New Intel Core i3 and Core i5 CPUs Spotted

As odd as it sounds, most of the central processing units from Intel never get more than a passing mention in the press. The Core i3-2348M and i5-3230M CPUs are examples of this.

One might say these two don't count, since they have yet to be formally launched. The only reason we know of them is Fujitsu's product listings for Lifebook AH532, N532, NH532 and LH532 notebooks. That is beside the point though. While Intel does have a history of causing a press uproar over its best and brightest chips, the vast majority of them only get discovered by curious tech websites that comb through product spec lists deep within Intel's website. The Core i3-2348M and i5-3230M CPUs were probably never going to get special press releases or mentions in blogs. Then again, they aren't exactly that extraordinary, by Intel's standards anyway. Still, being part of the Core series is enough to seal their status as mid-range notebook chips. Core i5-3230M is bound to have two physical cores but, thanks to hyper threading technology, 4 logical cores.

The operational frequency is said to be of 2.6 GHz, 3.2 GHz when Turbo Boost kicks in (dynamic overclocking when needed). The specifications list is completed by a cache memory of 3 MB and a TDP (thermal design power) of 35W, normal for current-generation notebook processors. It isn't clear what integrated GPU this CPU possesses (HD 3000 or 4000 most likely). The Core i3-2348M CPU, also a dual-core unit, runs at 2.3 GHz, but because of the absence of Turbo Boost, there is no way for the clock to rise if programs need more computing power than usual. At least Hyper Threading still exists. That leaves 3 MB of L3 cache memory and the HD 3000 graphics to complete the list of specs so far known.

Intel Core i5 logo
Image credits to Intel

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