The processor can be safely considered the heart or brain of any PC - the performance of the computer as a whole depends on this small piece of hardware. Therefore, the choice of processor can be called the most important and difficult step when buying a system unit. Let's look at which CPU options are the most popular nowadays, and which model of this important detail should be chosen.
Currently, the processor market is almost completely divided among themselves by two manufacturers - Intel and AMD. These American companies produce many models of integrated electronics and have long divided the market. Each company has entire product lines that fill certain niches in the computer component industry. Therefore, before you start choosing a processor, you should familiarize yourself with the brands and names from which you will have to choose in the future. And it is advisable to start getting acquainted with the world of CPU with the products of a leader in this field, which Intel has been for many years.
Choosing an Intel processor should begin with a study of the lines of this manufacturer, which can conditionally be divided into several large groups. The simplest and most affordable Intel processors are the Celeron family. Most often, this marking can be found on the CPU of office machines or PCs for typing and solving simple problems. In fact, the “celerons” are stripped down Pentium chips, which Intel is famous for.
Pentiums, which can be found both in simple home computers and in powerful machines, are also divided into several subgroups. Single-core processors with this logo are marked with three numbers (for example, Pentium 4 631), and on dual-core processors you can see the designations D or E - this depends on the core model used in the CPU. E are considered the best due to the fact that under heavy loads they heat less. Intel's dual-core processors may also be labeled Core 2 Duo.
Choosing a processor for games for any gamer begins with a study of the "Pentium" lines of Core 2 Quad and Core i7. This is how the quad-core processors of this manufacturer are designated, which are rightly considered one of the best in the world in terms of performance at the moment. If you need a powerful computer to solve the most difficult tasks, then you should choose a processor with the logo "i7" or "Core 2 Quad" on the package.
The main competitor of Intel products in the CPU market are AMD chips. For a budget computer, the choice of processor from this manufacturer should begin with a study of products labeled "Sempron". Due to the low cost and reliability when used in a gentle mode, this line has long been a direct competitor to the “Celerons” from Intel.
The most common processor from AMD, of course, is Athlon. In this line, you can find both single-core (they are indicated by the letters LE) and dual-core (marked by the letters BE) CPU. Athlons are considered direct competitors of the Pentiums. If you are looking for an alternative to powerful Intel processors, the cost of which will not hit your pocket much, then you should pay attention to the chips with the Athlon logo.
The most powerful in the AMD family are CPUs called “Phenon”. At the moment, the manufacturer produces tri-and quad-core chips under this brand. "Phenons" are perfect for the most powerful computers that have to solve complex problems and work with the most advanced 3D-graphics.
Choosing a processor is a difficult task even for the most advanced users. In the end, I would like to remind you about what characteristics you should pay attention to before purchasing this most important part of your PC:
- maximum and "working" core frequency;
- frequency at which the data bus operates;
- L2 / L3 cache size.
Good luck with your choice!