Intel CPU names Explained (What the numbers and Letters really mean)

Intel's CPU names aren't actually as complicated as they look.

Intel Core i5 9400F 9th Gen 6-Core Desktop Processor/CPU - No iGPU ...

The main way Intel divides up their processors is by using a 3,5,7,9 after the 'i' in their processor names. As you can imagine, the 3 is the budget, lower end, while the 7 and 9 are meant for gamers and people who need a very powerful computer.

After that, it gets a little more complicated. These next letters and numbers tell us a little more about that specific CPU.

Now before we go into them, this page is focusing on the 'Core' range, not the 'Pentium' and 'Xeon'. The 'Core' is the most popular and you are more likely to come across them than any of the other ranges.

A Core "i3" chip is cheaper than the rest and is for budget computers, although some of them can be used for light gaming. This CPU would cost from $80 to $250. (£60 to £200)

A Core "i5" chip is still a budget chip but can be used for more intense applications. This CPU would cost from $175 to $440. (£150 to £350)

A Core "i7" is a performance chip and is used for gaming and intense apps. This CPU would cost from $380 to $630 (£300 to £500) approximately.

A Core "i9" is a performance chip for professional gamers and people who need the fastest computers and will not settle for anything less than the best. This CPU would cost from $500 to $2,500. (£400 to £2,000)

The first number in the group of four is the generation of the CPU.

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The '8' in this example is the Generation of the CPU. The 9th Generation will have a '9' in it and so on. Try to avoid buying lower generation CPUs. They will be older and some of them will go for very high prices because they are antiques. When buying a computer, avoid buying a chip which is more than 2 generations behind.

The next 3 numbers represent the performance. The higher the number, the more powerful it is.

For example, an Intel Core i5 "8400" will be less powerful than a Core i5 "8600."

The major difference is the clock speed and the boost clock speed. The higher the clock speed, the faster the CPU can process the data.

The Core i5 8400 has a clock speed of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock speed of 4.0GHz.

Meanwhile, the Core i5 8600 can process things faster with a higher clock speed of 3.1GHz and a boost clock speed of 4.30GHz.

A non-gamer and casual user might not need the extra performance the better chip gives but gamers and people who want a lot from their computer would want that extra power.

These numbers make a smaller difference than the other parts we have already talked about.

What the letters mean after the numbers.

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Intel CPU's have letters after them, which are really important to take note of. They can tell you more about performance or what you are actually getting.

Some computers have Intel chips without any letters. Those are the standard, base chip models.

Well, these letters aren't just random characters that Intel threw in; they actually have some real meanings that tell you something about the processor. Unfortunately, there are many different ones and it takes a while just to figure out what your CPU was designed to do! But fear not, I'm here to explain them.