In part one of this series we explained different computer components and some things you should be familiar with before making any computer purchases or repairs. Now you know that the CPU (central processing unit) is the processor (or brain) of your computer, we want to divide processors into four groups based on capability and price: Obsolete Processors, Budget Processors, Mid-Range Processors, and High-End Processors, starting from the lowest capabilities/price to the highest respectively. Remember, these amounts are rough estimates only, contact the parts department at Geeks On Site, 888-360-GEEK (4335), and they will be happy to provide a more exact price.
1. Obsolete- This category of processor refers to processors that are five years old or more, and as such, we cannot recommend them. You might buy it if you are using your computer for nothing but writing in Word and general web browsing, and you are on an extremely tight budget. For anything more than the very basic processing you will need something with more processing capabilities, otherwise your computer will be operating at a snail's pace, or worse, you will not be able to run many of the applications used these days such as Windows XP. Nevertheless, if this is your only option then you might do some checking out of these brands: AMD Athlon, Intel Celeron, AMD Duron, Intel Pentium III, and Pentium 4. Approximate starting price: from $15.
2. Budget- The second category of processors is Budget Processors, which any real techie would call yesterday's news. At one time, the processors in this category were considered great quality, but with all the new and improved models out there, they are not so hot anymore, and therefore they cost less (which is a good thing for those budget-minded folks). These are fast enough for general applications (beyond Word), but still are not recommended for gamers and those who plan on editing videos. Some of the processors in this category are: AMD Athlon XP, AMD Sempron, Intel Celeron, and Intel Pentium 4. Approximate starting price from $50.
Last message received on 9/24 at 8:32 AM
3. Mid-Range- These processors are on average six months old, which makes them sufficient capabilities wise, and more reasonably priced since they are "old". Technology develops so quickly it is impossible to get the newest processors without paying top dollar. Mid range processors offer most functions the majority of computer users want, at the not too steep prices newer/top of the line processors have. Among the processors we feel belong in this category are: AMD Phenom II X6 1055T, Intel Core i3530, and Intel Core 2 Duo E7500. Approximate starting price: from $120.
4. High-end- The last category covers the Ferraris of processors. According to our research, these units cannot make your morning cappuccino but will be at least two steps ahead of you in regards to speed and handling myriad functions. To enjoy processors of this sort though, you will have to put out some real money, and based on feedback from Geeks On Site customers it is more than they would be willing to spend. We also need to remind those of you who are still determined to have the best, "high end" becomes outdated at the same speed the low and mid-range processors do, and that is one thing creators of these products have not discovered how to fix (not would it be cost efficient for them to do so). The CPUs that receive honorable mention in this category are: AMD Opteron 6172, Intel Xeon, and Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition. Approximate starting price: around $1.000.
Now we have covered the most basic component of your computer, look for installment three of this series to see where you should go from here. Geeks On Site Geeks On Site Blog
1. Obsolete- This category of processor refers to processors that are five years old or more, and as such, we cannot recommend them. You might buy it if you are using your computer for nothing but writing in Word and general web browsing, and you are on an extremely tight budget. For anything more than the very basic processing you will need something with more processing capabilities, otherwise your computer will be operating at a snail's pace, or worse, you will not be able to run many of the applications used these days such as Windows XP. Nevertheless, if this is your only option then you might do some checking out of these brands: AMD Athlon, Intel Celeron, AMD Duron, Intel Pentium III, and Pentium 4. Approximate starting price: from $15.
2. Budget- The second category of processors is Budget Processors, which any real techie would call yesterday's news. At one time, the processors in this category were considered great quality, but with all the new and improved models out there, they are not so hot anymore, and therefore they cost less (which is a good thing for those budget-minded folks). These are fast enough for general applications (beyond Word), but still are not recommended for gamers and those who plan on editing videos. Some of the processors in this category are: AMD Athlon XP, AMD Sempron, Intel Celeron, and Intel Pentium 4. Approximate starting price from $50.
Last message received on 9/24 at 8:32 AM
3. Mid-Range- These processors are on average six months old, which makes them sufficient capabilities wise, and more reasonably priced since they are "old". Technology develops so quickly it is impossible to get the newest processors without paying top dollar. Mid range processors offer most functions the majority of computer users want, at the not too steep prices newer/top of the line processors have. Among the processors we feel belong in this category are: AMD Phenom II X6 1055T, Intel Core i3530, and Intel Core 2 Duo E7500. Approximate starting price: from $120.
4. High-end- The last category covers the Ferraris of processors. According to our research, these units cannot make your morning cappuccino but will be at least two steps ahead of you in regards to speed and handling myriad functions. To enjoy processors of this sort though, you will have to put out some real money, and based on feedback from Geeks On Site customers it is more than they would be willing to spend. We also need to remind those of you who are still determined to have the best, "high end" becomes outdated at the same speed the low and mid-range processors do, and that is one thing creators of these products have not discovered how to fix (not would it be cost efficient for them to do so). The CPUs that receive honorable mention in this category are: AMD Opteron 6172, Intel Xeon, and Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition. Approximate starting price: around $1.000.
Now we have covered the most basic component of your computer, look for installment three of this series to see where you should go from here. Geeks On Site Geeks On Site Blog