Best Processor for Gaming - CPU for 2011

Why a CPU or Processor is Essential to Gaming Performance

Professional gamers realize that a good CPU and video card is essential in creating a successful team. It's like a band really, if you have the best drummer in the world, but he only has a toy set of drums, then he can only play so well. In my recent hub on building a gaming pc under $1,000 I went over the importance of a good gaming video card, but in this hub we'll cover the best gaming processors for 2011.
When gaming it's important to have a high FPS or frame per second so that you can avoid lagging frames that leave you at a disadvantage. Gamers with poor computer performance, or PCs that lag, may not understand that the reason they feel like they get a shot off first and then end up dead a second later is because their opponent saw them before they even had a chance! While that may not seem fair, it's really all part of the PC gaming equation.

Intel's i7 is the best series of processors for gaming in 2011.

	Intel Core i7 980X Extreme Edition 3.33GHz 12 MB L3 Cache LGA1366 Desktop Processor BX80613i7980X - Retail Six Cores and 12 threads... Kinda makes you tear up a little bit, but this extreme processor is only for people who can afford absolute top of the line. Amazon Price: $999.99 List Price: $1,187.99
	Intel Core i7-2600K Processor with 8 MB Cache, 3.40 GHz for Socket LGA1155 - Unlocked Boxed The all new Sandy Bridge CPU from Intel. The 2600k (the k means unlocked) is my choice of the year for gamers. For its price point it can't be beat. Amazon Price: $333.99 List Price: $348.86
	Intel Core i7 950 3.06GHz 8M L3 Cache LGA1366 Desktop Processor Amazon Price: $268.95 List Price: $629.99
	Intel Core i7-870 2.93GHz 8 MB LGA1156 Processor BX80605I7870 This is my choice for Best Gaming Processor Under $300. If you're building a new gaming PC, then it's the one to get. Amazon Price: $274.94 List Price: $695.00
	AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition Thuban 3.2 GHz 6x512 KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 125W Six-Core Processor - Retail HDT90ZFBGRBOX If you are going to go AMD, then this is the processor you want for gaming. Amazon Price: $199.99 List Price: $234.99

Intel i7 CPU Gaming Processors

The core i7 is Intel's flagship CPU. They finally got rid of the frontside bus and replaced it with QPI or QuickPath Interconnect. The i7 can now use up to six computer cores for processing. This means that it unleashes the power of up to six processing cores in a single processor. The next generation of processors for the i7 series is the Sandy Bridge CPU.
Processor of the Year: Despite the problems that Intel had with the earlier models, the Intel Core i7 2600k is my choice of gaming CPU of the year.
Manufacturer's Description
"Part of Intel's family of 2nd generation Intel Core computer processors, the Intel Core i7-2600K Processor delivers speed and smooth performance--whether you're creating high-definition videos, playing 3D games, or simply browsing the Internet. The Core i7-2600K is a quad-core processor running at 3.4 GHz with 8 MB of L3 cache, and uses the LGA1155 socket. It is fully unlocked for overclocking flexibility, making it ideal for gamers and enthusiasts who want customized performance. It also offers a rich set of features, including Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, eight-way multitasking with Hyper-Threading Technology, and Virtualization Technology, that improve speed and computing productivity. Built-in visual technologies, like Clear Video and InTru3D, support high-definition and Blu-ray playback."
Here's a quote from Intel on the i7's gaming performance:
"With the advent of next-generation games, PC gaming is more immersive than ever. The latest games take advantage of multi-threaded programming, allowing for more realistic graphics, physics, and artificial intelligence (AI). But you'll need more than just a good graphics card with high GPU output to fully experience all these effects. Underlying the visual realism and advanced AI scripts are thousands of high-speed calculations that your CPU must process.
Fortunately, the Intel Core i7 processor is specifically designed to handle these calculations. Using multi-thread architecture, it has the ability to process thousands of graphical characteristics at once, resulting in a smooth and lag-free experience. Intel worked closely with CryTek -- the developers of the advanced game engine behind such games as Crysis and Far Cry -- to guarantee that gamers have an immersive and lifelike experience."
This coupled with a three year warranty from Intel makes the i7, in my opinion, the best series of processors on the market. While some would argue that AMD gives you more bang for your buck, I really feel since the i series came out, that Intel has a huge advantage over AMD in higher end gaming processors. If you're looking for a budget processor, then AMD has a few options we'll go over that seem to be drawing some attention.
*Thought on Intel's 900 Series: Did you know that the 900 series chips are all manufactured on the same wafer? Since not every test is made on every chip it's possible for you to get a better chip than you ordered on the 950. That and it's under $300 price, make it my choice for best gaming processor under $300.
Is your Motherboard 1155, 1366, or 1156?
When building your gaming pc, make sure to line up the sockets in your CPU and motherboard. Most of the chips featured on this page are available in both sizes, so if you need a different size you can click and then easily search for it on Amazon.

