Guidelines For Selecting A Processor
Desktop computer buying guide processor purchasing recommendations.
Updated May 29, 2010 10:36 PM PST
Introduction – Selecting A Processor
When shopping for a computer you will notice that the processor/CPU is the first specification listed for just about every computer system on the market. Selecting the right processor should be one of your primary objectives when buying a desktop computer system being that it is literally the brains of the computer.
Intel and AMD are still the top CPU manufacturers in the industry, when selecting a processor your choice is really going to come down to one of these two manufacturers. Intel and AMD both offer processors with similar performance though Intel at this time has the edge in the performance department over AMD, especially in the high-end processor market. Don’t let this deter you from AMD though, they offer an outstanding array of processors for fantastic prices which you will see later in this guide.
Unfortunately in today’s digital age selecting a processor is a bit more difficult than it was in the past. In the old days processor selection was determined primarily by choosing a chip with the fastest clock speed.
Now that processor performance has shifted away from raw clock speed to other areas, processor manufacturers including Intel and AMD rate their processors with a performance rating system which makes comparisons between processors not quite that easy.
Besides clock speed alone, these days the difference between processors pretty much comes to how many cores the processor has, its internal clock speed, external bus speed, and processor cache size.
Unfortunately when buying a desktop computer and selecting a processor you won’t always see these CPU specific specifications listed in plain view but instead only the processors performance rating which as we mentioned earlier doesn’t tell you a whole lot.
Its true a higher performance rating can give you a general idea to which processor is better when comparing one processor to another within the same processor brand/family, however when comparing across brands such as Intel to AMD things are a bit more difficult.
To help you decipher the processor performance rating puzzle, let’s take a closer look at current processors and their technologies.
A Closer Look - Selecting A Processor
Being that the processor is the single most important component you’re the computer, you definitely want to select the best processor to satisfy your current and future computing needs.
When comparing processors from the same manufacturer/family, one with a faster clock speed may give you better performance than a slower clocked one,
Though like we mentioned in our introduction, a processors clock speed is definitely not enough to determine with certainty that one CPU is faster than another, even when comparing processors from the same manufacturer.
For example, some processors run at the exact same clock speed though they can also contain more or less processing cores within. Some contain two, three, four, or even six processing cores. You will also find that some processors have different levels and sizes of cache even when running at the same clock speed. These are all factors that can impact the overall performance of a processor in addition to pure clock speed.
This is especially true when comparing processors from different manufactures, like AMD to Intel. For example many AMD processors actually feature lower clock speeds than a similarly performing Intel processor. They perform on par because of internal design differences. Point being, you honestly can’t look at clock speed alone when selecting a processor because clock speed really doesn’t determine a processors true performance.
Instead of clock speed alone, the real buzz in processor technologies is multiple processing cores. More cores mean there is literally more than one processing engine within the same processor package. It's like having two turbo chargers in an automobile. More cores allow computer systems to be more responsive while multi-tasking and multiple cores also help numerous applications specifically coded for multiple core processors to perform much faster.
Cache is also very important in the modern processor for it acts as a buffer between your RAM and the CPU to speed up the processors internal processing engine. Processors can contain multiples levels and different sizes of cache. When looking at a processors specification sheet, you will see cache referenced as either a level 1 or level 2 cache along with an accompanying cache size. When selecting a processor, a larger cache size and multiple levels of cache will improve processing performance.
Bus speed is another specification you will often see referenced when comparing processors. Bus speed is the speed in which the CPU communicates with the rest of the system like your RAM and other components. Like other CPU specifications when selecting a processor higher numbers are better. Bus speed is an important CPU specification, when shopping however you'll notice cache size, clock speed, and number of cores are more of a focal point.
Currently both Intel and AMD offer a slew of multi-core processors. Some of the higher end quad and six-core processors unfortunately are a bit outside the average persons price range, but thankfully both AMD and Intel have each released affordable quad-core processors for mainstream PCs. Dual-core processors are typically now found in lower end desktop computers, though don’t be fooled, a dual-core chip is more than enough to handle the average persons computing chores and then some.
At the moment the superior chip technology comes from Intel, via their Core i7 line of processors. AMD's competing Phenom II X4 chips also on the other hand offer strong performance for a great price. If you want the best in performance look for an i7 or Phenom II X4 processor without a doubt.
For entry-level and mid-level desktop computers you will find either an Intel Core i5 or Core i3, both of which are great performing chips, and also keep an eye out for AMD’s Phenom II line of processors.
