How to Buy a CPU/Processor -2011

Most all CPu's today are 64 bit Processors, this is now the standard, however most all 64-bit will run in both 64 and 32 bit software. For this article we will always be talking about 64-bit CPU's.

CPU or Central Processing Unit, also know as "the processor" is the main brain of the computer and without it nothing happens. CPU's, as we will call them now, come in many different sizes and shapes there is almost as many different CPU's as there is engines in your car. We will assume you're a novice or a beginner when it comes to CPUs, as we could write pages and pages of very technical information we will try and be brief.. Our hope in this buyers guide is to help you understand what to look for when buying a new CPU for your existing computer or a new CPU for new computer. We will discuss the different types of sockets and the different types of bus speeds that CPUs come in. We will also discuss other factors in making your decision of which type of CPU and which brand of CPU you will purchase. As far as brands their two main companies that make CPUs. The first being Intel and the second being AMD, both companies make good products that are best for different applications. For me to say one is better than the other is really more than a personal preference. If you want a real world example of the difference is like a Ford truck versus a Chevy truck, both have good and bad points.

Socket's: The first thing we'll do is talk about socket types, the socket is a holder that is soldered on the main motherboard that allows the CPU to connect to all the various parts of the computer. Sockets usually are counted in pin connections, example a socket 939 would have 939 pins that connect to the computer. Some sockets go as high as 1366 currently and I expect to see them up into the thousands within a few years. You ask yourself why so many connections, well with billions of transistors on each CPU, more connections helps the board to keep the processor running smoothly in a lower voltage. Most the time lower voltage means more speed. CPU/processors can run very high temperatures thus each processor needs a heat sink and fan to dissipate the heat quickly away from the processor. Below you will find a chart for both Intel and AMD for their current socket offerings. This will be one specification that you will need to write down when choosing your CPU and match it up with the motherboard you choose. You can only choose a CPU with the same number of pins as the socket on the motherboard you are going to use.

Intel Processors Older style socket, currently being phased out! 775 pins	Intel Processors Newer current style 1155 pins	Intel Processors Newer current style(Not compatible with the 1155) 1156 pins	Intel Processors Newest style socket 1366 pins
AMD Processors Older style socket 939 pins	AMD Processors Older style Socket 940 pins, There is a AM2+(938 pins)socket	AMD Processors Current style socket 941 Pins	AMD Processors Newest style socket 942 pins Larger pin holes will give you less bent pins and allows newer processors to run at higher power levels. All AM3 CPU's will fit in this socket

As you can see there are many different sizes and types of sockets. Each socket can take several different speeds of processors that can run from very fast and very slow, just because you choose a socket with lots of pins does not mean that your CPU/processor will be the fastest around. There other factors such as cache, voltage, front side bus(FSB) and core bus, that determine the overall speed of the processor. For years many people thought the Ghz. rating was the only factor in the speed of the processor, and for the most part they were correct. In the beginning we only had one bus speed one size cache and only 2 to 3 processors total to choose from. So in those instances few bought a 300 MHz processor over 150 MHz processor chances are it would run much faster, but not always twice as fast.

Cooling: Okay now that you have some idea of what socket you will look for, lets us look at cooling. Processors come in two different types or really packages. You can purchase an OEM processor which means the original equipment manufacturer, or basically just the processor no heatsink or fan included. If you purchase a a processor this way you will also have to purchase a after-market heatsink and fan combination. If you're not comfortable with your knowledge about processors don't buy a OEM processor. The second kind of processor or package you can buy is a boxed processor, these units come with a processor, heatsink and fan all in one box. The best advantage for these is that you will have a heatsinks and fan that is guaranteed to keep your processor cool as long as you keep the fan clean and operating properly, these boxed processors usually come with a three-year warranty where the OEM processors only have 30 to 90 days. So if you're a beginner or amateur when it comes to computers, buy a processor in the box. Some people will say the boxed processors fans aren't good enough, and they may be right, but my warranty says if I use their fan the company will guaranteed if for three years, so for me as a beginner, that's okay, later on as you gain more experience and read reviews you may choose to change out your factory heatsink and fan for aftermarket one that will keep the CPU much cooler. It is a fact that cooler processors run faster than hot ones, once again heat kills a computer, so keeping it cool will help you not only run faster and more efficient, it will help your processor last a long long time.

