In the current market you have twelve main categories of microprocessors to choose for your desktop computers: Core i7, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Pentium Dual Core, Celeron, Xeon, Phenom, Phenom II, AthlonII X2, Athlon X2, Athlon 64, Sempron, and Opteron.
Core i7 is the latest in quad core technology. Core i7 uses Intel Nehalem micro architecture and is the successor to the Intel Core 2 series. However, Core i7 no longer has a Front Side Bust or FSB it now uses Quick Path Interlink also known as QPI. QPI is measured in gigabytes transferred per second (GB/s). Core i7 also implements an entirely new socket called LGA1366 which is incompatible with all earlier processors. Core i7 is a quad core which implements Intel’s Hyper-Threading technology which allows for 8 processing streams. To support the speed and transfer rate of these processors all motherboards use only DDR3 memory.
the Core i7 and i5 for socket 1156 are the same as a Core i7 1366 processor except that the socket uses a few less pins and the processors lack a little performance next to the 1366 processors. However the 1156 processors are more price effective for the average consumer to use. Alot of the 1156 processors do not have the Hyper-Threading technology of the 1366 processors.
Core 2 Quad is based on the Kentsfield and Yorksfield micro architecture and is the most popular quad core on the market do to the price versus the performance of the CPU. Unlike Core i7 the Core 2 series still implements a Front Side Bust which ranges from 1066 MHz to 1600 MHz for the quad cores. The Core 2 Quad also has up to 12 mb of L2 Cache. Core 2 Quad uses socket LGA775 also known as socket T. Socket T is the first processor socket to implement the pins for the CPU on the motherboard to help reduce the chance to bend pins. Core 2 unlike Core i7 does not use Hyper-Threading technology so you are limited to 4 stream processes. Core 2 was the first series to introduce the 45 nm processor cores.
The microprocessors for Core 2 Duo include the Conroe, Allendale, and Wolfdale cores. The Conroe and Allendale cores were the first Core 2 Duo cores and have a 65 nm architecture. The Wolfdale is the latest micro architecture which uses 45 nm cores. Like the Core 2 Quad the Core 2 Duo does not have Hyper-Threading technology and since it is a dual core you are limited to 2 stream processes. The Core 2 Duo also like Core 2 Quad use a Front Side Bus which ranges from 800 MHz to 1333MHz and has a max of 6 mb of L2 Cache. Also like the Core 2 Quad the Core 2 Duo uses the LGA775 socket.
The Pentium Dual Core is a budget dual core with a very similar architecture to the Core 2 processors. The Pentium Dual Core like the Core 2 uses the Allendale and Wolfdale micro architectures. However, the Pentium series only has 1 mb of Cache and only has a Front Side Bus of a maximum of 1066 MHz and goes as low as 533 MHz. The Pentium Dual Core like the Core 2 series does not have Hyper-Threading and have only 2 stream processes. The Pentium series shares the same socket as the core 2 series which is LGA775 also known as Socket T.
The Celeron is the lowest cpu that Intel produces. It ranges in both single and dual cores and has a Front Side Bus ranging from 266 MHz to 800 MHz. The Celeron offers a max of 512 kb of L2 Cache. The Celeron series is based off of the Conroe-L, Prescott, Cedar Mill, and Allendale micro architectures. However just like Pentium and Core 2 series it uses the LGA775 socket and does not have Hyper-Threading technology. The stream process change between 1 and 2 depending on if your buying a dual core or a single core Celeron.
The Xeon processors are a non-consumer processor that is used in single or multi cpu servers, workstations and embedded systems. The Xeon comes as either a dual or quad core and is based on the Conroe, Allendale, Wolfdale, Kentsfield, Yorkfield, Wolfdale dp, Bloomfield, Clovertown, Tigerton, Dunnington, Harpertown, and Nehalem-EP micro architectures. The Xeon processors are based off of both the Core 2 and i7 design. The Core 2 based models have a Front Side Bus ranging from 800 MHz to 1600 MHz. The Core i7 based models have Quick Path Interlink of 4.8 GT/s to 6.4 GT/s. The Core 2 based Xeons do not have Hyper-Threading technology however, the Core i7 Xeons do have Hyper-Threading technology. Xeon processors range between 2 to 8 stream processes. Xeon processors have 3 different sockets Socket 771, Socket 775, and Socket 1366. Xeons based on the Core 2 architectures use Socket 771 and socket 775 while Xeons based on the Core i7 architectures use Socket 1366.
Phenom II is the latest cpu that AMD has released to the consumer market. Phenom II is made up of dual, triple and quad core processors these include X2, X3 and X4. The Phenom II processors all contain 512 kb L2 cache per core and contain between 4 MB and 6 MB of L3 cache. AMD’s processors use neither Front Side bus nor Quick Path interlink instead they use HyperTransport technology which rates the processors in MT/s or megabytes transferred per second. All Phenom II processors have an HT speed of 4000MT/sThe Phenom II processors are based on the Callisto, Heka and deneb micro architecture and uses the Socket AM3 and Socket AM2+.
