i3 vs i5

[BulletproofPancake]

Will the i3 be able to handle the latest games or do I have to pay $100 more for an i5?

[Guest MinimalEffort]

Both will handle new games, but the i5 will perform better as it has two more cores over the i3.

[lani100]

Will the i3 be able to handle the latest games or do I have to pay $100 more for an i5?

Depends on what games but if you are really into games like GTA V and stuff like that, The i3 won't cut it.

[BulletproofPancake]

Depends on what games but if you are really into games like GTA V and stuff like that, The i3 won't cut it.

I have watched some videos on youtube playing gta v using an i3 processor; it seems playable. The games I will be playing would be Batman Arkham Knight, shall I wait to see people playing it on an i3?

[Ertman]

While the i3 is still capable, as we move towards better/more multithreaded optimized games, the extra cores will become more beneficial and eventually necessary. If you can afford it, the i5 will be the better buy. If it's not affordable now, you can upgrade later.

[ADZ_123_!"£]

If you have the chance to get the I5 then I would get it but if you can't then get the I3 and then you might be able to upgrade later down the line.

[ZetZet]

Depends on what games but if you are really into games like GTA V and stuff like that, The i3 won't cut it.

wut, i3 runs gta v just fine http://www.techspot.com/review/991-gta-5-pc-benchmarks/page6.html

[lani100]

I have watched some videos on youtube playing gta v using an i3 processor; it seems playable. The games I will be playing would be Batman Arkham Knight, shall I wait to see people playing it on an i3?

ofcourse it's playable, but you might play other games in a while and then the i3 might not cut it if you can afford it I would go for the i5 you won't regret it.

[Sir Asvald]

Depends on what games but if you are really into games like GTA V and stuff like that, The i3 won't cut it.

You what? 

 

 

The max FPS 64. Using gtx 750 ti. 

 

EDIT look at the description.

[lani100]

wut, i3 runs gta v just fine http://www.techspot.com/review/991-gta-5-pc-benchmarks/page6.html

Iknow, but it was just a bad example on the top of my head but you get the point.

[LegacyStijncat]

i5 has literally double the power of an i3. Is the upgrade worth it? Definitely. Is it needed? Not necessarily.

[Lord_Karango17]

You what? 

 

 

The max FPS 64. Using gtx 750 ti. 

 

EDIT look at the description.

Pretty sure the i3, and the pentium anniversary edition will have much lower minimum frame rates than an i5, which will be fairly noticeable in game.

 

Notice how the frame time for the i3 is much more unstable than the rest...

2 cores don't cut it for most games these days. It will be playable, but for how much longer?

[TheCaptain53]

Will the i3 be able to handle the latest games or do I have to pay $100 more for an i5?

What graphics card are you using? When paired with a GTX 750 Ti, an i5 over an i3 (or maybe even a Pentium) would yield little to no results. However, if you were running a GTX 970/980, then the i5 is definitely worth the investment.

It's hard to say something is objectiely better when there's no context.

[typographie]

i5 has literally double the power of an i3.

 

Where are you getting that idea? It has the same Haswell cores, usually running at a similar frequency. It has two more physical cores, but that doesn't mean "double the power," especially with Hyperthreading in there muddying the waters.

[LegacyStijncat]

Where are you getting that idea? It has the same Haswell cores, usually running at a similar frequency. It has two more physical cores, but that doesn't mean "double the power," especially with Hyperthreading in there muddying the waters.

Well, 2+2 is 4

I know my thing is not 100% accurate, but there's not really any other way to put it. HT indeed helps, but it does not nearly get to 4 cores.

[i_build_nanosuits]

While the i3 is still capable, as we move towards better/more multithreaded optimized games, the extra cores will become more beneficial and eventually necessary. If you can afford it, the i5 will be the better buy. If it's not affordable now, you can upgrade later.

^^this is the answer you are looking for OP...the i5 is worth the extra if you can afford it you won't regret it down the road and even for current AAA titles the i5 is head and shoulders above the i3.