Best PC game of all time

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10) Age of Empires 2: Age of Kings
Developer: Ensemble Studios
Publisher: Microsoft
Year Released: 1999
Synopsis: When it comes to old-school RTS games, no one did it bigger or better than Ensemble's Age of Kings. Though it lacked the sophisticated tactical action of Starcraft, Age of Kings' rock-paper-scissors combat model and its subtle balancing of a wide range of civilizations makes it one of the most enjoyable RTS games ever. Sure, the historical setting required a bit of similarity among the unit types but the advantages and disadvantages of each civilization were so intriguing that no one side played like any other. Possessing one of the most engaging resource models in any RTS before or since, Age of Kings was just as much about your infrastructure as it was about your armies. The RTS has definitely evolved a lot over the last eight years but Age of Kings still represents the peak of what historical RTS games used to be.

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9) Half-Life 2
Developer: Valve Software
Publisher: Vivendi Games
Year Released: 2004
Synopsis: For many, the fist-person shooter genre really bloomed with the original Half-Life. While the game introduced grand new storytelling techniques and used atmosphere and tension to draw gameplay along, we decided for today's purposes that Half-Life 2 is simply the better game. Amazingly enough, the sequel did manage to best the original through the wide variety of gameplay provided. Whether it was straight up run and gun, vehicle combat, or physics based puzzles, there were no dull moments to be found in Gordon Freeman's assault on City 17. The same story-telling techniques that made Half-Life so popular were back and improved thanks to character models with emotion (in voice and animation) and the brilliant dystopian City-17 of the future. The game immediately managed to draw us in and create the best single-player first-person shooter entertainment experience ever made on the PC. That long six year wait ended heroically.

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8) SimCity 2000
Developer:
Publisher:
Year Released: 1993
Synopsis: Fitter, happier, more productive. The citizens of your city are free to live long and happy lives presuming you have any clue what goes into city planning. If not, SimCity 2000 will give you a crash course to help create your own utopia and then allow you to smash it with an alien or monster attack when your citizens have grown too fat and lazy (they don't, but imagination opens up all kinds of possibility). SimCity gave players an open sandbox in which to create their own perfect (or disastrous) city using a clever paint tool style interface. The more services a city had, the more attractive it would become to people hoping to move there. In addition to being sickeningly addictive, the title helped provide a base for players to educate themselves on the workings of a city and the dangers of crime and pollution.. SimCity 2000 is a sleeker model of the original and still one of the most ingenious and creative titles ever shipped for the PC.

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7) Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Interplay/Black Isle Studios
Year Released: 2000
Synopsis: Plenty of Dungeons and Dragons based PC RPGs have come out over the years, but Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn had the biggest impact. Riding the surge of praise after the release of Baldur's Gate in 1998, the sequel delivered an even more fully featured pseudo-turn-based combat system, expansive environments, a seemingly endless number of side quests, and a compelling narrative. If there's a single element that makes BGII stand out, it's character. The game had a truly sinister, multi-faceted villain, as well as some hilarious NPC companions. Take Minsc, for example, a brash fighter who frequently consulted with Boo, his trusty hamster companion. If you never bothered with this when it first came out in 2000, you should pick up a copy this instant. It may not look so good anymore, but it's still one of the best RPGs ever made.

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6) StarCraft
Developer: Blizzard
Publisher: Blizzard
Year Released: 1998
Synopsis: When you say the three letters RTS, there are a few games that immediately pop to mind. For millions of gamers, it's StarCraft. It remains as one of the most popular real-time strategy games played on the Internet around the world. For those of us that only revisit on occasion, there's still an immense amount to love. StarCraft managed to create three wildly different factions in nearly all forms. Motivation, technology, and biology provided an amazing platform for a brilliant story and universe. Even more amazing was the ability to create checks and balances when none of the races shared units or even particular functions. Even the builder units acted much differently to fit the background of each race. The superb balance translated into enticing and addictive gameplay. The galactic war between the Terrans, Protoss, and Zerg proved to be one of the most entertaining pieces of software ever created and the unannounced sequel (we have hope) is still one of the most asked about games of the future.

