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Budget processor for games. What is the best processor for a gaming computer

The heart of a computer is called the processor (processor), which is its main data processing device. The part looks like a chipset and is responsible for computing processes. How to choose a processor for a computer is the most important issue when buying equipment. The overall speed of the system largely depends on the performance of this part. In order not to regret your purchase, choose components based on their characteristics.

Main characteristics of the processor

Manufacturer. There are two main competitors that produce processors for computers - these are AMD and Intel. The second firm is considered a leader in developing cutting-edge technologies. The main advantage of AMD over Intel is relatively low prices. Moreover, the products of the first are inferior to the second in productivity slightly (on average, by 10%), but the cost is 1.5-2 times lower.
What is the clock speed of a processor? This parameter determines how many operations the device can perform per second. What the processor frequency affects: a high indicator of this characteristic promises fast data processing by the computer. The parameter is considered one of the most important when choosing a device. How to find out the frequency in Windows: you need to right-click the properties menu on the "My Computer" icon.
Number of Cores. This indicator affects the number of programs that can be run on a PC without losing its performance. Older computer models are equipped with quad-core or dual-core processors. New devices released during the last years have 6- and 8-core parts. However, if software optimized for a dual-core PC, more cores will not speed it up. On the part box, you can see an alphanumeric marking, the decoding of which will provide data on the number of cores.
Frequency system bus. The characteristic indicates the speed of the flows of incoming or outgoing information. The higher the score, the faster the exchange of information.
cache memory. A large role in the operation of the PC is played by the processor cache, which has the form of a high-speed memory block. The part is located directly on the core and is necessary to improve performance. Thanks to it, data processing is faster than in the case of RAM. There are 3 levels of cache memory - from L1 to L3. The first two have small volumes, but the third ones confidently win, providing for a large capacity - due to the speed of work.
Connector type (socket). This characteristic is not considered paramount, but it has a certain relevance when choosing a device. The socket is the "socket" on the motherboard that the processor is placed in, so it must be compatible with the part chosen. For example, if the socket is labeled AMZ, you need a corresponding connector on the motherboard. Latest Models equipped modern types"nests" and often have improved characteristics (bus frequency and others).
Power consumption and cooling. Powerful modern devices have a negative impact on the power consumption of the computer. To avoid overheating of parts and their breakdown, special fans (coolers) are used. For use the TDP indicator, indicating the amount of heat required in the outlet. Based on this value, a specific model of the cooling system is selected.

What is the difference between AMD and Intel

A frequently asked question among those wishing to purchase a processor is: "Which is better AMD or Intel?". The main difference is the hyper-strength technology and the increased computational pipeline that Intel models have. Thanks to this, devices perform a number of tasks faster: archive files, encode video, and perform other tasks. Parts from AMD cope with the listed tasks just as well, but they spend more time on it. Everyone determines for himself: which processor is better than Intel or AMD.

To simplify the choice, check out the advantages of products from both manufacturers. Comparison of AMD and Intel processors:

Intel Benefits	Advantages of AMD
High speed PC	The optimum ratio of price and quality
Economical power consumption	System stability
High performance in games	multitasking
Core i7 and i3 multithreading gives extra performance	Ability to speed up processes by 5-20%
Perfectly tuned work with RAM	Multiplatform (the ability to assemble a PC from parts of different generations of AMD)

Which processor to choose for a computer

The answer to the question posed depends on the tasks that the PC will have to perform. So, when choosing gaming computer attention should be paid to the graphics card model, since the graphics adapter is responsible for supporting certain technologies and performance levels in games. However, without a properly matched CPU, the graphics card will not reveal its potential. Less demanding parts are suitable for working with other programs or using a PC in the office.

For games

How to choose a processor for a gaming computer? There are a number of requirements for a "gaming" PC. The device must be able to process at least four data streams. The test results proved that Intel technology Hyper-Treading increases the number of frames per second. Experts consider the Intel Core i5 models optimal for a gaming PC. Parts from AMD show less performance. If in the line from Intel 4-core devices cope with their tasks, then their competitors show the same result with 8-core counterparts. What processor to choose for games?

Top gaming devices:

Intel Core-i5 Ivy Bridge (quad-core);
Intel Core i5-4440 Haswell (quad-core);
AMD FX-8350 Vishera (octa-core).

For home or office use

Browsers and other programs necessary for office work need an impressive volume random access memory, but practically do not load the hard disk and processor. So choose better computer with a large amount of memory. However, processor performance should not be neglected either. According to the test results, good decision will be models from the Intel Core i3 or i5 lines.

List of budget devices for the office:

Intel Celeron G1820;
AMD ATHLON II X2 255;
AMD ATHLON II X4 750K;
AMD A8-6600K.

To work with demanding programs

This category includes parts whose function is to ensure the fast operation of demanding programs, for example, video, graphic editors, etc. Devices of this type are expensive components and are characterized by maximum performance. This category of processors is often of interest to gamers who want to achieve best quality images while playing.

Review best devices for demanding programs:

AMD FX-8350 (8-core). Ideal for games and other programs designed for . Differs in speed and justified price.
Intel i7-4770 (4-core). Runs games at the highest settings, works fast, perfectly optimized for Intel graphics cards.

Rating of the best processors for PC in 2019

Intel Core i7-990x. Ideal for the latest generation gaming PC. The device is designed for socket 1366, equipped with 6 cores, has a frequency of 3.46 GHz and 12 megabytes of cache memory. Approximate cost: 38,000 rubles.
Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition. One of the most popular models. Equipped with 6 cores, has 15 MB cache and 3.5 GHz clock frequencies. Works great with any new demanding games and programs. Approximate cost: 46,000 rubles.
Intel Core i5-4690K. An inexpensive model will show excellent results in terms of performance. If we compare the i5-4690K with other devices, it stands out due to its price / quality ratio. The processor is equipped with a cache memory of the third level, has a clock speed of 3.5 GHz and 4 cores. Approximate cost: 22,000 rubles.
AMD FX-9370. Most powerful processor AMD has a new socket AM3 + and 8 cores, developing a maximum frequency of up to 4.4 GHz. The model is equipped with 8 MB of cache memory, which allows you to improve the performance of your PC and use any programs, games. Approximate cost: 20-22 000 rubles.
Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3. The quad-core device belongs to the fourth generation of processors from Intel. It is equipped with a socket type 1150, which is considered the best among the existing ones. Clock frequency Xeon E3-1230 v3 - 3.3 GHz, cache memory is 8 MB. Approximate cost: 22,000 rubles.