Specifications: The specifications of a processor or the information that you'll need to write down in deciding which one you will purchase. The specifications will be matched up with the motherboard that the processor is inserted into with the same specifications. Now don't get nervous on me, it's not really that difficult, you really only have to know three basic things. The first one is what type of socket you are going to be using. The second one is what types of front side bus and memory the socket supports, and the third one is what speed of front side bus and core bus will the processor support. Below I will give you a few examples of combinations that will work and won't work as you look for your new processor. Please don't get caught up in little differences in each CPU, for example two CPUs that appear to be the exact same other than fact that one is 3 GHz and the other one is 3.2 GHz. The only difference is probably one of the little newer than the other one and that really doesn't matter. Sometimes they can appear to be exactly the same one will have a higher cache amount and the other one does we will talk about cache a little later. So below I want to look at the chart and see if you can understand what we have to look for.

* Die size is not really important other than smaller die size in the same kind of processor are unusually faster and more efficient with a lower voltage, easier to keep cool. You will notice that the top Intel is a dual core that is why the die is smaller, in this case it's not faster or more effcient then the other 3 that are quad core CPU's, but if we had another dual core listed that was 45nm, the 32nm would be the better choice if all other specification were the same.

** Memory specification for AMD are not really given, Just look at what the motherboard will support for now. Most AMD Phenom will support from 16GB to 32 GB.

BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, WATCH THIS VIDEO ON CHOOSING A CPU, IT WILL EXPLAIN THE CHART ABOVE!  

In this chart you will notice I have a section for the cache but I really don't tell you much about it, this is because cache is a whole other subject. I will touch upon it lightly a little farther down in the article.

Boxed Vs OEM: Earlier I talked about boxed processors versus OEM processors, I hope you understood the difference, if not I'll go through it one more time. A box processor comes with a processor, heatsink and fan that is guaranteed by the company for at least three years on average. This heatsink fan may not keep the PCU the coolest, but is what is required if you want to keep your three-year warranty. OEM processors are really intended for use by major builders such as HP, Compaq, and Dell who supply their own heatsink and fans and purchase these processors in bulk at a discounted price and except a lower warranty to save money. This however does not mean these processors are lower quality, it just means you have to be smarter and have some knowledge of how to use them. Even though I have many years in the computer industry I still use boxed processors 95% of the time where or when I can. They're simple and easy and have a great warranty.

After Market Coolers: I would like to talk a little about aftermarket coolers or in other words aftermarket high-end heatsinks and fans. The cooling of your computer has to do with several different things. One of the main things is the amount of heat that can be pulled away from it quickly and efficiently. CPUs are tested and marketed at a certain speed based upon a certain level of average running temperature that they can achieve at a set price. Years ago when processes first came out actually froze them to hundreds of degrees below zero and re-tested their speeds. They found that they could run it 5x to 10x times their normal speed if they could really keep them that cool. However the cost of putting a high-end water coolers or even hydrogen coolers on each computer would make them out of range for most people. Now that you understand this let's talk about how we can keep our temperatures lower and our CPUs running faster. There are heatsinks and materials that work much better than the standard heatsinks that come with your computer, for example most boxed processors come with aluminum heatsink because aluminum is cheap and easy to work with. It does do a great job of pulling heat away from the CPU but not as good as copper does, copper coolers though add quite a bit of cost to each CPU and when you're manufacturing 10,000 at a time cost is essential. Many aftermarket manufactures will use copper for their heatsinks to draw the heat away faster and quicker and to keep the heat lower under heavy use. Large copper heat sinks along with larger fans pull the heat out of the copper quickly can keep your processor many degrees cooler than it would with a standard heatsink. Cooler processors have less error's and last longer and run faster. Those are the facts, but also with the facts comes the extra cost. So if you find your computer running warm or hotter than you would like it to you may want to consider an aftermarket heatsink and fan. We will not go to much detail about these as it's a whole subject once again we could write pages and pages on them . Suffice it to say, do some research on your own, read reviews and read some more, you will soon see which ones work and which ones don't and how much you really want to spend.

