It indicates that the CPU has an unlocked multiplier and can thus be overclocked freely. K – The most common designation you’ll encounter if you’re shopping for desktop CPUs.The letter designations that you’ll find in Intel desktop CPUs today are: These are found at the end of the processor’s name, behind the model number, and they usually highlight a certain feature or characteristic that separates that particular CPU from the standard model that comes without a letter designation. The Letter Designationsįinally, we get to the letter designations, that is, product line suffixes. That is to say, the cheapest i3 model released this year could easily outperform what used to be a top-of-the-line i7 processor several years ago. However, these numbers don’t necessarily mean anything if you’re comparing processors across several generations. So, the models designated with higher numbers pack more processing power and may have access to certain features that are missing from the cheaper alternatives. The model/SKU number usually consists of 3 digits, and while it is a generic number that doesn’t really say anything about the CPU’s specifications or its capabilities, it does indicate its position in the hierarchy within the generation it belongs to.įor example, you have the i3-10 100, the i5-10 600, the i7-10 700, and the i9-10 900, each CPU is more powerful than the last. For example, the 11 th generation Core CPUs support PCIe 4.0, whereas the 10 th generation models do not. Usually, it’s just a general increase in performance but newer generations can also include certain new features that were missing from their predecessors. Overall, each subsequent CPU generation offers some sort of improvement. The latest Intel desktop CPUs belong to the 11 th generation, and that’s what the “11” in “Intel Core i5- 11600K” stands for. This is another fairly simple part of a CPU’s name, and it indicates what generation the CPU belongs to. Related: Intel Core i3 vs i5 For Gaming – Which Should I Choose? Intel Core i5 vs i7 For Gaming – Which Should I Choose? Intel Core i7 vs i9 For Gaming – Which Should I Choose? Generation Indicator Intel has rebranded its logos with the new 11th-generation Intel Core processors i9 – Enthusiast-grade CPUs that are usually only really worth buying for workstations.
i7 – High-end processors that are great for both gaming and CPU-heavy professional software.i5 – Mid-range CPUs that are usually the best fit for the average gamer.i3 – The most affordable Core models that are ideal for budget gaming PCs.When it comes to the Intel Core models, you will find that they are further divided into four categories: Intel CPUs are further distinguished according to their overall performance and pricing. They also had a number of other brands in the past that have since been retired. In addition to these five, Intel is also selling Movidius VPUs and Quark microcontrollers. Atom, power-efficient processors mainly designed for mobile devices.Celeron, entry-level solutions ideal for those on a tight budget.Pentium, budget-friendly CPUs that are well suited for casual computer users.Xeon, which includes some of the most powerful CPUs currently on the market with unmatched core and thread counts, intended for heavy-duty workstations and servers.Core, aimed mainly at mainstream desktop PCs, be it gaming PCs or workstations.To name the most popular ones that you’ll encounter today: Now, Intel has a number of brands in their CPU selection, all designed for different things. There’s little to say about the company name - it’s Intel, and it indicates that the CPU has been produced by Intel. The name of an Intel Core CPU consists of a total of six segments: