PC Hardware in a Nutshell, Second Edition

Choosing a Processor

The processor you choose determines how fast the system runs, and how long it will provide subjectively adequate performance before you need to replace the processor or the system itself. Buying a processor just fast enough to meet current needs means that you’ll have to upgrade in a few months. But processor pricing has a built-in law of diminishing returns. Spending twice as much on a processor doesn’t buy twice the performance. In fact, you’ll be lucky to get 25% more performance for twice the money. So although it’s a mistake to buy too slow a processor, it’s also a mistake to buy one that’s too fast. Consider the following issues when choosing a processor:

Horizon

What kind of applications do you run and how long do you want the system to be usable without requiring an upgrade? If you run mostly standard productivity applications and don’t upgrade them frequently, a low- to low/midrange Celeron or Duron may still be fast enough a year or more after you buy it. If you run cutting-edge games or other demanding applications, buy a midrange or faster processor initially, and expect to replace it every six months to a year. But expect to pay a price for remaining on the bleeding edge.

Hassle

Do you mind upgrading your system frequently? If you don’t mind replacing the processor every year, you can get most of the performance of a high-end system at minimal cost by replacing the processor every year or so with the then-current midrange processor.

Trade-offs

If you’re ...