Choosing The Right CPU Processor
Conclusion
AMD Athlon XP
With the advent of dual core chips and ever faster technology the choice of what to get can be overwhelming. A CPU can cost over $1000 dollars.
I like speed, but I have a budget too. My choice are the slowest of new technology, as the increase in price for an increase in speed is too high.
My pick for the best chips to get are…
Fast - For use with everyday programs as well as gaming computers
- AMD Athlon 64 3000+ for Socket 939 with Winchester core. - $150
This is the slowest of the Winchester based chips but gets my vote because of it’s speed and ability to overclock. The price is spot on in my books. - Intel Pentium 4 520 2.8GHz for Socket 775 - $170
This again is the slowest in the Pentium 4 range, but it does give the advantage of an 800MHz bus speed over the next one down in the range.
Medium - Fast use of everyday programs but still offering the ability to play games on occasion
- AMD Sempron 3100+ for Socket 754 - $120
It’s not much of a savings over the Athlon 64 above, but the cost of the other parts for socket 754 are also lower priced. This chip has great performance coming up to level of the Athlon 64 above, but without the 64 bit capabilities. - Intel Celeron 340 2.93GHz for Socket 775 - $100
The Intel Celeron has long been Intel’s value processor. With good performance they offer just enough for the user who does not require the power that something like gaming requires.
Budget - Perfect for day to day use, but probably not for games
- AMD Duron 1.8GHz for Socket A - $50
This chip has a reputation as a great value buy. It’s speed is impressive considering the price you pay for it. It is really just an Athlon XP chip with half of the cache disabled. For this reason you get a high quality older product for a good price. Socket A still has a wide range of motherboards that you can choose from, which are also good value.
Now the choice is up to you, pick the right one for your needs and enjoy.