Choosing a processor used to be based on two key elements: brand and speed.
Today's processors are much more advanced and require a deeper look to find the best one for your needs. Today's PCs come in many forms and styles. Desktops have evolved from the traditional tower to space saving designs in the all-in-one PCs. Laptop choices have become unique enough that there is a style and function to match your personality. So as you think about your next PC purchase, it's important to understand what will be the key to getting the most out of your PC. Choosing the right processor is the first step.
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PC usage has changed dramatically over the past four years. The advances in the social internet, digital entertainment and mobility have altered how we use our computers. So the first step in choosing the right processor is determining what type of PC you want.
Desktop Computing
For desktops, there are basically three form factors designed for your needs.
- The traditional tower system is all about power and headroom. These systems are used for intense activities like gaming. However, for most of us they are our hub of digital information. They hold our finances, photos, music, and important documents. We buy them to last and be reliable so having the most powerful processors with headroom for the future are key.
- The all-in-one PC keeps the footprint to a minimum. These systems are more based on style. They should have a powerful processor, but also something that allows for cooler operation and smaller form factors so that you can fit this into your décor around the house.
- The "net-top PC" is designed with the internet in mind. These systems are designed to provide value and portability. Many people purchase these as additional PCs to expand the number of people in their house who can be on the internet at any given time. The processors are designed for basic uses, keeping the price down.
Laptop Computing
Laptops have developed into three key categories that match the lifestyles of the people who use them.
- Standard laptops vary in size and uses but have one key element in common: they are designed to be your primary computer. It is important to look for a processor that is powerful enough to handle everything you want to do with it. However, a key consideration in laptops is how much time do you intend to stay unplugged. Many of today's processors have battery saving features, but it's important to look at the battery life specs to understand how much those features truly give in any given laptop.
- The newest category is ultra-thin laptops. These systems are designed for on-the-go lifestyle. An ultra-thin laptop will traditionally be less than 1" thick and under 3.5 lbs. When shopping for this type of laptop, it's important to have an ultra-low-voltage processor. These processors are designed to maximize battery life, run cool and be extremely small. Intel offers a full product line of ultra-low-voltage processors that provide the perfect balance of performance, style and battery life.
- Netbooks have been one of the hottest items over the past year. These compact devices are great PC companions. The processors in netbooks trade off performance to extend battery life and reduced costs.
Finding Features
Once you understand the type of PC you want, it's time to decide how to choose the right processor. While processor speeds and number of cores are the easiest things to compare, it does not give you the complete story. More and more features are being designed into processors to maximize their performance for their specific use. Today's processors are designed with specific form factors in mind as well as the intended use. The following will outline some of the key features to look for in today's processors.
Cores and Intel Hyper-Threading technology are important to note. Cores and threads provide the computing bandwidth for multi-tasking.
- A core is a dedicated processor unit. Hyper-threading is a feature on a core that enhances the ability of that core to process information by creating two threads to speed up the process. As you consider the number of cores on your processor, look for Hyper-threading which can increase your ability to process more threads of information.
- Cache is the memory that exists on the processor to store the information that is needed on a relatively frequent basis. All processors have cache, and, historically the more cache a processor has, the faster it can access data. However, many Intel processors feature Smart Cache. In a multi-core processor, all cores are not always utilizing the information stored in the cache all the time. Some processors have dedicated cache which means that each core has its own and can only access that amount. With Intel's Smart Cache, the cores share the cache which allows each core to access what it needs. So in situations where your processor is not using all its cache, the other core can access more data faster because it borrows more available cache.
- Intel Turbo Boost Technology is a relatively new feature on Intel processors. For years, some tech savvy users have maximized their processors capabilities by over-clocking. Over-clocking is pushing the processor speed (listed in GHz) to the highest level. This came with risks since as the speed increases so does the heat and voltage requirements of the processor. With Intel Turbo Boost Technology, everyone can experience the benefits of this concept. Sometimes identified as GHz on demand, this feature increases the clock speed on the cores as needed. If you are only using one core, the speed on that core can go way up. If all cores are being used, it will go up but not as much. All of this is done safely since the technology monitors the temperature and voltage to push the processor to its maximum capability while maintaining reliability you expect.
In addition to these key features, many processors have battery saving features. The processor is typically the energy monitor in your computer. It operates like a home control system, turning lights off when it's not needed. The processor will work with the system to reduce the screen intensity, shut down features when not in use and scale down the power consumed by the processor when it's not needed. These features are not identified many times in the specifications. However, take a look at battery life scores published by the PC manufacturers and retailers and you will find that certain processors consistently provide more battery life.
You've decided on the form factor you want, and you've looked at the features. The final step for choosing the best processor is to look at what you use your computer for the most.
Most of us would first consider a basic processor, which can handle what we do on a daily basis. E-mails, basic word processing, and web surfing can be easily handled by any processor in the market today. However, really look at what you do with your PC and start to see more performance needs.
HD content is prevalent all over the web today. All too often, we see choppy videos online and think it's our internet connection. If you have a PC that's more than three years old, it's probably your processor. Today's performance processors were designed to handle the rich internet. The Intel Core 2 processor family can easily handle HD video playback, but what happens when you want to create a family video or just download one from a camera? You start multi-tasking while you wait, so stepping up to a processor with more cores like the Core 2 processors, or with Hyper-threading like a the Intel Core i7 processor can really help you master this in less time.
And then there are games. Most of us play them -- from simple online games to immersive alternate worlds. The more intense games you play, the more processing power you want. In the end, it's better to have some headroom when choosing the right processor than having a computer that doesn't keep you in the game.
The final word on performance is that having a processor with features designed for today's rich content on your PC is a great step in protecting your investment. Many of the features found in processors can really show off the difference in processor-intensive tasks like editing HD video or encoding media files, but you will also receive benefits in the day to day multi-tasking we all do on our PCs.
