White_Wolf
Baseband Member
- Messages
- 92
I want to begin plans on building a computer because the computer I have now is ridiculously slow. I figured I'd start with finding the right price & performance CPU, then find a mother board that supports it. However, this is beginning to look impossible.
I have no idea how good a processor is. I wouldn't know the difference between a week processor and a strong processor. I remember once upon a time you generally went by its Operating Frequency: the higher the number the faster and better the processor. But so much has changed (or maybe back in the day I was very illiterate as to how CPU's functioned).
I see a lot of functions and features that I just don't understand, such as:
1. Socket Type
I imagine the only differences are which motherboards these things will work with, and it has nothing to do with performance.
2. How many cores they have (Single Core, Duel Core, Quad Core)
It would seem the more cores the better. But the question is "how much better". Is a 1GHz duel core CPU as fast as a single core 2GHz CPU, and a 1GHz quad core run as fast as 4GHz single core?
3. Front Side Bus vs. Hyper Transport.
Just how important are the speeds of these two things and what is the difference between these two things (if any). I see some CPU specs listing the speed of its FSB and others listing the speed of its Hyper Transport, but I haven't seen one listing both so I am assuming these are two different ways of skinning the same cat and the number is the only real important part.
4. 64 bit vs. 32 bit
All the CPU's I see claim they "support" 64bit. I guess that means if the Operation System I am running doesn't support 64bit than the CPU might as well be a 32bit. But if I were to get a 64bit operation system, what does it really mean? Does this mean a '64bit 1GHz processor' has twice the speed of a '32bit 1GHZ processor' in a 64bit environment?
5. Chip architecture (45nm Harpertown, 65nm Brisbane, 65nm Allendale, 90nm Italy, and so on).
What does any of that stuff mean? Should I just ignore it? Should I just care about the number, or does the name after the number really count? Is any of it really going to affect processor performance on a significant level?
6. Caches (L1, L2, L3)
First, just how important is the cache size? And is a CPU with 3 caches better than one with 2 caches? Can someone show me the math or give me an idea of what the cache is all about.
I read an article about L2 Cache on Wikipedia. After reading it, I wanted to blow my brains out, that's how confusing all that is. It talked about the processor's cache being faster than memory, but then goes on about data retrieval with hits and misses and how it's all about Replacement Policy. And I come away with the impression that the Replacement Policy is more important than the cache size. Or am I blowing that out of proportion?
Is there any mathematical formula to figure out which processor really runs fast/better, sort of like an ohms law or something?
Anyhow, I sure could use some answers.
I have no idea how good a processor is. I wouldn't know the difference between a week processor and a strong processor. I remember once upon a time you generally went by its Operating Frequency: the higher the number the faster and better the processor. But so much has changed (or maybe back in the day I was very illiterate as to how CPU's functioned).
I see a lot of functions and features that I just don't understand, such as:
1. Socket Type
I imagine the only differences are which motherboards these things will work with, and it has nothing to do with performance.
2. How many cores they have (Single Core, Duel Core, Quad Core)
It would seem the more cores the better. But the question is "how much better". Is a 1GHz duel core CPU as fast as a single core 2GHz CPU, and a 1GHz quad core run as fast as 4GHz single core?
3. Front Side Bus vs. Hyper Transport.
Just how important are the speeds of these two things and what is the difference between these two things (if any). I see some CPU specs listing the speed of its FSB and others listing the speed of its Hyper Transport, but I haven't seen one listing both so I am assuming these are two different ways of skinning the same cat and the number is the only real important part.
4. 64 bit vs. 32 bit
All the CPU's I see claim they "support" 64bit. I guess that means if the Operation System I am running doesn't support 64bit than the CPU might as well be a 32bit. But if I were to get a 64bit operation system, what does it really mean? Does this mean a '64bit 1GHz processor' has twice the speed of a '32bit 1GHZ processor' in a 64bit environment?
5. Chip architecture (45nm Harpertown, 65nm Brisbane, 65nm Allendale, 90nm Italy, and so on).
What does any of that stuff mean? Should I just ignore it? Should I just care about the number, or does the name after the number really count? Is any of it really going to affect processor performance on a significant level?
6. Caches (L1, L2, L3)
First, just how important is the cache size? And is a CPU with 3 caches better than one with 2 caches? Can someone show me the math or give me an idea of what the cache is all about.
I read an article about L2 Cache on Wikipedia. After reading it, I wanted to blow my brains out, that's how confusing all that is. It talked about the processor's cache being faster than memory, but then goes on about data retrieval with hits and misses and how it's all about Replacement Policy. And I come away with the impression that the Replacement Policy is more important than the cache size. Or am I blowing that out of proportion?
Is there any mathematical formula to figure out which processor really runs fast/better, sort of like an ohms law or something?
Anyhow, I sure could use some answers.