Clarification needed on processor base frequency - Core i7 8565U

Question

I am planning to buy the following laptops for developers Dell Vostro 3583 / Core i7- 8th gen -8565U (8MB cache upto 4.6 Ghz) / 16GB / 512GB SSD / 2GB Graphics / Ubuntu / No ODD / 15.6" FHD / 3 Cell

I have one concern about the processor i7 8565U, its base frequency 1.8Ghz is low but it can clock up to 4.6Ghz. Is it better to buy a processor with higher base frequency (like i7 8700K) 3.6 Ghz? Is having a low base frequency going to slow things down for development? Is the price difference worth the upgrade?

Answer 1

The base frequency determines the TDP or Thermal Design Power, which is how much power the processor uses during normal use. Due to Intel's Turbo Boost 2.0 technology, the large difference in the base to the maximum frequency is negligible. However, the processor you are comparing the i7-8565u is a laptop specific processor while the i7-8700k is a desktop specific processor that uses much more power. Frequency determines how fast the computer can process while the amount of cores/threads is how many processes it can do at once. Finally, the graphics determine how fast images can be rendered and processed. The advantage of higher base frequencies is the ability to have the power available when it is needed instantaneous while the turbo boost is meant to be for a "temporary" period when needed. Whether a laptop or desktop is better for developers depends on what they are developing.