Intel Core i3 vs Core i5

The Core i3 processor is not just a processor at all. With the Core i3 Intel has integrated a graphics processor onto the same die as the CPU. They are still separate entities, but they are kept on the same piece of hardware. This package is code-named Clarkdale by Intel.

The results of this combination are not as exciting as they sound. Intel's GPUs have always been abysmal, and this latest rendition is no different. The only real advancement is the inclusion of support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD-MA bit streaming over HDMI. Any Core i3 based system should be able to play any kind of movie you throw at it, including Blu-Rays, without performance issues and without running into problems with Blu-Ray encryption.

For most other users, however, the inclusion of an integrated graphics processor with the CPU is not particularly exciting. It isn't even a major differentiation from the Core i5, as only the Core i5 750 does not also have the integrated graphics processor on the same die as the CPU.