Many computer users in their lives at least once wondered: "How to choose a processor for your computer?"This is a very vital and important issue.The processor is the brain of the computer, and the right choice of the component directly affects the operation of the entire system.
Currently, it is worth noting two major giants producing processors for the computer, the price of which, however, the companies Intel and AMD are quite different.It's a little easier task, ie. To. Will have to make a choice between only two producers.If you have an unlimited or very large budget, the question of choice is removed by itself.It is necessary to take the most expensive processor and not wrestle.Let it is loaded you only 3% of its features.But without the painful problems of choice.But what do you do if you have a limited budget, and the challenges facing the computer big enough?Here and there is a question of choice.How to choose the price / performance ratio?How to spend less money and not lose performance.That's where the questions begin.In this article we will try to expand the information on the shelves: the rankings, expediency, money, productivity and so on. D. Immediately it should be noted that we will not deeply go into these technical details, topology core computing power, technical processes, teams,CPU, and so on.. In this article, we will focus on how to choose a new processor for the desktop PC.
little history
history of computer technology in the form in which we are used to seeing it, began in our country with the processors Intel Pentium.It was a processor speed of 120 Mhz on the fifth or seventh socket with a system bus frequency of 60 Mhz.The competition it was the company AMD with its AMD K-5 PR 100 on the same socket and a system bus frequency of 66 Mhz.In those days it did not exist for the separation of a socket and all use the same motherboard.There were also IBM processors frequency of 200 Mhz.These were the first generation of processors.What is called Pentium I.
Closer to 98-year came from processors MMX, such as Intel Celeron 433 MHz bus 66 to 370-m socket.They are very long present on the market and considered successful series.This can be called the second generation, or Pentium II.
Then went over familiar Intel Celeron 633, Intel Celeron 1300 (closed core) Intel Pentium 800 and also 370 th socket.They are the third generation of processors or Pentium III.From AMD's Pentium III competitors are AMD Athlon.The advantage of AMD over Intel was the price.They won in the price / performance ratio.
In the early 2000s, the market reached the fourth generation of processors Intel Pentium IV.The first line of this family were produced at 423 socket.Intel is actively promoted at the time of memory standard RIM.In fact, it was an analog memory Memory standard DDR 400. RIM has been quite expensive and are not widespread in the market, respectively, and further development of it has not received.So, the nuance of the first Intel Pentium IV processor was that they worked only with this memory.When buying a processor it is also making and memory.But the market dictates the conditions, and the company's Intel had to agree.The following processors are the fourth generation took to the 478-m and has a socket for memory DDR.It was Intel Celeron 1,7, and the 478 th socket lasted until about 2006.
from AMD while there were a few AMD Athlon processors with different cores on a socket A (or 462 meters).Their disadvantage and differences from analogs from Intel was an open core, which could easily be damaged when not caring for him.The cores of Intel were closed metal lid.
further development
In the early 2000s, AMD disclaims socket A and starts to produce a new processor socket 754-m, which did not last long.The main problems were in chipsets and high heat transfer.They were replaced on the processor socket 939-m, which also lasted a long time.It was the AMD Athlon 64 dual-channel memory support.The next was a socket AM2, under which the company started making dual-core processors.They had significantly reduced heat dissipation.Then came the sockets AM2 + on AM3, AM3 +, and ends with a socket FM2 +.
analogues in Intel's processors were 775th socket.The first dual-core Intel Pentium D. was their main drawback was simply tremendous heat.Intel bought from AMD technology, removing production D. After this series saw the light line CoreDuo, then Core2Duo with a very low heat.There was also developed a 4-core Core 2 Quad.
Today
On the market today there are two processors and two giant main competitor.These are the companies Intel and AMD.Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages.To select your desired processor need to understand clearly what tasks will stand in front of computer.
The line of Intel processors are quite a few.Since the budget Atom, Pentium, Celeron, you can continue Core2Duo or Quad.This 2- or 4-core processor.It ends with all the most modern i3 / i5 / i7.
At AMD's currently four series designed for desktop computers.This budget Athlon, more expensive A-series and a series of top-end FX.
Review processors Intel
socket oldest company still exists today in the market - it's 775 th socket.He has appeared already in 2004.Under it he was released on the legendary Core2Quad.This processor is very easy to find in the secondary market.He has a very low price and on its base to easily create a budget gaming computer.
