What to look for in a CPU?

[Katsumoto]

Title really.

I'm not all that knowledgable when it comes to computer hardware and when it comes to CPU's I find it annoying to know exactly what i'm looking for. I can read reviews and such sure but i'd like to really know what's what.

Currently I pretty much just see:

1) Clock speed
2) Core count

And on that front, i'd think 'Omg the AMD Bulldozer must trounce most other CPU's/all others on the market'. However that apparently isn't the case. What does BD do wrong? What am I missing and how do other specs of a CPU affect it's performance (cache etc).

 

[Orcvader]

The third one: Architecture. You need to see if it's design actually gives good performance per clock (IPC). Usually best way of knowing this is checking reviews.

Also depends on what you do as well, not every software can take advantage of so many cores. Most programs usually only use 2 cores efficiently, and only recently games are using quad cores, although not very efficiently yet.

 

[Katsumoto]

The third one: Architecture. You need to see if it's design actually gives good performance per clock (IPC). Usually best way of knowing this is checking reviews.

Also depends on what you do as well, not every software can take advantage of so many cores. Most programs usually only use 2 cores efficiently, and only recently games are using quad cores, although not very efficiently yet.

Gaming, spreadsheets and business planning alongside web browsing for me. Thanks for letting me know, wasn't really aware that clock speeds can vary in value... thought a 3ghz processor was a 3ghz processor lol.

 

[Martini1991]

Well, 3GHZ is 3GHZ, but that doesn't mean they're equal in performance, instructions per clock matter.

These are truly made up figures as an example, but the 3GHZ FX could do say 1.5 million instructions per second, whereas the 3GHZ IB may do 2.5 million.

 

[jeff6475]

all you need to know about CPU's is that intel i5 2500k/3570k is the one to get if you game and if you dont and need hyperthreading then its the i7 3770k

 

[Martini1991]

In very specific workloads, an FX8120 at a very obtainable 110 pound is however unbeatable, but it's a VERY specific workload.

 

[ChilledLJ]

You have to read reviews because how the CPU performs can't be written on a spec sheet unless you are comparing CPU's in the same family, then you can differentiate with clock speed, cores, hyperthreading etc

 

[Ollie1132]

Well, 3GHZ is 3GHZ, but that doesn't mean they're equal in performance, instructions per clock matter.

These are truly made up figures as an example, but the 3GHZ FX could do say 1.5 million instructions per second, whereas the 3GHZ IB may do 2.5 million.

That BD made up number is a little too high ;D but IPC > all a Phenom II out does BD for IPC for example.

 

[moogle]

Intel*

/thread


*Only valid at time of posting




Seriously though, features, cores, clock speed and then actual performance.
You'll never find it in a shop page as they just want to sell you the CPU, you gotta go read reviews and determine if it's going to give you good performance for your money.

Intel were in the same position as AMD years back with their Intel Pentium 4 CPU's. AMD's were clocked slower but still were much faster than them in all benchmarks and used less power.

 

[HankScorpio]

Phenom ii x4 are very good value second hand.

 

[olivier renault]

Games like IPCs. Encoding and rendering like cores. Both like clock speed.