Posted on 04/19/2010 9:07:41 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Building your own computer can be very time consuming and rewarding at the same time. While piecing the new hardware together is usually a relatively easy task, picking out the right components in the first place is what can make it more troublesome (that's where our PC buying guide comes in handy - but please, read on).
The first component that must be decided upon before any build takes place is the processor, as this will dictate which motherboard can be used and often the memory type. As one of the more expensive components you must choose wisely, so think about the purpose of your build and budget. Popular CPU choices often range between $100 and $200, and surprisingly in this limited price range consumers will find a huge number of AMD and Intel offerings.
In this price bracket processors can be found operating between 2.66GHz and 3.40GHz, but the differences between these go well beyond mere frequencies. The number of cores also varies with dual-core, triple-core and even quad-core processors available within this range. Other factors play an important role as well, such as cache and the thermal design power rating.
With so many choices at your disposal, we understand it's hard not to become overwhelmed. Therefore we have taken a dozen processors priced within the $100 - $200 price range and pitted them against each other, so you can draw clear conclusions on what will suit you the best.
Keep in mind that not every processor family is being represented by its flagship model. Rather, we have taken what we feel is the best value processor for that particular series. For example, the Core i5 661 falls within our target with an asking price of $200, but instead we have gone with the Core i5 650 because we feel it is a better value option.
Towards the end of the testing phase we have also added a segment that compares all 12 processors on a clock-for-clock basis. This comparison of architectures aims to remove the operating frequency impact on performance and allows us to show you exactly how these CPUs perform side-by-side. This is particularly useful for overclockers, showing just how much difference in performance there might be between two particular processors once overclocked to a certain frequency.
Besides the processors themselves, we will be also taking under consideration the value and performance differences between the platforms used, so motherboards and chipsets will be factored into the whole equation. And now, let's meet the contenders both from the green and blue camps...
Link :
See conclusion where 555 is the winner.
great to have large Cache for browsing....seems to help with Firefox, Linux Mint , compiz with 8 desktops available and multiple tabs...usually between 20 and 50.
Thanks for posting this. I’m currently in the looking and thinking about doing a new build stage.
I’m wondering what is the best future proof CPU that will still be worthwhile 2 or 3 years down the road. Does that mean an i7 only? An i7 system is only a few hundred dollars (pennies per day over 2 or 3 years) more than a good AMD AM3 quad core right now, but what will hold up the best over a few years?
This would be mostly for multi monitor financial trading and just surfing the net. I’m not a gamer.
Opinions please.
Let me tell you a little secret that Intel and AMD do not want people to know. The truth is the actual cost (once everything is set up which it is) to make a chip is about 3 to 4 cents (now this was in 2000). Trust me I know someone on the inside that broke it down for me. I was shocked. I don’t believe the actual cost has gone up to much 10 cents at the most. 99% of the people DO NOT know this. I can see why...
It’s a great way to go but it is the software that gets you. Unless you are willing to have 100% free/sharewaye (Ubuntu, Star Office, etc.) then by the time you are done with the most basic packages you have exceeded the cost of a simple desktop (these days about $400).
For hobbying, putting together a computer is a lot of fun.
Just noting. YMMV...
For what you’re doing, a Core2 Duo is fine; get as much RAM as you can, a decent 2 or 4 monitor video card with at least 256 MB of on-board RAM, and go with a high speed HDD instead.
I do a lot of computational work (finite element analysis) and for number crunching I prefer more RAM; machines seem to be peppier with buckets of RAM laying around, better than significantly upgrading the CPU horsepower. The CPU is often NOT the bottleneck; it’s the processors and sandbox (HDD and RAM) around the CPU that is the limiter.
http://www.techpowerup.com/101389/Sempron_140_Unlocks_to_Athlon_II_X2.html
“Let me tell you a little secret that Intel and AMD do not want people to know. The truth is the actual cost (once everything is set up which it is) to make a chip is about 3 to 4 cents...”
No way this is true today except possibly for small, surface mounted small scale IC’s. Just in raw silicon surface area, these processors cost more than that. And, of course, bottom line is, they are “highly processed sand”...with about $10 billion involved in the processing.
Sorry but your source has no idea what it costs to build a microprocessor.
It also costs $2B to build a fab capable of building 32nm processors.
IMHO using AMD with the AM2 socket has been a good move....
Intel has changed the socket quite a bit...
If starting right now the AM3 socket would seem to have some lifetime left.... Everyone always looks at the magazines benchmarks which always seem to do the tests that really only apple to Gamers...and then give recommendations that cost way more than needs to be spent.
Ping for later
Fry's has the 2.8 Ghz in stock and will soon start selling them for $199.
The Black processor had not yet start arriving...when I checked on Friday.
I think it will run in my MSI 770 board.
It's that (once everything is set up) that will kill you. Now come up with $3 billion to build a 300mm-wafer fab...
Then hire a bunch of engineers and technicians to run the fab ... and another bunch of E&T to design the chip ... and another bunch of E&T to test the chips ... and hire all the folks necessary to keep your company running, get materials from where they are to where they need to be ...
It's really amazing that we can get CPUs for the dirt-cheap price of $100.
We're standing on the shoulders of giants.
Does anyone ever do a Benchmark with that specific application?
I have built hundreds for special purposes for the DoD over the years and last year I finally tossed my old Slot 1 units for new AMD Dual Core CPUs on ASUS motherboards.
