CPU buying advice: What you need to know about PC processors
19.2.2020
Translation: machine translated
The processor or CPU ("Central Processing Unit") is the heart of a computer. It is responsible for the performance of your system and the range on sale is huge. We'll give you an overview and provide you with useful information that will not only help you with your next processor purchase, but also if you're choosing an already assembled computer. Let's start with the models for desktop PCs.
The processors usually only differ by the numbers in their names. And the numbers in the name are not the only numbers you have to deal with. The number of cores plays just as important a role as the clock rate. Depending on what you are using the computer for, there are different requirements for the CPU.
Cores and threads
The performance of a processor is made up of several factors. The number of cores indicates how many tasks it can perform simultaneously. Most CPUs today have a technology to process several tasks in parallel on the same core. Depending on the manufacturer, this is called Hyper-Threading (Intel) or Simultaneous Multithreading (AMD). The operating system is shown more cores than are actually available. This helps to better utilise the processor. The data sheet therefore contains information on "cores" (the actual cores) and "threads" (the programme sequences that the processor processes simultaneously).
Many cores are therefore often an advantage. However, exactly how many you need depends heavily on what you do with your computer. Current video games, for example, need at least four cores. If you want to be future-proof for a while longer, you should install a CPU with at least six or preferably eight cores. This is because the next generations of the Sony Playstation and Microsoft Xbox video game consoles will also offer a processor with eight cores. Incidentally, this comes from the manufacturer AMD.
A computer that is only used for surfing the internet can get by with two cores. If you are using a specific programme for photo or video editing, for example, it is worth researching the programme itself in detail. The manufacturers can usually provide information on the maximum number of cores the programme can utilise. Adobe, for example, recommends a six-core processor for most Photoshop users.
Clock rate
In addition to the cores, the clock rate plays a major role. Processors work with the binary system. This consists of ones and zeros and describes the states true and false. In order for the processor to reach these states, it generates voltage levels, which are then interpreted as "1" or "0". Viewed as a diagram, this curve describes oscillations. And this is the processor clock. The more oscillations the processor can process per second, the higher its clock rate.
The clock rates are specified in gigahertz (GHz) or megahertz (MHz). One hertz describes one oscillation per second, one megahertz is one million oscillations per second and one gigahertz is one billion oscillations per second. So here, too, we can say that a higher clock rate usually describes a better processor.
The manufacturers often only state the maximum clock rate on their data sheets. This is usually a kind of turbo mode that is not permanently achieved in everyday use. It is therefore better to base your purchase on the standard clock rate. This is because how long or whether the processor is even able to work above the standard clock rate depends on other components such as the cooling.
Intel or AMD?
Two processor manufacturers are fighting for your favour: Intel and AMD. In the past, Intel was ahead on the topic of performance, but AMD has caught up with its latest generation (Ryzen) and currently stands out with very good performance at significantly lower prices than Intel and is even faster than Intel in the desktop sector in some cases.
Intel and AMD are the two manufacturers fighting for your favour.
The most important differences are the number of cores and the clock speed. AMD processors offer more cores than Intel processors. This is useful if you use programmes that can also utilise them. Intel, on the other hand, offers higher clock rates, which is theoretically useful for video games. In practical tests, however, the processors from both manufacturers perform almost equally in games.
Upgrades - what to look out for
If you want to make your existing system faster, a new processor is a good idea. But there are also risks involved. Because very quickly it's not just the processor that needs to be replaced, but also the mainboard and RAM. Why? The processor sits on a socket on the mainboard and these must be compatible with each other. It is not uncommon for new processors to require a new socket, which in turn is not guaranteed to fit on the old mainboard. And as there is also space for the RAM, the old slots must be compatible with the new mainboard. If this doesn't work, you will also have to replace the RAM.
Which processor for which task?
If you want to build or buy a new, affordable computer that is above all quiet and suitable for surfing the web, writing texts and emails and creating spreadsheets, a dual-core processor is usually sufficient in most cases. Examples would be the AMD Athlon 3000G or Ryzen 3 1200 and the Intel Pentium Gold and Intel Core i3 9100F.
The best way to build a solid all-round PC is with a four-, six- or eight-core processor. Four cores are enough for the occasional gamer or someone who wants to edit holiday photos with a graphics program, six or eight should be used if you spend a lot more time playing games or editing multimedia. Eight cores are appropriate for video editing, especially if your material was recorded at a resolution higher than FullHD. AMD's Ryzen 5 and 7 series as well as Intel's Core i5 and Core i7 fall into this category.
You can assemble the absolute top-class PC, which runs several complex applications in parallel and leaves hardly any performance wishes unfulfilled, with the help of the AMD Ryzen 9 series or Intel's i9. The 16- and 14-core processors are currently the manufacturers' flagships in the consumer sector.
If you mainly want to play video games on your PC, you need a good graphics card in addition to a powerful processor. The GPU chips built into CPUs are now so good that some games also work with them. However, the latest blockbusters only run at the lowest graphics settings, if at all. The aforementioned Ryzen 7 or 9 as well as the Core i7 and i9 models are ideally suited for gamers
If you want the best of the best and want to spare no expense, you should take a look at the Threadripper collection from AMD or the i9 Extreme series from Intel. These high-priced high-end models are usually only worthwhile for certain tasks such as rendering and are primarily aimed at professional customers. Here we find 64 cores (128 threads) at AMD and 16 cores (32 threads) at Intel.
Stefanie Enge
Autorin
Most of the time I'm living between bits and bytes, testing alternative Android operating systems and trying to make my life smarter with Open Source technology - always with a focus on privacy and data protection. When I'm not testing cool gadgets, I'm developing video games, writing stories and playing the accordion.