In 2009 there was a socket 1156 and the Core line acquired the form in which it is familiar to us now.This division in the i3 / i5 / i7, where a line of i3 collected the most cost and cheap, in terms of Intel, processors and i7 most expensive and productive.Also, since the well established and general labeling, where the higher the last three numbers, the better the performance.For example, Intel Core i3 530 and Intel Core i3 550. Naturally, the first generation of new processors do not produce, but can be found on the secondary market at a very good price, but without the integrated graphics core.
For the most productive i7 processor family had a separate socket LGA 1366. It was intended for Intel Core i7 920 th to 980 th model.Once there you can put a few models of processors Xeon 55xx.
In 2011 came the socket LGA 1155. It is designed for second and third generation family of Intel Core i.This is a good CPU performance with low power consumption and heat dissipation.Among the few drawbacks is worth noting the shortcomings of the GPU and a higher price than from AMD.
Also this year came socket 2011. He was replaced in 1366, and is also designed for high-end processor i7 processor and a number of models of Xeon, namely Xeon E5-16xx / 26xx
In 2013, the output of the processor line Intel Core i fourth generation socket LGA1150. Intel has improved the integrated graphics and power consumption.Performance remains the same good and the prices are so high.
Do not forget about the low-end models rulers Intel Pentium, and Celeron.They are designed for simple office or home use.Let us examine in more detail.
Intel Atom - is feeble or even dual-core single-core processors.They would be enough for some simple tasks, surfing the Internet or mail and search any information.Accordingly, the prices are the lowest, which makes them suitable for the assembly of low-priced computers.
Processor Celeron or Pentium
It is almost identical in performance dual-core processors.Their difference is that the Intel Celeron - is, in fact, Intel Pentium reduced cache.That is the whole burden falls on the kernel itself.Accordingly, programs that handle large data packets and uses a cache for temporary storage will work poorly.It is cheaper than Intel Pentium, but also less efficient.The most affordable option Intel Celeron will cost somewhere in the 1500-2000 rubles.Prices on the Pentium begin about 2500 rubles.Computers collected based on these processors, it is suitable for solving the problems of home or office.Their capacity will be enough to work with MS Office or Nero, video and work in simple image editors.They can also be used for some games.But do not expect a serious and very high-quality graphics.To work with serious programs, where there is a large packet processing information, they will not fit.
Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7
for desktops, Intel offers a series of processors consists of three models: i3, i5 and i7.It is logical to assume that for normal household use (internet, movies, music, some applications, etc.) is perfect i3.This line is very feeble and thus the cheapest computer processors.Price it begins anywhere from 5,000 rubles.Performance i5 much higher.It is suitable for vigorous home and office use, when you need serious computing and data processing.For example, processing of photo / video, office applications with large databases, etc.Its price is also much higher.It starts somewhere between 8 000.And the top-end i7 - the most expensive and powerful processor.It is suitable for professional use and build gaming computers for the "clever" toys.Prices for these start with a mark of 12,000 rubles.So the choice is quite simple.
Cost add a small note on the label.After four digits at the end of the model number of the letters are sometimes.The letter "k" indicates that the multiplier is unlocked and can be overclocked.This is a great processor for a gaming computer.The letter "p" means to disable the integrated graphics core.Accordingly, these processors are slightly cheaper.The letter "s" indicates a low heat, but the letter "t" means that the power consumption and heat as much as possible reduced.However, the reduced clock speed.
Intel Xeon
Few would like to mention server processors Intel Xeon.They first saw the light in 1998 and released today.Number of cores ranging from two to ten, and the clock frequency - 400 MHz to 3,8 GHz.There are plenty of sockets for these processors.All of these are primarily designed for server motherboards.But there are some sockets, coincident with conventional motherboards.It is 2011, which is available i7, 1155 and 1156 for i3 / i5.But most interesting is that there are still 771 and 775 sockets that can be used on old motherboards, giving them a "second life."The dual-core Intel Xeon 2,66 GHz frequency may work on motherboards with the 775-m socket and the chip Intel P45 and P35.It is necessary that the BIOS supports this processor.Having made little manipulation, namely by putting a small adapter to power the legs and cut the rails "ears" can be adjusted to the motherboard and Xeon on socket 771-m.After replacing the CPU performance doubles.In the ranking of the test results it is between Intel i5 and cheapest Intel i7.Quite a good result for the old computer.In conclusion, it should be added that the order in China this b / y Xeon will cost 1000 rubles without delivery.
Processors AMD
How to choose a computer processor company AMD?What is now sold and what should stay?First, let's deal with sockets.Currently there are four.It sockets FM1, FM2 AM3 and AM3 +.
