How to choose a processor?

The central processor (CPU - Central ProcessingUnit) - the "brain" of a personal computer. It is he who is responsible for all computer calculations and data processing. Choosing a good processor is not an easy task. Therefore, we want to share with you tips, how to choose a processor and what characteristics it should pay attention to.

Among the manufacturers of processors, the palm branch of the leader belongs simultaneously to two companies, Intel and AMD.

The main characteristics of the CPU:

Clock frequency. The processor clock speed is the speed, swhich the processor performs operations. The clock frequency is measured in hertz (Hz) and the higher it is, the higher the processor's performance. The clock speed of modern processors exceeds 2-3 GHz (gigahertz).

Number of processor cores. Modern processors have more than one core,but two, three, four, six or more cores. For home PCs that do not require very high performance, a single- or dual-core processor is sufficient (enough for working with documents, multimedia files, many 3D toys). Processors with a large number of cores are needed for "gaming" PC configurations or for professional work with 3D models.

Data transfer speed on the system bus (system bus frequency, FSB). The higher the bus frequency, the higher the processor speed (the speed of data transfer to and from the processor). The bus frequency of modern processors is equal to 800/1066/1333 MHz.

Size of the system cache. The processor cache is a high-speed memory,intended for temporary storage of program code and data. Appeals to the built-in cache occur without wait states, since it operates at the processor frequency. The more the processor cache, the more productive the processor.

Socket. A socket is the socket where the processor is inserted on the motherboard. The names of the socket on the processor and on the motherboard must match.

Set. Modern processors can be sold in twotrim levels: BOX and TRAY. BOX means that the processor comes with a cooling device (cooler), and TRAY - that only the processor itself is supplied, without a cooling device.

Here is an example of decoding processor marking. For example, let's take Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3Ghz / 6MB / 1333MHz S775 BOX:

The processor manufacturer is Intel.

E indicates the type of power consumption. Type E - the standard type of power consumption for desktop PCs (from 55 to 75 W).

The number of cores of the processor is 2 (this is indicated by the name of the Core 2 Duo model).

The processor clock speed is 3 GHz.

The frequency of the system bus (FSB) is 1333MHz.

The size of the system cache is 6MB.

Socket S775.

Set - BOX (there is a cooling device in the kit).