The secret to buying a CPU

Whether you upgrade your existing system or build a new PC, the CPU still plays a very important role. Higher clock speeds and core counts can make a big difference in overall performance, provide a modern system, play games smoothly and complete tasks more quickly, like editing. video and transcoding. In addition, the CPU you choose will also dictate the motherboard options, since each processor only works with a specific CPU socket and chipset set.

Also, like most aspects of consumer technology, you'll have to decide whether to buy the best processor available or wait to see what the next generation chip delivers. AMD's Ryzen 3000 CPUs are now available, but Ryzen 7 37000X and Ryzen 5 3600 still make a great impression. The 16-core Ryzen 9 3950X promises to bring even more performance when it comes out (expected in November).

While waiting for AMD's new flagship, there has been a lot of new news about the CPU. Intel said the 5GHz Core i9-9900KS was promised in October and users were able to test the model, although it is still unknown how much the final product will cost.

If you already know a lot of CPU specs and want recommendations, check out the best CPU options for gaming and the best AMD CPUs that TipsMake.com has suggested. But no matter which desktop processor you have, here are some things to keep in mind.

TLDR

1. You won't be wrong if you choose AMD or Intel : For the average user, provided that you are considering new generation parts (AMD Ryzen 3000 or 9th Gen Intel), the competition is in balance, in which Intel is slightly better at playing some games at 1080p (mainly thanks to the higher clock rates) and AMD handles tasks like video editing faster.
2. Speed ​​is more important than cores : Higher clock speeds lead to more efficient performance in simple, common tasks like gaming, while having more cores will help you solve the mass. The work takes time faster.
3. Choose the latest generation : You will not save a lot of money in the long run by using the older generation chip.
4. Have enough budget for a full system : Do not pair the CPU with memory, RAM and weak graphics.
5. Overclocking is not an option for everyone : For most people, it makes more sense to spend extra cash to buy a more advanced chip.

AMD or Intel: Which one should you buy?

Until 2017, AMD was still the underdog. But with the Ryzen / Threadripper 2000 series chip, the company has achieved a performance parity with Intel. And when dealing with workloads that require a lot of cores, AMD's latest Ryzen 3000 CPUs are already ahead, especially considering the security patches that have been around for the past year or so. Some fans will have a strong opinion, but if you don't take the brand or the brand too seriously, you should be open to either of these vendors.

Intel still holds the leading position in 1080p gaming for some games, if you're looking to extract most of the possible frames per second out of the graphics card, to display on the screen with a refresh rate. high. But AMD has narrowed the gap significantly with its new Zen2 architecture, as well as tends to provide more cores and threads, making its CPU better for professional-level video editing.

Refer to the article: Which CPU should I choose: Intel or AMD? For more details.

What do you want to do with your CPU?

Spend as much as you can on the CPU, but you should save money on other components. Determine the type of processor and maximum budget based on what you need a computer to handle.

1. Basic mission : Range of $ 50 - $ 100 (1,150,000 - 2,300,000 VND). If you just want a chip that allows you to watch videos, browse the web and perform basic productivity tasks, like word processing and spreadsheets, then a basic chip with 2 or 4 cores might be what you want. need. But if you often have to do more than one of those basic tasks at the same time, it's better to choose a more advanced model. Consider a Ryzen 3, like AMD Ryzen 3 1300X or AMD Ryzen 3 2200G, or Intel Pentium in the high-end segment and an Intel Celeron or chip like AMD's Athlon 200GE at the low end.
2. Game play : Range of $ 150 - $ 250 (3,000,000 - 7,000,000VND). If you're primarily concerned with gaming performance, you need at least a mid-range Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 CPU. In gaming, a graphics card is more important than a processor, you can save money by not choosing a more powerful Core i7 or Ryzen 7 chip.
3. Jobs related to creation or overclocking : Range of $ 250 - $ 350 (7,000,000 - 8,000,000 VND). If you want more cores or higher speeds for things like video editing or need a fast system, capable of handling computing tasks in the future, use a Core i7, Core i9 or Ryzen chip 7. These are also the chips you need to consider if you want to overclock, though AMD's inferior Ryzen chips can also overclock.