With more and more people opting for an assembled PC rather than a branded one it becomes essential to know and be familiar with the various components that one might need . Also people who are opting for an assembled PC are also choosing to assemble it on there own , and with pirated versions on OS and other softwares easily available , the entire operation is a walk in the park( ofcourse you must know what you are doing !!!)
The various components required for a basic PC are :
- A processor ( CPU )
- A compatible motherboard
- RAM chips
- A hard disk (HD)
- An optical drive (cd-rom/writer or dvd-rom/writer or bd-rom/writer)
- A floppy drive (obsolete !!!...but if you still need it)
- A cabinet ( with an SMPS and connecting wires)
- A graphics card (if you are a serious gamer )
- A monitor (TFT or CRT)
- A set of keyboard and mouse
- A printer , A router etc etc...
A guide to choosing the right processor to power your PC!
Entry-level
Suggested CPU's : Intel Celeron D 326, Intel Pentium D 915, AMD Sempron 64 3200+,AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Budget : Rs 2,800 – Rs 4,500
Apart from price and clock speeds, the choice of a processor depends on several other factors
such as the number of cores, L2 cache, front side bus, and most critically, your application
area. It doesn’t make sense in arming your PC with a high-end dual core processor if you’re
only going to surf the web or use office applications—an entry-level processor will do just
fine. Processors belonging to this category are ideal for home and office users who want a
Plain Jane PC for basic computing needs. You have two options here. If you’re on a really
tight budget you can opt for a single-core processor belonging to the Intel Celeron D or
AMD Sempron 64 family. The processors from these families come with clock speeds ranging
from 1.6 to 3.6 GHz. Alternatively, you can opt for an entry-level dual-core processor if you
want more power for multi-tasking and applications like image editing or audio and video
encoding. Priced below Rs 4,500, the Intel Pentium D 915 (2.80 GHz, 2x 2 MB L2 cache) and
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (2 GHz, 2x 512 KB L2 cache) offer great performance at a sweet
price.
Mid-range
Suggested CPUs : Intel Core 2 Duo E6320, Intel Core 2 Duo E6420, AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+,
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
Budget : Rs 5,000 – Rs 11,000
Pick a processor in this category if you want power while staying within a five-figure budget.
These processors are designed to handle moderate to heavy loads involving multi-tasking,
audio and video editing, gaming, 3D modeling and so on. Dual-core is obviously a must.
However, pay attention to the clock speed and the size of L2 cache, which determine the
performance of a processor. If your choice is Intel, look out for a minimum clock speed of
1.86 GHz with 4 MB of L2 cache (Intel Core 2 Duo E6320). AMD users shouldn’t settle for
anything below 2.4 GHz with 1 MB of L2 cache (AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+). The more
expensive processors in this category feature higher clock speeds coupled with larger L2
caches. Processors from the Intel Core 2 Duo and AMD Athlon 64 X2 families come in
varying combinations of clock speeds and L2 cache amounts. Make sure you look at all the
available options offered by Intel and AMD. This informaton will be available on their
websites. If you come across a processor with a higher clock speed or L2 cache that still fits
your budget, grab the deal.
High-end
Suggested CPUs : Intel Core 2 Duo E6700, Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700, AMD Athlon 64 X2
5600+, AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
Budget : Above Rs 11,000
This segment caters to power users, enthusiasts and hardcore gamers who crave extreme
performance. The processors here are supercharged with high clock speeds and large L2
caches handle heavy multitasking and demanding applications. Processors like the Intel
Core 2 Duo E6700 and AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ are the best in their respective families. If
you enjoy pushing your PC to extreme limits, an unlocked multiplier would make
overclocking much more flexible. All processors from the Intel Core 2 Extreme family and the
AMD Athlon 64 FX-62 come with unlocked multipliers. Quad core processors like the Intel
Core 2 Extreme QX6700 and the Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 are ideal for workstations that will
need to handle demanding applications simultaneously. You will also need a high-end
motherboard and memory modules to support them. Motherboards with Nvidia nForce 680i
SLI (Intel) or Nvidia nForce 590 SLI (AMD) chipsets are the best for these processors. But be
prepared to pay through your nose for this performance.
So there you have it , a simple and basic guide for choosing the right processor for your
computer.
Please note that the prices and also the CPU's suggested are inevitable to change and vary as
developments in processor technologies are taking place even as you read this article