2015 processor test table

To understand how to choose a processor for a computer, you should read the results of their testing. Devices are being tested based on Windows 7 (64-bit). To do this, certain programs are selected to unlock the potential of multithreading, determine whether there is support for AMD Turbo CORE (dynamic overclocking) technologies, and Intel Turbo Boost Technology, is it possible to use new SIMDs. The test results are expressed as a percentage of the performance of the fastest existing device with a 100% result.

Summary table of processor performance:

Name	Result
Intel Core i7-5930K BOX
Intel Core i7-4960X Extreme
Intel Core i7-4960X Extreme BOX
Intel Core i7-5820K BOX
Intel Core i7-4790K
Intel Core i7-4790K BOX
Intel Core i7-4790
Intel Core i7-4790 BOX

Intel Core i7-4820K BOX
Intel Xeon E3-1240 V2

Intel Xeon E3-1230 V2

If you want to buy a processor, you should study its characteristics. For example, in pursuit of frequency, many people forget about the features of the kernel of a particular manufacturer, which negatively affects the performance of the computer. To be satisfied with the purchase, it is necessary to take into account the parameters of the device and its compatibility with other parts. Learn how to choose the right processor for your computer by watching the suggested video.

Did you find an error in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we'll fix it!

For an office, home or gaming computer, it is not so difficult to choose the right processor. You just need to decide on the needs, a little orientation in the characteristics and price ranges. It makes no sense to thoroughly study the smallest nuances if you are not a “geek”, but you need to understand what to pay attention to.

For example, you can look for a processor with a higher frequency and cache memory, but without paying attention to the chip core, you can get into a mess. The core, in fact, is the main performance factor, and the rest of the characteristics are plus or minus. In general terms, I can say that the more expensive the product in the line of one manufacturer, the better, more powerful, faster it is. But AMD processors are cheaper than those of Intel.

The processor should be chosen depending on the tasks. If in normal mode you have about two resource-intensive programs running, then it is better to buy a dual-core “stone” with a high frequency. If more threads are used, it is better to opt for a multi-core of the same architecture, even if with a lower frequency.
Hybrid processors (with an integrated graphics card) will save on the purchase of a graphics card, provided that you do not need to play fancy games. These are almost all modern Intel and AMD processors of the A4-A12 series, but AMD has a stronger graphics core.
A cooler must be supplied with all processors marked "BOX" (of course, a simple model, which is not enough for high loads, but it's what you need to work in the nominal mode). If you need a cool cooler, then .
Processors marked "OEM" are covered by a one-year warranty, while BOX is covered by a three-year warranty. If the warranty period provided by the store is shorter, it is better to think about looking for another distributor.
In some cases, it makes sense to buy a percentage from the hands, so you can save about 30% of the amount. True, this method of purchase is associated with a certain risk, so you need to pay attention to the availability of a guarantee and the reputation of the seller.

Main technical characteristics of processors

Now about some characteristics, which are still worth mentioning. It is not necessary to delve into, but it will be useful to understand my recommendations for specific models.

Each processor has its own socket (platform), i.e. the name of the connector on the motherboard for which it is intended. Whichever processor you choose, be sure to look at socket matching. On the this moment there are several platforms.

LGA1150 - not for top processors, used for office computers, gaming and home media centers. Integrated graphics entry level, except for Intel Iris/Iris Pro. Already out of circulation.
LGA1151 is a modern platform, recommended for a future upgrade to newer "stones". The processors themselves are not much faster than the previous platform, i.e., it makes no sense to upgrade to it. But on the other hand, there is a more powerful integrated graphics core of the series. Intel Graphics, DDR4 memory is supported, but it does not provide a strong performance gain.
LGA2011-v3 is a top platform designed for building high-performance desktop systems based on system logic Intel X299, expensive, outdated.
LGA 2066 (Socket R4) - socket for HEDT (Hi-End) Intel processors of Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X architecture, replaced 2011-3.

AM1 for weak, energy efficient processors
AM3+ is a common socket, suitable for most AMD processors, incl. for high-performance processors without an integrated video core
AM4 is designed for microprocessors with Zen microarchitecture (Ryzen brand) with and without integrated graphics, and all subsequent ones. Added support for DDR4 memory.
FM2/FM2+ for budget Athlon X2/X4 without integrated graphics.
sTR4 is a socket type for the HEDT family of Ryzen Threadripper microprocessors. Similar to server sockets, the most massive and for desktop computers.

There are outdated platforms that you can buy to save money, but keep in mind that new processors will no longer be made for them: LGA1155, AM3, LGA2011, AM2 / +, LGA775 and others that are not on the lists.

The name of the kernel. Each line of processors has its own kernel name. For example, Intel currently has Sky Lake, Kaby Lake and the latest coffee lake eighth generation. AMD has Richland, Bulldozer, Zen. The higher the generation, the more high-performance chip, at lower power consumption, and the more technologies are introduced.

Number of Cores: from 2 to 18 pieces. The bigger, the better. But there is such a moment: programs that do not know how to distribute the load among the cores will run faster on a dual-core with a higher clock frequency than on a 4-core, but at a lower frequency. In short, if there is no clear technical task, then the rule works: more is better, and the further, the more correct it will be.

