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Processor...
The only real choice for a processor when building your own computer is an AMD processor. AMDs cost a lot less than Intel/Pentium processors, are more powerful for the price, and for some of them (compared to the horrible Intel discount processors, like the Celeron) are much more reliable.
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Have you been wondering what does the whole FSB mean (listed with the processors on the main page), and does it really matter? Which one to pick?
Well, it's a good thing to have an idea of how computers work and all, but it's not a really important thing (unless you are going to use your computer solely for high-demand projects, like editing massive amounts of video).
The FSB is essentially how fast the data travels through various components; increasing it can help lead to overclocking, which, again, will be covered later. The important things to know are that 1) The motherboard you pick should at least support the processor's FSB (ideally it could support more so you could upgrade later, but it's not terribly important). 2) The RAM that you purchase should run at least the same speed as the FSB. It's OK to use faster RAM with a slower FSB (out of sync), and it's actually a better proposition overall. You'll actually end up getting a slight performance boost out of it!
Another important thing to consider when shopping for a new processor is the size of the 'L2 Cache', or sometimes just referred to as Cache.
Essentially, the processors nowadays operate much faster than the RAM can keep up. The L2 Cache (and L1 as well) is a temporary storage buffer that is built into modern processors, which allows for faster data processing overall, as more processing is kept within the processor versus being 'outsourced' to the RAM.
Basically, the bigger L2 Cache, the better performance you will realize.
Athlon 64 Processors
Today's computers use a 64-bit architecture. The technology is proven and mature for hardware, like processors and motherboards, but not yet for software. The full benefit of the 64-bit evolution will not be felt until more and more software is built to fully utilize 64-bits. For instance, Windows Vista, the first main OS designed to use all 64-bits, allows many new features, but a lot of the other programs you use everyday are still built on a 32-bit platform.
Since Vista runs on 64 bits, the hardware drivers that you need to run your video cards, printers, etc also need to support x64. Many manufacturers do not feel it is profitable to upgrade older drivers, leaving your printer and everything else behind, unable to work in Vista. As for software, theoretically your normal, 32-bit programs should work in Vista, but not always will they. Right now, the best strategy is to stay away from Vista and stick with all 32-bit software, including Windows and your drivers. It will still run perfectly fine on your new 64-bit hardware and will run faster on better hardware; you'll also be able to easily upgrade when the software catches up with everything else.
There have been several different generations already of 64-bit AMD processors, with models using 754 pins, 940 pins, and 939 pins. This is the order that they were introduced. The introduction of AM2 socket processors (which also have 940 pins, but are different than the earlier generation and are not compatible, as they require DDR2 memory) began in 2006. It is a proven technology, and all AM2 processors are dual-core (this is denoted by using 'X2' in the name).
Essentially, dual-core processors allow two separate operations to run at once, which will dramatically improve the speed and efficency of computing. We have recently reached a threshold of processor development, as the current technology has reached a ceiling in terms of pure speed; the focus on innovation in the near future will be on refining the parallel processing that is possible with 64-bit, dual-core processors. However, parallel software design is much more intricate than the serial software that is commonplace currently, so there will not be any radical changes near-term. Essentially, the processor that you buy today will not become outdated as fast as earlier generations did due to the longer development time for both hardware and especially software.
The AM2 socket allows you to utilize dual-channel memory (DDR2), which is vastly superior to the preceding generation of memory.
Next, we'll talk about how to get your processor to last as long as possible by efficently and quietly cooling it and your overall system.
Here again are my complete recommendations for building a computer with a great Processor at a low price!
Next - CPU Cooler and Case Fans »
Tip: If you are debating whether to spend $50 more on a slightly faster processor or more memory, I personally would go with more memory. As I noted above, the processors generally operate much faster than the memory, so the bottleneck is generally not with your processor, it's generally found either with memory or your video card, depending on what type of programs you are trying to run.
