Intel Core i3 laptops
By Jenny • Jun 24th, 2010 • Category: Laptops, Mobile Computer News
- Photo: Sony
In a world where speed is often considered everything and Intel’s power processors, the Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7, get all the attention, the Intel Core i3 laptop processor is often overlooked. This is a mistake, considering the Core i3 has plenty of power for what most people use their computers for, and also makes for a notably cheaper device – which is always a good thing. What options are available for those looking for a capable, yet affordable, i3 laptop?
Debunking the misconception
One of the unknown realities is the difference between the i3 and i5 processors are tiny, especially at the lower end of the i5. The i3 is meant for those on a budget without giving a budget performance, considering the biggest sacrifice is the loss of the turbo boost feature found in Intel’s other processors.
The range
Having said that, Intel Core i3 laptop options are plentiful, with some laptops starting off as cheaply as £360, from a wide range of manufacturers, including the usual suspects like Sony, Toshiba, HP and so on.
The popular Sony Vaio VPCEB1E0E/WI is an Intel Core i3 laptop (330M), clocking in at a speed of 2,130MHz, with a base configuration of 3GB of RAM and a memory capacity of 320GB. Sure, you’re not about to play resource intensive games on this laptop, but we fired up Photoshop CS5 with a large 500mb file to see how the computer would hold up and we’re glad to report it didn’t fall over. Quite frankly, it outperformed even our expectations with the stress test.
- Photo: Samsung
The Samsung R780, which we reviewed on an Intel Core i5 configuration, is also another example of a solid i3 laptop. But what this review also showed was that performance alone should not be the only consideration, with us finding the laptop’s performance solid though its build quality lacking.
Balancing act
The trick with playing off performance for budget is too make sure the performance is, at a minimum, good enough to handle your requirements, while also making sure the build of your hardware is rock solid. Once these two factors are married, you’ll be surprised at the number of budget laptops you’ve overlooked because you thought Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 were the base processors for your computing needs.
Tags for this article: i3 paltop, Intel Core i3, Intel Core i3 laptop, Intel Core i5, Intel Core i7
Jenny. Very useful. I’ve just been swatting up on which laptop to buy and could see that the Core i3 and i5 are the way to go, although the price difference is significant. Your review helped me go for the i3 based on my low level ‘home’ useage. Does any laptop jump out for build and processing quality for around the £400 mark? David
@David
Glad to be of help, Intel Core i3 laptops are excellent options that are often overlooked.
If you’re looking for an i3 laptop as low as £400, then I would suggest either the HP G62-107SA or Dell Inspiron 1564; both are solid models. However, it might be worth spending £60 or so extra for the Sony Vaio EB1E0E, an i3 laptop that we can vouch for and discussed in the article above. Good luck in your search.
Cheers,
Jenny