Core i7 OR Core i3?

The generations refer to how new the processor featureset is. It also refers to how fast it can execute instructions relative to the previous generation. It's not only about how many GHz it has or how many cores it has, but also how efficiently it executes those instructions. Intel often also miniaturizes the processors between some generations.

A generation is just new line of CPU's Intel is bringing out for year.It has new features and spects than the old generation.

Generation just means what set it comes out with.
Newer smaller processors will eventually beat the old bigger processors, but probably not yet.

The way you compare processor speed is by benchmarks. My favorite website to do this with is CPU Boss. It has a wonderful compare utility to see the difference between two processors.

The two most important measurements you'll want to watch is the normal benchmark and the single sore benchmark. The regular benchmark shows you the speed for programs that can use multiple cores. The single core benchmark shows you the speed for programs that use fewer cores or one core.

Now lots of people claim clock speed is the processor's speed, it isn't. Neither is number of cores. More cores isn't always better, and higher clock speed isn't always better, that's why they have benchmarks.

Those are all good questions. It can be confusing. What Intel does it this Tick Tock method. (and I might have this reversed a little).

So I think a Tick method is where Intel develops new technology and is a New processor. The Tock method is where Intel takes the same technology but just shrinks the processor. its doing the same thing but might use less power because its smaller.

An i7 would probably always beat out an i3. More You probably can't buy a 1st generation i3 or i7, but you probably could still find a 3rd.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_i3_microprocessors

Yes, but not always. It's possible for a Core i5 CPU to overpower a Corei7 CPU that is of the same generation since one processor may have a higher cache and clockspeed over the other. .