor requests. The search for any information begins with analysis. If the required data is not found, the selection comes from random access memory... The access time to the cache memory is significantly less than to the RAM, which contributes to a significant increase in system performance in general.

RAM stores all data streams processed by the processor, installed in slots. The processor model determines the characteristics of the embedded modules, respectively, the boundaries of expandability.

The clock speed is responsible for the amount of computation performed. A frequency of 3.4 GHz means that the processor is processing 3.4 billion cycles per second. Affects the performance of the computer as a whole, but is not a decisive factor.

Due to the multicore, the work of special software - games, programs for working with media - is facilitated. Software processes are divided into components that are executed by each core. However, the opinion is considered erroneous that 2 cores of 2 GHz are equivalent to one with 4 GHz.

The video card is responsible for video output. If it is installed, then it exempts from the execution of the corresponding calculations in CPU... Otherwise, the built-in graphics system performs its function. Several parameters affect card performance. The memory bus width is responsible for processing a certain number of bits of information per clock cycle. The frequency of the core and memory affects the speed of information processing. Texture and pixel fill rates are measured in millions of pixels per second and indicate the amount of information displayed. To accelerate the formation of three-dimensional graphics, various 3D accelerators are used.

Thus, it is rather difficult to answer which is better - Intel Pentium or Seleron. This will require detailed comparison models.

Varieties of computers

Comparison of processors "Pentium 4" or "Seleron 4" will help to understand which of the considered them are more powerful, for which models of computers are designed. All computers can be divided into three categories:

1. The last line of the list. Such laptops are characterized by a fairly limited amount of RAM and hard disk, the minimum number of items of assembly. Models are equipped with free operating system Linux or DOS. Such a processor has a low clock speed and cache size, and the number of cores rarely exceeds 2. Suitable for performing simple tasks - working in text editors, browser, launching players and light games.
2. The next lineup is distinguished by the increased volume of the hard disk and the size of the RAM. However, other characteristics remain the same - free OS, weak processor.
3. In the top are weighted models with the maximum amount of hard disk memory. Powerful graphics card and processor can handle any game best quality... The package includes a gaming mouse and keyboard, licensed operating system.

Pentium or Celeron?

Everything modern processors produced by two companies - Intel and AMD. The Celeron or Pentium family refers to Intel.

The full name of the Celeron is Pentium Celeron. Indicates that this is a stripped-down model and is intended for weak computers... This hierarchy was preserved before, but now the difference between them is minimal. The families are practically on the same level, but Celeron is still inferior to Pentium in some parameters.

The first Celeron processor was built on the basis of the Pentium 2, but already the Celeron M and Pentium M models are based on the same cores. The lineup was intended for mobile PCs.

Silvermont Bay Trail-D

Silvermont's quad-core 22nm Bay Trail processors are designed for mobile devices and tablets. The clock frequency ranges from 2 GHz to 2.41 GHz, there are 2 caches of 1 MB each, their cost is from $ 70 to $ 80 (4500 rubles). Release year - 2013. The integrated graphics card accelerates to 800 GHz.

Manufacturers have made significant improvements in productivity and energy efficiency. Silvermont Intel Pentium or Intel Seleron single-chip chips can also be used for netbooks and nettops.

• J1750 core;
• J1800 core;
• J1850;
• J1900.

• J2850
• J2900.

Intel Pentium J2850 is a chip for nettops and PCs. The main parameters are on a par with "Seleron".

Haswell

Haswell was released with 22 nm technology in early June 2013. Hasswell is targeted at low-power ultrabooks. The suffix U stands for moderate power consumption, and Y stands for as low as possible.

All models are 2-core, the processor clock speed is not overclocked.

• 2955U;
• 2957U
• 2961Y;
• 2980U;
• 2981U;
• 2970M.

The cheapest model costs $ 75 (RUR 4650) and this is the 2970M with a frequency of 2.2 GHz. She appeared in 2014. The next most expensive is the 2970M. It was released six months earlier, it costs $ 9 more - $ 86 (5330 rubles). The most expensive version costs $ 137 (8,500 rubles), it was released in the fall of 2013 - 2980U with a frequency of 1.6 GHz.

