Computer Tip of the Day: How to Find the Right CPU for Your Computing Needs

The world of computer hardware–both for personal needs and enterprise solutions–is a vast and often overwhelming topic of discussion. This often necessitates discussing hardware possibilities one component at a time. Therefore, in today’s computer tip of the day, let’s talk about the beating heart of any computer: the CPU, or Central Processing Unit. We’ll mainly be discussing how to determine the best type of CPU for your needs.

Specifications

There are two main specifications to keep in mind when determining a processor’s performance: the clock speed (usually measured in gigahertz, or GHz, these days), and the number of cores it contains. There are other factors, but let’s keep things simple for now. To put it simply, the clock speed will determine how quickly a CPU can perform a single task, while the number of cores a processor has will primarily determine how many tasks it can handle at once.

Personal computers usually contain processors with only a few (2-4) processing cores that run at a high frequency. These are great for highly paralleled tasks an average computer user might perform: web browsing, document/presentation creating, gaming, media consumption, etc. This is because these tasks mainly involve performing only one or two tasks at a time, with the need to perform them quickly.

Servers

Servers and workstation computers, on the other hand, often necessitate processors with many cores–anywhere from four or six in a basic workstation to 16, 18, or even 22 (thanks to this new processor) in a heavily multi-threaded server. In fact, many servers take advantage of motherboards that feature multiple CPU sockets, when 22 cores still isn’t enough. Due to heat output and power consumption constraints, these processors tend to run at slower clock speeds. Especially compared to their more mainstream, consumer-oriented counterparts. However, this fits well with the kinds of workloads these processors are designed for. Including 3D animation, Computer Aided Design, virtual machines, and multi-client server applications.

If you have any questions or concerns about finding the hardware that’s right for you, please contact us. Bluwater Technologies is dedicated to making sure our clients receive the best in IT and hardware service.