Choose Your CPU

The CPU or Central Processing Unit is the brain of your computer. This is the device that takes data, and under the control of a program, manipulates that data. That basically is how the computer does all those amazing things. All of this happens millions of times a second making the computer a very powerful device.

The CPUs found in a PC are these days manufactured by Intel and AMD.

They are -

• Intel Pentium 4 - The current incarnation of the Pentium series of CPUs, this is the flag-ship of the Intel range. Processors are available in various speed ratings up to around 3 GHz, as I write this. The speed 3 GHz refers to how fast the CPU can be clocked, 3x1000x1000x1000 times a second.
• Intel Celeron - This is similar to the Pentium but represents the cheaper end of the market. However Celerons are still able performers. The main differences between them and Pentiums is that they have a slightly slower clock speed and less onboard cache memory. Cache memory allows the processor to buffer data. Being able to buffer larger amounts of data significantly improves the performance of a processor and therefore your computer.
• AMD Athlon - This is AMD's equivalent to the Intel Pentium processor and offers comparable performance. AMD's processors are identified by a number such as 2400. An Athlon 2400 would be comparable in performance to a 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, however the AMD 2400 processor is only clocked at 2 GHz. The difference in performance is made up in the way that the data is processed internally.
• AMD Duron - This processor is the equivalent of Intel's Celeron, slower clock speeds and less cache memory.

All of the above types of processor represent proven technology and the choice of any of these will give good service. The Celeron and Duron are very cheap and represent excellent computing power for the money.

Note - CPUs and motherboards
Processors are mounted on the motherboard in a socket. Intel processors fit into either a socket 370 motherboard (for the low end Celerons) or a socket 478 motherboard (faster Celerons and all current Pentiums).

All AMD processors fit into a socket A motherboard. Consequently a motherboard is designed for a specific processor type.

But Check the CPU and Motherboard Specification.

Just because a CPU will fit a socket it does not mean that the motherboard will support it.

My CPU recommendation