Which is the best PC (processor) available on the market?

Question

I'm not talking Apple. And...should I wait for the release of Windows Vista to buy a new PC?

Answer 1

First of all, I would be wary of getting Vista just yet. As with all new operating systems, there are bugs and also there will be software (you have now) that you can't run on it. Here is an excerpt of an article from PC Mag:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2009769,00.asp

Microsoft has tools available to assist you here, and it's important to use them to test all your applications and ensure that they can run in Vista before you make your move. This puts a real premium on not only knowing what applications your business runs on a "authorized" basis, but also what software some of your users may have loaded on their own in order to perform day-to-day tasks. Depending on the nature of your business, this practice may be more common than you think.

Microsoft has minimum hardware requirements on its website:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/evaluate/hardware/vistarpc.mspx

For software compatibility with Vista, check out:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/appcompat/tools.mspx

As for best processors, I think the new Intel Core 2 Duo is the one to get. Alot of the reviews are saying this:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/08/21/cpu_charts_summer_2006/

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1988736,00.asp

http://www.sharkyextreme.com/hardware/cpu/article.php/3261_3620036__12

The launch of the Core 2 processor line has hit the market with a bang, and offers up an incredible combination of performance and value, coupled with low heat and power specifications. These processors are so good, that it's difficult to highlight any real negatives. The Core 2 Extreme and Duo processors offer record-breaking performance, industry leading power specs, and are priced so that virtually anyone can afford one. It has been a long time since we have seen a processor walk over the competition like this, and we should all thank AMD for bringing out the very best from Intel, as well as proving that competition does indeed work.

Answer 2

Every time a new Operating System is released there are lots of problems that need to be patched.
Windows98 had problems and you needed to buy an upgrade to win98 Second Edition for 1394/firewire to work.
Win2000 and ME were both a joke.
XP almost immediately need 2 service packs.

VISTA looks like it will be an extremely large resource hog.
Most people will have to do major upgrades or get a whole new system to be able to run Vista. It will be a few years before there will be any real advantage to going with Vista.

Do you know what the Front Side Bus speed is of your current computer? If you can at least double the FSB speed by building a new pc then it is usually worth it. You can use a freeware program called wcpuid to find your FSB speed.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=435

The new intel core2 cpu's are very nice. Don't be too hung up on their Ghz rating. These bad boys have a FSB speed of 1066mhz. FSB speed is how fast all the different components in the machine can talk to each other.

If you'r pc is an 800mhz machine, just keep it.
If it's a 400mhz machine, just do some upgrades like memory or video card.
If you are way less than 400mhz, then it probably is time to go ahead and plan a new pc.

A very good core2 cpu will run about $200 right now. But they will only get cheaper over time.

Answer 3

When Vista comes out there will still be security issues with it and various bugs. It is now standard practise to release new software that hasn't been fully tested as the public can do the testing for the writers, and then they can issue the updates. So you may have a lot of initial problems that you won't have with XP.

As for processors, Intel have just brought out the new Due Core chip, which I hear is fastest at the moment, although I personally like the AMD chips. You would do well to allow the market to crash, often soon after Christmas and buy a slower chip at a much reduced price.

Answer 4

The three categories listed are the top performance processors, best value processors (<$250) and best budget processors (<$100). This allows users to select the CPUs best suited to their budgets.
1) AMD Performance - Athlon 64 FX-62
Previous versions of the Athlon FX processor were always single core, but the new FX-62 has updated the line to feature a dual core. This improves the processor multitasking capability while still allowing it to perform extremely well with single processor tasks such as gaming. The processor also updates the AMD platform to use faster DDR2 memory expanding the performance options opened up for those interested in overclocking the processor.

2) Intel Performance - Core 2 Extreme X6800
Intel has finally moved away from the old Pentium 4 line and created the new Core 2 for desktop system. On the high end is the new Core 2 Extreme processor that actually outperforms the AMD Athlon 64 line of processors even in gaming. This new processor doesn't come without its hefty price tag though. New to the Extreme line of processors is an unlocked multiplier that allows for greater flexibility for those looking to overclock.