Process technology, measured in nanometers, for example - 14nm. Does not affect performance, but does affect CPU heating. Each new generation of processors is manufactured according to a new process technology with a smaller nm. This means that if you take a processor of the previous generation and about the same new one, then the latter will heat up less. But, since new products are made faster, they heat up in about the same way. That is, process improvements enable manufacturers to make faster processors.

Clock frequency, measured in gigahertz, for example - 3.5 GHz. Always the more - the better, but only within the same series. If you take an old Pentium with a frequency of 3.5 GHz and some new one, then the old one will be many times slower. This is due to the fact that they have completely different nuclei.

Almost all "stones" are capable of accelerating, i.е. operate at a higher frequency than the one indicated in the specifications. But this is a topic for those who understand, because. you can burn the processor or get a non-working system!

Cache size 1, 2 and 3 levels, one of the key characteristics, the more, the faster. The first level is the most important, the third is less significant. Directly depends on the kernel and series.

TDP- dissipated thermal power, well, or how much at maximum load. A lower number means less heat. Without clear personal preferences, this can be ignored. Powerful processors consume 110-220 watts of electricity in the load. You can see the diagram of the approximate power consumption of Intel and AMD processors under normal load, the less the better:

Model, series: does not apply to the characteristics, but nevertheless I want to tell you how to understand which processor is better within the same series, without really delving into the characteristics. Processor name, for example " consists of a series Core i3" and model numbers "8100". The first digit means the line of processors on some core, and the next ones are its “performance index”, roughly speaking. So we can guess that:

Core i3-8300 is faster than i3-8100
i3-8100 is faster than i3-7100
But the i3-7300 will be faster than the i3-8100, despite the lower series, because 300 strongly more than 100. I think you get the point.

The same goes for AMD.

Will you play on the computer?

The next point that you need to decide in advance: the gaming future of the computer. For Farm Frenzy and other simple online games, any built-in graphics will do. If buying an expensive video card is not included in the plans, but you want to play, then you need to take a processor with a normal graphics core Intel Graphics 530/630/Iris Pro, AMD Radeon RX Vega Series. Even modern games will run in Full HD 1080p resolution at minimum and medium graphics quality settings. You can play World of Tanks, GTA, Dota and others.

If so, then it makes sense to take a processor without integrated graphics at all, and save on it (or get more power for the same price). The circle can be narrowed like this:

AMD has FX series processors for the AM3+ platform and A12/10/8/6/4 hybrid solutions, as well as Athlon X4 for FM2+/AM4
Intel has SkyLake and Kaby Lake series processors for LGA1151 and LGA2066 platforms and obsolete BroadWell-E for LGA2011-v3 (there are only a few models).

You also need to take into account that a powerful video card and processor need to match. I will not give clear answers to questions like “what kind of processor is needed for this video card”. This question needs to be studied independently by reading relevant reviews, tests, comparisons, forums. But I will give you a couple of suggestions.

First, you need a processor with at least 4 cores. Even more cores will not add much fps in games. At the same time, it turns out that 4-core AMD is better suited for games than 2-core Intel at the same or even lower price.

Secondly, you can navigate like this: the cost of the processor is equal to the cost of the video card. In fact, despite dozens of models, making the right choice is not difficult.

A note about AMD

The most budget line is called "Sempron". With each new generation, performance increases, but still these are the weakest processors. Recommended only for working with office documents, surfing the Internet, watching videos and music.

The company has a series of FX - these are outdated top-end chips for the AM3 + platform. Everyone has an unlocked multiplier, i.e. they are easy to overclock (if necessary). There are 4, 6 and 8 core models. Supports automatic overclocking technology - Turbo Core. Only DDR3 memory works. It is better when the platform works with DDR4.

There are also mid-range products - Athlon X4 and A4/A6/A8/A10/A12 APU line (with integrated graphics). This is for FM2/FM2+/AM4 platforms. A-series is divided into 2 and 4 cores. The power of integrated graphics is higher in older models. If the name has the letter “K” at the end, then this model comes with an unlocked multiplier, i.e. easier to overclock. Supported by Turbo Core. It makes sense to take something from the A-series, only on the condition that there will be no separate video card.

For socket AM4, the newest processors are the Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7 series. They are positioned as competitors to Intel Core i3, i5, i7. There are without built-in graphics and with it, then the letter G will be in the model name, for example AMD Ryzen A5 2400G. The top-end line with 8-16 core processors is AMD Ryzen Threadripper with a massive cooling system.

Note about Intel

The LGA1151 platform includes a complete set of models, listed in ascending order of performance: Celeron, Pentium, Core i3/i5/i7. There are economical processors, they have the letters "T" or "S" in their name. They are slower and I see no reason to put them on home computers unless there is a special need, for example for a home file storage / media center. DDR4 memory is supported, embedded video is everywhere.

The most budgetary dual-core processors with integrated graphics are Celeron, AMD's analogue of Sempron, and more powerful Pentiums. For domestic needs, it is better to install at least a Pentium.

Top LGA2066 for Skylake and Kabylake with i5/i7 and top i9 series processors. They work with DDR4 memory, have 4-18 cores on board and no integrated graphics. Unlocked multiplier.

For information:

Core i5 and i7 processors support Turbo Boost technology
Kaby Lake socket processors are not always faster than their Sky Lake predecessors. The difference in architecture can be offset by different clock speeds. As a rule, a faster processor costs a little more, even if it is Sky Lake. But Skylake accelerates well.
Iris Pro integrated graphics processors are suitable for quiet gaming builds, but they are quite expensive
processors based on the LGA1151 platform are suitable for gaming systems, but it will not make sense to install more than two video cards, because. maximum 16 lines supported PCI Express. For a complete separation, you need an LGA2011-v3 or LGA2066 socket and the corresponding pebbles.
The Xeon line is designed for servers.

Which is better AMD or Intel?

