How to Buy the Right CPU

[mattsafford]

Whether you’re building or upgrading a new PC, the CPU matters a lot (and the chip you choose will also dictate your motherboard purchase). Here is a guide.


How to Buy the Right CPU : Read more

 

[Olle P]

You totally leave out one important feature:
The integrated graphics!
That's a part that can be decisive for what CPU to buy...

 

[Alein]

If your going for high end cpu the last thing I'd care about is onboard graphic

 

[ervit]

The article's subject is "How to Buy the Right CPU" not "How to Buy a high end CPU"

 

[Alein]

The article's subject is "How to Buy the Right CPU" not "How to Buy a high end CPU"

I stand correct. But I still stand with if I am buying the right cpu I still wouldnt be concerned about the onboard graphics.

 

[spdragoo]

You totally leave out one important feature:
The integrated graphics!
That's a part that can be decisive for what CPU to buy...

It's implied in the article for the low-end models:

Basic tasks: $50-$100 range. If you’re only after a chip that will let you watch video, browse the Web, and do basic productivity tasks like word processing and light spreadsheet work, then an entry-level chip with two or four cores might be just what you need. But if you often find yourself doing more than one of those basic tasks at once, it would be better to step up a model or two. Consider a Ryzen 3 or Intel Pentium on the high end of this price range and an Intel Celeron or AMD Athlon on the low end.

Except for possibly stating that the Ryzen option should be the Ryzen APU, it's pretty much spot-on, as all of the other suggested processors have iGPUs. And even then, since the R3 2200G is right in that price range (currently running $80 USD at my local Micro Center), you're good from that perspective.

 

[YoAndy]

Note that low end CPU's have integrated graphics too...

 

[Brian_R170]

You totally leave out one important feature:
The integrated graphics!
That's a part that can be decisive for what CPU to buy...

If your going for high end cpu the last thing I'd care about is onboard graphic

I build 3 to 5 systems every year for friends and family. In my experience, just having a CPU with integrated graphics can be a big help when the need arises to troubleshoot a system that is intended to use only discrete graphics.

 

[littleleo]

I thought the article is a good tool for those just getting into designing and building their own PC. People need to understand the target audience of the article.

 

[LORD_ORION]

You know what would actually be useful data for determining "How to buy a CPU?"
How trustworthy is your brand in 5 years after release? How far back has your vendor patched out spectre/meltdown in bios updates?

If you're running a perfectly capable Ivybridge/Sandybridge CPU (even alot of the Xeons in this generation are still the most powerful around) but your mobo manufacturer didn't submit a bios update for Spectre/Meltdown, you can never trust the system.

 

[BaRoMeTrIc]

TDP stands for thermal design power

 

[Fait]

pcpartpicker.com ... end of article.

 

[BulkZerker]

@fait that's horrible advice. They are as bad or worse than subreddits. "oh your doing video editing and playing league? You just need a celeron, a 1080ti and 8 gigs of ram. Oh and you'll need a big hdd, so get like a really cheap 5400 rpm, so you can get more storage for cheaper."

 

[theyeti87]

@fait that's horrible advice. They are as bad or worse than subreddits. "oh your doing video editing and playing league? You just need a celeron, a 1080ti and 8 gigs of ram. Oh and you'll need a big hdd, so get like a really cheap 5400 rpm, so you can get more storage for cheaper."

Agree about the subreddits...

As of last week I had someone saying the AMD FX 6300 wouldn't hold back a GTX 1070 Ti. I refuted that claim, and the downvote patrol come strolling through.

 

[redgarl]

Buy Ryzen, problem solved.

 

[jimmysmitty]

Buy Ryzen, problem solved.

Or.... and this is just an idea, figure out your budget and compare the CPUs and platforms as a whole to make the proper decision. Buying just one all the time is the worst way to go. Then again there are those that are just die hard fanboys and regardless of performance will buy one brand.

Whatever floats their boat.

 

[manleysteele]

Did you mean to double enter Z370 in the chipset stack? I'm thinking Z390 on top. In any case, delete this after you check.

 

[madmat9]

LORD_ORION:

"If you're running a perfectly capable Ivybridge/Sandybridge CPU (even alot of the Xeons in this generation are still the most powerful around) but your mobo manufacturer didn't submit a bios update for Spectre/Meltdown, you can never trust the system."

Absolutely. I am surprised at how few comments I see around here reference this problem. Personally I am holding off on updating a previously planned computer upgrade until I see a new generation of CPUs that are not vulnerable to Meltdown/Spectre.

 

[msroadkill612]

Wrong question. What is the best platform? Which suitable cpu comes next.

 

[DGurney]

This completely ignores a huge question: Why would you buy ANY CPU right now, when they're still vulnerable to Spectre/Meltdown and must be crippled with software workarounds?

That should have at least been addressed when talking about socket compatibility. It looks like AMD is the better bet for being able to replace current flawed CPUs with upcoming ones that have a hardware fix for these exploits. With Intel, on the other hand, you appear to be throwing money away.

 

[DGurney]

"TDP stands for thermal design power"

No, it doesn't. It stands for total dissipated power.

 

[madmat9]

This completely ignores a huge question: Why would you buy ANY CPU right now, when they're still vulnerable to Spectre/Meltdown and must be crippled with software workarounds?

That should have at least been addressed when talking about socket compatibility. It looks like AMD is the better bet for being able to replace current flawed CPUs with upcoming ones that have a hardware fix for these exploits. With Intel, on the other hand, you appear to be throwing money away.

 

[madmat9]

Which is why I am waiting.

 

[Gillerer]

Intel HEDT CPUs have thousands that are generation number + 1.

E.g. for mainstream, CPUs ranging from 7100 to 7700 were 7th generation, but for HEDT, 7800 and 7900 series were only 6th generation.

This is due to the larger chips invariably coming well after the mainstream parts. Using the previous generation numbering (as would be logical) would make the high-price parts seem old - especially once the next mainstream generation comes along.

 

[John Heller]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_design_power

@Dgurney...before you correct someone, actually check your facts.