There are a number of way you can go about choosing a CPU. Some require a little skill and research; others are quite simple. No matter what method you choose though, shop around before you buy a CPU. Both online and offline there can be a massive difference in price ranges for particular CPU, within a range. Don't just buy the first one come across!
BUDGET
The single most common method of choosing a CPU is based on price. People building a PC usually have a final budget that they are aiming for, and they use this as a basic for choosing the CPU.
CPUs can be pricy and will probably the single most expensive component of a PC. There's a huge difference in price between cheapest budget CPU from Intel and AMD and their high-performance CPU offerings, which are going to be expensive, so it's no wonder that people use budget as a way to choose. It makes life so much easier.
There is a certain logic to using price to determine what CPU to buy. It has always been the case that the top-of-the-rang, fastest CPUs are always artificially overpriced. Wait a few months and the same CPU will have been replaced by a faster one and the price will drop dramatically.
Buying a CPU based on budget alone might seem like the easy option, but there are some very important considerations to keep in mind:
- SHOP AROUND. If you are buying your CPU based on price, then do make sure that you shop around for the absolute best deal you can get. Nothing is more depressing for people than to go out and buy a CPU only to find that could have had the same CPU for far less(or could have had a far more powerful a CPU for their money).
- CONSIDER THE MOTHERBOARD. Be sure to factor in the price of the motherboard. Expensive CPUs generally require more expensive motherboards, so it's vital to consider the total cost.
- FACTOR IN DELIVERY COSTS. Sometimes, what you gain on price you lose on delivery charges. Elevated delivery charges can be a trick used by stores to allow them to have competitive price yet claw that money back on delivery charges. If you are buying on a budget, then find out how much delivery is going to be before placing the order.
PERFORMANCE
For some people there's nothing more important than having the biggest, fastest, latest technology. There are number of reasons why people go for the latest technology.
Going for the best in terms of performance is going to be expensive. Here are a few tips to help you get the best deals.
- Determine How Much Speed You Need How Much CPU power you need depends a lot on what you are going to be doing with your new PC. only you can truly decide how much power you need, but application (general office, gaming, Internet, 3D wire frame and rendering software) you need run will help you decide what range of CPU power you should looking for.
- Processor speeds are important indicators of speed, but only when compared with CPUs in the same series. Two other specs-Level 2 (L2) cache and front-side bus (FSB)-also play an important role in overall performance.
- Make Sure That "Top of the Range" Is Really "Top of the Range" Seems obvious, but in fast moving world it's easy for technology to take a step forward without your noticing. Also, never trust salespeople to either be honest or have the full facts (sounds harsh but it's true-they are there to sell products to you).
Do your own research, on the web and in magazines. Get information from more than one source, and try to find out if there are any imminent CPU releases from either AMD or Intel that would mean you might be better off waiting a few weeks to get the very latest technology.
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