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5) Fallout
Developer: Interplay
Publisher: Interplay
Year Released: 1997
Synopsis: Fallout really had it all: dynamic, believable characters; a quality of narrative and storytelling too rarely seen in games; and the opportunity for players to drastically affect how events proceeded. It was a game that above all else recognized and rewarded the player's free will. Fallout's fiction and game world were vivid, it's character development system deep, and it possessed an often hilarious tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. Peering past the post-apocalyptic science fiction surface, deeper cultural themes become apparent, echoing notions of humanity's absurd fallacies hit on in novels like Walter M. Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz. Though games like Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Planescape: Torment and plenty of others are all worthy of the PC RPG crown, this 1997 release from Interplay is our choice for the top of the heap.

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4) Rome: Total War
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Activision
Year Released: 2004
Synopsis: Creative Assembly's third entry in the Total War series represents some of the deepest, most polished, and addictive strategic gameplay out there. Fusing a 4X style overworld map with riveting real-time battles, there was a near overwhelming amount of expertly designed content to chew through. The A.I. always put up a challenging fight, making aggressive overworld map moves and employing effective tactics on the battlefield. Rome offered even more complex siege battles, cities whose appearance reflected the structures placed therein, a wide range of highly detailed units, and unprecedented sound design. This is one of those games that when you start playing, it's near impossible to stop, and is certainly worthy of being considered one of the top PC games of all time.

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3) Star Wars TIE Fighter
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: LucasArts
Year Released: 1994
Synopsis: Fans of space combat games will always have a soft spot to games like Wing Commander or Elite, but no game before or since has captured the drama and action of the genre as well as TIE Fighter. Benefiting from the lessons learned from the X-Wing game that launched the franchise, TIE Fighter boasted some of the best flight mechanics and mission design ever seen in a space combat game. Long before Knights of the Old Republic gave us a chance to see what it's like to serve the Empire, TIE Fighter presented the opportunity for the player to become the villain. The Collector's Edition went one better by adding improved polygonal graphics and brilliant sound design. There have been a few imitators since this classic game was released, but none have come close to delivering the excitement and joy that we still find running secret missions for the Emperor.

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2) Civilization IV
Developer: Firaxis
Publisher: 2K Games
Year Released: 2005
Synopsis: One of the Civilization games was absolutely going to be in the top 5 in this list, it was just a matter of which one we chose to occupy the spot. For years, it was largely understood that Civilization II was the best in the series offering up complex strategy in a palatable and even graceful format. Some out there would probably still argue that it's the best of the bunch, but we decided the latest went above and beyond that great title with more improvements than can be counted. From the revamped damage system to the diplomatic improvements and inclusion of religion, Civilization IV provides the most addictive 4X experience on the market. Even worse for those of us incapable of quitting to desktop is the inclusion of a very workable multiplayer solution. Turn-based strategy has never been easy this way, but Firaxis managed to make it easy, make saves work, and make it easily as much fun as the single player if not more so. Civilization IV is a brilliant game.

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1) X-COM: UFO Defense
Developer: Mythos Games
Publisher: Microprose
Year Released: 1994
Synopsis: It may be old as hell and you may have to actually disable DirectDraw to get it to run these days but there's still no PC game that can compete with the mighty X-COM. Conceptually it's one of the finest strategy games to ever appear on any system. Putting the player in charge of a worldwide defense against an alien invasion, the original X-COM combined elements of sophisticated base management, high-tech research, engaging roleplaying, thrilling tactical combat and a tense, terrifying story to create an experience that has yet to be duplicated by any other game. Leading your squads on missions to reclaim crashed UFOs or fighting house to house in an effort to repel alien terror attacks on major cities throughout the world were the highlights of the game but X-COM has plenty of other pleasures in store, from juggling personnel and equipment to keeping the nations of the world happy enough to sustain your budget. Simply put, there's no excuse for strategy fans not to break this one out and play through it again.

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Preview into Android 3.0 SDK

Google which gave a sneak peek into the tablet-friendly Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” earlier this month in CES 2011, has now laid out some of the main highlights of the forthcoming Android 3.0 SDK along with a short preview for developers to start testing their existing applications on bigger screens.

