Intel Core i5-3470 Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.2 GHz LGA 1155 77W BX80637i53470 Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2500

Pros: - PRICE vs. FEATURES, you can't get another processor for this price tag and this power. Was sitting on this purchase for a while until a weekend sale took $15 off... bringing it down to $185.

Cons: None so far.

Overall Review: I wouldn't rely on the integrated GFX as my primary GFX processor. It'll play games on low to medium quality... just don't think you can get awesome performance from it like a discrete GFX card, because you'll be fooling yourself. Haven't installed Lucid MVP yet, but interested how it manages GFX processing between the integrated GFX and discrete GFX.

Pros: This CPU doesn't even reach it's full potential when playing Battlefield 4 and it runs like butter. Couldn't ask for better.

Cons: Nothing.

Overall Review: Wasn't free.

Pros: Fan and heatsink included. Have yet to overheat the CPU, even under heavy load. 4 physical cores, as opposed to 2 physical and 2 logical (previous gens of i5 were 2 and 2) makes this processor handle games twice as well as it's predecessors.

Cons: None.

Overall Review: The only real difference between this (well, any 3rd gen i5) and a 3rd gen i7 is the i7 has 4 logical cores in addition to the 4 physical cores. For gaming, the logical cores just sit there and smile at you, they do squat to boost performance. If you're looking for gaming, save yourself the ~$100 difference of an i7 and get an i5. If you're into rendering or animation though, the logical cores would probably be more useful to you.

Pros: Good quality Processor

Cons: high price

Pros: Good price, good power. If my GPU goes out, the integrated graphics allow me to still use my rig with limited capabilities until I get a replacement.

Cons: The integrated graphics aren't anything special, but I had a discreet card before purchasing the CPU, so this wasn't a problem. Also, if you do your research before buying, like checking the Tom's Hardware GPU Hierarchy chart for the Intel HD 2500 series, you have no reason to be surprised.

Overall Review: I was debating between this and the 3570K, as everyone says you have to buy a 3570K. But I use my rig primarily for gaming, and most modern games aren't bottlenecked by a cpu of the 3470's power, so there's no reason for me to get one faster or with more OC capability. (Anandtech does an article called "Choosing a Gaming CPU" that concludes that, for single-GPU gaming, you need even less power than the 3470)

Pros: Quad core, 77W, onboard graphics. I am using this processor mainly for Photoshop (CS5) and some minor video editing. Also MS Office tasks. I have hit this processor with 8, 16Mpix, RAW image files for a panoramic stitch and the i5 didn't even break a sweat. I did give it a ridiculous enlargement with Perfect Resize that maxed it out; but it came through like a champ.

Cons: It's not an i7, but what can I say? Didn't want to spend the extra $100 for processing power that I probably won't use anyway. The onboard graphics are not spectacular, scoring 5.8 in the Windows Experience (if that means anything). It was the lowest score of the components on my system.

Overall Review: If I were doing mostly video, then it might have been worth the extra money for the i7. I am running 16Gb RAM in Win 7 Home Premium with onboard graphics and it's just fine for what I'm doing. Probably will add discrete video in the future though.

Pros: +Very fast even without turbo enabled +Integrated graphics can hold you over until you get a dedicated video card +Four cores are better than two +Excellent bang for the buck

Cons: -Core is not unlocked so it can't be overclocked (if that's your thing) -i5 does not support Hyper-Threading (if you need that)

Overall Review: If you're having a hard time deciding which CPU to buy keep in mind this is the exact same processor as the i5-3570K in every aspect except it's not overclockable and only has Intel HD2500 graphics. The price/performance ratio is great. BTW some core monitoring software will recognize this as an i7. ;)

Pros: * pick up 100 MHz on the 3450 at the same price (or lower with promo code) * Ivy Bridge - 'nuff said.

Cons: * CPU stock cooler is the loudest fan in the system. Not enough to knock it down a star. Runs at about 1600 RPM, so it's partly due to higher-pitch.

Overall Review: * wire routing for the cooler fan was a bit awkward. either it didn't reach the connector or there was a lot of cord dangling that could come in contact with the cooler fan itself. Not caling this a con because I may have put the cooler on in a rotated position from the intended, but once the thermal paste was mushed on, I didn't want to pull the cooler back off and risk bubbles re-installing. Rotation issues would not be a problem if there were wire clips on all 4 braces of the cooler, but only 2 of them have clips. Workaround using cable ties if you mess it up. * If you're in this price range, don't bother with the integrated graphics. Get a card or get an AMD APU if you're on a tight budget and your balance is more graphical and less CPU-oriented.