An excellent mid-range CPU for solving an impressive list of tasks and based on a fairly fresh architecture is the Intel Core i3-4330. This chip combines good technical parameters and affordable cost. This is a great solution for creating an inexpensive mid-level home PC.
The list of optimal tasks for this CPU
According to the positioning of the manufacturer, this semiconductor chip is designed to create a personal computer of the middle class. Above it are the Core i5 and, of course, Core i7, which can boast immediately 4 computing units and a higher level of performance. Pentium and Celeron are positioned below this processor solution with only 2 physical computing modules.
The computing resources of this silicon crystal are more than enough to implement any task at the moment. The only thing to note is that some of the most demanding toys in this case will function in a mode with far from maximum settings.
Processor socket
Intel Core i3-4330 is aimed at installing in the LGA 1150 socket. On the one hand, this processor socket is relevant, and it is not difficult to purchase solutions based on it. But, on the other hand, it was replaced by LGA 1151 with more productive and progressive chips. As a result, the LGA 1150 is now in the final stages of its life cycle. Therefore, when assembling a new PC, it is recommended to focus on the LGA 1151 platform, which was recently introduced. If we add to this that Intel plans to move to a 3-year update cycle for its chips, then the choice in this situation becomes obvious.
Technological process
Intel Core i3-4330 was introduced in 2013. At that time, the technological process based on the norm of 22 nm was considered advanced. It was in accordance with such requirements that this semiconductor crystal was made. Against the background of the current 14 nm, which are used in the manufacturing process of the most advanced central processor devices today, it does not look so bad. We can say that from the position of technology, this CPU is practically not out of date.
Number of cache
Like all the most productive modern semiconductor solutions, the hero of this review is equipped with a cache system of 3 levels. The reasonably large amount of this fast memory allows this CPU to display an impressive level of performance. The third level in this case is common to all processor computing resources. Also, there is no strict separation into the storage of instructions and data storage: everything is in one common address space. Its total size is 4 MB.
The second level of fast memory is already divided into 2 parts of 256 MB and is tied to a specific computing unit. Its total size is 512 MB. There is no strict separation of data storage or instructions in this case either. All information is in the general address space.
The most complex organization is cache level one. Its size is 128 MB. It is divided into 2 parts of 64 MB, fixed by a specific core. These 64 MB, in turn, are divided into 2 parts of 32 kb. One of them contains only instructions, and the second contains data.
Thermal pack
Manufacturer's Declared Thermal Package for Intel Core i3-4330 CPU equal to 51 watts. The maximum allowable crystal temperature in this case is 66 degrees. Even in combination with a standard cooling system, achieving this value is unrealistic. The maximum real working temperature is 54-55 degrees. And to get such a value is possible only with a very serious load on the computing modules. In other cases, this temperature is in the range of 35-47 degrees.
Frequencies
This CPU does not support Turbo Boost technology , which, depending on the complexity of the task and the level of CPU heating, dynamically changes the frequency in a given range. This semiconductor chip also has a frequency multiplier locked. Therefore, the only possible frequency value for the Intel Core i3-4330 is 3.5 GHz.
Hardware Features
In terms of technical parameters, this chip is no different from the more affordable Pentium and Celeron line chips based on Haswell architecture. All the same 2 physical computing modules and a three-level cache (slightly increased size).
But there is one important feature of this CPU - support for proprietary technology from Intel, codenamed Hyper-Threading. With its help, at the software level, two physical modules of this chip turn into 4 logical streams for performing calculations. That is, from the position of the operating system, this chip is a quad-core processor. Therefore, even the most demanding fresh toys that check PC resources and require a 4-core chip will go on it.
Graphics accelerator integrated into the CPU chip
As with all the latest processor solutions, there is an integrated graphics core in the Intel R CoreTM i3-4330. Moreover, physically it is on the same silicon chip along with the CPU processing units. Its model is HD Graphics4600. The minimum frequency of this graphics card is 350 MHz. Well, the maximum value is 1.15 GHz. For an office PC, does this accelerator have more features? than enough. Even the launch of obsolete toys, which are 3-5 years old, it will be enough. But for modern toys, a discrete graphics accelerator is required.
Overclocking
The CPU frequency multiplier is locked in this chip (its name does not have the coveted “K” index). Therefore, the possibility of overclocking this silicon crystal theoretically reduces only to increasing the frequency of the system bus. An increase in this value, in turn, will lead to an increase in the frequency of the central processor factor. But such an opportunity is only on motherboards with an outdated version of the BIOS. But on the freshest products of this class of this platform, the option to increase the frequency of the system bus is blocked, and the only possible frequency for the Intel Core i3-4330 is 3, 50 GHz.
CPU owners: cost, relevance
At the moment, you can buy such a "stone" for 11,000 rubles. The processor Intel Core i3-4330 boasts the presence of such advantages as a high degree of energy efficiency, an acceptable level of speed and the presence of four computing threads at the software level. But its disadvantages are: high cost and relatively outdated architecture. It is the presence of a more recent platform LGA 1151 automatically pushes this processor device to obsolete chips. Therefore, when assembling a new PC, in any case, it is recommended to focus on LGA 1151.
Summary
In any case, the Intel Core i3-4330 is still great for creating a mid-level personal computer. But from the point of view of the relevance of the hardware platform, the system will still be preferable on the LGA 1151, which relatively recently only went on sale.