What to Look For When Buying Processors in 2011
With a vast array of processors now available – and more on the brink of being released, the average consumer is bound to feel slightly apprehensive.
“What processor should I buy?
“Is this the best processor out there?”
“Should I pay more for a processor or is the one I’m looking at good enough?”
These are some of the questions that most people find flashing through their heads as they think about selecting one processor over another. And quite frankly, it isn’t as easy anymore to gauge the differences between processors.
At the end of the day, there is one simple rule you should follow:
Buy Processor that Suit Your Needs
With all the advances to processor technology over the last few years, the fact of the matter is that processors are now more specialized than ever. While it is true that power is still a factor – you’ll find that the most powerful processors out there are really never going to be utilized to their full potential for casual use.
In general, the for casual or work usage that is limited to writing emails, surfing the web, and using word processors and spreadsheets – even the low range processors can fit the bill. Nowadays, ‘low range’ implies anything dual core, and that should more that suit your needs.
Of course, if you’re looking for a bit more power you can opt for quad core solutions. The extra cores and processing power will be helpful, and most quad core solutions are sufficient for basic graphic design.
In fact, quad core solutions are even good enough for most gaming rigs – when coupled with a decent graphics card.
As you’re probably starting to realize, the low and mid range processors are perfect for ‘normal’ requirements. Naturally, if you want a PC that is at the front line of technology then you can opt for high end quad core processors. Right now, that means choosing between the Intel i7 series or the AMD Phenom II X6.
Or you could even step it up further and look at the i7 Extreme chip from Intel.
All in all, you’ll find that such processors are really going to benefit gamers who are willing to pay a premium for performance, and graphic designers who work heavily in 3d rendering and other demanding areas.
Also, you should remember that the processor is not the only part of your PC that you’re going to need to look at.
For most users, a mid range processor (such as the i5 series) coupled with decent quantities of RAM and possibly a mid-range graphics card would be more than enough to handle a wide range of applications, and most of the latest games.
So what you should do is sit back and figure out what you really want out of your PC rig, and then decide which processor is going to suit you best!