For two of these processors is not made, and what is sold - it is the remains of warehouses.It Socket AM3 and FM1.AM3 - the oldest of them.Processors under it began to produce much in the beginning of 2009.It turned out two lines: AMD Athlon and AMD Phenom.We can say that the Athlon little easier and cheaper, and Phenom expensive, complicated and, therefore, productivity.It is the second generation of processors with more cores from two to six.Their advantages lie in a low price and very good performance.Phenom II, in principle, can not compete with many modern quad-core processors, and some may overtake.However, there are also disadvantages.It is quite old processors and for them need older motherboards.They also consume several times more energy and become very hot.On the question of whether to buy these processors can be answered in different ways.If you're building a computer from scratch, you probably should not.But on the other hand, if you already have an old motherboard and want to upgrade your computer, and the budget at the same time is very limited, it is a good option for you.
In 2011, AMD integrated graphics directly into the processor.So, a new socket FM1 of the new line of AMD.These were the processors AMD A4, AMD A6 and AMD A8.In selling them is low, and the price as well as performance, is quite low.In our opinion, they are buying does not make sense.
Next, let's talk about today's processors in the socket FM2, and AM3 +.What is the difference?FM2 socket for processors with integrated graphics.The line consists of five families.This update AMD A4, AMD A6, AMD A8 and the new representative of AMD A10.There is also a processor AMD Athlon II, but that, in fact, the same family of A. Of AMD A4 and A6 are dual-core AMD models and AMD A8 and AMD A10 - quad.Integrated graphics core - a different model of the Radeon HD 7480D to 7660D.If we make all kinds of different tests and trials, we can draw the following conclusion: the newest and most powerful processor in this line of AMD A10 6800K, 4,1 GHz, with integrated graphics Radeon HD 7660D allow you to play modern video games such as Battlefield III only at the lowestor medium settings.Accordingly, for use in programs such as 3 DMax, it is not necessary, but for office work and watching movies at lunchtime most it.Its price - about 5000 rubles.
Should I buy A-series processors
If you want to buy it for the games, then probably not.It is too high a price, and the power of the integrated video core at the same time is very low.For the same money you can buy another, it is efficient processor and a separate graphics card, which will allow you to comfortably enough to play most modern toys on high settings.
But for everyday home or office tasks quite enough of the cheapest of this series AMD A4 5300, which costs about 1,500 rubles.In this case, no longer need to spend money on a separate video card, and it turns out it is an economical option.
The top series of AMD FX
So we got to the very tasty - the processor on the socket AM3 +.This line series AMD FX.No messing around with the card inside, no overpayment for the integrated graphics.Also, the processing power is not divided between him and the graphics card.Number of cores: four, six or eight.The frequency of the processor - from 3300 MHz to 4200 MHz, well-dispersed.Prices are quite adequate.These processors are ideal for gaming as well as to work with Photoshop, any three-dimensional editors, engineering calculations, and so on.The downside is their high energy consumption and high heat.
small postscript
Recently, a new socket FM 2+.It is also designed for AMD with integrated graphics.Table processors for this socket is as follows: AMD A4, AMD A6, AMD A8, AMD A10 and AMD Athlon II X2.For example, AMD A10 on this socket is 6500 - 7500 rubles.It is quite expensive with regard to their performance.
Therefore, if you need quite a budget option for the office or at home, surf the Internet, listen to music, it is worth paying attention to the A-series processors.In all other cases it is necessary to dwell on the series FX.For example, the six-core AMD FX 6350, 3900MHz will cost around 4500-5000 rubles.
Compare
top processors AMD has a top processor - FX 8350. Its price - about 7000 rubles.At Intel - Core i7 3770s.Its price - about 11 000 rubles.Taking the test AMD processor rated program on the CPU Benchmark Performance, you can see that it is 3% below the entry-level Core i7.In this heat from Intel - 65 W, a near AMD - 125 W. This indicates better efficiency, which have processors Intel.They barely heated and thus more powerful.You can draw this conclusion: if you need the highest performance, and the price at the same time you do not worry much, it is better to take Intel.AMD has the most powerful processor can be compared to the entry-level i7.Accordingly, the performance of the most powerful i7-th will be much higher than that of AMD FX.
Prices
From the foregoing it is necessary to allocate a few moments.A good processor for the computer is expensive.Most budget Intel Celeron versions start at 2000 rubles.At the same time they can be integrated into the core of the video card.
AMD has it started to Serie A in 1500 rubles.The video chip in them is also present.AMD Athlon and Phenom can buy cheaper.
For the average computer based on Intel Core i5 have to rely on 6 000-8000 rubles.I3 processors will cost about 4000 rubles.
