Laptop vs desktop CPUs

[bc5]

How do Intel's mobile CPUs compare performance-wise with their desktop stuff? Apparently a desktop i3 will outperform a mobile i5? Where would that place the mobile i3 relative to the desktop lineup?

 

[Novuake]

It all depends from model to model. But unless the last bit of the model code( eg. i7 2680QM) has a QM at the end, then it is a dual core CPU with hyperthreading, which is equel to desktop I3. So even if its an i7 4700U but it has no Q, then its still an I3 compared to desktops.

Now the difference between i3s and i5s in laptops, i5s have Intel Turbo which allows them to dynamically clock higher up to a cap if it needs the extra power.

 

[killerswit2013]

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/laptop.html

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

check these two links...
anyways mobile cpu's work in favor of conserving energy so as to provide longer battery life, while with desktop cpu's battery is not an issue..

 

[Alex1357]

Desktops always better unless in a laptop

 

[Solandri]

They use the same cores, so all other things being equal, they would perform the same. However, Intel's naming nomenclature leaves a lot to be desired when comparing desktop to mobile CPUs. Looking at Haswell CPUs:

Desktop i3 = 2 cores, 3-4 MB cache, hyperthreading, no turbo boost
Desktop i5 = 4 cores (mostly), 6 MB cache, no hyperthreading, turbo boost
Desktop i7 = 4 cores, 8 MB cache, hyperthreading, turbo boost

Mobile i3 = 2 cores, 3 MB cache, hyperthreading, no turbo boost
Mobile i5 = 2 cores, 3 MB cache, hyperthreading, turbo boost
Mobile i7 = 2 cores/4 MB cache, or 4 cores/6-8 MB cache, hyperthreading, turbo boost

There are slight differences in features too, but the above are the major performance enhancements. The other thing you can't see in the above is that the desktop processors tend to be clocked higher (and have higher power consumption as a consequence).

The biggest loser in the lineup is the mobile i5. It's basically a mobile i3 with turbo boost. Nothing like its desktop brethren which is quad core and has twice the cache. I recommend people avoid the mobile i5 unless it's only like $10-$20 more than an equivalent i3, or it's one of the low power versions which can turbo boost an extra 1+ GHz.

The dual core mobile i7 at least improves on the cache size. And the quad core mobile i7 is a pretty good match for the desktop i7 (other than clock speed).

 

[Novuake]

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/laptop.html

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

check these two links...
anyways mobile cpu's work in favor of conserving energy so as to provide longer battery life, while with desktop cpu's battery is not an issue..

Please avoid using that type of site, notoriously inaccurate. The Intel I7 4930K for example scores a lot better than a I7 3970X. Crazy stupid.

This is better : http://www.anandtech.com/bench/CPU/2

 

[killerswit2013]

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/laptop.html

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

check these two links...
anyways mobile cpu's work in favor of conserving energy so as to provide longer battery life, while with desktop cpu's battery is not an issue..

Please avoid using that type of site, notoriously inaccurate. The Intel I7 4930K for example scores a lot better than a I7 3970X. Crazy stupid.

This is better : http://www.anandtech.com/bench/CPU/2

thank you.
I also noticed that but thought maybe they have mistakenly put that and correct it later on. anyways thanks.

 

[bc5]

Thanks for all the helpful responses! ASUS's Core i5 laptops seem to start at around £450, compared to £300 for Core i3 versions, so sounds like that's not worth the extra.

 

[Novuake]

It is if you consider that the I5 will do a higher clock rate, but it depends on what you are doing with the laptop.
For everyday task the I3 is more than sufficient.

 

[Chonen Juckie]

CPU of a computer is usually stronger than the same model name.

 

[frank the tank]

They use the same cores, so all other things being equal, they would perform the same. However, Intel's naming nomenclature leaves a lot to be desired when comparing desktop to mobile CPUs. Looking at Haswell CPUs:

Desktop i3 = 2 cores, 3-4 MB cache, hyperthreading, no turbo boost
Desktop i5 = 4 cores (mostly), 6 MB cache, no hyperthreading, turbo boost
Desktop i7 = 4 cores, 8 MB cache, hyperthreading, turbo boost

Mobile i3 = 2 cores, 3 MB cache, hyperthreading, no turbo boost
Mobile i5 = 2 cores, 3 MB cache, hyperthreading, turbo boost
Mobile i7 = 2 cores/4 MB cache, or 4 cores/6-8 MB cache, hyperthreading, turbo boost

There are slight differences in features too, but the above are the major performance enhancements. The other thing you can't see in the above is that the desktop processors tend to be clocked higher (and have higher power consumption as a consequence).

The biggest loser in the lineup is the mobile i5. It's basically a mobile i3 with turbo boost. Nothing like its desktop brethren which is quad core and has twice the cache. I recommend people avoid the mobile i5 unless it's only like $10-$20 more than an equivalent i3, or it's one of the low power versions which can turbo boost an extra 1+ GHz.

The dual core mobile i7 at least improves on the cache size. And the quad core mobile i7 is a pretty good match for the desktop i7 (other than clock speed).

Depends on the I7 from what I know if you have QM, MQ, or HQ in the name you have a quad core CPU with hyper-threading (my two laptops with core I7 CPUs one with a 2630QM the other with a 4700HQ) they both have 4 cores and 8 threads.