It goes without saying that if you are investing in a new desktop computer or laptop, you will want to ensure that you buy the perfect machine for your requirements, one that is the right size, offers the best performance and promises reliable connectivity.

This is why any user who is looking to upgrade their PC needs to choose the right CPU to meet their needs. You can think of the CPU as the brain of the machine, and it is what handles practically all of the actual computing the machine does. It is worth noting here that Intel is a leader in the CPU market.

You could consider your CPU to be similar to a corporate CEO, who gives the rest of the company its orders with regards to what to do. CPUs do exactly the same thing, giving instructions that a wide range of applications and other processes rely on to perform their individual tasks. Obviously, the faster this is done, the more rapidly a machine can complete these tasks.

Simply put, a faster CPU will make you more productive and efficient and is especially critical when considering today’s extremely high-performance computing requirements, such as high-end graphics processing, gaming or running complex algorithms or resource-heavy workloads.

Bearing in mind that CPUs work by carrying out simple instructions, one at a time, which are triggered by a master timing signal that runs the entire computer, you also need to consider cores and threads when choosing a processor. Cores are effectively individual processors on their own, all packed together on the same chip. As they perform one task each at a time, the more cores there are, the better the processor is at multitasking.

On the other hand, when it comes to threads, these are the number of tasks that a processor can conduct at any one time. More modern processors feature simultaneous multi-threading — called hyperthreading by Intel — which enables processors to leverage spare core performance for extra tasks. While these additional threads are not as fast as the actual cores themselves, they do mean more work can be done in parallel.

Cores, processors and threads

Intel, in fact, recently introduced the 12th-generation family of CPUs through its local partner, Tarsus Distribution. This family boasts a range of new units that were designed to meet even the most demanding and resource-heavy computing needs. They reach incredible levels of multi-threaded performance and promise a maximum “turbo boost” of up to 5.2GHz, and a staggering 16 cores and 24 threads. The new Intel range includes Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7, designed to meet the needs of a wide variety of users.

The Intel Core i3 provides the right amount of performance for basic tasks, while the Intel Core i5 offers really good performance for most tasks. The Intel Core i7, on the other hand, is designed to deliver truly excellent performance for even the most demanding of tasks.

Alternatively, you could look at it in terms of the devices these cores were specifically built for. Some were designed for laptops, others for desktop PCs, and others for the highest-end gaming machines or computers used by high-end graphics users.

The majority of Core i3 CPUs only have two cores, because these processors were designed to come in at a lower price point, rather than offer the best performance money can buy. Intel’s Core i5 processors have an additional number of cores and can handle more threads at once and faster clock speeds — the latter determining how quickly the CPU can retrieve and interpret instructions — which translates into being able to complete tasks more efficiently.

The key is to understand your real computing needs, instead of just jumping on the ‘bigger is better’ bandwagon

Finally, the Core i7 CPUs also offer faster average clock speeds as well as a higher number of cores, with the top-of-the-range family featuring up to eight cores, and clock speeds of up to 3.6GHz.

This new generation of processors was built on a new, unequalled performance-hybrid architecture. This offers a unique combination of performance and efficiency, taking multi-core architecture for laptop PCs to a new level. It means that creative processes can be taken to previously unimagined heights, amateur gamers can join the professional leagues, and everyday users can have their productivity boosted in ways they could not have imagined.

It’s also important to remember that while faster is certainly better, it’s not always necessary, and thus the key is to understand your real computing needs, instead of just jumping on the “bigger is better” bandwagon. It’s important to clearly understand your requirements so as to make the right choice of CPU.

Whatever your requirements, Intel and its local distributor Tarsus have a CPU to meet your needs.

To find out more about Intel’s 12^th-gen Core processors, click here.