This is my first post on this blog, so I’m going to keep it short and to the point. I got a new computer, which has an i5-6300hq processor in it. My prior computer had an i7-4800mq.
i7 processors provide better performance than i5 processors. Let’s just get that out of the way now. i5 processors, however, provide almost as good performance, and the critical 4 core configuration. They are also cheaper, although that is not my reason for writing this post.
The reason i5 processors are better is because they don’t have hyperthreading. Hyperthreading is supposed to increase performance. Maybe it does a little in some applications (it is still up for debate in some circles). However, hyperthreading tells my computer that I have 8 processors available when I have only 4. That means when my processors are being utilized at 100%, task manager will say I’m only at 50% utilization. Every time I look at the processor usage, I have to do multiply it by two. I am a programmer. Programmers write the solution once, and never do the mental math again. The computer should do it. The hyperthreading program does the opposite! It forces me to do mental math every time I look at how much of my processor is actually being used. Plus, I just have to guess about how much hyperthreading is helping. Maybe it actually does help 5%, so I when it says 55% utilization, I’m really getting 105% of my 4 cores total power. I don’t know, and that bugs me. I like being able to see clearly how much of my cores are being used.
So there’s my first post about why i5s are better. It needed to be said.
It Needs to Be Said 