Intel: Core 2 Duo Vs. i3

Buying a laptop and I found 2 laptops with exactly the same specs. Only differences between them is that one has a Core 2 Duo and the other has an i3.

What's the difference between them and how much will it effect proformance?
-Most i'll have running at once is Guild Wars, MSN, Vent, and Google Chrome with anywhere from 1-4 tabs

I'm not much of a techy so I'm hoping for some dumbed down computer speak here. lol

**Could mods please close my other threads if I am not allowed to have multiple threads open here** That's fine - multiple threads are only disallowed in Ventari's Snograt

From what I've seen, the i3 is a faster chip and uses less power.

The i3 is pretty close to the Core 2 performance-wise. If the clock speeds are the same, the i3 should perform better.

get the one with the highest clock speed
If they are the same get the i3

go with the i3. it has lower power consumption and higher performance per clock; everything you'd look for in a laptop.

well, you didn't say which of the many Core 2 Duo processors it actually has, but most likely the i3 will perform better for what you want to do with your laptop.

The Corei3 processors are amazing little gaming CPUs. Absolutely go with the newer CoreiX technology versus the Core2 tech.

Also, as Snograt pointed out, we allow multiple threads across the rest of the forum. Ventari's is the only home of that rule. In tech, we welcome multiple threads, within reason of course. I can always merge similar topics too

Here you go, a good laptop comparison for you to gawk at.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/143?vs=63

Just scroll through those benchmarks for any that are applicable to you. You will fine the Corei3 stomps anything from the previous architecture in its market segment.