What is the Best Computer Processor
If you are asked to name one prime factor that affects the performance of a computer most, what would it be? Unarguably, that factor is the operation speed of your computer's processor. The processor is the brain of your PC and opting for a faster processor, enhances processor speed substantially.
Makings of the Best Computer Processor
What are the features that mark the best processor in the market? Let me try and answer this question. One of the prime parameters for evaluating the performance speed of any computer chip, is its clocking frequency. Higher the clocking frequency, higher the processing speed of the chip. Another factor is the number of cores and number of threads. More cores translate into more transistors on the chip and consequently more processing power. As a quad core vs dual core comparison will reveal, more number of cores enhances the processing speed substantially. The development of hyperthreading technology has made this possible for software programs to utilize the processing power of multiple cores simultaneously.
More the number of threads, better is the multitasking ability of the chip. Next what matters is the L2 and L3 cache sizes. A processor cache is the working memory of the processor where bits of frequently required data are stored for easy access. The more the size of these caches, faster is the processor's operation. Also, if the processor has a separate integrated GPU, the graphic performance of the PC is enhanced substantially. What matters the most is the technology that can synergize the power offered by multiple cores to provide excellent overall performance. There are two prime chip makers in the market today. The market leader is Intel, followed by AMD.
Which is the Best Processor to Buy?
As I said before, there are two prime brands in the form of Intel and AMD, that manufacture processors. As revealed by a head to head AMD vs Intel chips comparison, Intel is currently miles ahead of AMD in terms of technology. Not surprisingly, the best processor in the market is one from the Intel ultra high-end line, which I talk about, in the next section.
Intel Core i7 980X
Currently, the best computer chip on the market is the Intel core i7 980X. With a 32 nm architecture, the Intel core i7 980X has 6 cores and 12 threads in all! Forget quad core or dual core, the age of six core processors has dawned. With a 12 MB smart cache and 3.6 GHz of maximum clocking frequency, this is a beast of a processor, that can take multitasking to a whole new level. If you want the best in business and money is no issue, go for the i7 980X! This chip can bring out the best performance out of your computer hardware. It is priced at around $999. As an AMD Phenom II vs Intel i7 comparison would reveal, the former is the closest competitor to Intel's power chip so far.
Budget Choices
High-end processors like Intel core i7 980X can be overkill for the average user who needs it for basic applications. Also, the price of the top line Intel chip is too high. Here are the 'also ran' in the best processor race, which are nevertheless some of the best performing processors in their price range categories. These are the best processors to buy on a limited budget.
The processors listed above offer the highest processing speeds on the planet currently. These chips offer performance which can match the supercomputers of recent past. Software manufacturers are still catching up to fully utilize the power of multicore processors. If you want the best performing computer in the market, you know which processor to opt for currently!