This is an eternal dispute, to which thousands of pages of forums on the Internet are devoted, and there is no definite answer to it. Both companies follow each other, but for myself I made a choice which is better. In a nutshell, AMD produces optimal budget solutions, while Intel produces more technologically advanced and expensive products. AMD rules in the low-end sector, but this company simply has no analogues to the fastest Intel processors.

Processors do not break, such as monitors or, so the question of reliability is not at issue here. That is, if you do not overclock the “stone” and use a fan no worse than a boxed (complete) one, then any processor will last for many, many years. There are no bad models, but there is a feasibility of buying depending on the price, characteristics and other factors, such as the presence of a particular motherboard.

For reference, I provide a summary table of approximate performance in games of Intel and AMD processors on a powerful GeForce GTX1080 video card, the higher -> the better:

Comparison of processors in tasks. close to everyday, normal load:

Archiving in 7-zip (less time - better result):

To independently compare different processors, I suggest using tables. So, let's move from verbosity to specific recommendations.

Processors under $40

Of course, for this money high performance should not be expected. Typically, such a processor is bought in two cases:

For an office computer that does not require high performance
For the so-called "home server" - a computer whose main purpose is to store and play video and audio files.

These PCs will run high-definition movies and simple games without any problems, but don't expect much more. AMD A4, A6 processors are suitable for working in nominal mode (the higher the model, the slightly more expensive and faster). The cheapest models from the A4 series are NOT recommended, these are slow processors with slow graphics, worse than Intel.

An excellent choice would be the Intel Celeron G3900-3930 processor (LGA1151 socket) with support for DDR4 memory and a more powerful integrated graphics core. These processors overclock well.

If you have an external video card, then you can save a little more and take the AMD Athlon A4 X2, but it's better to aim for 4 Athlon II X4 cores or, because. This processor does not have an integrated graphics core. Separately, it is worth mentioning that you should NOT pay attention to the quad-core AMD Sempron and Athlon Kabini X4 for socket AM1. These are slow processors, unsuccessful products of the company.

Up to 80$

There are a few more opportunities here, since for this amount you can buy a good quad-core. This also includes the initial kits motherboard + built-in processor. Their purpose is to ensure the stable operation of stationary computers of low and medium power. Usually they are enough for comfortable work on the Internet, but such a kit is not suitable for a serious load.

To work in the nominal mode, it is best to choose an AMD Athlon X4 processor for the AMD AM4 platform. If you need integrated graphics, then take any price you like from the AMD A8 series, or the Intel Pentium Dual-Core G4600 microprocessor for Intel platforms LGA1151.

Good performance in overclocking mode is shown by AMD FX or Athlon X4 xxxK series processors; with the letter "K". These models have an unlocked multiplier, which means they can be easily overclocked. But when buying it, you need to consider that not every motherboard is suitable for overclocking. Can be used with NVidia GTX1050Ti level graphics card.

About 120$

You can choose from an AMD quad-core APU from the Ryzen 3 series based on the AMD AM4 platform, which is suitable for creating a media center and even gaming at medium settings. These "stones" have a very good graphics card Radeon Vega R8 Series. If you look towards Intel in the price category up to $120, then there is nothing interesting, except perhaps the Pentium G5600.

To work in overclocking mode, and not only, choose the Intel i3-7100 processor. Not the best option for games, because there are only 2, but very fast cores. But the AMD FX-8350 processor with its 8 cores will come in handy. And the clock frequency can be raised from the standard 4 to 4.5 GHz.

Up to 200$

The best performance in this category is provided by Intel processors on the LGA1151 platform, although AMD is still trying to hold its ground. The best choice would be the Intel i5-7400. Despite its 4 cores, multithreading is supported up to 8. It will show good performance in games and ideal in home applications. AMD Ryzen 5 draws attention with an excellent Vega 11 graphics card.

At a slightly lower price, AMD may be more efficient in multi-threaded operations. In other words, you can take the Ryzen 5 series for games, you can save money. For other tasks where multithreading is not required, it is better to look at Intel.

Up to 280$

For nominal work, the Intel Core i5-8600 is best suited. If you need to save a little, then the i5-8500 will do. Among AMD, without hesitation, you can take the Ryzen 5 2600X. It's great LATEST processor from AMD, which makes sense to buy (and overclock;).

For work in overclocking mode, the best choice would be the Intel Core i5-8600k processor for LGA 1151, which in this case has no competitors. High frequency and unlocked multiplier make this gem ideal for gamers and overclockers. Among the processors used for overclocking, it is he who so far shows best ratio price/performance/energy consumption.

The Broadwell generation Core i5-5675C carries the most powerful Iris Pro 6200 integrated graphics card (GT3e core) on board, and at the same time it does not get very hot, because. Made in 14nm process technology. Suitable for compact and uncompromising gaming systems.

Processors starting at $400

If we talk about the best model in this price range, it is worth highlighting the Intel Core i7-8700K for the Intel LGA 1151 platform. This processor is the best for both nominal use and overclocking, and is also great for top games at high settings, at corresponding video card. Its antipode is AMD Ryzen 7 products.

If you can afford to spend more on a stone, the choice here is clear - the Intel Core i7-7820X processor for the LGA 2066 socket. For an adequate price, you will get fast 8 cores, but without integrated graphics. Yes, I think who takes such a smart guy and thinks to work on an integrated chip 🙂 There is a worthy competitor from AMD - this is the monster Ryzen Threadripper 1920X with 12 cores.

But the flagship Intel Core i9-7980XE with 18 cores is worth buying except for greater solidity, because, despite the significant difference in price (the flagship costs three times more), the processor does not come off much in terms of performance in desktop PC tasks. This animal is the sole leader in this price category, both for nominal use and for overclocking.

Is it worth changing the processor?

Unlike smartphones and tablets, the desktop and laptop industry has not seen as much progress. As a rule, the processor does not change for several years and works fine. Therefore, it is better to take his choice responsibly, preferably with a small margin.