Cache: Okay now little bit about cache, cache is a small amount of memory that allows the processor to do repetitive tasks very quickly without having to go out to the main memory chips. Think of it as a little extra work table at your desk that helps you to move papers around and exchange things without having to get up and go over to the filing cabinet or somewhere else. Cache takes up the majority of the space on the CPU and since CPUs are expensive to design, cache cost a lot of money. There are many different kinds of cache usually call L1, L2 AND L3. Each of these levels of cache are know by the letter L, then a number telling you what level they run at. Different levels of cache run at different speeds and are placed in different parts of your current processor. Later on we will talk about dual core versus quad core processors and you will notice the specifications at L1 is always the same amount times each core processor, example if I have a dual core processor and L1 cache is 128 kb then you will have 2 x L1 caches, and if I have a quad core processor the I will have 4 x 128 kb - L1 caches on the processor. Each L1 cache is attached directly to each core the processor and usually runs at the same speed as the core processor does have L2 and L3 caches can be either shared or individual based upon the amount of cores. This is what determines partially the speed of the processor. If you haven't watch the video above, please do now, it will explain cache more clearly.

Processor Vs Cores: Now we're in a talk briefly about processors versus cores, many companies and individuals use these names interchangeably. Each processor is a single unit and can have between one and up to 12 processor cores per unit. What this means is they take a simple CPU and are able to put two processors on the same chip, on some processors they can add up to 12 cores that can work together, these are used mainly though and servers and that's another discussion. Most personal computers will use a dual core, quad core or six core processor currently. Once again bigger is not always better as well is more cores are not always better. Another example if I need a hall of you leaves once in while maybe a couple of trash bags, I could by a dump truck and get the job done but it's not very efficient. The same goes for the latest our landscaping company that what's to haul some brush and rock and dirt, and then I buy a small size pickup, I'm not wear that little pickup out in no time. So what we're talking about here is by the right amount of cores and processor for your application. Below you will see a small chart that will talk about the different types of cores and what they're good for. Don't make this complicated, when in doubt currently as of 2011 the quad core processor is the standard and that is what you want to shoot for. Also check our our buyers guides, they come out twice a year. Look at the chart below and then watch the brief video explaining processors and cores.

WATCH THIS QUICK VIDEO ON CORE Vs PROCESSORS!  

Ghz. And Speed: Now let's briefly talk about GHz. versus speed understand that years ago when computers first came out it was more about GHz. This was mainly due to only having one processor and one core and one bus speed. Think of this as efficiency. Think of this as four little donkeys, these donkeys can work together can accomplish a lot of tasks but their limited the amount of weight they can carry and work they can get done. Now let's talk about for large strong Clydesdale horses, these horses can move large amounts of weight, they could do it quickly, and they may have a lot of endurance. They they flat-out get just more work done. But not everybody wants to feed four large Clydesdales or extend the cost of buying them in the first place. If all I have is a small or 4 acre farm, I really don't need four large Clydesdales. So what I'm saying is choose the GHz. and processor type that fits your budget as well as your task. Please watch the video below and we will talk a little more about which processor for what job.

PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO AND REFERENCE THE CHART BELOW ON WHAT PROCESSOR WORKS BEST FOR WHAT YOU DO.  

Deciding on which processor and motherboard to use in your computer can be very frustrating at times, there are almost hundreds of combinations to choose from. Once again read reviews of different types of processors and motherboards and use the experience of other people make your own decision. Price is not always a factor of performance, and sometimes $100 more only brings you a few percentage points more speed. Choose a combination of motherboard processor that will work together to accomplish the task that you are trying to do. Our computers are amazing machines and one-size-fits-all is not the equation, we can do many things with our computers, but we can't do everything on one computer. To the cost of computers is lower than they ever have before, you might want to consider building more than one computer and design it to a specific task instead of trying to build one computer to do multiple tasks. Either way you look at it finding a CPU and motherboad that will work together it's all the numbers, match up your socket, match your memory,match your model and and other specifications listed above and you will do just fine.

Check out Newegg.com they have lots of CPU/Processors and detailed specification on each.