Computer Processor (CPU)
Minimum Price Range: $70-$90
The computer processor or CPU (Central Processing Unit) as the name implies, is the core of your computer. The most significant component of your pc that will define it's maximum performance and speed is the CPU. There are basically 2 choices for your CPU vendor, Intel or AMD. Because the motherboard is architected around the CPU, there are corresponding Intel and AMD motherboards. It will be up to you as to which one you prefer to buy, but just be sure that both the processor and board are compatible with each other (click here more on motherboards and CPU compatibilty).
As far as what processor should you buy, you need to decide what kind of system you want to build. If you plan on doing anything processor-intensive such as gaming, video-editting or converting, etc., you'll need alot more processing power than a computer that just surfs the net, types up word documents, and checks email. For gaming rigs, both Intel and AMD have dual-core and, most recently, quad-core processors that simulate dual or quad processors which makes processing much more efficient and faster than typical single-core processors. A somewhat more-detailed explanation of multiple CPU cores can be found here, but for the sake of keeping things simple, a dual or quad-core processor with a 1033MHz FSB (front-side bus) or higher, with 1MB CPU cache or higher is the best way to go. If high performance isn't what you're looking for, then just look for the best combination of price vs. processor speed (1.4-3GHz). Lower-tier processors are priced pretty straight-forwardly: the faster the CPU speed, the more expensive they are. Higher-tier processors, depending on what they are, are priced based on their features and functionalities (for example, an Intel Pentium 4 3.0 GHZ processor is much cheaper than an Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz processor, even though it has a higher clock speed).
To get started installing your CPU, click here.