Processors Overview – Selecting A Processor
To help you select the perfect processor the table below overviews popular Intel and AMD processors that you may encounter when buying a desktop computer.
Processor Comparison Table:
| CPU Family |
Price Scale |
Overview |
| Intel Core i7 |
High-End |
The Intel Core i7 is Intel's top of the line processor. In fact, the i7 holds the title as the fastest desktop CPU. The Core i7-980X Extreme Edition is Intel's highest end processor, though it is also priced outside most people's pocket books. Thankfully Intel has more moderately priced processors including the i7 800 series. Some i7 processors feature Intel Hyperthreading technology, which effectively doubles the number of threads the CPU can process.For example, Hyperthreading technology allows a quad core processor to process 8 threads instead of 4.
|
Intel Core i5 |
Mid-Range |
The Intel Core i5 is a notch behind the Core i7 in the performance department. In a nutshell the Core i5 is a Core i7 with Hyperthreading technology disabled. The Core i5 offers solid performance at nice price point.
|
| Intel Core i3 |
Low-End |
The Intel Core i3 is Intel's budget line processor. The Core i3 is a dual-core chip natively though i3's actually support Intel's Hyperthreading technology making them a virtual quad core processor. For an entry-level part the i3 performs well.
|
| Intel Core 2 Quad |
Low-End/Mid-Range |
Core 2 Quad processors were Intel's first quad-core desktop processors, pretty much a four core version of the Intel Core 2 family of processors. By no means is the Intel Core 2 Quad a low end processor, though because it has been replaced by the faster Core i7, i5 & i3 processor family, Core 2 Quad processors have dropped a bit in price and also appeal.
|
| Intel Core 2 Duo |
Low-End/Mid-Range |
The Intel Core 2 Duo processor is part of Intel's extremely popular dual-core processor line. When released the Core 2 Duo blew away anything offered by AMD at the time. Core 2 Duo processors are still fast, power efficient, and competitively priced to boot.
|
| AMD Phenom II X4 |
High-End/Mid-Range |
The Phenom II X4 is AMD's second generation quad-core Phenom processor, designed to compete with Intel's Core 2 Quad chips. Phenom II X4's are AMD's flagship CPU at the time of this article. Phenom II X4's gain an improved architecture and faster clock speeds over the original Phenom processors.
|
| AMD Phenom II X3 |
Mid-Range/Low-End |
The AMD Phenom II X3 is AMD's triple core processor, designed to take on the Intel Core 2 Duo chips in performance and price, found in a lot of mainstream PCs. The Phenom II X3 is actually a pretty solid chip, especially when you factor in the lower purchasing cost. On the other hand, always check out lower end Phenom II X4 systems just in case, the price premium for an extra core may be worth the investment.
|
| AMD Phenom II X2 |
Mid-Range/Low-End |
The AMD Phenom II X2 is AMD's dual-core variant in their Phenom II line of processors. These chips are a great alternative to the Intel Core 2 Duo processor family from rival Intel. You will find that a lot of entry-level desktop computers come packed with AMDs Phenom II X2.
|
| AMD Athlon II X4, X3, X2 |
Mid-Range/Low-End |
AMD Athlon II processors were the predecessors to AMD's Phenom processor line, very similar to the Phenom II in fact, though not as pricey and also not as fast. Athlon II based systems are a solid foundation for a great computer system, though the small price premium for a Phenom II is definitely worth the extra bread.
|
| AMD Phenom X4, Phenom X3 |
Mid-Range/Low-End |
The original AMD Phenom processors were AMDs first stab at Intel to overtake their Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors. We have to admit Phenom processors were a great attempt by AMD for they offered solid performance, though they didn't exactly dethrone Intel’s Core 2 line. These days you won't see too many original Phenom based systems, but you may still see some lower priced systems offering them.
|
| AMD Athlon 64 X2 |
Low-End |
The Athlon 64 X2 is an older AMD dual-core processor that you may still encounter in some lower priced desktop computers. The Athlon 64 X2 offers respectable performance, though if you encounter a system with an Athlon 64 X2 you may want to climb up the ladder a bit for the price premium for AMD's new Phenom line of processors isn't going to be that much more.
|
Selecting A Processor Conclusion:
We hope you've enjoyed our guide on selecting a processor. If you have any questions or you would like free purchasing advice, please Ask the computer tech.
Want to learn more about selecting a processor? Click button number 1 below to jump to our desktop buying guide main page for additional processor information and advice.
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