• 3556U;
• 3558U;
• 3560M;
• 3560Y;
• 3550M;
• 3561Y.

3560M is one of the most recent models. Released in 2014, its cost is $ 134 (8,300 rubles) - the same as the 3550M. There is a difference in clock frequency between them: the 3550M has one-tenth less - 2.3 GHz. The cost of the rest of the models is $ 171 (10 600 rubles), although they lag behind in all respects. The 3561Y and 3560Y are clocked at 1.2 GHz, the 3558U and 3556U are clocked at 1.7 GHz.

Haswell for PC

Pentium or Seleron Haswell processors are intended for installation in desktop computers... Therefore, their characteristics are much more powerful than those that are installed in laptops.

• G1820
• G1820T;
• G1820TE;
• G1830;
• G1840;
• G1840T;
• G1850.

• G3220;
• G3220T;
• G3240T;
• G3250;
• G3258;
• G3260;
• G3260T;
• G3420T;
• G3430;
• G3440T;
• G3450;
• G3460;
• G3470;

Processors with the T suffix are highly energy efficient. They have noticeably low frequencies compared to known models.

Airmont braswell

Braswell followed Haswell. Shrinking the technology to 14 nanometers allowed more elements to be accommodated and more cores. The first laptops entered the market in 2014. This architecture is designed for installation in laptops.

Celeron processor lineup:

• N3000;
• N3050;
• N3150;

The first two models have 2 cores, while the N3150 has 4. The base frequency of the processor ranges from 1.04 GHz to 1.6 GHz. The most powerful ones accelerate to 2.16 GHz.

The Pentium has only one 1.6GHz 4-core N3700 processor with overclocking capability up to 2.24GHz. Both families are 4-way with graphic Intel system HD Graphics.

The Pentium has two 1024 KB caches, while the Celeron has only one. But Celeron is cheaper - its price is 107 $ (6,600 rubles), and to buy a Pentium you need to add 60 $ (3,700 rubles). All models have 5 USB ports, 2 memory channels of 8 GB each are supported.

Celeron N3000 is installed in Gigabyte Brix GB-BACE-3000 mini PC and ASRock Beebox.

Broadwell cherry trail

Processors "Celeron" or "Pentium" Broadwell have 2-processor cores. Designed for installation in compact NUC desktops (next generation notebooks).

They are nettops (mini PCs) for performing simple tasks - work and study. Release year - 2015.

Laptops of this architecture have 256 KB L2 cache per core and L3 cache - 2 MB. Graphics subsystem -

Celeron models:

• 3205U;
• 3215U;
• 3755U;
• 3765U.

The 3215U and 3755U have a base frequency of 1.7GHz, while the 3205U has a base frequency of 1.5GHz. The highest value for the 3765U is 1.9 GHz.

• 3805U;
• 3825U.

Like Celeron, Pentium has two cores and 2 threads, except for the 3825U model - it has 4 cores and 4 threads. All Pentiums have a frequency of 1.9 GHz.

Broadwell processors lack overclocking capability. The suffix U indicates that they belong to the line of economical models. Designed for laptops entry level and ultra-thin ultrabooks.

Pentium Gold and Celeron G series

This line for notebooks "Pentium" or "Celeron" was released in 2018. They meet the latest requirements, respectively, are powerful enough and productive. For example, the Gold G5600 Processor has 2 3.90 GHz cores with 4 MB cache. The installed graphics are Intel® UHD 630.

Celeron G-series chips of the same year have less cache - only 2 MB. But however, everything else corresponds to "Pentium" - Intel® UHD 630, 2 cores. Slightly inferior in clock frequency - 2x3.20 GHz.

After the announcement of the LGA1155 platform Intel is methodically updating its processor lines. Starting with top-end CPUs, the manufacturer transfers to Sandy bridge and more affordable solutions - Core i3 and Pentium. The latter are intended for entry-level and intermediate-level systems. Models costing "about $ 100" have always been the objects of close attention from users who are used to looking optimal options when completing the system. Often people who choose a processor from a given price category approach this issue even more responsibly than those who are ready to pay any price for maximum performance... Let's take a look at what Intel's new products are capable of in comparison with their predecessors and alternative solutions from the main competitor.

