Intel Processors Buyers Guide
What is an Intel CPU / Processor ?
Serving as the brain of any PC, the Central Processing Unit, or the CPU, is one of the most important components to consider when buying or building a new DESKTOP COMPUTER. Intel is undoubtedly the biggest player in this market and in this buyer's guide we'll provide an overview of the key Intel desktop CPU families with suggestions of which to choose depending on your needs and usage – from simple web browsing right through to content creation and gaming Another thing to consider when choosing the right CPU is making sure you choose a compatible motherboard and we'll indicate this for each processor family as we go through them. Intel is constantly updating their product range which could make it confusing to know if you're buying the latest and greatest version.
The easiest way to tell is to look at what architecture the processor is, this essentially refers to the generation of that product which you'll always find in the product description and in this buyers guide we'll highlight which is the latest architecture for each processor family.
Intel Desktop Processors
To help consumers pick an Intel processor, their chips are split into unique families whose characteristics best represent.
You’ll also see some Core i9 X-series CPUs listed on our website. These are legacy processors from an earlier generation, so for the best performance and latest features make sure to choose a Core i9 processor instead.



Intel Core i9 Processors

You really can’t go wrong with a Core i9 processor, as these are Intel’s fastest and most advanced desktop processors. The latest 12th generation CPUs feature a hybrid architecture with eight P-cores and eight E-cores for superb performance in games, intensive content creation applications and are also great for multitasking.
Gaming | 10 | |||||||||
Streaming | 10 | |||||||||
Content Creation | 10 | |||||||||
Multitasking | 10 | |||||||||
Latest generation12th gen, Alder Lake architecture
Compatible motherboard chipsetsIntel Z690, H670, B660, H610
3XS recommendsIntel Core i9 12900K
Intel Core i7 Processors

Moving down the range to Core i7, these processors still provide high-end performance and features. Compared to the more powerful Core i9 CPUs, Core i7s have the same hybrid architecture with eight P-cores, but only have four E-cores so aren’t quite as capable for content creation workloads or when multitasking.
Gaming | 8 | |||||||||
Streaming | 8 | |||||||||
Content Creation | 8 | |||||||||
Multitasking | 8 | |||||||||
Latest generation12th gen, Alder Lake architecture
Compatible motherboard chipsetsIntel Z690, H670, B660, H610
3XS recommendsIntel Core i7 12700K
Intel Core i5 Processors

Core i5 is Intel’s brand for its mid-range processors. Confusingly, there are two distinct types of the latest 12th generation Core i5. Both types have six P-cores, two less than a Core i7. However, while the only the Core i5s with a K on the end of the name also have four E-cores, the modules without a K having no E-cores. This means Core i5 K CPUs are much faster for intensive tasks such as content creation and multitasking. All Core i5 CPUs are a great choice for a gaming PC.
Gaming | 6 | |||||||||
Streaming | 6 | |||||||||
Content Creation | 6 | |||||||||
Multitasking | 6 | |||||||||
Latest generation12th gen, Alder Lake architecture
Compatible motherboard chipsetsIntel Z690, H670, B660, H610
3XS recommendsIntel Core i5 12600K
Intel Core i3 Processors

Core i3 is Intel’s brand for its lower spec mid-range processors. The latest 12th generation Core i3s have the same P-cores as Core i5, but only four of them. They also lack E-cores, so are significantly slower for intensive tasks such as content creation and multitasking. However, Core i3 CPUs are still a good choice for an entry-level gaming PC.
Gaming | 4 | |||||||||
Streaming | 4 | |||||||||
Content Creation | 4 | |||||||||
Multitasking | 4 | |||||||||
Latest generation12th gen, Alder Lake architecture
Compatible motherboard chipsetsIntel Z690, H670, B660, H610
3XS recommendsIntel Core i3 12100
Intel Pentium Processors

Pentium is Intel’s brand for one its entry-level processors. The latest 12th generation Pentiums have the same P-cores as Core i3, but only two of them. Like, Core i3s, Pentiums also lack E-cores, so are not optimal for intensive tasks such as gaming, content creation and multitasking. However, Pentium CPUs are still a good choice for every day office applications.
Gaming | 2 | |||||||||
Streaming | 2 | |||||||||
Content Creation | 2 | |||||||||
Multitasking | 2 | |||||||||
Latest generation12th gen, Alder Lake architecture
Compatible motherboard chipsetsIntel Z690, H670, B660, H610
3XS recommendsIntel Pentium G7400
Intel Celeron Processors