So, processors 2 or even 3 years old are not really inferior to their modern brothers. The increase in performance, if we take similar ones at a price, is on average 20%, which is almost imperceptible in real life.

Finally, I want to give a couple of tips:

Do not chase top models with super power. If you do not play or work in highly demanding applications, then a powerful processor will only eat extra electricity and quickly become cheaper over time.
New items are not much faster than their predecessors, by 10-20%, and this is almost imperceptible in everyday work, but they are more expensive and sometimes require a replacement motherboard for installation.
When choosing a powerful processor, consider that your power supply has enough power based on the power consumption of the "stone" and the entire system unit as a whole!

The central processing unit is the heart of the computer and it is on it that the speed of computing operations depends. But the speed of work depends not only on it. With slow other components, such as a hard drive, your computer will slow down even with the coolest animal!

It seems that everything I wanted to say, now if something is not clear, ask in the comments! Only one request - do not write, such as "which processor is better than Intel i5-xxxx or amd fx-xx" and similar questions. All processors have long been tested and compared with each other. There are also ratings that include hundreds of models.

Edited: 2019-04-15

My name is Alexey Vinogradov I am the author of this wonderful site. I am fond of computers, programs, programming. Over 20 years of experience and a lot of spent nerves behind me :)

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Entering the new, 2016 year, it does not hurt to look back at the main trends and events of the past 2015, take a sober look at the PC market after all the announcements that have passed over the year, which will probably allow us to understand where the industry will move further.

In this article, we will focus on processors as a heart personal computers, because it is their release that makes manufacturers of motherboards and RAM modules adapt, to some extent setting the fashion.

Let's evaluate what's new for the year happened or appeared in the assortment of AMD and Intel, and what general trends can be caught.

AMD

"Year of the Groundhog"

Drawing analogies with the notorious film "Groundhog Day", the main character of which constantly lived the same day of his life, AMD's progress in recent years can be described in a similar way. There are announcements, there are promises, but there are no new platforms and processors.

It's scary to imagine, but the latest solutions focused on high-performance PCs (Vishera CPU, AM3 + platform) went on sale back in 2012, and since then there have been no significant changes. Except with better development The technical process has grown the frequency potential of the CPU, which made it possible to release a limited line of overclocked solutions (and even then, with a thermal package of 200 W+, and with support for an extremely limited number of motherboards). But it is precisely this state of affairs that allows Intel not to rush to qualitative leaps in performance, because "they will buy it anyway - there is nowhere to go."

If we move away from announcements that talk about future processors and focus on what was actually released over the past year in the desktop segment, only Godavari comes to mind. And what was offered to us under the guise of new APUs? And all the same good old Kaveri, released two years ago, except that the heat spreader now sits on solder, instead of the dubious quality of thermal paste. The funny thing is that when releasing the processor, the main distinguishing feature of which is presented with improved overclocking capabilities, AMD did not solve the problems with overclocking the memory and memory controller.

But it is the performance of the graphics component built into the CPU that “rests” on the RAM, which becomes an additional obstacle to realizing the capabilities of the architecture.

As a result, if we talk about the performance of the APU, then progress stopped at the Richland generation, released in the summer of 2013. Unlike Kaveri and Godavari, Richland instances are more likely to achieve stable operation at high memory frequencies (up to DDR3-2400+, while Kaveri/Godavari stop at DDR3-2133 mode), which practically eliminates the difference in processor architectures. and graphic part.

It remains only to hope for the future, and that in the new year there will be more topics for conversation. Well, we are waiting for Socket AM4, Bristol Ridge and .

Intel

Belated tick-tock

The phrase "tick-tock" can characterize the manufacturer's strategy for many years, and it consists in the gradual improvement of processors, when the new technical process is first updated and "run in", and only after that a new architecture is provided.

In fact, many users have already been waiting for a new round of development, because with the release of the Haswell line in 2013, progress has practically stopped. Subsequent series (Haswell-Refresh and Haswell-E) did not introduce qualitative changes, but only quantitative ones (more megahertz in the first case, more cores in the second), the CPU architecture and the process technology used did not change.

Last year we witnessed two announcements at once. "Tick" and "Tock" saw the light with an interval of only a month, they were made using 14 nm CPU technology, which received the names Broadwell and Skylake. Consider the announcement of each of the platforms separately.

Broadwell

These processors were not supposed to carry any architectural revolutions, they were based on the same architecture of the Haswell line, transferred to a new technical process. One could say that this is a typical "Tick", even the processor socket remained unchanged. However, differences still exist.

The graphics component has undergone major changes, the performance of which has become comparable to the older AMD APUs, or even surpasses it (although with a huge difference in the cost of processors, this cannot be called an unconditional victory). Another of the “outlandish” novelties of CPU Broadwell was the use of two crystals under the heat spreader, and not one - the second chip was a chip that provides 128 MB of productive eDRAM memory, which can be called an additional level of cache memory used by integrated graphics.

This solution was inherited from laptops, in fact, the Broadwell desktop processors themselves can be called overclocked mobile counterparts rather than a full-fledged line.

The new process technology was by no means easy for Intel: the processors came out very late and did not live up to expectations in terms of overclocking potential. A month later, a new Skylake platform appeared. As a result, the announcement of Broadwell can be considered a failure, and one can only hope for a price reduction.

skylake

Unlike Tick, there were no special problems with Tak when it was announced, because the technical process was debugged on the previous generation of processors, plus the new CPU models were simplified by returning to the roots with regards to the power subsystem.

Let me remind you that the processors of the previous stage of evolution, in the form of Haswell, Haswell-Refresh, Haswell-E and Broadwell, managed with only one voltage - the CPU Input Voltage, and all other voltages were formed by the converter built into the CPU, which reduced the load on motherboard, and allowed it to be somewhat simplified. The latter was convenient for laptops, but, ultimately, it affected the temperature nature of the processor itself, and also partially its overclocking capabilities.