3) AMD Value - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ AM2
Ever since the original release of the Athlon 64 line of processor, AMD integrated the memory controller onto the processor that limited the use to DDR memory. The new Socket AM2 design allows the processor line to be updated to use the faster DDR2 memory. Performance is not much different currently than the older Socket A designs, but prices have come down dramatically making the higher models such as the 4600+ much more affordable.

4) Intel Value - Core 2 Duo E6400
There is a lot of buzz surrounding the performance of the new Core 2 Duo processors from Intel and their performance relative to AMDs processors. Unfortunately the new processors carry a pretty high price tag. The Core 2 Duo E6400 still falls into the value category because it has only half the cache of the higher rated models. This does limit the performance somewhat but it is still evenly matched with the AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual core processors.

5) AMD Budget - Athlon 64 3500+ AM2
After the release of the Core 2 Duo, AMD announced a large number of price cuts and this has been a boon to those looking for computing on a budget. Now the latest AMD socket AM2 processors can be found for under $100, including the Athlon 64 3500+. This single core processor still performs extremely well for most computing tasks including gaming. The Socket AM2 design also allows the processor to use the faster DDR2 memory.

6) Intel Budget - Intel Pentium D 805
While Intel's budget processor don't quite meet up to the performance levels of the chips offered by AMD, it is possible to pick up a dual core processor for under $100. With the Core 2 Duo released, Intel is pricing the older Pentium D chips much lower to clear out their inventory. While the Pentium D 805 won't break any speed barriers it does allow budget computers to multitask better than previous single core options.

Answer 5

The most powerful processor currently available is the Intel Core 2 Extreme.

I don't think you should wait for Vista. It is a huge resource hog and the current release candidate still has alot of problems. It also has alot of compatibility issues with hardware and software.

Right now I'd strongly suggest you stick with a Windows XP machine. It's been around for a while and is compatible with almost everything.

Answer 6

any amd athlon64 procesors are plenty capable of doing any task a pc needs to do,the main part of a p.c you need to concentrate on is ram(memory),ecspecially with vista around the corner,i tried it ona pc with 764mb ram which is 256mb over the min ram,and it ran just ok,not brilliant
in any pc today i recommend at least 1gb ram(2gb if possible),as todays processors will not work with anything less than this,its no good getting a intel core duo processor,the newest chip out,and then running it on a p.c with 512mb ram,it will just make the processor crawl
in my opinion,the best chips out at the moment are the intel core duo,s(3.0ghz),and the amd fx-60 processors,the later being the best.ecspecially for gaming
with regards to vista,i wouldnt even try it until a year after its release,so that will be feb 2008,so you may as well get a new p.c now(top specs) and then buy the vista upgrade in 2008.giving you time to upgrade ram and graphics to meet vista s needs
good luck

Answer 7

really depends on your preference Intel vs AMD

I like AMD but Intel core Duo is a fast chip also.

AMD 64 4200+ X2 processors are coming down in price.
If you get a new processor make certain It is a 64 bit processor so that you don't have to upgrade when vista actually gets stable.

with AMD use a AM2 Chip for more speed at same price as 939 chip.

look at the X2 if you like to have lots of programs running.

if you are gaming a faster processor is usually better than a dual core since you want max speed for one program.

Answer 8

AMD duo core is rated fastest today. Intel has new dual cores also. If you are a gamer, then you will want these faster cpu's . AND you will want a serious video board with as much memory as you can get. IF you are NOT a gamer, then take advantage of the dropping prices in Intel CPU's....there is little sense in having more power than you need in a computer. Vista's release has be delayed by a lot....that means there are many, many bugs in it. XP has been very stable in my hands, both in individual computers and networks. Your decision. Good luck

Answer 9

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Answer 10

intel 2.8 duo