The set of quad-core processors released Monday are made for desktops, all-in-ones, and high-end laptops. Intel has eight Core i7 processor models: two for the desktop, two designated as Desktop Low-Power, and four mobile models. Intel also has five Core i5 processor models: three for the desktop, and two designated as Desktop Low-Power. Intel also has a new Core i7 Extreme Edition processor, which is a mobile processor.

The Ivy Bridge processors are the first processors that are created using Intel's 22 nanometer (nm) process technology, which means that the processors are smaller than the previous 32 nm processors, called . The smaller design will contribute to a speed improvement, but it may not be a dramatic one.

According to Intel, the dramatic improvement, as a result of the 22 nm process, will be with power consumption. Ivy Bridge is much more efficient than Sandy Bridge; at the , Intel said that Ivy Bridge supports DDR3L, the low voltage (1.35v) DDR3 standard, as well as configurable TDP (thermal design power), DDR I/O power gating, and power-aware interrupt pairing.

Another major change is with the built-in graphics-processing unit (GPU). Previous Core processors had built-in GPUs, so the fact that Ivy Bridge has a GPU isn't new. But the built-in GPU isn't usually considered a GPU that's ideal for games or graphically demanding work. Macworld Lab's experience is that the Sandy Bridge GPU (the Intel Graphics 3000) is enough to meet the minimum requirements of some games and graphics apps, and not enough for the most demanding of software.

Intel in its says that the Ivy Bridge built-in GPU, the Intel Graphics 4000, is capable of "two times better 3-D graphics performance" than the Graphics 3000.