The Phenom has two different categories X3 and X4. Phenom X3 is a triple core processor while Phenom X4 is a quad core processor. The Phenom X3 processors have an HT speed of 3600MT/s while the Phenom X4 has 4000MT/s. Both X3 and X4 processors have 512 kb L2 cache per core as well as 2 mb L3 cache that is divided among the cores weather it is 3 or 4 cores. The Phenom X3 cores are based on the Toliman micro processor and the Phenom X4 is based on the Agena micro processor and uses the Socket AM2 and Socket AM2+.
Athlon II X2 is a class of process that contain only dual core processors. Based off the Regor micro architecture the Athlon II X2 has an HT speed of 4000MHz and like the Phenom II uses the Socket AM3as well as Socket AM2+. The Athlon II X2 has 2 x 1 MB of L2 cache. Unlike the Phenom series the cache is not shared on this processor each core gets 1 MB. The Athlon II X2 cores range in speeds from 2.8GHz to 3.0GHz. This processor is geared for consumers who have a budget but wish to have some performance as well.
The Athlon X2 series contains the Athlon X2 and the Athlon 64 X2. Both processors are dual core cpu and have an HT speed of 2000MHz. The Athlon X2 series like the Athlon II X2 has 1 MB of L2 cache per core. The Athlon 64 X2 is based on the Windsor and Brisbane micro architecture while the Athlon X2 is based off the later Kuma micro architecture. The Athlon 64 X2 and the Athlon X2 both use the Socket AM2. However if your looking for something to upgrade in the future you want to look at a Socket AM3 processor. Socket AM2 is slowly becoming obsolete as manufactures move in the direction of DDR3.
The Athlon 64 is a Socket AM2 single core processor meant for consumer use. These sets of processors have an HT speed of 2000MHz. The Athlon 64 processor 512Kb of L2 cache and 64KB L1 data cache as well as 64KB L1 instruction cache. The Athlon 64 processors are based on the Orleans and Lima micro architectures.
The Sempron series like the Athlon 64 series is a single core Socket AM2 processor but is more geared for budget consumer use. The Sempron has an HT speed of 2000MHz and an L2 cache of 256KB. The Sempron is based on the Manila, Sparta, and Sargas micro architectures.
The Opteron series is a server series processor which comes in both four and six core designs. The Opteron series has processors for several sockets which are Socket F, Socket F+, Socket AM3, Socket AM2+ and Socket AM2.The Opteron cores are based on the Santa Rosa, Barcelona, Shanghai, Istanbul, Santa Ana, Budapest and Suzuka micro architectures. The quad core Opteron has an HT speed of 1000 MHz and a shared 8MB of L3 cache and 512KB of L2 cache per core. The six core Opteron has an HT speed of 2.0 GT/s up to 4.8GT/s and like the quad core has 8MB of L3 cache to share and 512KB of L2 cache per core.
All processors AMD or Intel now have low wattage options. Most processors now operate between 45 and 130 watts. The higher the processor the higher the power consumption and the more watts the power supply needs to supply. So when choosing a cpu remember to choose an adequate power supply. Also make sure to account for your video cards and drives.
Among all computer components, microprocessors are among those with the least return rates and thus the highest reliability, which is true for all brands of microprocessors. This is probably due to the fact that the microprocessors are mass-produced by machines with little if any, human interaction. In addition, the quality control process can be automated.
There is typically no good correlation between these two factors, especially at the top speeds. Average users should not purchase the top-speed on the market. The price difference is not worthy of the performance difference. So when trying to decide what is right for you figure out your budget then figure out your configuration wether it is AMD or Intel then decide which processor best fits your price range.
The battle between AMD and Intel has been ongoing since the first processors. Over time they have changed back and forth over which to buy. However, as of now if price is not important then Intel is the way to go. While intel processors are more expensive you will receive more performance from Intel cpu's. The exception to this is when you look at the Celeron processors. AMD sempron out performs the Celeron and is cheaper in price. Now if your looking to buy a cpu on a small budget then AMD is the way to go. AMD processors are all cheaper than Intel and provide adequate performance for their price. So in conclusion while Intel's processors out perform AMD's processors in the high end if price is an object then AMD is for you, if price is no object and you want all out performance go with Intel.
When choosing mother board and cpu if you are not going for top of the line try to get a motherboard that supports higher than the processor and memory you are going to choose. This way in the future when you decide you need a faster processor or you just need more memory to run more programs you will be able to add to the same motherboard instead of rebuilding the entire computer. Also in some small changes you might not even have to reinstall your operating system since your motherboard chipset didnt change.
Overclocking should not be attempted by novice computer users inputting the wrong data may cause cpu failure which is not covered under any warranty.
