Choosing a CPU is all about finding the perfect balance between yourbudget and needs. You definitely wouldn’t want to compromise performance just for a slight difference in price.
It’s essential to understand thebasic processor specifications, at the least.Generation,clock speed,cores,threads,cache, andTDPall play crucial roles in determining CPU performance.
Along with that, getting to know thememory and graphics supportis also important. Only then should you consider whatRAID levels,USB versions,PCIe lanes, and other features the processor supports.
When choosing a CPU that has the best price-to-performance ratio, it mainly depends onwhat you’re going to do.
Here are my general recommendations on the processor specs that would be ideal for the specified tasks:
First, Understand Your Needs
The first question is—are youbuilding a new PCor just trying to upgrade to the latest CPU generation?
Your option is further narrowed if you’re already equipped with a motherboard. The processor you choose should becompatible with all the other components—primarily the motherboard.
But if it’s the other way around, choosing the appropriate CPU is the first thing to do. Based on this choice, you now need to shop for other compatible components (motherboard, RAM, graphics card, etc.).
The next question is—what are you going to do with your rig?Gaming,streaming,multi-tasking,editing, or acombination of these tasks? You’ll likely find a range of products that matches your demand.
Take a quick peek at the below chart on how I have chosen the best processor for different builds.
As you may see, there’s no compulsion in choosing the most recent CPU. If it satisfies your demands and comes at the planned budget, you may go for it!
However, if you’re looking to build a server or workstation, there are dedicated CPUs for that as well. For instance, Intel offersXeonprocessors and AMDs haveThreadrippers.
Also, there areAMD Athlon,Intel Celeron, andIntel Pentiumprocessors. All are popular among budget users but are comparatively slower than Ryzen and Core.
Compatibility With Motherboard