Some of the highlights are:

• UI framework for creating great apps for larger screen devices: Android 3.0 comes with a new holographic UI Theme. Therefore developers can use the new UI components, themes, richer widgets and notifications etc. It also features drag and drop, and other new features which app developers can make use of, to create rich and engaging apps for users on the tablet form factor.
• High-performance 2D and 3D graphics: A new property-based animation framework allows app developers to add amazing visual effects to their applications. A built-in GL renderer lets developers request hardware-acceleration of common 2D rendering operations in their apps, across the entire app or only in specific activities or views. Developers take advantage of a new 3D graphics engine called Renderscript for adding rich 3D scenes.
• Support for multicore processor architectures: Android 3.0 has been optimized to run on either single or dual-core processors, so that applications run with the best possible performance.
• Rich multimedia: Android 3.0 comes with new multimedia features such as HTTP Live streaming support, a pluggable DRM framework, and easy media file transfer through MTP/PTP, giving developers a new way to bring rich content to users.
• New types of connectivity: Android 3.0 offers new APIs for Bluetooth A2DP and HSP allowing applications to offer audio streaming and headset control. Applications can also connect to UI less devices thanks to the added support for Bluetooth insecure socket connections.
• Enhancements for enterprise: The new administrative policies, such as for encrypted storage and password expiration integrated in Android 3.0, helps enterprise administrators manage devices more effectively.

For a complete list of the new and improved features of Android 3.0, do check out Android 3.0 feature highlights. To get started with developing/testing applications in this SDK, developers can head over to Preview SDK Introduction and additional details about the changes in the latest versions of the tools can be found using SDK Tools, ADT Plugin, and NDK pages on Google Android Developer website.

The final SDK will be released in couple of weeks after which developers can build and publish Android 3.0 applications to Android Market.

Best tablets of 2011

It’s about that time folks – the time to run down the Top 10 tablets that we’re expecting to see in 2011. Now that the flood gates on this year’s wave of high-powered tablets aimed at the heart of Apple’s iPad, we know more about what 2011 will bring us in the tablet space. We previously showed you which tablets to look for in our top tablet countdown, but with all the recently announced hardware, we decided to add an extra five spots to the list.
Whether it’s Android OS, webOS, iOS, or QNX, the new generation of tablets is surely going to please.

10. HTC Scribe

Yeah, we know, we don’t know much about this device right now. But, it still deserves a spot on this list, albeit the last spot (due to incomplete specs and availability info). HTC does some remarkable work with their hardware, and if they dive into the tablet market, we wouldn’t expect anything less than an extraordinary tablet. One thing we’ll love to see from this tablet is a tablet-optimized version of the Sense UI, which runs atop Android OS. We can expect to see things like an NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core chipset, 1280 x 720 resolution, 2 GB of internal memory, a 32 GB micro SD card, and  a handful of more features. Until we hear more about the Scribe, it’ll sit at number 10 for now.

9. Acer Iconia A500

Acer’s upcoming Honeycomb tablet looks like it will be pack quite the punch with a 10.1 inch display, Intel Sandy Bridge processor, Verizon 4G LTE support, HDMI port and 1080p video out. Acer touts this tablet as the perfect gamer’s device, and the hardware onboard would certainly support that statement. There’s no official release date for this tablet, but we can expect it sometime in the very near future as Verizon begins to ramp up their LTE network in the coming months. Even Acer’s Froyo tablets are very nice, and I’d pick one up before the Galaxy Tab any day, even without the Android Market.

8. Toshiba Tablet

Way to step it up, Toshiba. We caught a glimpse of this device at a party during CES, and we were very impressed with the hardware. The device was running Froyo, but we’ll see this thing running Honeycomb once it actually ships. This powerfully-spec’d tablet comes with a 10.1 inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 800, NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 5 megapixel camera on the back, and a 2 megapixel camera on the front for video-chatting. The unnamed tablet also sports a full-sized SD card slot, HDMI port, 1080p HD video output. The backing of the tablet uses a rubberized material, called EasyGrip, which will also be replaceable. You can also replace the battery in this device as well, just in case you’re a power user. One thing is for sure, this tablet is no Folio.

7. Dell Streak 7

Dell has had the Streak available a while now, with lackluster results. This year, it looks like the computer maker is stepping up their game with the upcoming Dell Streak 7 tablet. Expected to hit T-Mobile in the near future, The Streak 7 is a 7 inch (WVGA resolution), Android 2.2 tablet that sports HSPA+, and may sit nicely next to the G-Slate as a smaller, more portable alternative. The Streak 7 tablet comes with a 5 megapixel camera on the back, and a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front for video chatting. Along with most of the other tablets on this list, the Streak 7 will ship with NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 dual-core chipset, making it more than capable of handling virtually any media you throw at it. We’re glad to see Dell is taking the tablet market seriously now, and hopefully we’ll see the Streak 7 get bumped up to Honeycomb soon after its release.

6. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2

 

Samsung’s Hummingbird processor not fast enough for you? That’s OK, as Samsung will soon be bringing us a dual-core version of their 7 inch Android tablet. While we may see another Tegra 2 in the tablet, there’s also a chance that we may see Samsung’s own dual-core Orion chipset onboard. Samsung has their ARM Cortex A9-based Orion chip in the works, but it’s looking likely that it won’t be ready in time for the likes of the Galaxy Tab 2. Another thing to look forward to on the Galaxy Tab 2 is that is just may ship with Samsung’s popular Super AMOLED display, giving it a crisp and clear experience throughout. Since we’ve seen what Honeycomb brings to the tablet, we’re sure everyone will be more than disappointed if this tablet shipped with anything less than Honeycomb. Rumored to be announced at Mobile World Congress next month, it sounds like we may be hearing more about this tablet very soon.

5. BlackBerry PlayBook

RIM’s very first tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook, is shaping up to be quite the powerhouse. Many were doubting that RIM could bring a quality tablet to market, but they have done just that, and the Playbook is a great device that could even appeal to non-enterprise users. This 7 inch tablet also comes with a dual-core CPU, but it’s from Texas Instruments, and not NVIDIA this time around. In addition to its multi-core CPU, the Playbook also sports 1 GB of RAM,  HDMI port, 1080p HD video playback, and a handful of other features you’d expect from a quality tablet. Shipping with Sprint’s 4G under the hood, the Playbook will fly in more than one way when it’s released.

4. WebOS Tablets

One of the most anticipated tablets, by far, would have to be the WebOS tablets, the Topaz and Opal. Most of the tablets in this countdown are running Android, but the introduction of a WebOS tablet certainly appeals to most of us here at IntoMobile. Coming in 9 and 7 inch versions, these tablets will have the ultra-slick, HP-refined, WebOS onboard in all it’s deck-of-cards, multitasking glory. While I’m looking forward to Android Honeycomb, I’m pretty much equally excited to see WebOS on a bigger screen.

3. Motorola Xoom

The Motorola Xoom will be the very first Android Honeycomb tablet to actually ship to customers, and it’s coming your way through Verizon Wireless. A WiFi-only version will eventually surface, but until then, you’ll have to go through Big Red. This 10.1 inch monster features Android 3.0 Honeycomb, NVIDIA’s 1 GHz dual-core Tegra 2 chipset, a 5 megapixel camera on back, a 2 megapixel camera on the front, HDMI port with 1080p HD video support. Add in the built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer and adaptive lighting, and you have one beast of a tablet. Although it’s upgradable to 4G LTE with optional add-on hardware, the Xoom will not ship with Verizon’s 4G LTE out of the box, so you’ll have to wait until Q2 before you can taste that kind of speed.

2. LG G-Slate

T-Mobile will carry the second Android Honeycomb tablet, the G-Slate. Made by LG, we’re expecting a spec sheet similar to that of the Motorola Xoom, but there’s one thing that bumped this tablet to number 2. The G-Slate ships with T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network out of the box, and won’t require any sort of hardware upgrade in order to “xoom” along the wireless internets at broadband-like speeds. We know LG decided to wait until Android 3.0 before shipping their tablet, and it looks like the waiting has paid off. The G-Slate may not be too far off, either, as we’ve seen a mysterious LG tablet device with Magenta’s AWS bands already passing through the FCC. The G-Slate is one of many awesome devices LG is about to begin shipping this year, and we can’t wait to get our hands on this thing.

1. Apple iPad 2

This should be no surprise to anyone, but the crown of tablets will be given to Apple’s next generation iPad. The rumored specs on the iPad 2 are absolutely ridiculous, almost to the point of hilarity, and that only makes us more excited to see what’s in store for the second-generation iPad. It may not have the Retina Display that we were hoping for, but some rumors indicate that the iPad 2 will still likely use a display with higher resolution than the current iPad. We could possibly also see the iPad 2 getting a multi-core processor, and SD card slot for more storage. Apple likes to keep their products under wraps, so we have to wait a bit longer until we see the real power behind the most popular tablet’s successor.