Now we can see separate converters on motherboards for computing and graphics cores, for the memory controller and CPU VTT. The changes that have taken place had a positive effect on the overclocking potential of the new products, which, although it did not reach the Sandy Bridge indicators, clearly added, 4600-4700 MHz under AVX2 load (unlike Haswell) does not surprise anyone.

Another factor in the return to basics can be attributed to the "decoupling" base frequency processor from the DMI and PCI-Express buses, which made it possible to bring back to life such a method of overclocking the CPU as overclocking with the “bus”, and not with the multiplier. And finally, this was done in an honest way, and not through a change in the CPU-Strap coefficient. The last time you could overclock a CPU this way was during the Lynnfield architecture over six years ago.

When buying a new processor, gamers most often focus on the price / performance ratio. Someone does not want to spend a lot of time and buys a system unit with components, while someone, on the contrary, is more advanced and, as they say, assembles his computer on his own.

The second option is the most optimal, as it will help you save money and get decent performance.

Before buying a new processor, we face the following questions: how many cores are needed, what characteristics it has, cache memory level, clock speed. This article will answer these questions.

Features of choice

Choosing a processor for a computer is a matter in which there are many nuances. Beginners buy ready-made models, and in the future their performance in most cases is not satisfactory.

The stores mainly offer what you need to sell in the shortest possible time. You can easily be persuaded to buy that computer, which in reality can not claim the status of a gaming computer. Therefore, further we will consider all the nuances of the choice.

Manufacturer's choice

At first glance, it seems that everything is quite simple in choosing a manufacturer, since there are only two leading companies on the market: Intel and their competitor, AMD. Each of them has its pros and cons.

At the moment, the sales leader and the standard, of course, are Intel. Despite all the efforts of "AMD", in terms of sales, the former significantly overtake the latter. The reason lies not only in the marketing component and brand promotion, but also in the technical part.

But AMD does not lag behind its main competitors, they tightly occupied the niche of budget microprocessors, which is a definite plus. In the AMD product line, you can find quite powerful models in the price range from $50 to $150, which are great for gaming.

Reliability

Another important aspect in the choice is reliability. Modern Intel and AMD models are equipped with a system that can prevent overheating, which significantly eliminates the early failure of the component.

Based on practice, per thousand released processes, only one or two fail in the first months of operation. Thus, we can say that most products have a fairly high percentage of reliability and practically exclude premature failure.

Processors with integrated graphics

AMD and Intel have so-called hybrid processors in their product line. Hybrid processors are models where the processor itself and the integrated video card are directly located on the same chip.

The capabilities of the integrated video card are quite good, but they are unlikely to fit for timely games, because even at the minimum quality settings there will be freezes (not to mention medium and maximum settings quality).

Hybrids are ideal if you decide to build a computer for simple tasks, such as surfing the Internet, working with undemanding graphic editors and low-demanding games.

Hybrids are designed to reduce power consumption, minimize component heating and thus improve reliability.

They are equipped with a graphics card that has a "GDDR3" memory type, which is not known for its speed (many models modern video cards equipped with "GDDR5" memory type, which makes them more productive).

If you need a computer for simple tasks, then an integrated graphics card will be a good budget solution.

I would like to say a little more about the built-in video cards. AMD is doing much better in this regard than its competitors. Based on most tests, AMD's embedded solutions are significantly ahead of Intel's.

Thus, if you decide to purchase a hybrid that has an integrated graphics card, it is no doubt better to choose "AMD", since for games it will be a relatively good solution. If a computer is needed for tasks that do not require large computing power, then you can give preference to Intel.

Video: processor for games

Characteristics

One of the features of choosing a processor is its characteristics, which will determine the performance in demanding games.

Number of Cores

Many people think that the more cores, the better the performance will be, but this is one of several misconceptions. Performance (load operating system, the number of frames per second in games, the speed of programs) is not so much dependent on the number of cores, but also on hard drive(HDD or SSD).

Do not stick to and chase the principle: the more the better. You can assemble a fairly productive computer with a quad-core and an SSD drive on board. It is safe to say that such a bunch of components will significantly increase performance in modern games and allow you to play at high settings, provided that you have at least a mid-range game card.

Let's take for example. For undemanding applications and surfing the Internet, the Athlon II X2 will suffice. But if, for the same tasks, we take Core i3 or Core i5 or FX 4xxx, then the increase in performance in undemanding applications will not be very noticeable. You can fully experience the increase in performance in stress tests ("LinX", "AIDA64", "PassMark", "OCCT") or in resource-intensive applications ( graphic editor and games).

If you want to build a computer to perform tasks on it that do not require much computing power(working in Office, surfing the Internet, undemanding games), then it is best to purchase 2-3 cores.

If the PC is going to play games, then in this situation a minimum of 4 core processors is needed. But as we can see, for modern games released in 2014 and released in 2015, 4-6 cores are already required (to play at minimum settings).

Cache

One factor in high performance is cache memory. Microprocessors equipped with their own cache are much more productive than those without or reduced memory cache.

For example, boosting the performance of a gaming computer equipped with a processor with cache memory, the performance increase can be up to 25 percent, which is quite good.

I would like to note that when buying a new processor, you should pay attention to its cache memory. The amount of cache memory can significantly increase the performance of your computer.

Clock frequency

Many people often ask the question, what frequency should the processor have. Clock frequency is the number of operations that the processor can perform in one second. In the past, clock speed was one of the very first factors that affect performance. But at the moment this is not entirely true.

Clock speed is not a determining factor in computer performance. Performance is also affected by technologies that modern processors use (Hyper-Threading).

Chipset Technologies

Most modern processor models are equipped with special technologies that significantly improve performance.

Hyper Threading

Hyper-Threading is a technology implemented in Intel products."Hyper Threading" in simple terms, represents each physical core as two logical ones.

