Is Intel Core i7 good for programming?
Is Intel Core i7 good for programming? let's find out
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Looking to upgrade your current processor or get a new one to boost your productivity while programming? The Intel Core i7 lineup has some great options for you to consider. These are powerful, high-end processors that offer you the very best in specs and performance but can also be a bit pricey.
Now Read: Best CPU for gaming 2023
Let’s find out – Is Intel i7 good for programming?
How powerful of a processor do you need for programming?
The first question to ask is – how strong a processor do you need for programming? It doesn’t make much sense to spend money on something that’s overkill for your needs.
Generally speaking, programming is not very CPU-intensive. The most popular fields within programming, such as web development and software development, consist mostly of you writing down and interacting with code, which is hardly demanding on a processor.
However, there are a certain few domains that fall under programming and benefit more substantially from you having a more powerful processor, such as scientific computing, data analysis, and machine learning.
So, what exactly you do as a programmer does come into play in deciding what CPU is appropriate for you.
Are Intel Core i7 processors good for programming?
Core i7 processors are some of the most powerful processors in their respective generations. They have plenty of processor cores, all running at high clock speeds. A modern Core i7 processor will make quick work of most programming-related workloads you throw at it.
While Core i7 processors are indeed good at tackling the workloads involved in programming, they may be a tad bit overkill. For web, software, or app development, you can get away with using a much less powerful processor without suffering from a noticeable drop in productivity.
If you’re a college student on a budget looking for a laptop for your studies, you probably don’t need one that has a modern Core i7 and could save money by going for one with an older Core i7 (7th generation and below) or a weaker processor from an inferior lineup, such as Core i5 and Core i3.
Mobile CPUs
I should mention that many of the older laptops you’ll find produced in the last decade will be equipped with 2-core, 4-thread Core i7 processors.
These processors aren’t really representative of modern-day Core i7 performance. Almost all of Intel’s mobile CPUs 7th generation and below were bare-bones 2-core, 4-thread processors, and they switched that up only after the release of the 8th generation mobile processors.
These older i7 laptops will get you through college-level programming just fine, though. Of course, newer options with more cores and threads are preferable if you can spend the extra.
If you’re a professional programmer looking for a productivity-focused processor, going for a modern Core i7 – one that belongs to the last few generations – is a good call. Core i7s have an excellent capacity for multitasking, and they shorten potential waiting times for you, making them excellent for productivity.
I recommend getting the newest 13700K for the best performance, although you can drop down to the i7-10700 while still remaining in the high-end territory. It only makes sense to go for a desktop Core i7 older than that if you’re getting a great deal.
Final thoughts: is Intel i7 good for programming?
Core i7 processors are indeed good for programming because of their sheer processing power. But the thing is, they can be a bit overkill depending on your use case.
Writing code is similar to writing down text in a word processor – it doesn’t place much burden on your processor. Executing code can be more intensive, but is usually easily dealt with by options weaker than Core i7 as well.
If most of your work involves coding, you may want to check out our best CPU for coding article.
For serious CPU-intensive workloads such as data analysis and machine learning, going with a Core i7 makes a lot more sense.
