Choosing a CPU

Choosing a CPU for your homebuilt computer is probably one of the first things you will want to do during the planning stage. The CPU you choose will affect every subsequent decision you make about the components you choose, and will be a crucial factor in how your completed machine performs.

 

64-Bit CPU's

AMD 64-bit Chips

As of this revision, 64-bit processors have pretty much become the norm. The most popular among these are AMD's Athlon 64 series.

Because all new operating system and application releases are expected to require or be optimized for 64-bit within the next year or so, it doesn't seem to make much sense not to choose 64-bit for your computer-building project. Even if you choose to install a 32-bit OS on your 64-bit machine for the time being, at least the machine will be hardware ready if and when you want to move up to 64-bit.

In the 64-bit desktop market, the reality is that AMD, not Intel, has the lead. Microsoft and most application developers are building their software based upon AMD's Athlon 64 architecture, and Intel is in the unaccustomed position of having to play catch-up.

AMD's high-end 64-bit chips are the Athlon 64 series, the Athlon 64 X2 dual-core series, and the Athlon 64 FX series. AMD also offers a lower-end 64-bit solution in the Sempron 64 series. These chips are very different from each other, and which one is best for you depends on your computing needs.

Just thinking about writing a section describing all these differences could easily give me a headache, especially since the field is changing so rapidly. Luckily, the nice people at AMD have been kind enough to write such a page already. Here it is.

Intel 64-bit Chips

For the time being, I'm not going to describe Intel's 64-bit chips because, frankly, I haven't had enough experience with them to feel competent doing so. I started using AMD chips when I first started building PC's, and I've always be happy, so I've stuck with them.

But I do want to say that Intel also makes outstanding processors. I have a laptop that runs on the Core Duo, and it's a speedy, stable chip. But this site is for people who want to build their own computers, and until I build a PC around an Intel 64-bit chip, I just don't feel competent to comment on them.

Maybe someone at Intel will read this and send me (for free, of course) one of their high-end 64-bit desktop chips, along with one of their best motherboards, and then I'll build a PC around it, review it, and tell you how great it is. :-)

But until then, in the interest of fairness, here's a link to Intel's 64-bit page.

 

32-Bit CPU's

Note: Frankly, I'm not sure why anyone would build a 32-bit machine when 64-bit is here, but I decided to leave the following rather outdated information on the page, just in case that's what some of you want to do.

The four most popular 32-bit CPU's among home computer builders are two each from AMD and Intel. Conveniently, each company's higher-end and lower-end offerings are rather comparable to the other's. But Intel's chips tend to be a bit more expensive than AMD's offerings within the same performance range.

Higher-End CPU's (32-bit)

These CPU's offer advanced features and capabilities that enable them to power computers used for processor-intensive work such as gaming, audio or video editing, photo or graphics manipulation, or 3-D applications such as CAD/CAM programs. They are somewhat more expensive than the lower-end CPU's; but if you ever plan to use your computer for processor-intensive duties like the ones mentioned, then you really shouldn't skimp in the CPU department.

Lower-End ("value") CPU's (32-bit)

When we say "lower-end," we're not speaking in terms of quality. Both of these processors are solid, durable CPU's that are built to last. They are lower-end offerings only because of their features, not their inherent quality. They are economical choices for computers that will be used only for less processor-intensive duties such as surfing the web, sending and receiving email, and most office applications.

AMD's value CPU offering is called the Sempron. Available in clock speeds up to 2.0 GHz that deliver benchmark speeds of up to 3.1 GHz, the Sempron features a 333 MHz front-side bus, as much as 512K of onboard cache, HyperTransport technology, 3D-Now! Professional technology, and an onboard DDR memory controller on some models.

Intel's value CPU is called the Celeron. Available in several models and at clock speeds up to 3 GHz, Celerons designed for desktops feature up to 512K of L2 cache and front-side bus speeds of up to 533 MHz. (There are also several Celeron models designed for laptops, which bear the Celeron M designation.)

Getting Started