The i-series range of CPUs made by Intel are some of the most popular, best performing, and widely used CPUs on the market.
I recently upgraded my laptop (2023) and decided on an Intel i-series processor. In doing that I did a tonne of research into Intel i-series processors, and in this article I will explain what version of Windows is best for the i3.
Windows 7 is the best version of Windows for the following generations of the Intel Core i3: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th. Whereas, Windows 11 is the best version of Windows for an i3 that is an 8th generation or higher.
Which includes the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th, generation i3’s. Below, I will explain how well each generation of the i3 works for Windows, why some generations of the i3 are better suited to Windows 7, and:
- If Windows 11 good for the Intel Core i3
- If Windows 10 is good for the i3
- Is Windows 11 slow on an i3
Let’s dive in!
Is Windows 11 Good For the Core i3
Windows 11 is good for the core i3. Windows 11 works very well on an i3, and is the recommended version of Windows 7th generation and higher i3’s.
When buying a new computer with an i3 processor, almost all of the computers you will find will have Windows 11 preinstalled on them. This is because new computers sold are only a maximum of about 2 years old.
Because of that, they will have the i3 generation that is at the most 2 to 3 years old. This means the oldest i3 you can find brand new is the:
- 11th generation i3
- 12th generation i3
- 13th generation i3
- 14th generation i3 – soon to be released (estimated 2024)
Whereas, older generations of the i3 can almost always only be found second hand. If you have an existing desktop or laptop computer with an i3, then refer to the table below that shows what version of Windows is best for it. And upgrade, or reinstall Windows based on the info below.
Or, based on your personal preferences. For example, a small percentage of people prefer the look of older versions of Windows 7. And know exactly where everything is.
| Intel i3 generation | Best version of Windows |
| 1st | Windows 7 |
| 2nd | Windows 7 |
| 3rd | Windows 7 |
| 4th | Windows 7 |
| 5th | Windows 7 |
| 6th | Windows 7 |
| 7th | Windows 7 |
| 8th | Windows 11 |
| 9th | Windows 11 |
| 10th | Windows 11 |
| 11th | Windows 11 |
| 12th | Windows 11 |
| 13th | Windows 11 |
As you may know, Intel releases a new generation of their i-series processors each year. Where a higher generation number means a newer and faster i3.
What I learned buying a new laptop with an i3 in 2023
In 2023, I decided my old laptop is now too old, and wanted to figure out the best deal for getting a new one based on what I use my computer for.
I wanted a mid-range PC that could run the latest games decently.
But, I thought at the moment it isn’t worth it for me to get a high end PC like a gaming laptop, as I mostly use it for work. I decided on a low mid range laptop with an 11th generation i3.
It has 8GB of RAM, and runs Windows 11. I have been incredibly impressed with it. It can play my favorite game Dota 2 on the highest graphics settings. And Windows 11 runs exceptionally fast. You can turn it on, log in, and be ready to open programs in under 15 seconds. Which still impresses me to this day.
You have likely noticed that some versions of Windows aren’t recommended. For example, Windows 8, and Windows 10 were released in between Windows 7 and Windows 11 but are not recommended for the i3. There are two solid reasons why this is:
Windows 8 – has a unique user interface that was a big flop with Windows users
Windows 10 – almost identical to Windows 11 – the user interface on Windows 11 is better
It’s established that Windows 8 has so far been the only version of Windows that was not well liked. Here’s a video that goes into the reasons why:
On the other hand, Windows 10 and Windows 11 have almost identical performance. For example, if you take one computer running Windows 10, and install Windows 11 on it, you will not notice any difference in speed.
I compiled some data from an independent test that compared how fast Windows 11 is compared to Windows 10 for all of the major things done on a computer. Such as, turning on, shutting down, installing a program, and opening a program.
