


Since its inception, the Core i7 line has represented anything from Intel's best midrange value picks to, for a time, its highest-end consumer chips.

The original Intel Core i7 stack of high-end desktop CPUs dates almost all the way back to the introduction of the Core line itself, hitting the stage during the company's launch of second-generation desktop chips back in 2008. Intel Core i7 and Core i9: A Short History (Also, check out our Core i5-versus-i7 comparison for more on how those one-step-down families of chip stack up.) Which class of CPU is the right pick for your next machine? Let's dig into the details of each to find out. When you are buying or building a PC, you need to know the truly important differences between these two chip stacks-the layer of nuance that goes beyond Intel's simple i7-versus-i9 marketing-speak. Most can handle almost any task you throw their way in a snap. But Intel offers lots of them, and they mostly sound the same. Whether you're upgrading an aging desktop PC or just want to stay on the cutting edge of what's out there in laptops, Intel's lineup of Core i7 and Core i9 processors is loaded with powerful workhorse options.
