Find The Right Processors

Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition

Thanks to an expensive new motherboard requirement, Intel's new Core i7 desktop processors will remain enthusiast and professional-level parts until more affordable complementary hardware comes out later next year. Speed never comes cheap, however, and if you're willing to spend for it now, you'll find yourself in possession of the fastest CPU on the market.

Specs: Processor, Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition I7-965, FC-LGA8

AMD Phenom X4 9850 (2.5GHz)

AMD's new Phenom X4 9850 is overpriced and outclassed compared with its Intel-based quad-core competition. If PC vendors can use this chip to make cheap systems (as they did with older Phenoms), we might have nicer things to say, but as a DIY part at this price, we can't recommend AMD's latest quad-core CPU.

Specs: Processor, AMD Phenom X4 9850

AMD Phenom 9600 (2.3GHz)

AMD's new Phenom quad-core CPU has little to recommend it over competing chips from Intel. The Phenom is marginally less-expensive, but not enough to make up for its subpar performance. Unless AMD drops prices more aggressively, it looks like Intel will maintain its grasp on the CPU market for the foreseeable future.

Specs: Processor, AMD Phenom X4 9600

AMD Phenom 9500 (2.2GHz, OEM)

AMD's new Phenom quad-core CPU has little to recommend it over competing chips from Intel. The Phenom is marginally less expensive, but not enough to make up for its subpar performance. Unless AMD drops prices more aggressively, it looks like Intel will maintain its grasp on the CPU market for the foreseeable future.

Specs: Processor, AMD Phenom X4 9500

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650

The CPU market is due for a lot of upheaval over the next 12 months, so you might be wise to wait for a clearer picture before plunking down $1,000 or so on Intel's new Core 2 Extreme QX9650 quad-core desktop processor. But if you want to claim ownership of the fastest multicore CPU around today, look no further.

Specs: Processor, Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850

The quad-core Core 2 Extreme QX6850 keeps the desktop CPU performance belt tied firmly around Intel's waist at a price that helps offset the lack of sizable performance gains. New products at the end of the year may outclass this new chip when they arrive, but for now, the QX6850 reigns supreme.

Specs: Processor, Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700

If you thought dual cores were over the top, get ready. Intel presents the Core 2 Extreme QX6700, a single CPU with four distinct processing cores. At $999, the first quad-core CPU will remain an enthusiast part for a while, but as a glimpse of the future, it's clear that clock speed is out and core counts are in.

Specs: Processor, Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600

Intel's Core 2 Duo line marks the end of AMD's run of dominance through the dual-core desktop-processor landscape. Not only are Intel's new chips fast, efficient, and well designed, but they're also aggressively priced and sure to send ripples though the desktop PC industry. If you are buying or building a new computer, we recommend that a Core 2 Duo chip be at its center.

Specs: Processor, Intel Core 2 Duo E6600

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400

Intel's Core 2 Duo line marks the end of AMD's run of dominance through the dual-core desktop-processor landscape. Not only are Intel's new chips fast, efficient, and well designed, but they're also aggressively priced and sure to send ripples though the desktop PC industry. If you are buying or building a new computer, we recommend that a Core 2 Duo chip be at its center.

Specs: Processor, Intel Core 2 Duo E6400

Intel Core 2 Duo E6300

Intel's Core 2 Duo line marks the end of AMD's run of dominance through the dual-core desktop-processor landscape. Not only are Intel's new chips fast, efficient, and well designed, but they're also aggressively priced and sure to send ripples though the desktop PC industry. If you are buying or building a new computer, we recommend that a Core 2 Duo chip be at its center.

Specs: Processor, Intel Core 2 Duo E6300

Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800

AMD's Athlon 64 FX line has worn the desktop CPU performance crown for over a year. The king is dead. Intel's new flagship Core 2 Extreme X6800 not only hands AMD a defeat on all of our benchmarks, but it's also a more efficient, better designed chip overall.

Specs: Processor, Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800

Intel Core 2 Duo E6700

Intel's Core 2 Duo E6700 offers the best price-to-performance ratio we've seen in a desktop chip. For half the cost of AMD's top-of-the-line chip, you get identical if not superior performance and better power efficiency. AMD surprised us last year with its completely dominant dual-core chips, but Intel regains the crown with Core 2 Duo.

Specs: Processor, Intel Core 2 Duo E6700

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+

AMD's new high-end dual-core CPU offers plenty of bang for the buck, outpacing Intel's Pentium 965 Extreme Edition, which costs $200 more. Sounds like a good deal, but wait to see what Intel's next-gen Core 2 Duo chips have to offer when they debut later this year.

Specs: Processor, AMD Athlon 64 X2

AMD Athlon 64 FX-62

AMD's Athlon 64 FX-62 helps usher in the new Socket AM2 chipset, but incremental performance gains make AMD look vulnerable to Intel's next-gen chips, due later this year.

Specs: Processor, AMD Athlon 64 FX FX-62

Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 965

Intel's latest Pentium Extreme Edition 965 chip makes improvements in raw performance, but with a massive power-supply requirement, Intel's design looks inefficient compared to AMD's.

Specs: Processor, Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 965

AMD Athlon 64 FX-60

Overclocking might give it fits, but at stock speeds, AMD's new dual-core elite chip is as fast as we had imagined.

Specs: Processor, AMD Athlon 64 FX FX-60

Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 955

Specs: Processor, Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 955

PROLIANT 1600 6/266 512K

Specs: Processor upgrade, Intel Pentium II

P3 TANN XEON 500MHZ PROC F/ 8680

Specs: Processor upgrade, Intel Pentium III Xeon

PROLIANT 5500 P2-450 XEON 2MB PROCESSOR KIT

Specs: Processor, Intel Pentium II Xeon