I always thought bigger number = better in the terms of pc components. Recently ive learned i5s can compete with i9s. I saw a post one day that said “i could replace your processors with i3’s and almost none of you would even notice”
How does this work?
In: Technology
In a given generation, it’s pretty much the same chip. Making chips is hard and not all chips are perfect. The lesser chips are basically from the i9 reject pile.
The i9-14900K for example, it has 24 cores – 8 performance and 16 efficiency cores – and runs at up to 6 GHz.
The i5-14600K is the same chip, but only 14 cores work – 6 performance and 8 efficiency cores. And it’ll only run at up to 5.3 GHz.
So the performance cores, that’s the really powerful ones, are still there for the most part. You got six instead of eight and they run a bit slower but it’s the same cores.
Your average video game isn’t going to care if it runs on six or eight cores. Most games won’t even use more than four. And most games won’t 100% use your CPU anyway, so it doesn’t matter that it’s “only” running at 5.3 GHz.
The i3, i5, i7, i9 branding does not mean they are different CPUs. They make the same silicon and check how functional they are, and then sell them with “less cores” and “less GHz” because that’s what they can guarantee works on the chips.
Most gamers genuinely do not need more than an i5. They’re great chips and so much cheaper and more power efficient.
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