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Intel Corporation makes processors that reach all segments, from the middle class, workstations, and computer enthusiasts. This time we will discuss the Intel Core i series family, including Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5, Intel Core i7, and Intel Core i9. We will reduce the technical discussion a bit, because we will simply tell you, what makes the difference between all the Intel Core i series, especially in the manufacturing process.
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Similar But Not The Same
Saying briefly, Processor Intel Core i3, i5, i7, i9, more or less the same stuff. Designing, let alone producing a chip, is very expensive. It makes more sense to design and manufacture a single chip, with multiple configurations, than to design and manufacture a different chip for each variant.
The aforementioned Intel Core i series processors have the same design and all three are produced simultaneously. Semiconductor Fabrication Plants(Fabs), are silicon factories that produce these processors. Just imagine producing a chip with nanometer-sized transistors. It demands near-perfect accuracy because the production is super sensitive, so even a small error can cause certain sectors on the chip to miss. Then, if an error occurs, is the processor unusable? Let’s discuss this further.
Testing
After passing through production, the chips will be tested, more precisely, will be sent to the testing center. The microchip is then tested for any units or sectors that fail and pass. The success obtained in the test is called yield. Earlier I mentioned errors during the manufacturing process, at this stage, the answer is at this stage. The defective processor sectors will be disabled, the processor will still function even with fewer active sectors and active features. For example processor A with 98% yield, processor B with 80% yield, and so on.
Classification
After production is complete, processors are grouped based on their yield percentage. When it comes to processor quality benchmarks, it’s more or less based on the grouping of the test results. After production from the factory, processors with various classifications based on these yields will be labeled, and become Intel Core i7, i5, i3, and so on. Basically, chips that fail the test and get defective results, are not necessarily discarded. Instead, label it with a lower brand standard. More specifically, there are three impacts of this strategy:
Waste
Each label on the processor series has a different standard limit. So there is a minimum qualification of a chip to be able to meet the standard, and labeled Core i7, i5, i3, and so on. For example, if a chip does not meet the Core i7 minimum standards, it will be labeled as Core i5 or Core i3, and so on. If there is a chip that does not pass the 4-core test, it will be labeled Core i3. If the active cache doesn’t meet Core i7 standards but still meets certain standards, it’s likely to be labeled as Core i5. Using this strategy, processors that have test results that are not 100% perfect will still be able to be sold. As a result, it can minimize waste.
Performance
If you look closely, when you buy a processor, there will definitely be a difference in clock speed. An example is an Intel Core i7 processor, with the same chip, but with a different minimum speed. Suppose the minimum standard is 4.5 GHz, in fact, some users get an Intel Core i7 with a speed of 4.9 GHz. Stay cool! There is nothing wrong because all releases of Intel Core i7 even though they have different speeds, still have qualification standards as Core i7. If you see videos on the YouTube channel ngulikenak, all activities from recording, editing, to publishing, use Intel Core i5.
Configuration
Based on market needs, Intel can easily change the configuration and standard of its processors. If the market wants a processor that has super powerful performance, Intel can take the top 2% of test results and label it as Core i9, Core i7 Black Edition, and so on. Less powerful processors may be labeled and sold as “economic series”. You could say that the Core i series is the same model, the difference is the score of the test results.
Courtesy: Quora
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