Buying a CPU

[prestonpdx]

I need to upgrade my computer. Whenever I do this, I always wonder whether to buy an AMD or an Intel CPU and then just which model of CPU to pick out of the dozens available in each brand. This basic choice determines which motherboard I will buy, and then the motherboard choice determines choices on other components such as memory and graphics card.

So the CPU choice is the basic decision in building a computer, but with all the hype out there, this is a tough decision to make.

I've created a tool to help with this decision. It is at http://flexibledevelopment.com/CPU-Performance.htm . I'd appreciate your comments on this analysis. Is this the best way to choose a CPU?

 

[soccerballtux]

benchmarks like that are bad
better is real world performance in games
which amd and intel are the same at as far as price/performance goes, but if you do any overclocking whatever, then Intel pulls way ahead.

 

[angry hampster]

A first-poster without a different black guy avatar!

I agree with ^ ... I prefer to see processing times in programs like Winrar and Photoshop as well as FPS comparisons in games.

 

[betasub]

random number generator = four-digit model number?

 

[heyheybooboo]

Interesting graph .....

I tend to lean more toward price ... and prefer to identify the motherboard/features/specs as priority one.

I'm also not an uber-overclocker and tend to undervolt/underclock which definitely makes me a minority around here ...

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Your linked-to page begins with:

"There is very little information on the Web regarding how computer processors (CPU s) perform and how the two available brands, AMD and Intel, compare."

How on Earth could you possibly state that? There are oodles of websites - Anandtech being one of the foremost - that provide direct CPU to CPU comparisons. Tomshardware.com has an intereactive chart where you can compare CPU's head-to-head in a variety of applications. Furthermore, it looks as though you selected Passmark for your sole performance metric. That is bad. Very bad.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: soccerballtux
better is real world performance in games

Gotta disagree with you there. MANY more things to do with a computer than games.

 

[myocardia]

Please let this SPAM thread die, Flipped.

 

[nyker96]

I like it, the page is nice and simple. One suggestion I have for your current howto is maybe suggest the user to use Exel or a similar program for graphing and data entry. OpenOffice has an Excel clone also works well.

For novices, maybe you could include something that say, takes inputs of desired price range for buyer, weather s/he wants Intel/AMD or either, then automatically selects top three P/P champions from your calculated chart. That of course means you have to have a small database that gets updated with CPU mark scores and newegg price list. But this could be bit too much work.