How to Choose a Processor That’s Right for You

Choosing the right processor for your PC can be an overwhelming experience to many. Socket type, operating frequency, cache — what does it all mean?

Today I’ll show you, step-by-step how to find the processor that’s just right for you. We’ll go over socket types, clock speeds, cores, cache, and talk about choosing the right processor depending on your specific computer needs.

Socket Types

Whether you’re looking for a desktop or mobile processor, you’ll come across terminology that you will need to understand. First of which will be the brand and socket type.

You’ll most likely be choosing between Intel and AMD based on your current motherboard’s socket type.

A socket type is simply the layout of the slot that a Central Processing Unit (aka CPU) fits into. It not only provides the correct physical architecture to support the CPU, but with the exception of many laptops and mobile devices, it is also the support for the heat sink you will be using.

Most online retailers such as NewEgg.com, list the socket types in the product descriptions and specifications, and even allow you to search for one socket type specifically.

This decision mostly depends on your current motherboard. Each motherboard contains or supports a certain socket type or group of socket types. For example, if your motherboard supports Socket H, you’ll need to choose a CPU such as the Intel i3, i5, or i7. If it contains an AM2+, you’ll be choosing between an Athlon 64, X2, or Phenom Processor. Be sure to match up your motherboard and CPU socket types when searching for a new Processor.

Clock Speed and Cores

The next thing you’ll want to take into consideration is the number of cores and Operating Frequency, or Clock Speed. This ultimately defines how fast your processor will run.

In the past, it was thought that you could simply increase the clock speed of a processor to make it faster, which in part was true, however, the higher the clock speed, the hotter the processor. Without a readily available cooling method powerful enough to keep temperatures safe, multi-core processors were introduced. Rather than try to push out each process at a faster rate, as a single core processor would do, a multi-core processor simply runs more than one process at once on separate internal cores. Running these processes in parallel rather than in series can make a huge difference in speed in most cases.

Now, most multi-core processors run between 2 and 4GHz, with most users falling around the 2.4GHz mark. However, as always, the higher the clock speed, the faster each core will be, just remember to pick up a cooling system that is appropriate for your clock speed.

How Many Cores Do You Really Need?

One thing to remember is: software needs to be written specifically with the ability to run in multiple threads if you want to take full advantage of a multi-core processor. It’s a much overlooked step, but simply doing some research on your resource intensive applications to see if they support multi-core processors is a good idea, before putting too much funding towards a new processor.

There is no use in purchasing a quad-core processor when the main application you use only supports a single thread. Find out if the software you use can benefit from a multi-core processor, if it doesn’t, you may want to look into a speedy dual-core processor instead. Dual-core processors tend to show the highest performance increase compared to the increase seen from dual-core to tri-core, and tri-core to quad-core.
Generally, if you’re an audiophile, a dual-core processor will suffice, as encoders and media players really don’t see much of a benefit from multi-core processors.

If you’re a video editor on the other hand, you should definitely look into getting a multi-core processor. Video editing programs are usually written to take advantage of multi-core processors, so you’ll see the largest increases in speed by upgrading to a multi-core processor within your budget. The more cores, the faster process times you should see.

As for image editing, let’s look at Photoshop as an example; Photoshop CS4 supports multi-core processors, so it would be good to pick up a multi-core processor, however, CS3 and previous versions do not, and therefore a quad-core CPU would take, roughly, just as long as a single-core CPU. That’s something to take into consideration based on what version you use.

As for gamers, although multi-core games were scarce in the past, times have changed, and now almost every mainstream game supports multi-core processing. However, in my experience, gamers will see the most speed increase by upgrading to a dual core processor. You will still see an increase by going to a tri-core and quad core, but not nearly as vast of an improvement as a single-core to dual-core. Just as with video editors, a dual-core is pretty much a must, but anything higher will likely be based on budget.

How Much Cash Should I Spend on The Cache?

The cache, such as the L2 or L3 cache, is simply a smaller memory module that helps to reduce the speed it takes to access memory. These smaller memory modules store the most frequently used memory locations.
Accessing from the cache as opposed to the main memory can be significantly faster than accessing it directly. Usually you’ll want at least 2MB of L2 cache to keep your system nice and smooth. Although the performance increase is usually negligible, the overall time it saves you is worth the addition to the checklist, especially since most processors have at least 2MB of L2 cache anyway.

In some cases, processors will include an L3 cache as well, which is simply another small memory module to help speed up memory access.

Windows XP Mode in Windows 7

A new specification that some may need to take into consideration is Virtualization Technology Support.
Windows 7 offers a new feature called XP Mode, which allows users to run a virtual machine containing Windows XP for no additional charge. XP Mode only supports one core, even on a multi-core machine, and requires CPU assisted Virtualization Technology Support.

If you plan on using XP Mode with Windows 7, please remember to check for Virtualization Technology Support in not only your CPU, but in the BIOS of your motherboard. Some older motherboards do not support enabling this feature, even if it is supported on your CPU.

Overview

Overall, while the average user will do fine with a Dual-Core processor, around 2.4GHz, you might need a bit more customizing depending on your specific computer needs.

Gamers, video editors, and Photoshop users with the latest software versions will want more cores and higher clock speeds. Audiophiles and image editors using older software, won’t need to spend extra money on more expensive multi-core setups, and instead should look for higher clock speeds.

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