Intel Core i3 Vs. Core 2 Duo

We live in times where computing power, once available only at the level of super computers, is now within the grasp of the common man. The forerunner in the race to provide the fastest computer processors, who's probably miles ahead of its competitors, is the computing giant Intel. According to the needs of computer users, Intel delivers chips with varying degrees of power and clocking speed. These include the entry-level, mid-level and high-end processors. The latest entry-level Intel chips to hit the market are the second generation and first generation core i3 processors, which are aimed at taking up the position, previously held by the core 2 duo processors. The new hierarchy of Intel chips, in ascending order of computing power, are the core i3, core i5 and core i7 processors. Even the first generation of these processors has now been superseded by a second line. Although core 2 duo processors are slowly being phased out of production, they are still available in the market. Like old war horses, they are still in use all over the world. In this Buzzle article, I present a second and first generation core i3 vs. core 2 duo review which may help you decide which one to go for. If you can't make up your mind about whether or not, an upgrade to a core i3 line would be worth it, keep reading ahead.

Intel Core i3 Vs. Core 2 Duo Comparison

A comparison between processors was simple some years ago with a single core processor. All you had to look at was the clocking frequency and the cache size. The entry of multiple core chips changed it all and life became complicated. With dual, quad and even six core processors hitting the market, there are many more factors to be considered, than before. Intel's dual core and core 2 duo processors were the first ones to introduce multi-core processor based computing. The quad core processors created later have given rise to the quad core vs. dual core debate, which is something that high-end computing market consumers should think about. Prior to that, we only had the 32 bit vs. 64 bit processors comparison to worry about.

Today, Intel has gone through a lot of designing and planning, to introduce two generations of core i3 processors, that are an improvement over the core 2 duo line. The following Intel core i3 vs. core 2 duo processor comparison will give you an idea about how the i3 processors are different from their dual core predecessors. The two points of comparison will be technical specifications and the only other factor which matters, which is performance.

Core i3 Vs. Core 2 Duo: Technical Specifications
Like the core 2 duo processors, the new core i3 line of processors, have two cores, with many other technological enhancements, including an integrated GPU (Graphic Processing Unit). The clocking frequency of the core i3 series of processors ranges from 2.26 GHz to 3.06 GHz.

Each processor is endowed with the new line of advanced technologies including Intel developed Hyper-Threading, Intel Virtualization and Smart Cache technology which makes these chips faster than core 2 duo processors. This is the most important point in this core i3 vs. core 2 duo comparison.

The Intel codename for core i3 architecture is 'Clarkdale'. They are based on Westmere architecture with 32 nm fabrication and a direct media interface (DMI) bus. The socket type used for core i3 processors is LGA 1156 and the RAM type is DDR3. They support mother boards with the following types of chipsets- H55, P55, H57 and Q57.

In mid-2011, a second generation Intel core i3 series was launched, consisting of 17 processors. It includes the core i3-2100 desktop series and the core i3-2300 mobile processor series. They are enabled with some new technologies, which include Intel Fast Memory Access, Intel Flex Memory Access, Quick Sync Video, InTru 3D Technology, Thermal Monitoring Technologies and Intel Insider, which are not available in the first generation core i3 series of processors. Besides a doubled DMI operating speed (5 GT/sec) and lowered power consumption, they are equipped with the Intel HD Graphics 2000 technology.

Let us look at the latter type of processors in this core i3 vs. core 2 duo comparison. Core 2 Duo processors come in three types of architectures, codenamed as 'Conroe', 'Wolfdale' and 'Allendale'. With 65 nm and 45 nm fabrications, they are a tad slower and less power efficient than the 32 nm based core i3 processors. The socket used for core 2 duo processors is LGA 775 and they come with a FSB bus. This bus type is a lot slower in operation, compared to the DMI bus in core i3 processors.

Coupled with the fact that i3 processors have a L2 cache size of 2 x 256 Kb and a L3 cache size of 4MB, with Hyper-Threading and Smart Cache enabled, core 2 duo processors are indeed slower. On top of that, DDR3 RAM compatibility in core i3 processors, compared to DDR2 compatibility of core 2 duo processors, makes them faster. The price range of Intel core i3 is $100 to $133, which makes them top options in the entry-level market. The price of the second generation core i3 line ranges from $117 to $250. On the other hand, the price range of core 2 duo desktop line, which is still in production, ranges from $112 to $285.

Core i3 Vs. Core 2 Duo: Performance
The technical specifications have made it clear that Intel core i3 beats its predecessor, core 2 duo, in almost all departments. This is but natural, as they were indeed designed to replace them. Be it processing speed, multitasking or graphic output, opting for core i3 processors is the logical choice to make! It is also clear that the first generation core i3 line has already been superseded by the second generation line. Things change very rapidly in the technological arena. So if you want to go for the best entry-level processors, choose from the second generation core i3 line of processors. For your convenience, I have listed the best core 2 duo, core i3 (1^st and 2^nd generation processors) in the following table.

Best Core 2 Duo Desktop Processors	Best 1st Generation Intel Core i3 Processors	Best 2nd Generation Intel Core i3 Processors
Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 (6M Cache, 3.33 GHz)	Intel Core i3-560 (4M Cache, 3.33 GHz) (Desktop)	Intel Core i3-2130 (3M Cache, 3.40 GHz) (Desktop)
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 (6M Cache, 3.16 GHz)	Intel Core i3-550 (4M Cache, 3.20 GHz) (Desktop)	Intel Core i3-2125 (3M Cache, 3.30 GHz) (Mobile)
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (6M Cache, 3.00 GHz)	Intel Core i3-390M (3M Cache, 2.66 GHz) (Mobile)	Intel Core i3-2350M (3M Cache, 2.30 GHz) (Mobile)
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E8300 (6M Cache, 2.83 GHz)	Intel Core i3-380UM Processor (3M Cache, 1.33 GHz) (Mobile)	Intel Core i3-2340UE (3M Cache, 1.30 GHz (Mobile)

Hope the core i3 vs. core 2 duo processor comparison provided in this article has made it easier for you to choose the right processor for your personal desktop or laptop computer. Going for a more advanced line of processors is always beneficial in the long run. You should also check out the Intel core i5 and core i7 processors before going ahead, as they offer far more computing power and speed, compared to the entry-level core i3 or core 2 duo lines. Decide on the processor you want, according to your usage requirements and of course giving due thought to your vitamin 'M' levels, before choosing one!