Choosing Your CPU

When trying to search for a realistic answer as to what CPU your next pc should sport, the ongoing war between Intel and AMD fans can be somewhat overwhelming. There never seems to be any consideration to use case or any merits from the other side and coming out with a clear answer can be difficult at the best of times. Below, we will try and supply an unbiased look into what actually makes one CPU a better decision and help make your next CPU choice an easier one

The Variables

There are a lot of different variables to look into when you are about to buy a new processor, at some points, simply too many. From the node size in which case people will often mock intel for still being stuck on 14 nm to the effectiveness of the thermal compound for the heat spreader in which AMD could learn a thing or two.

The truth is that in the real world for an average user who enjoys a bit of gaming and the apuestas deportivas Chile offers, these parameters just don’t make a big enough difference to really consider. If you are a power user with very specific requirements, sure, additional PCIE lanes may benefit you. For the average user, the benefit is null. There are only a few variables that the average user should really take into consideration.

• Cores – The amount of cores and threads the CPU has. This will generally be presented as a core count and a thread count which is double that of the core count. For consumer grade CPUs, the average will range between 4 cores to a higher end of 12 cores available in AMD’s flagship CPUs. The core count will usually much favour multithreaded applications like picture/video editing. For normal gaming use cases, the 4 core units should work perfectly.
• Clock speed – Often represented as a base clock and a boost clock, this is the best representation of what your PCU is capable of. The Base clock is the CPUs consistent speed, while the boost is like a temporary overclock feature. Depending on the cooling system available, most modern CPUs in desktops can maintain the boost clock indefinitely without needing to clock down. The CPU clock speed will benefit game play more than workflow in most scenarios.
• Price – Probably the most important part of looking for a new CPU is your budget. While AMD is the price to performance king at the top end of the range, that isn’t very showing of the mid-range equipment. Deciding on your budget will be the first point of action before deciding on the best CPU for you.
• Performance – While clock speed and cores are a great initial teller towards performance, there are other smaller factors at play which can influence how the CPU performs in the real world. Tools like CPU Benchmark are a great way to see the real-world performance that other people are getting.
• Upgrade path – The motherboard is the backbone of a computer, when needing to upgrade a CPU, it would be nice to know that your motherboard would be compatible for at least a few generations. This has become a problem for the Intel side of things, often needing a new motherboard chipset for each generational jump. AMD on the other hand is known for supporting multiple generations on one socket, allowing for a better upgrade path.

Armed with the answers to these variables, choosing a CPU should be a lot easier going forward.

What Should I Get?

Simply asking which CPU to get can be a loaded question at the best of times. When you know what you plan to do with the computer and how much money you want to spend, narrowing down the right CPU for you should be as simple as a quick performance comparison and a potential look into a possible future upgrade path. There just is no one answer for every person. With all the above information, you should be better equipped to find the right CPU for yourself.