I5 vs i7 Mac Apple Laptop

Two of the most common CPUs on an Apple computer are the Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 Processors. The difference between the Intel Core i5 and the Intel Core i7 may seem like a lot when comparing them based on the price alone. But when looking at the entire picture the differences between the Intel Core i5 vs i7 Mac computer will be easier to differentiate.

What is an Intel i5 and i7 Processor

The Intel processors in the “i” range have been used on computer for a long time. These processors are part of the “Intel Core” range which consist of the Intel i3, i5 and i7 CPUs. This range of Intel processors became introduced back in 2008 and currently Apple computers only uses i5 and i7 chips using the Haswell range, except for the Mac Pro which uses Ivy Bridge.

The main difference between the i5 vs i7 Intel processor is the faster CPU performance on the i7 models. Generally, the Intel i7 is on desktop computers that feature quad-core processors. While the Core i5 models feature on mobile devices like laptops that have a dual core processor. But this is not always the case as you can create a customized Apple computer that can feature a dual-core model with an i7 processor.

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Here is quick breakdown of the differences between the i5 vs i7 Intel processor:

High performance
Includes Hyper-Threading Technology
Better GPU performance than HD 4000
Low power consumption under both idle and load
8 MB cache

Also listed along side, is the type of processor like Intel i5 vs i7 processor will be the Turbo Boost speed that is built into Apple computer. What Turbo Boost does is allow the processor to run faster by only using the required processors for the fastest processor clock speed. Both Core i5 and Core i7 processors use Turbo Boost, with Core i7 processors achieving higher clock speeds.

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It’s worth noting that Intel also makes a range of different i5 and i7 processors. These are the following:

Intel 4770
Intel 4670
Intel 4570
Intel 4430

What is Intel K vs S vs T?

Intel has a good description of how the processor numbers and suffixes mean on its site. Also you check out Wikipedia that will show this breakdown of suffixes in use in the Haswell processors.

K – Unlocked
S – Performance-optimized lifestyle
T – Power-optimized lifestyle
R – BGA packaging / High performance GPU
M – Mobile processor
Q – Quad-core
U – Ultra-low power
X – ‘Extreme’
Y – Extreme-low power
H – BGA 1364 packaging

Techpowerup has a good breakdown of all the different models available.

What Intel Core CPUs is Apple using inside Macs?

Below is a breakdown of what kind of Intel Core CPUs are inside Apple Macs and the year that the computer was made.

MacBook Air (mid-2013) Intel® Core™ i5-4250U
MacBook Pro with Retina DisplayIntel® Core™ i5-4258U
Intel iMac 27-inch (2013) Intel Core i5-4570R
Mac mini (2012) i5-3210M

Overall all the computers that Apple makes is great for daily tasks. These include things like surfing the web, listening to music, sending emails and watching movies. The main factor when someone is buying a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro or iMac is the size, portability and performance of the Apple computer.

Also read these guides before buying a Mac:

These guides are great for learning the basics and helping you on making a decision when you go to purchase yourself an Apple laptop or desktop.

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