From a technical point of view, the most important difference between Core i3 and Core i5 / i7 chips is that they are originally based on a dual-core crystal, and not a quad-core one with deactivated computing units. That is, no tricky unlocking tricks will work here, however, Intel chips did not provide such an opportunity before. The area has decreased from 216 to 131 mm2, therefore, much more workpieces from one silicon wafer are obtained, and their production cost is lower. Accordingly, Intel has a chance to offer interesting retail prices, while continuing to earn even on budget processors.

What changes have occurred in terms of functional equipment? The amount of cache memory L1 and L2 is identical for all models on Sandy Bridge (64 KB and 256 KB per core), but the buffer of the third level in the Core i3 has decreased in proportion to the number of cores - from 6 to 3 MB. The compact crystal, made using 32nm technology, allows you to count on good power consumption. The TDP for the second generation Core i3 is 65 W, while the predecessors from the Clarkdale family had this parameter within 73 W.

3DMark 06, CPU test, points

System power consumption, W

PCMark 7 Computation Scenario Score

Fritz chess Benchmark 4.2, thousand nodes / s

x264 HD Benchmark 4.0, frames / sec

WinRAR 4.0, KB / s

CineBench 11.5, points

Resident Evil 5, 1920 × 1080, DX9, medium quality, fps

Colin McRae: DiRT 3, 1920 × 1080, medium quality, fps

Far Cry 2, 1920 × 1080, medium quality, frames / sec

On-chip integrated Intel graphics HD Graphics 2000 with 6 compute units. The nominal frequency of the video core is 850 MHz, while during operation it can dynamically increase up to 1.1 GHz. Retained support for Quick Sync, a powerful video transcoding tool. The advantage of the Core i3 is also the Hyper Threading technology, which adds a couple of virtual cores to the two physical cores. In multithreaded applications, this function can sometimes play a very important role, allowing more efficient use of CPU resources. We also note the presence of the processor's ability to execute instructions from the AVX (Advanced Vector Extensions) set, which, with the proper degree of optimization, will help speed up floating point calculations, which are actively used in multimedia software.

Alas, Core i3 does not support the technology of dynamic increase in the frequency of processor cores Turbo Boost, which is to some extent compensated by high nominal values. Given the positioning of this family of CPUs, there are also no AES encryption instructions.

The current line of processors consists of four models. The younger Core i3-2100 with a clock speed of 3.1 GHz is offered for $ 117. The Core i3-2120 runs at 3.3 GHz and costs $ 20 more. Intel also envisioned a low-cost version of the i3-2100T with a 35W TDP. Typically, CPU power consumption can be reduced by lowering the operating clock frequency and supply voltage. On the motherboards ah, allowing the user to independently down-lock and reduce the voltage below the recommended values, often it turns out to achieve similar results. But in the event that this is not possible, the purchase of energy efficient models will be justified. Core i3-2100T operates at 2.5 GHz, and the frequency of the graphics unit has been reduced from 850 to 650 MHz, while it can dynamically increase to 1.1 GHz.

Chips with reduced power consumption will be in demand for systems with compact cases that have a small volume and, accordingly, limited options for choosing a cooling system.

The Core i3-2105 stands alone in the series. This model has identical clock speeds with the i3-2100, but differs from other devices in the family by using more efficient Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics. Returning to the die topology, we note that the graphics component takes up a significant part of it - about a quarter. In turn, the lion's share of the space is allocated to computing units. Therefore, taking into account the fact that in most budget models HD Graphics 2000 with 6 blocks, and not 12, will be integrated, Intel developers rightly considered that the banal deactivation of half of the computers is not a very rational solution. Therefore, from a technological point of view, it turned out to be more profitable to have two designs of dual-core crystals. The version with more powerful graphics has a slightly larger area (149 mm2), but in terms of power consumption it also fits into 65 watts. As we could see earlier, the performance of HD Graphics 2000 and 3000 differs markedly: depending on the tasks, the latter turns out to be 1.5–2 times faster, while being a serious competitor to budget discrete video cards. The $ 14 overpayment for a faster graphics upgrade makes sense if you are determined to use integrated video and the HD Graphics 2000's capabilities seem insufficient for the intended use.

