What does i5 have that i7 doesn't?

One of my friends have just bought an i7 and he asked me why intel came out with i5. I couldn't answer him because I don't know anything about the i5. What's it's selling point? It's a bit cheaper, but not that much.

The i5 is cheaper and uses less power, so a better question would be: "what does the i7 have that the i5 doesn't?"

Of course HT and triple channel memory and better support for multiple GPU solutions have their uses but only for a small minority of users (I bought my i7 setup before the i5 was released, otherwise I'd probably have gone for the i5.)

Core i5 is supposed to be the mainstream CPU, while the Core i7 is supposed to be the high end / enthusiast CPU. Both Core i7 and Core i5 shares the same cores, but Core i7 does not have PCI-E generator built in. So therefore because there are less components on die, Core i7 is able to overclock higher, with better support for multi-GPU configuration.

So in a nutshell, if you are planning to go for a multi-GPU solution, Core i7 is a much better choice for you. If not, Core i5 would suit you better.

Yeah because in 2010 God will suddenly let a superior CPU descend from the heavens unto the desk of AMD's CEO, since AMD getting on top of Intel in the near future would require nothing less than a miracle.

Sad really, this means Intel can keep its prices high and will invest less in R&D.

And let me guess, he'll feel that his future health is secured because of AMD?