PC Build – Picking CPU and RAM – DIY in 5 PC Build Part 2

Опубликовано 24 ноября 2017, 18:00

We are continuing on our journey to build the ultimate PC, this time looking specifically at CPU and RAM, what are they and which type is right for you. Watch our previous episode on:
cases and motherboards: youtube.com/watch?v=pQfTftCrPx...
drives and GPUs: youtube.com/watch?v=Ir8pvg660H...

The CPU, or central processing unit is really the brains of your whole system. You’ll see CPUs described in terms of cores, clock speeds, and hyper-threading. Each of these refers to a different facet of the CPU.

At one point in computer history, CPUs only had one core, or one central processing unit. So, if a processor is described as dual-core, that means there are two central processing units on one CPU chip. More cores mean more processes can be simultaneously done on a single piece of hardware. Think of your CPU as a chef in a restaurant and the number of cores as the number of pans he can have going at the same time. Dual-core means he’s got two pans, quad-core means four, and so on. This allows for things like multitasking. Having multiple cores on one CPU means the cores can communicate faster than if they were their own separate chips, and they don’t each need their own power supply or cooling.

There are two main brands of CPU: AMD & Intel. Many people favor one brand over another but lately they seem to be competitive in performance. Intel’s i3, i5, and i7 lines are differentiated by the number of cores and the chips within each line vary in clock speed. A top of the line i5 may be a better choice for you than an entry level i7. AMD now offers a bunch of great processors in the Ryzen line, many of which are known as APUs (Accelerated Processing Units) because they combine the CPU and GPU (graphics) on one chip - saving cost and space. You can find comparisons online between the latest AMD and Intel processors online so do the research before you buy.

The term Hyper-threading dates all the way back to 2002 as one of the first attempts to bring parallel processing to consumer PCs. The CPU acts as if it has more cores than it actually does by speeding up programs via its own logic. Your system will think it has two CPUs when it really only has one and while it does speed up a system, it isn’t as fast as having more than one core. You can, however, get CPUs that feature both multiple cores and hyper-threading. To see how your system recognizes multiple cores and/or hyper-threading, in Windows, you can go to Task Manager, Performance, and look toward the left of the screen.

Clock speed, or the measure of how many clock cycles a CPU can perform per second, is another consideration. This is measured in hertz, or cycles per second. In computing, the clock cycles run into the megahertz (10 to the 6th power Hz, MHz), gigahertz (10 to the 9th power Hz, GHz). But a CPU with higher gigahertz does not necessarily mean it’s a faster processor. If it’s the same type of processor, this may be the case, but newer CPUs are often more efficient, meaning that more work gets done per clock cycle. Consider the number of cores, the amount of CPU cache memory, features like hyper-threading and over-clocking and of course, read user reviews and benchmarks before you decide which CPU is the best for you.

RAM, or Random Access Memory is like your short-term memory - ready to access frequently used data quickly at a moment’s notice, whereas you might think of a hard drive or SSD as your long-term memory. We made a video to help you determine how much RAM you need: youtube.com/watch?v=W5WDpup2iD... Basically, if you are using your system for rendering, computations, or anything that involves a lot of processing power, it may require more RAM. Today’s RAM will be one of two types. DDR3 or DDR4. DDR4 is newer, boasting a greater range of clock speeds, less power consumption, and less latency. Your motherboard and CPU will determine what kind of RAM you get and how much you can actually install.

Consider RAM speed - or how fast your RAM can read and write data. This really matters if you plan on using a CPU with integrated graphics (APU). 1600MHz is probably fine for most gaming needs. And if you have the option to go for dual-channel mode instead of single - meaning two 4GB modules instead of a single 8GB model, it will give you greater bandwidth.

Please give this video a like and share it with your friends if you enjoyed it. If you have a tip to add about CPU or RAM specifically, please share it with us in the comments. In the next episode we’ll delve into storage and graphics cards.

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