Unlike mobile solutions, where even dual-core processors can be offered under the Core i7 brand, among desktop Core models with Sandy Bridge architecture on this moment there is a fairly clear segmentation by the number of computing units (physical and virtual): Core i7 - 4 cores and Hyper Threading, Core i5 - 4 cores without HT, Core i3 - 2 cores and Hyper Threading.

Pentium

Moving down the conventional scale of differentiation of current Intel processors, Core i3 is followed by Pentium chips. With the advent of the Core architecture, without exaggeration, the legendary brand was used to denote reasonably affordable CPUs with a traditionally good price / performance ratio. The modernization of this line has been asking for a long time. Recently, it was no longer easy for models for the still actual LGA775 platform to contain the onslaught of inexpensive solutions from AMD, especially to compete on equal terms with the three-core Athlon II X3, which often offered higher performance at a similar price. Pentium on the Clarkdale core for the LGA1156 socket have not received significant distribution. The market situation at the time of the release of this platform developed in such a way that it was primarily positioned by Intel as a solution for mid-range and high-end systems. Therefore, even after the expansion of the initial range of processors, the minimum cost of an admission ticket here remained quite high. The most affordable Pentium G6950 has a retail price of about $ 100, which is a bit expensive for an entry-level PC. It is easy to assume that Pentium for LGA1156, combining two crystals (CPU and GPU), has a higher cost price. Therefore, it is quite difficult to seriously reduce the price of these processors. Moreover, in this case we are talking about budget chips of mass production. And motherboards cheaper than $ 80-90 for LGA1156 actually appeared only after the announcement of Sandy Bridge.

The updated Pentium modifications are the result of a simple simplification of the dual-core chips used for the Core i3. First of all, the Pentium lost its Hyper Threading technology, as well as the ability to execute AVX instructions. At the same time, the amount of cache memory is identical to those of the Core i3. The new chips of the Pentium family also use Intel HD Graphics 2000, although with a number of restrictions regarding the support of proprietary technologies. In particular, Quick Sync, Intel Clear Video HD video visual enhancement and stereoscopic image output (Intel InTru 3D) do not work here.

Initially, the lineup includes four models: Pentium G850 (2.9 GHz), G840 (2.8 GHz), G620 (2.6 GHz) and G620T (2.2 GHz). As you might guess, the latter belongs to economical modifications, the level of power consumption of which does not exceed 35 W. In addition to the clock speed reduced to 2.2 GHz, as in the energy-efficient Core i3-2100T model, it also has a reduced nominal frequency. graphics core up to 650 MHz with a cut-off value of 1.1 GHz.

As you can see, new Pentium processors compared to the Core i3, they are mostly lightweight in terms of functionality, while the base specifications should provide a decent level of performance. The used Sandy Bridge microarchitecture promises a good performance gain, as we will try to make sure during practical tests. As for the price, in wholesale quantities the cost of the CPU family is in the range of $ 64–86. Retail will be slightly higher, but it is obvious that Pentium will cost less than not only Core i3, but also its predecessors with the Clarkdale core.

The updated Pentium models were presented quite recently - at the end of May. And almost immediately appeared in retail in Ukraine. Intel has a good practice of bringing its products to market when they become available to customers either at the same time as a global presentation or as soon as possible after it.

Specifications processors

Model	Core i3-2120	Core i3-530	Pentium G620 / G850	Pentium G6950	Athlon II X3 455	Phenom II X4 955
Codename	Sandy bridge	Clarkdale	Sandy bridge	Clarkdale	Rana	Deneb
Number of cores (threads), pcs.	2 (4)	2 (4)	2	2	3	4
Clock frequency, GHz	3,3	2,93	2,6/2,9	2,8	3,3	3,2
L3 cache size	3	4	3	3	–	6
Integrated graphics (core clock)	Intel HD Graphics 2000 (850/1100)	Intel HD Graphics (733)	Intel HD Graphics 2000 (850/1100)	Intel HD Graphics (533)	–	–
Technology production, nm	32	32 + 45	32	32 + 45	45	45
CPU socket	LGA 1155	LGA 1156	LGA 1155	LGA 1156	AM3	AM3
Power consumption (TDP), W	65	73	65	73	95	125
Recommended price, $	138	~105*	64	87	76	117
* According to the catalog Hotline.ua

Overclocking

Overclocking is quite a popular pastime for many enthusiasts. Someone is thus trying to increase the performance of the system in the hope of delaying the next upgrade. For some, this is a hobby, a sport, or a way to satisfy idle curiosity by exploring the possibilities and hidden potential of the CPU.

