The Computer Buzz

May 24th, 2007

Nome and Paul Van Middlesworth - owners - The Computer Factory
 

The CPU For Your Next PC

"What kind of computer do you have?" If you say, "I've got a Dell" a true "Computer Geek" will want to inspect your hair for blonde roots. If you answer like this "I have an Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 with 2 gigs of RAM and nVidea 8800GTS video," your neighborhood geek will give you a respectful nod.

Your PC's brand name, Dell, Compaq, Gateway, HP etc, reveals nothing important about its functionality. Nearly all the "name brand" PCs are made by the same third party Asian manufacturers. The difference between them is cosmetic.

It's what's under the hood that's important and the heart of every PC is the CPU. The first step in building a specification for your next computer is to select the CPU that best fits your needs.

For a basic home or business PC, AMD CPUs represent the best combination of performance and price. The Sempron is AMD's entry level CPU. It will surf the net, run Excel, Word and Quicken, play and record movies and music and do your photo editing and do it just as fast as a much more expensive CPU. These are low task applications that don't require high performance CPUs.

If you need more power for gaming or running design programs you would step up to the AMD Athlon family of fast single and dual core CPUs. Dual core (two CPUs on a single Chip) is helpful when running multiple applications simultaneously. For single applications, dual core CPUs don't run any faster than single core CPUs.

For high-end gaming and "power user" applications where speed is paramount, the Intel Core 2 Duo (not to be confused with Intel's cheap and cheesy "Core Duo") holds the edge over AMD's FX. The very fastest Intel Core 2 Duo CPU is 5 to 10% faster than the very fastest AMD.

The AMD dual core and the Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs range in price from $200 to $700 (the price of the processor chip only). At any given price, the Intel and AMD CPUs are fairly equal in performance with perhaps a slight edge to the AMDs.

One feature we like about AMD is that the entire range of CPUs use the same socket and chipset. Intel on the other hand has different socket and chipset requirements for each CPU type making upgrades difficult and costly.
For laptops we still favor the Intel Core 2 Duo. They cost a bit more than the Intel Celeron and Core Duo, but the performance bonus is worth the extra money.

Matching your PCs other components to your needs is important. Having the right amount of RAM, hard drive capacity and video power may be as important as your choice of CPU. Getting exactly the features and software you need is a pleasant alternative to the "Junkware" that Dell, Compaq and the others preload on all their new PCs.

You can't count on useful help from a computer store clerks or Dell sales reps. They'll try to sell you what they have in stock, not what you need. Your independent computer builder is the place to start the design process for your next laptop or desktop PC. See you soon.