Intel Core i7-7500U vs Intel Celeron N3050 vs Intel Celeron N3160

Intel Core i7-7500U

The Intel Core i7-7500U is a dual-core processor of the Kaby Lake architecture. It offers two CPU cores clocked at 2.7 - 3.5 GHz and integrates HyperThreading to work with up to 4 threads at once. The architectural differences are rather small compared to the Skylake generation, therefore the performance per MHz is very similar. The SoC includes a dual channel DDR4 memory controller and Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics card (clocked at 300 - 1050 MHz). It is manufactured in an improved 14nm FinFET process (14nm+) at Intel. Compared to the old Skylake Core i7-6500U (2.5 - 3.1 GHz), the i7-7500U clock speed is up to 400 MHz higher.

Intel Celeron N3050

The Intel Celeron N3050 is a low-end dual-core SoC for notebooks, which has been presented in April 2015. It is clocked at 1.6 - 2.16 GHz and part of the Braswell platform. Thanks to its new 14 nanometer low-power process (P1273) with tri-gate transistors, energy efficiency has been significantly improved compared to its predecessor Bay Trail (e.g. Celeron N2840). In addition to the CPU cores, the SoC offers a DirectX 11.2-capable GPU as well as a DDR3L Memory Controller (2x 64 bit, 25.6 GB/s).

Architecture

The processor cores are based on the Airmont architecture, which is basically a slightly modified shrink of the previous Silvermont core. While performance per clock has not been improved, the more efficient 14 nm process leads to a better utilization of the CPU Burst (alias Turbo Boost) and a therefore somewhat higher overall performance.

Performance

Compared to its predecessor Celeron N2815 (1.86 - 2.13 GHz), the N3050 offers an almost identical performance. Using Windows, the CPU is adequate for simple everyday tasks such as light Internet browsing or office applications, but not for complex software or modern games.

Graphics

The HD Graphics (Braswell) is based on the Intel Gen8 architecture, which supports DirectX 11.2 and is also found in the Broadwell series (e.g. HD Graphics 5300). With 12 EUs (Execution Units) and a clock speed of up to 600 MHz, the GPU is almost twice as fast as the HD Graphics (Bay Trail), but still not powerful enough to handle modern 3D games. The GPU also supports 4K/H.265 video acceleration.

Power Consumption

The entire SoC is rated at an TDP of 6 watts (SDP 4 watts). Thus, the chip can be cooled passively.

Intel Celeron N3160

The Intel Celeron N3160 is a quad-core SoC for entry-level notebooks, which has been announced in early 2016. It is clocked at 1.6 - 2.24 GHz (Burst) and part of the Braswell platform. It is manufactured in a modern 14-nm process (P1273) with FinFETs. In addition to the four CPU cores, the SoC offers a DirectX 11.2-capable GPU as well as a DDR3L Memory Controller (2x 64 bit, 25.6 GB/s). Compared to the predecessor Celeron N3150, the N3160 has a 160 MHz higher Burst clock.

Architecture

The processor cores are based on the Airmont architecture, which is basically a slightly modified shrink of the previous Silvermont core. While performance per clock has not been improved, the more efficient 14 nm process may lead to a better utilization of the CPU Burst (alias Turbo Boost) and therefore a somewhat higher performance in certain situations. The per-MHz performance is still much lower compared to the more expensive Core series (e. g. Broadwell).

Performance

With 4 CPU cores and a clock between 1.6-2.24 GHz, the technical specifications are similar to the previous Celeron N2930, so the processor performance is only slightly better. This means the processor is well-suited for everyday tasks (office, browsing) and even light multi-tasking should be no problem.

Graphics

The HD Graphics (Braswell) is based on the Intel Gen8 architecture, which supports DirectX 11.2 and is also found in the Broadwell series (e.g. HD Graphics 5300). With 12 EUs (Execution Units) and a clock speed of up to 640 MHz, however, the GPU performance is much lower. On average, the GPU is almost twice as fast as the HD Graphics (Bay Trail), so its a bit slower than the older HD Graphics 4000. Only older and simpler titles like Counter Strike: GO will run smoothly. The chip still includes an advanced video unit with support for 4K/H.265 video acceleration.

Power Consumption

The entire SoC is rated at an TDP of 6 watts (SDP 4 watts). Thus, the chip can usually be cooled passively.