Unfortunately, those who like to experiment with overclocking will be disappointed this time. Considering the specifics of the clock generator operation in the new platform and the locked processor multiplier in the considered chips, it is obvious that the room for maneuver here is seriously limited. Even in spite of the relatively high multiplication factors (+ 100-150 MHz), this is all that can be squeezed out after increasing the carrier bus to 103-106 MHz, on which current motherboards remain stable. Of course, these are not the indicators that we would like to get, especially given the fact that older models of Sandy Bridge, even in the air, often take frequencies of 4500 MHz and higher. Alas, the new Pentium and Core i3 are not designed for overclocking at all. You will have to come to terms with this fact and take into account when buying. At the same time, it is also important not to forget that these chips, even in the standard mode, are noticeably more productive than their predecessors, which is able to neutralize the difference in frequencies.

Modifications with unlocked multipliers among Core i3 and Pentium, in our opinion, should not be expected. The models with the K index so beloved by overclockers will be available only in the lines of the more expensive Core i5 / i7.

Outcomes

As shown by the test results, the new Intel processors in the mid-price category in terms of performance have a noticeable superiority over their predecessors. In conditions of good multi-threaded program optimization, AMD chips with big amount physical computing units can sometimes offer serious resistance. For example, if you look at the performance of Athlon II X3 455 and Pentium G620, which are now offered at about the same price, then a triple-core CPU has a definite advantage in applications where calculations can be performed in parallel. Even though the core speed in terms of megahertz in AMD products with the K10.5 architecture is noticeably lower than in Intel chips on Sandy Bridge, in such software, brute force is often quite effective, although this is achieved by a 1.5-fold increase in power consumption. However, we must admit that this is an ideal case when all processor cores are used as efficiently as possible. Alas, this does not occur often in real applied applications. In games, new Intel solutions are unconditionally superior. As we could have seen before, the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture copes well with such loads, and the gap between both predecessors and competitor's models is maximum here.

The new Pentiums are on average 20% more productive than the CPUs of the same name for the LGA1156 and practically compete on an equal footing with the Core i3 on the Clarkdale core, which are much more expensive. Simplification of the functional part of these chips did not affect their speed performance too much. Therefore, these models may well be recommended for creating universal systems and entry-class gaming platforms. In turn, the second generation Core i3 has significantly accelerated. Of course, it is difficult for them to compete with quad-core Core i5s, but high clock speeds and support for Hyper Threading technology allow them to demonstrate very decent results, including in applications with multi-threaded optimization. Well, in games they sometimes look preferable to the quad-core AMD Phenom II X4. Considering that these processors have retained the functionality of older models, they may be interesting for creating both mid-level gaming PCs and powerful multimedia systems.

This time Intel did everything to make the LGA1155 platform truly universal. The existing infrastructure allows you to create both a top-end system and an inexpensive entry-level PC. For powerful configurations on the market, motherboards based on Intel Z68 and P67 chipsets are enough, and for the most affordable solutions, it is quite possible to use models based on Intel H61. Intel's processor line now looks very smooth. There are no distortions or obvious competition between solutions from different families. So far, one brick is missing - the most available models CPU. Soon Celeron is also planned to transfer to the rails of 32-nanometer process and progressive microarchitecture. Presumably, these chips will appear in the third quarter of this year, at the same time the assortment of other lines on Sandy Bridge will be expanded.

Test bench configuration

Revoltec, www.revoltec.com.ua
Inno3D	Inno3D, www.inno3d.com
Intel	Intel, www.intel.ua