Is it worth overpaying for a Core i7 or is it better to go for a Core i5? In this article, we will look at both desktop and laptops processors of the most recent 10 and 11 generations. let discuss 10th gen i5 vs i7.
Table of Contents
10th Gen I5 Vs I7 Differences
The Core i5 and i7 are still the most popular of all Intel processors.
- The Core i5 family is a versatile model with good performance both in games and in most other tasks: when working in different applications, browsing the web.
- Core i7 processors are slightly more powerful and are best suited for users running demanding programs and games at maximum settings.
That being said, it’s worth remembering that Core i7 is not the top tier among Intel processors. Even higher is the Core i9 family.
Check out Difference Between DVI And HDMI.
10th Gen I5 Vs I7: Price difference
The average price of one of the most affordable desktop versions of the Core i5-10400 F is now about 170$, and for a similar model of the latest generation, Core i5-11400 F is about 250$. The price of the most advanced Core i5-11600 K is about 330$.
The cost of the 10th generation Core i7 starts from 350$, the advanced Core i7-11700 K will cost about 390$.
The processor test results show that the powerful Core i7-11700K is only 40-50% faster than the average Core i5-11400F. And it costs twice as much.
The price of the Core i7 is becoming a major hurdle for the average user. You should not seriously overpay for the performance gain, which will be noticeable, for the most part, only in professional programs that require multithreading and maximum performance.
Prices may change you can check the latest prices at amazon.
10th Gen I5 Vs I7: compare technical characteristics
For many, the “golden mean” Core i5 will be quite enough. The models in this family offer an optimal price/performance ratio, perform well in everyday tasks and cope even with demanding games.
The money saved is better spent on other components of the computer, for example, on a video card – for gamers. This is especially beneficial considering that the Core i5 is compatible with any modern GPU. Such a tandem is good and does not give a bottleneck effect when the video card is not able to work at full capacity due to a weak processor.
Number of Cores
Previously, Core i5 processors did not support multi-threading that is, when virtual cores were added to physical cores, helping to more efficiently perform multiple parallel tasks. For a long time, the technology was reserved for the expensive Core i7 and Core i9.
But in order to compete with the multi-core AMD Ryzen that have burst into the market, Intel has added multi-threading to the Core i5 processors and even the budget Core i3 processors – starting from the 10th generation.
Core i7 processors have more cores and virtual threads than Core i5: 8 physical cores and 16 threads versus 6 and 12 in desktop versions. This means the Core i7 is better suited for tasks like video and graphics editing.
10th Gen I5 Vs I7: Clock frequency
Another important metric that affects processor performance. The desktop models of the two families roughly match each other, both in terms of base frequency and when overclocked with Intel’s Turbo Boost technology.
The latest generation Core i7 shows only a slight overclocking advantage 5 GHz versus 4.9 GHz for the Core i5. At the same time, the base clock frequency of the “sevens” is somewhat inferior to the frequency of the most powerful representatives of the lower level. So, the Core i7-11700K has a base 3.6 GHz versus 3.9 GHz for the Core i5-11600K.
Cache memory
This parameter shows the size of the cache, a very fast type of memory that speeds up repetitive tasks that are frequently accessed by the processor. The larger the cache, the higher the performance in multitasking work.
At this point, the Core i7 is in the lead: the processors offer 16 MB of cache in the third level the most voluminous versus 12 MB for the Core i5. This is true for the last two generations.
An ordinary user will again not see a big difference – only specialists who use professional software, for example, for converting video files, will notice the changes.
10/11th Gen I5 Vs I7 Desktop Processors
The 11th generation Core i5 processors are represented by three main desktop options:
- i5-11600
- i5-11500
- i5-11400
Each model numbered below is slightly weaker than the previous one. The Core i5-11600 outperforms other processors in the family, while the Core i5-11400 is the simplest option.
The listed processors are presented in several versions, differing in markings. For example, the letter “K” means that the chip is unlocked for overclocking, and the letter “F” means there is no integrated graphics.
| Characteristic | Intel Core i5-11400 | Intel Core i5-11500 | Intel Core i5-11600 |
| Number of cores (threads) | 6 (12) | 6 (12) | 6 (12) |
| Base frequency | 2.6 GHz | 2.7 GHz | 2.8 GHz |
| Turbo Boost frequency | 4.4 GHz | 4.6 GHz | 4.8 GHz |
| Cache memory | 12 Mb | 12 Mb | 12 Mb |
| Heat dissipation | 65 Watt | 65 Watt | 65 Watt |
| Socket | LGA1200 | LGA1200 | LGA1200 |
| RAM support | DDR4-3200 | DDR4-3200 | DDR4-3200 |
The 11th generation Core i7 is represented by only one model – Core i7-11700, only in different versions.
The best choice for a powerful computer is the Core i7-11700K with overclocking capability. The processor is designed for heat dissipation in the region of 125 W, with overclocking the power consumption will be much higher.
In other cases, the best solution for a desktop computer among all these processors is Core i5-11600K. It is inferior to the Core i7 in terms of speed but offers the best price-performance ratio.
An alternative and reasonable option is to take the previous generation Core i7, for example, the 10700K, which is not much weaker than the new model.
10/11th Gen I5 Vs I7 Laptops processors
All processors of this type are additionally divided into several subclasses. Energy-efficient CPUs are available for light and thin notebooks. They keep the cooling and power requirements low while delivering good performance.
The 11th generation of energy-efficient processors comes in several Core i5 variants like the i5-1130G7 each with 4 cores and 8 threads. Likewise, the Core i7 all models of this class have the same number of cores as the lower processors.
In addition to the energy-efficient class, Intel offers processors marked H. The letter indicates high-performance such chips are installed in the most powerful notebooks designed for gaming and serious computing.
The maximum performance is demonstrated by the eight-core Core i 7-11850 H, accelerating to 4.8 GHz in Turbo Boost mode.
The best option among the Core i5 is 11500 H with 6 cores and 12 threads. It has a lower clock speed and less cache.
As with desktops, Core i7 laptops are more expensive – sometimes significantly. Such processors will be an excellent basis for a laptop workstation, but for most users, a Core i5 will be enough.
10th Gen I5 Vs I7: Pros and cons
10th Gen core i5
Pros
- Optimum price-performance ratio
- The clock speed is comparable to the Core i7 processors
- More choice of models
Cons
Are inferior in performance
10th Gen core i7
Pros
- High performance
- More cores better suited for multitasking
- Increased cache memory performance gains
Cons
- High price
See also Laptop Vs Desktop Pros And Cons.
Is i5 10 Gen enough for gaming?
The Intel Core i5 10th Gen processors are suitable for medium to high end gaming. They offer great performance for newer games as well as older ones. However, if you’re looking for a processor that will handle all your computing needs, then you’ll want to consider the Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen processors.
Is the i5 10600K better than the i7 10700K?
The i7 10700K is clearly the better choice as it offers more than double the processing power of the i5 10600K for gaming. However, if you only need to do basic tasks like browsing the internet, typing documents, or running some simple programs, then the i5 10600K will work just fine. So it really comes down to what you are specifically looking to do with your computer and which processor will give you the best performance for that task.
conclusions
In pure performance, the Core i7 has a significant advantage. But does the average user need to overpay for such performance? As a rule, no.
Better to choose Core i5 these processors can easily cope with any task, except for work in professional software.
The real strength of the Core i7 is multitasking performance. Such processors are useful only for a narrow circle of users: developers, designers, video content creators, streamers. In many cases, these people even turn to the Core i9 family, which contains the most powerful Intel models.