For the full results READ MORE >> Is Windows 11 slower than Windows 10
Previously, Windows 10 would have been the best option. But, now since Windows 11 has been released and the fact that it has virtually identical performance to Windows 10 means that it’s almost always the best option. Unless your i3 is a 7th generation or slower.
It’s also a good idea to know what to expect regarding your computer’s performance. It varies significantly based on what generation of the i3 you have. Here’s a table that shows a broad overview of how well an i3 works based on what generation it is.
| Intel i3 generation | What it can do |
| 1st | Only for web browsing and documents |
| 2nd | Only for web browsing and documents |
| 3rd | Only for web browsing and documents |
| 4th | Only for web browsing and documents |
| 5th | Only for web browsing and documents |
| 6th | Only for web browsing and documents |
| 7th | Only for web browsing and documents |
| 8th | Only for web browsing and documents |
| 9th | Can handle resource intensive programs like gaming |
| 10th | Can easily handle resource intensive programs like gaming |
| 11th | Can easily handle resource intensive programs like gaming |
| 12th | Can easily handle resource intensive programs like gaming |
| 13th | Can easily handle resource intensive programs like gaming |
Here’s more detailed info about how well each generation of the i3 works for each of the major tasks on a computer.
| Generation | Web browsing and working on documents | Resource intensive programs like video editing software | Gaming |
| i3 1st generation | Yes. Very slow performance. | No. | No. |
| i3 2nd generation | Yes. Very slow performance. | No. | No. |
| i3 3rd generation | Yes. Ok performance. | No. | No. |
| i3 4th generation | Yes. Ok performance. | No. | No. |
| i3 5th generation | Yes. Ok performance. | No. | No. |
| i3 6th generation | Yes. Ok performance. | No. | No. |
| i3 7th generation | Yes. Ok performance. | No. | No. |
| i3 8th generation | Yes. Ok performance. | No. | No. |
| i3 9th generation | Yes. Good performance. | Yes, but very slow and almost unusable. | Yes. But, only games that are not graphics intensive like Minecraft. |
| i3 10th generation | Yes. Good performance | Yes, but very slow and almost unusable. | Yes. But, only games that are not graphics intensive like Minecraft. |
| i3 11th generation | Yes. Very good performance | Minimum | Yes. Minimum for graphics intensive games |
| i3 12th generation | Yes, Excellent performance, the best performance possible. | Yes. Ok performance. | Yes. Good for graphics intensive games |
| i3 13th generation | Yes, Excellent performance, the best performance possible. | Yes. Excellent performance. | Yes. Very good for graphics intensive games |
The recommendations above are a little bit over-estimating. But, serve as a really good guide for what i3 to get. And what to expect from your i3.
Is Windows 10 Good for the Intel i3
Windows 10 is not good for the Intel i3. Previously before late 2022 Windows 10 was the best version of Windows for many generations of the i3. But, since then Windows 11 has been released.
There is no technical reason to use Windows 10 instead of Windows 11 because they perform exactly the same. Therefore, now Windows 11 is available, it’s the best version of Windows for i3’s that runs it well – shown in the tables above.
Is the Core i3 Slow for Windows 11
The Intel Core i3 is not slow for Windows 11, unless it’s a 7th generation or older i3. The 7th generation i3 was released in 2015/2016. So, if your computer is more than 7 to 8 years old it’s almost guaranteed it will have a CPU that is too slow to run Windows 11.
Instead, Windows 7 is the best option. For a work computer about an 8th generation or newer is best. Whereas, for gaming and using resource intensive programs like video editing a 11th generation is the minimum.
Whereas, the newest i3 makes sense for professional gamers, streamers, and video producers (Youtubers). And would provide sufficient performance. Likely, an i5, i7, or i9 is a better option. According to the well known computer manufacturer Lenovo:
- The i5 is 2 generations faster than the i3
- The i7 is 2 generations faster than the i5
- The i9 is 2 generations faster than the i7
For example, a 4th generation i5 is about the same as a 6th generation i3.