I5 Versus I7

Hello. I'm in the process of purchasing a new computer. I'm not into gaming nor have I ever played any games on the PC. The only thing I use my current computer for is email, surfing the web, using applications like Office, Quicken, & Scanning software. Therefore, my question is based on the above, when I finally go to purchase my new PC, can I get away with an I5 processor instead of the I7. Thanks for your help.

 

I believe even an I3 would be sufficient for that.

 

Thank y ou

 

If the budget is an issue, then yes, a nice i3 with lots of RAM will support you fine. But if the budget allows, I would still go for a nice i5. An i7 (or above) would just be a waste of your money.

So what is "lots of RAM"? 8GB should be your minimum. Unless a serious gamer, that is considered the sweet spot. That is, less than 8GB and performance noticeably suffers. More than 8GB, and performance gains would be marginal, at best.

HOWEVER, if me, I would still go for 16GB with the initial purchase. This will ensure your CPU can really stretch its legs unhindered by a RAM bottleneck. It will also ensure in 2 or 3 years from now, if your needs change, you will not need to add more RAM. And that's key because it is not always easy to find compatible RAM years down the road.

Another advantage to more RAM is that will mean the CPU will be able to keep more higher priority data in much faster RAM instead of having to frequently bang on the Page File.

Note that some processors (with the necessary motherboard) support integrated graphics. That is, the computer does not need a separate graphics card. This configuration would also likely be fine for you but since integrated graphics typically steals... err... "shares" some of the system RAM, this again would support getting 16GB of RAM over 8GB.

If buying a factory built computer, the makers will ensure the motherboard and CPU are compatible and support integrated graphics (if applicable). If you are building the computer (or selecting the components yourself) you must make sure you buy a compatible CPU that supports the motherboard's integrated graphics capability, or plan from the start to use a separate graphics card. That said, you can always start with integrated graphics and then upgrade the graphics by adding a graphics card sometime later.

Also, I would urge you to go with a SSD (solid-state drive) instead of a hard drive. Even the slowest SSD can run circles around the fastest hard drive. For sure, if you opt for 8GB of RAM, I would get a SSD.