Generally speaking, the core i5 will be better because of higher clockspeed and TurboBoost which basically acts like an automatic overclock. But it all depends on which CPU models you are comparing.
Also, the slowest mobile Core i5 is the i5-2410M (2.3GHz), the fastest Core i3 is the i3-2330E and i3-2330M (2.2GHz). Therefore, in actuality simply stating a Core i5 laptop will have a faster CPU than a Core i3 laptop is 100% true.
There is no such thing as a Core i3 with stock speed of 2.5GHz.
Click the following link for current Core i3/i5/i7 CPU models:
I never said there was a i3 with a clock speed of 2.5ghz. Don't put words in my mouth.
I made a general factual statement concerning the OP's question.
A 3ghz i3 would be faster than a 2.2ghz i5. That's all I was saying.
The question was too generic, the OP should have listed model numbers.
But then you could say that a P4 running a 45.4 gig is also faster than a i5 if we compare products that don't exist. I thought you were talking about an actuall CPU also.
If someone came to me and said "this laptop is i3, this is i5, pick one", I'd take the i5 without checking further as long as the rest of the system was the same.
I never said there was a i3 with a clock speed of 2.5ghz. Don't put words in my mouth.
I made a general factual statement concerning the OP's question.
A 3ghz i3 would be faster than a 2.2ghz i5. That's all I was saying.
The question was too generic, the OP should have listed model numbers.
Well instead of talking about theoretical (since a 2.5GHz or 3.0GHz Core i3 CPU does not exist), let's discuss factuals.
Since the fastest Core i3 is clocked slower than a Core i5 (even excluding Turbo Boost) that means the Core i3 is slower than the Core i5. That would imply that the Core i5 would be the better choice because the Core i5 provides better performance.
Theoretically speaking, I would say a laptop with a 25.0GHz Pentium D can crush a Core i5-2410M.