Nehalem microarchitecture based

Main article: Nehalem (microarchitecture)

With the release of the Nehalem microarchitecture in November 2008, Intel introduced a new naming scheme for its Core processors. There are three variants, Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7, but the names no longer correspond to specific technical features like the number of cores. Instead, the brand is now divided from low-level (i3), through mid-range (i5) to high-end performance (i7), which correspond to three, four and five stars in Intel's Intel Processor Rating following on from the entry-level Celeron (one star) and Pentium (two stars) processors. Common features of all Nehalem based processors include an integrated DDR3 memory controller as well as QuickPath Interconnect or PCI Express and Direct Media Interface on the processor replacing the aging quad-pumped Front Side Bus used in all earlier Core processors. All these processors have 256 KB L2 cache per core, plus up to 12 MB shared level 3 cache. Because of the new I/O interconnect, chipsets and mainboards from previous generations can no longer be used with Nehalem based processors.

Core i3

Intel intended the Core i3 as the new low end of the performance processor line from Intel, following the retirement of the Core 2 brand.

The first Core i3 processors were launched on January 7, 2010.

The first Nehalem based Core i3 was Clarkdale-based, with an integrated GPU and two cores. The same processor is also available as Core i5 and Pentium, with slightly different configurations.

The Core i3-3xxM processors are based on Arrandale, the mobile version of the Clarkdale desktop processor. They are similar to the Core i5-4xx series but running at lower clock speeds and without Turbo Boost. According to an Intel FAQ they do not support Error Correction Code (ECC) memory. According to motherboard manufacturer Supermicro, if a Core i3 processor is used with a server chipset platform such as Intel 3400/3420/3450, the CPU will support ECC with UDIMM. When asked, Intel confirmed that, although the Intel 5 series chipset supports non-ECC memory only with the Core i5 or i3 processors, using those processors on a motherboard with 3400 series chipsets it will support the ECC function of ECC memory. A limited number of motherboards by other companies also support ECC with Intel Core ix processors; the Asus P8B WS is an example, but it does not support ECC memory under Windows non-server operating systems.

Codename (main article) Brand name (list) Cores L3 Cache Socket TDP I/O Bus Clarkdale Core i3-5xx 2 4 MB LGA 1156 73 W Direct Media Interface, Integrated GPU Arrandale Core i3-3xxM 3 MB rPGA-988A 35 W Core i3-3xxUM 3 MB BGA-1288 18 W Core i5

The first Core i5 using the Nehalem microarchitecture was introduced on September 8, 2009, as a mainstream variant of the earlier Core i7, the Lynnfield core. Lynnfield Core i5 processors have an 8 MB L3 cache, a DMI bus running at 2.5 GT/s and support for dual-channel DDR3-800/1066/1333 memory and have Hyper-threading disabled. The same processors with different sets of features (Hyper-Threading and other clock frequencies) enabled are sold as Core i7-8xx and Xeon 3400-series processors, which should not be confused with high-end Core i7-9xx and Xeon 3500-series processors based on Bloomfield.

The Core i5-5xx mobile processors are named Arrandale and based on the 32 nm Westmere shrink of the Nehalem microarchitecture. Arrandale processors have integrated graphics capability but only two processor cores. They were released in January 2010, together with Core i7-6xx and Core i3-3xx processors based on the same chip. The L3 cache in Core i5-5xx processors is reduced to 3 MB, while the Core i5-6xx will use the full cache and the Core i3-3xx will have no support for Turbo Boost. Clarkdale, the desktop version of Arrandale, is sold as Core i5-6xx, along with related Core i3 and Pentium brands. It has Hyper-Threading enabled and the full 4 MB L3 cache.

According to Intel "Core i5 desktop processors and desktop boards typically do not support ECC memory", but information on limited ECC support in the Core i3 section also applies to Core i5 and i7.

Codename (main article) Brand name (list) Cores L3 Cache Socket TDP I/O Bus Lynnfield Core i5-7xx 4 8 MB LGA 1156 95 W Direct Media Interface Core i5-7xxS 82 W Clarkdale Core i5-6xx 2 4 MB 73–87 W Direct Media Interface, Integrated GPU Arrandale Core i5-5xxM 3 MB rPGA-988A 35 W Core i5-4xxM Core i5-5xxUM BGA-1288 18 W Core i5-4xxUM Core i7

Intel Core i7 as an Intel brand name applies to several families of desktop and laptop 64-bit x86-64 processors using the Nehalem, Westmere, Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge microarchitectures. The Core i7 brand targets the business and high-end consumer markets for both desktop and laptop computers, and is distinguished from the Core i3 (entry-level consumer), Core i5 (mainstream consumer), and Xeon (server and workstation) brands.

Intel introduced the Core i7 name with the Bloomfield Quad-core processor in late 2008. In 2009 new Core i7 models based on the Lynnfield desktop quad-core processor and the Clarksfield quad-core mobile were added, and models based on the Arrandale dual-core mobile processor were added in January 2010. The first six-core processor in the Core lineup is the Gulftown, which was launched on March 16, 2010. Both the regular Core i7 and the Extreme Edition are advertised as five stars in the Intel Processor Rating. In January 2011, Intel released the second generation of Core i7 processors. Both the first and second generation of Intel Core i7 processors are rated as 5 stars in the Intel processor rating. The second generation of Intel core processors are based on the "Sandy Bridge" core and were updated in April 2012 with "Ivy Bridge".

In each of the first three microarchitecture generations of the brand, Core i7 has family members using two distinct system-level architectures, and therefore two distinct sockets (for example, LGA 1156 and LGA 1366 with Nehalem). In each generation, the highest-performing Core i7 processors use the same socket and QPI-based architecture as the low-end Xeon processors of that generation, while lower-performing Core i7 processors use the same socket and PCIe/DMI/FDI architecture as the Core i5.

"Core i7" is a successor to the Intel Core 2 brand. Intel representatives stated that the moniker Core i7 is meant to help consumers decide which processor to purchase as the newer Nehalem-based products are released in the future.

Code name Brand name Cores L3 Cache Socket TDP Process Busses Release Date Gulftown Core i7-9xxX Extreme Edition 6 12 MB LGA 1366 130 W 32 nm QPI, 3 × DDR3 Mar 2010 Core i7-970 Jul 2010 Bloomfield Core i7-9xx Extreme Edition 4 8 MB 45 nm Nov 2008 Core i7-9xx (except Core i7-970/980) Lynnfield Core i7-8xx LGA 1156 95 W DMI, PCI-e, 2 × DDR3 Sep 2009 Core i7-8xxS 82 W Jan 2010 Clarksfield Core i7-9xxXM Extreme Edition rPGA-988A 55 W Sep 2009 Core i7-8xxQM 45 W Core i7-7xxQM 6 MB Arrandale Core i7-6xxM 2 4 MB 35 W 32 nm DMI, PCI-e, FDI, 2 × DDR3 Jan 2010 Core i7-6xxLM BGA-1288 25 W Core i7-6xxUM 18 W