Photo: Hyper-Threading - splitting the core

Thus, it turns out when performing a certain logical operation, the processor does not fully use its resources and, thus, some of them are idle. Just the same, "Hyper-Threading" allows you to use these most unused resources to process parallel operations.

Of course, you should not count on the fact that "Hyper-Threading" will increase the performance of the computer quite strongly, but the increase in performance will be quite noticeable (it will be especially noticeable in games).

TurboBoost or TurboCore

TurboBoost technology implemented by Intel. "TurboBoost" automatically increases the nominal clock speed. Increasing the frequency is only possible if the power limit is not exceeded. "TurboBoost" significantly increases the performance of applications that have one or more threads.

"TurboCore" technology implemented by AMD "TurboCore", as in the case of Intel's "TurboBoost" allows you to automatically increase the clock speed. The main objective of TurboCore technology is to dynamically increase the performance of individual cores.

With the help of "TurboCore", each core gets an increase to the nominal clock frequency of up to 500 MHz, which will help to significantly increase the speed of the computer.

Which processor is best for games winter 2014 - 2015

We have come to the most important thing, which processor for games is better in the winter of 2014-2015. For convenience, the processors will be divided into several groups: "Budget", "Average", "Powerful".

Budget

AMD Athlon II X3 455

A budget and quite productive model with a high nominal clock frequency of 3.3 GHz. AMD Athlon II X3 455 is also characterized by a rather high overclocking potential.

Main characteristics:

architecture - "Rana";
number of cores - 3;
nominal clock frequency - 3.3 GHz;
cache L1 / L2 - 128 KB / 1536 KB;
socket-AM3.

The cost is $35 (2300 rubles).

Photo: AMD Athlon II X3 455 processor

Athlon II X4 750K

The budget model is characterized by a fairly low cost, but at the same time, it has a fairly high performance. Another undoubted advantage of the Athlon II X4 750K is its good overclocking potential.

Athlon Key Features:

architecture - "Trinity";
number of cores - 4;
nominal clock frequency - 3.4 GHz;
cache L1 / L2 - 48 KB / 4096 KB;
socket-FM2.

The cost is $50 (3500 rubles).

Intel Pentium G3420 Haswell

Intel Pentium G3420 Haswell - Intel Pentium™ is one of the oldest products of Intel, but, nevertheless, is still on the market and occupies a significant niche. Pentium G3420 Haswell is a new solution that provides a good performance boost.

Main characteristics:

architecture - "Haswell";
number of cores - 2;
nominal clock frequency - 3.2 GHz;
cache L1/L2/L3 -64 KB/512 KB/3072 KB;
socket-LGA1150/

The cost is $55 (3800 rubles).

Intermediate level

Powerful enough six-core, providing optimal performance in today's games.

Main characteristics:

architecture - "Vishera";
number of cores - 6;
nominal clock frequency - 3.5 GHz;
cache L1 / L2 / L3 - 48 KB / 6144 KB / 8192 KB;
socket-AM3+.

The cost is $80 (5500 rubles).

Built on the "Vishera" architecture. It has 8 physical cores and a high clock speed. AMD FX-8350 is the best amd gaming processor 2014-2015.

Main characteristics:

number of cores - 8;
nominal clock frequency - 4.0 GHz;
cache L1 / L2 / L3 - 48 KB / 8192 KB / 8192 KB;
socket-AM3+.

The cost is $130 (9000 rubles).

Productive solution from Intel. Powerful quad-core, will provide excellent performance in modern games. Built on the "Haswell" architecture.

Main characteristics:

A quad core with a fairly good overclocking potential is based on the Haswell architecture. As practice shows, the Core i5-4690K provides maximum performance in games of 2014 - 2015.

Main characteristics:

Powerful

The Intel Core i7-3770K is the top-end, built on the Ivy Bridge architecture. Provides maximum performance in games at high graphics settings.

Main characteristics:

architecture - "Haswell";
number of cores - 4;
integrated graphics core - HD Graphics 4000
cache L1/L2/L3 -64 KB/1024 KB/8192 KB;
socket - LGA1155;

The average retail price is $305 (21,000 rubles).

The question of which processor is best for intel games can be answered as follows. For high gaming performance best solution will become the Intel Core i7-5930K Extreme Edition class. One of the features of the Core i7-5930K is support for LGA2011-v3 sockets and DDR4 SDRAM memory.

The product is based on the Haswell-E microarchitecture.

Main characteristics:

number of cores - 6;
nominal clock frequency - 3.5 GHz;
integrated graphics core - absent;
cache L1/L2/L3 -64 KB/1536 KB/15360 KB;
socket - LGA2011-3;
technology support - Hyper-Threading.

The average retail price is $652 (45,000 rubles).

The flagship product from AMD, built on the Vishera architecture. Eight cores and a high clock speed will provide the best performance in today's games.

Main characteristics:

number of cores - 8;
nominal clock frequency - 4.7 GHz;
cache L1 / L2 / L3 - 48 KB / 8192 KB / 8192 KB;
socket-AM3+.

The average retail price is $220 (15,000 rubles).

Table of performance and price ratio

Microprocessor name	Performance test	Retail price	The ratio of performance and price. The higher the number, the more profitable the purchase of the product
Budget models winter 2014-2015
Athlon II X3 455	0,231	2300 rubles	99
Athlon II X4 750K	0,245	3500 rubles	70
Pentium G3420	0, 235	3800 rubles	63
Medium models winter 2014-2015
FX-6300	0,368	5500 rubles	72
FX-8350	0,545	9000 rubles	61
Core i5-3330	0,416	11000 rubles	42
Core i5-4690K	0,526	15000 rubles	37
Powerful models winter 2014-2015
Core i7-3770K	0,605	21000 rubles	30
Core i7-5930K	0,925	45000 rubles	27
FX-9590	0,616	15000 rubles	51

This article reviewed the best processors for a gaming computer in 2014-2015.

Carefully study the test results so that in the future there are no performance problems. Do not forget to assemble a productive computer, you need to pay attention to other components (video card, RAM, and others).

Highlights of 2015

Despite the fact that we started this material with complaints about the fact that there are not so many significant events in the PC processor market, this does not mean at all that the industry is stagnant. In 2015, Intel released two generations of 14nm desktop processors, one of which, however, received an unprecedented short life cycle. AMD, meanwhile, was slowly developing its Kaveri line of hybrid processors and at the same time also introduced another, this time the final, version of the Bulldozer architecture, which, however, found its place in processors exclusively for the mobile market. Let's take a closer look at how this all happened.

So, at the beginning of 2015, Intel introduced the Broadwell generation processors, focused on thin and light laptops. These processors were the next tick in the tick-tock development cycle and, in fact, their main advantage was the transition to a modern 14nm process and numerous optimizations aimed at improving efficiency. At the same time, Intel wanted to conduct an experiment with the Broadwell processor design: it was initially focused on mobile and ultra-mobile solutions, and full-fledged desktop processors based on it were not planned at all. However, under pressure from customers, these plans were subsequently amended, and based on Broadwell, CPU models for desktop systems were nevertheless created. However, this led to a delay in the process of bringing them to the market, which was also seriously affected by production problems with 14-nm technology, which for a long time failed to obtain an acceptable yield of suitable crystals. As a result, desktop Broadwells were released only in June, that is, almost a year after the announcement of the first mobile processors based on this microarchitecture, which were included in the Core M family.

As a result, Broadwell's entry into the desktop processor market took place at a time when the next generation CPU - Skylake - was only a couple of months away. Intel has attempted to separate these novelties by positioning, setting Broadwell to more stringent thermal packages and providing them with some additional features: high-performance Iris Pro graphics and an additional eDRAM buffer that acts as an L4 cache. However, Broadwell's desktop measures could not be made popular. On the contrary, because of this, they have acquired the clear features of niche and highly specialized products that are in demand only in very rare cases. As Intel representatives themselves later stated, the whole saga with the release of Broadwell for desktop PCs is a big miscalculation. The resulting products not only came out clearly at the wrong time, but they also turned out to be too expensive and rather unbalanced in terms of characteristics, as a result of which their sales were, in fact, disrupted.

However, one cannot deny the fact that the Core i7-5775C and i5-5675C were able to demonstrate that AMD can no longer be considered the developer of the highest performing integrated graphics cores. Both Broadwell desktop processors released by Intel were able to offer noticeably better graphics performance than the competitor's older APUs, the AMD A10-7850K and A10-7870K. Thus, during their lives, the Core i7-5775C and i5-5675C still managed to fully play at least one important role - representative.

But already in August, the Skylake generation models took the place of the most modern Intel processors. And it was already a completely complete update. Indeed, along with the use of 14-nm technology, Intel also implemented a new improved microarchitecture in them. Of course, it cannot be said that the Skylake microarchitecture has become some kind of revelation, but the specific performance of the new processors has increased by another 10-15 percent compared to Haswell, and besides, they received a new ninth-generation graphics core. Another important innovation that happened with the advent of Skylake processors was the transition to a new LGA1151 ecosystem with support for DDR4 memory.

By now skylake processors successfully penetrated all market segments, ranging from thin and light laptops to high-performance desktops. There are also traditional overclocking models Core i7-6700K and Core i5-6600K in the Skylake line, which by now have been able to break many records due to the transfer of the power stabilizer from the processor to the motherboard and, as a result, increased frequency potential. By the way, an almost forgotten overclocking technique unexpectedly returned with Skylake - by increasing the BCLK frequency. Moreover, at the very end of the past year, it became known that this approach is also applicable to conventional processors without the K index in the name, so from an overclocker's point of view, Skylake has become a very important and expected update indeed.

However, we still cannot say that the market life of Skylake is good and cloudless. There are at least two problems with these processors. The first is production. Despite all the winning reports, the 14nm manufacturing process is still not working the way Intel would like. The low yield of suitable crystals capable of operating at high frequencies leads to a shortage of older Skylake models. As a result, the Core i7-6700K and Core i5-6600K processors are sold at slightly inflated prices, and in some regions are not available at all. The second problem concerns the mechanical design of the processors, whose textolite thickness has become noticeably thinner. Because of this, when using coolers with strong pressure, there is a risk of damage to the CPU. Of course, the probability of such an outcome is not too high, but, nevertheless, some cooler manufacturers were even forced to change the design of the mount they use.

While Intel was able to introduce fundamentally new processors twice during the past year, AMD was clearly not living in the present, but in the future. All her hopes are connected with the promising Zen microarchitecture, which will only appear in real products at the end of this year or even at the beginning of next year. And therefore, in 2015, there were practically no announcements of new AMD products at all. During this time, the company managed to only clearly confirm its intentions to no longer develop the long-suffering Bulldozer microarchitecture, the latest reincarnation of which was fresh design excavator. However, this design will not get into the processors of the FX series at all, and its habitat is limited exclusively to hybrid APUs, and at the moment only for mobile purposes. Actually, the first processors using Excavator cores were presented - under the code name Carrizo - in the middle of last year.

In theory, Carrizo was supposed to be an alternative to Intel's U-class processors, which are used in thin and light laptops. And they have made some really big improvements over the previous generation of Kaveri mobile processors - performance has increased, and TDP has decreased by about 20 percent. However, even in this single niche, AMD has not been able to catch up with Intel. Its mobile processors turned out to be worse in terms of power consumption, weaker in performance and were noticeably inferior to mobile Skylake even in terms of the power of the graphics core.

As for the desktop market segment, which is more interesting for us, AMD did not carry out any innovations in it at all. The company only slightly raised the frequencies of Kaveri hybrid processors, giving them a new code name Godavari along the way.

10.08.2020

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