Intel Core i5-3570K Pro Reviews

The Intel Core i5-3570K provided remarkable performance on all tests and seems to be the processor with the highest performance per Dollar on the market right now. The lack of Hyper-Threading makes it perform worse than the Intel Core i7-3770K in most benchmarks, but testing in games showed that both processors perform similarly during gaming. What concerned us a bit was that we were unlucky with our sample; it had temperature problems. This happened because the TIM Intel used didn't perform as expected. We would also like to see a better integrated graphics processor in the future.

The Intel Core i5-3570K processor represents a logical replacement for the popular Core i5-2500K that's found a home in many an enthusiast and system integrator system. Clocked in a little higher and imbued with faster integrated graphics and improved Quick Sync trickery, all at no extra cost to the consumer, it will become the best choice for folk looking to spend around £150 on their next CPU. Compatible with a wide range of extant motherboards and, on average, around 10 per cent nippier than the chip it effectively replaces, one would assume that we'd be singing its praises from the rooftops. Trouble is, the beefier integrated graphics, whilst undeniably better, still aren't able to play modern games at a decent resolution and with attractive eye candy; AMD's Llano chips are plain better for gaming. Perhaps of more concern to our readers is just how hot the chip becomes once overclocked and over-volted - you'll need a high-quality cooler to keep the CPU's temps in check. The conclusion is quite simple, really. Run the Core i5-3570K at stock speeds/voltages and it provides the best bang-for-buck in the £150 space. Those who want to run it at significantly higher speeds may need to factor in the purchase of a top-class heatsink, more so than for the Core i5-2500K that's been doing the rounds for over a year now. We can but hope the introduction of the 3rd Generation Core chips drives down the price of the still-impressive 2nd Generation CPUs: that would be a win-win situation for you, the readers.

The only user group who may be somewhat disappointed with the new Ivy Bridge is overclockers. The frequency potential of the new processors manufactured with the latest 22 nm process has suddenly turned out a little lower than that of the predecessors. That is why the third-generation Core CPU may not be a good fit for overclocked systems just yet. However, we expect things to get better. The improvement of the production process and release of the new processor steppings should push back the maximum frequencies for Ivy Bridge and make it enthusiast-friendly.

A great chip, but Core i5 2550K and i5 2500K owners have nothing to worry about.