Processors for consumers

[localzuk]

A Celeron M 1.5Ghz and a 1GB of RAM is more than enough for 99% of computer users.

 

Facebook and Twitter do not require fast processors. Perhaps I'm just being cynical.

 

Erm... yes you are. When the user decides to set up a photo library on their machine, using Picasa, or decides to install iTunes for their iPod etc... it soon becomes far too slow.

 

My netbook runs a 900Mhz Celeron M with 1GB RAM, and it struggles with flash sites. It only does very basic things for me, namely browsing the web, maybe running PuTTY, and MSN messenger.

 

Most home users may claim they only want to use facebook and do their email, but you can guarantee that they actually will be using it for a lot more.

[znova]

My two-penneth about Acers: I have 2 at home. Mine is great, quite happy with it(though installing Win 7 and drivers hasn't been a plain sailing!)

 

My hubby's one was creaking and then one day he closed the lid but the hinges remained! Not happy, the laptop's 2 years old and beyond economical repair - the lid, bezel and hinges were more than what you'd pay on ebay for second hand one.

 

So no, the build quality is not great!

[Guest Guest]

A Celeron M 1.5Ghz and a 1GB of RAM is more than enough for 99% of computer users.

 

Facebook and Twitter do not require fast processors. Perhaps I'm just being cynical.

 

Facebook requires more power than most 3d games!!! Well maybe not that much but it really does kill your computer. Combine it with iTunes and a Core2Duo is pretty much a minimum.

 

Put it this way, my sisters Opteron 144 with 1gb ram struggles when faced with both of those.

[tmcd35]

Facebook requires more power than most 3d games!!! Well maybe not that much but it really does kill your computer. Combine it with iTunes and a Core2Duo is pretty much a minimum.

 

Just as an exercise in curiosity I spec'd up a mock system on Insights website over the weekend. The idea was to go for the cheapest components I could find to build what I thought a min. spec should be today for a balanced system. The price came out at around £700. Less than that and you have to compromise on something, more than that and I suppose you need a specific use - games, video editing, etc, for the extra performance.

 

Heres what I ended up with - Core i3 processor, 6Gb Ram, 2x500Gb HDD's, £50 Graphics Card.

 

That £700 should include monitor, keyboard, mouse and Windows 7 64bit OEM.

[Guest Guest]

^ Yep, prices are well up on a few years ago. I bought my PC over 3 years ago and its still going strong;

 

Intel E6750 - £115

Gigabyte Mobo - £80

4gb ram - £70

8800GT - £170

500gb HD £80

 

Add a case, PSU, and monitor...

[AyatollahPies]

Facebook requires more power than most 3d games!!! Well maybe not that much but it really does kill your computer. Combine it with iTunes and a Core2Duo is pretty much a minimum.

 

Put it this way, my sisters Opteron 144 with 1gb ram struggles when faced with both of those.

 

I may have been a tad liberal with my spec.

[AM_LHS]

I am bit confused with the new Intel i family brand processors.

What I have been trying to find out is what is the current processor, nearest equivalent of the new i3 , i5 and i7.

Dose anybody know as I still have not managed to get a proper answer serching on intel site.

[fafster]

I am bit confused with the new Intel i family brand processors.

What I have been trying to find out is what is the current processor, nearest equivalent of the new i3 , i5 and i7.

Dose anybody know as I still have not managed to get a proper answer serching on intel site.

 

The i3 could be considered the mid-range C2D processors, performance-wise. The i5 range the top end of the C2D range, and higher. The i7 are faster again.

 

Right now, the i5 750 offers the best performance for the cost.

[danrhodes]

 

Right now, the i5 750 offers the best performance for the cost.

 

I run a 750 24/7 and it runs fantastic, I have it maxed out constantly and with an arctic cooler freezer extreme rev2 it never goes over 38'c I was amazed at the temp when I first got it.

 

D

[fafster]

EDIT: bloody ISA server and its selective request handling.