intel 2x1 cpuIntel/Amazon/Business Insider

Intel makes it pretty easy to tell performance models against lower-end models. 

You can usually tell straight away by the 3, 5, or 7 number after the “i” in “Core iX.” 

But then there are those extra numbers and letters that usually come after the “Core iX” part, numbers which actually tell you a little more about the chip’s performance, and ultimately the performance of the computer you’re thinking of buying. 

Here’s what those the numbers and letters mean in Intel’s chips: