Intel Core i5-661 processor

We’ve already reviewed a processor from Intel’s latest Core i5 range, and we found that it was an excellent choice for anyone interested in 3D games or video editing (see the review of the i5-750 here).

Despite its similar name, however, the new i5-661 is suited for a rather different purpose.

The i5-661 is a dual-core chip, so it’s two processors in one rather than the i5-750’s four. On the other hand, its speed is slightly higher (3.33GHz rather than 2.66GHz) and it supports Intel’s Hyperthreading technology, which can speed up certain tasks. More unusually, though, it packs in something extra: a graphics processor.

This strange new design means that when paired with a suitable motherboard the i5-661 can connect up to a monitor via VGA, DVI or HDMI with no need for either a separate graphics chip on the motherboard or a separate graphics card. And, with the graphics processor and the main processor rolled into one, they only need one fan to keep them cool. Having fewer fans, and less noise, is ideal for computers designed to sit in the living room.

Most home entertainment computers need to play Blu-ray discs, and the i5-661’s graphics chip has been designed with this in mind. The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD can decode all the types of video found on Blu-ray discs, so there’s no need to add a separate graphics card to play high-quality video.

We tested it with numerous Blu-ray discs, using both the VC1 and MPEG4-AVC video formats, and it played all with ease. Even Persepolis, a film with complicated animation that pushes the video bitrate well above 30Mbit/sec, played beautifully.

When it comes to general computing tasks, the i5-661 is no slouch but not the fastest available. It recoded DVD video to an iPod-compatible MPEG4 file at around 45 frames per second (fps), making it roughly twice as fast as an older Intel E5200 system but slower than the 68fps managed by the quad-core i5-750.

So is the i5-661 a good buy?

The answer depends on what you’ll be using your computer for. If you’ll be playing the latest 3D games, look elsewhere – adding a separate graphics card would make the one included on this chip a waste of money.

Similarly, for power-hungry tasks such as video conversion other i5 processors such as the i5-750 provide more power.

If, on the other hand, you’re looking to build or buy a quiet computer to play Blu-ray discs, this is an ideal choice.