Celeron is Intel’s other brand for its entry-level processors. The latest 12th generation Celerons have the same P-cores as Pentium, but do not support HyperThreading so only really suited for basic office applications.
Gaming | 1 | |||||||||
Streaming | 1 | |||||||||
Content Creation | 1 | |||||||||
Multitasking | 1 | |||||||||
Latest generation:12th gen, Alder Lake architecture
Compatible motherboard chipsetsIntel Z690, H670, B660, H610
3XS recommendsIntel Celeron G6900
Summary
Still not sure which Intel CPU is right for you? This table shows the key characteristics, rated out of 10, of the main processor families.
CORE I9 | CORE I7 | CORE I5 | CORE I3 | PENTIUM | CELERON | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gaming | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Streaming | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Content Creation | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Multitasking | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
We hope you've found this buyers guide helpful. Don't hesitate to speak to one of our friendly advisors for more advice if you still have questions on how to select the perfect CPU for your needs.
How to understand the names of Intel CPUs
In addition, to the named ranges of CPU, i.e. Core i9, i7 etc, Intel uses a string of numbers and letters to differentiate individual CPUs. This illustration will help you to decipher this alphabet soup.

Pentium CPUs
The naming scheme for entry-level Pentium CPUs is a bit different as illustrated below.

For reference, here are the full specifications of all the latest Intel desktop CPUs.
Series |
---|
Model |
Generation |
Architecture |
Socket |
P-cores / Threads |
E-cores / Threads |
Base Frequency |
Turbo Frequency |
Cache |
Memory Controller |
Maximum Memory |
DDR5 Memory Frequency |
DDR4 Memory Frequency |
PCIe 5.0 / 4.0 / 3.0 Lanes |
Integrated GPU |
TDP |
Core i9 | Core i7 | Core i5 | Core i3 | Pentium | Celeron | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12900KS | 12900K | 12900KF | 12900 | 12900F | 12700K | 12700KF | 12700 | 12700F | 12600K | 12600KF | 12600 | 12500 | 12400 | 12400F | 12300 | 12100 | 12100F | G7400 | G6900 |
12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 12th |
Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake | Alder Lake |
S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 | S1700 |
128 / 16th | 128 / 16th | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 | 6 / 12 | 6 / 12 | 6 / 12 | 6 / 12 | 6 / 12 | 6 / 12 | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 | 2 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
8 / 8 | 8 / 8 | 8 / 8 | 8 / 8 | 8 / 8 | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 |
3.4GHz | 3.2GHz | 3.2GHz | 2.4GHz | 2.4GHz | 3.6GHz | 3.6GHz | 2.1GHz | 2.1GHz | 3.7GHz | 3.7GHz | 3.3GHz | 3.0GHz | 2.5GHz | 2.5GHz | 3.5GHz | 3.3GHz | 3.3GHz | 3.7GHz | 3.4GHz |
5.5GHz | 5.1GHz | 5.1GHz | 5.1GHz | 5.1GHz | 4.9GHz | 4.9GHz | 4.9GHz | 4.9GHz | 4.9GHz | 4.9GHz | 4.8GHz | 4.6GHz | 4.4GHz | 4.4GHz | 4.4GHz | 4.3GHz | 4.3GHz | ✖ | ✖ |
30MB | 30MB | 30MB | 30MB | 30MB | 25MB | 25MB | 25MB | 25MB | 20MB | 20MB | 18MB | 18MB | 18MB | 18MB | 12MB | 12MB | 12MB | 6MB | 4MB |
Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel | Dual-channel |
128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB | 128GB |
4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz | 4,800MHz |
3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz |
16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 | 16 / 4 / 0 |
✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ |
150W | 125W | 125W | 65W | 65W | 125W | 125W | 65W | 65W | 125W | 125W | 65W | 65W | 65W | 65W | 65W | 65W | 65W | 46W | 46W |