I know there are better but I loaded them each with 8 Gigs of DDR2 PC800 RAM, Windows XP Pro 64bit, and 500Mb 256K interface graphics cards.
My son loves his for the gaming and I have no problems processing video and photo files quickly.
They should last several years before I have to do it again.
So how do they recover the cost for a multi billion dollar fabrication plant?
If Linux is the flavor that's your choice, why worry about it? You'll probably have an version available that is more functional than the ones out now and still work fine with whatever modern CPU you choose. Regardless the ones available now won't be obsolete.
If 7 is you choice do you really expect MSFT to have an new OS 2 or 3 years from now? :-)
Thanks for the info, will definitely check it out.
I’ve been looking at the the i7 870 so I could stick with a P55 mobo (although the X58 mobo’s have dropped considerably.)
I am constantly amazed at the price vs. performance ratio.
I read a few years back that, for every 10 degrees you lower the CPU temperature, you double its life. So, lap the hell out of your heat sink and don't skimp on fans.
Granted, my 3 work computers loaf along, but I've never seen the CPU temperature above 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Then again, one of them sounds like a vacuum cleaner when it's running.
bm
They usually run away with those benchmarks.
I think they fall under SSE4 ...?
not sure if I have that right.
Must be somewhere in
Intel® 64 and IA-32 Architectures Software Developer's Manuals
LMAO! I’m not challenging the cost of the chip. Just giving you the actual cost of a chip once everything is in place.
I don’t know. It’s kind of an obscure application for most general public computing.
Here is the AMD Chipset announcement that delivers on the new devices....
AMD 890GX SB850 Chipset Debut: Phenom II X6 Ready
And one board from ASUS:
ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 AM3 AMD 890GX HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
The only CPU bound activity I have is converting HD video from MPEG2 to MPEG4.
With the i7, it is now fast enough that I can finish a project in one evening. Three years from now I’ll be drooling over the new hardware but the i7 has given me enough speed that I can live without an upgrade.
I basically wore out the cooling fans on two dual core pentium computers that I had running day and night crunching video. The older dual core computer would require over 24 hours of computing time for one project.
Of course I say that now but when next year’s systems come out all bets are off.
Wouldn't think floating point would get used since we are talking Financials....Games use Floating point heavily usually.
Sand doesn’t cost much.
From that chart, there doesn’t seem to be a real reason to upgrade from a Core 2 duo or quad at this point. Unless there is a clear doubling of processor power, an upgrade won’t be very noticeable.
There is only a 10% gain between the C2d and the lower end i3 and i5 processors. That’s not really worth paying for.
See #20...but notice the CPu Freq are set at 2.4.
See #28. also.
Did you notice that all were run at the same freq?
Asus M4A89GTD Pro/USB3 Motherboard Review: AMD's 890GX Chipset Makes Its Debut
Gigabyte may have a board out too ...I think.
Bingo
That’s one feature I’ve always liked about AMD.
Their sockets tend to have a great “shelf life”.
As for USB 3.0, PCI-e cards are already available for $30, and will certainly be much cheaper in the near future.
Cons: - no CPU unlocking
Core Unlocker – Turn on True Core Performance
AMD Phenom II X6 “Thuban” Processors to Get Dynamic Speed Boost Technology.
And
AMD Plans to Launch Five Six-Core Desktop Microprocessors. in 2010
**************************************************EXCERPT****************************************
|
Forthcoming Desktop Microprocessors from AMD |
||||||
|
Model |
Code-name |
No. of cores |
Cache |
TDP |
Platform |
Availability |
|
Phenom II X6 1075T |
Thuban |
6 |
9MB |
125W |
AM3 |
Q2 2010 |
|
Phenom II X6 1055T |
Thuban |
6 |
9MB |
125W |
AM3 |
Q2 2010 |
|
Phenom II X6 1055T |
Thuban |
6 |
9MB |
95W |
AM3 |
Q2 2010 |
|
Phenom II X6 1035T |
Thuban |
6 |
9MB |
95W |
AM3 |
Q2 2010 |
|
Phenom II X4 960T |
Zosma |
4 |
8MB |
95W |
AM3 |
Q2 2010 |
|
Phenom II X6 10xxT |
Thuban |
6 |
9MB |
? |
AM3 |
Q3 2010 |
Considering that AMD plans to implement dynamic acceleration technology that can accelerate certain cores when they are needed while slowing down the unneeded cores to maintain the TDP, it should be noted that AMD Phenom II X6 1055T with 95W TDP and 1055T with 125W power envelope will show different performance levels as the latter will be able to accelerate itself to higher frequencies in case of single-threaded, dual-threaded or triple-threaded applications.
*********************************************
I want that 9m cache.....I am convinced that really helps with Web browsing....
I'm gonna git me an EISA motherboard with a 512-MB hard drive and this time I'm laying down the money for a math co-processor. You guys are gonna be soooo jealous...
Someone is gonna ask you .... what is a mathcoprocessor....???
Well, heck - it’s that socket next to the place where you solder in the Turbo button. I’m not gonna drop the bucks for one o’ them fancy-dan new mobos with jumpers on it. Kids these days.
With the facility costing $2 billion to build? Don’t think so.
Wow! Why don't you start making chips and selling them for $1 each! You could make a fortune!
Keep in mind that the i5 is only a dual core chip. The i7 has the same processing enhancements with twice as many cores.
I am a very satisfied customer.
I had an 80387.
I’ve been keeping my eye on a few math co-processors on a couple of message boards for quite some time now.
Soon one will be mine!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.