Are you thinking of buying processor | A guide to choosing the right processor to power your PC!

Entry-level
Suggested CPUs
Intel Celeron D 326, Intel Pentium D 915, AMD Sempron 64 3200+, AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Budget
Rs 2,800 – Rs 4,500

Apart from price and clock speeds, the choice of a processor depends on several other factors such as the number of cores, L2 cache, front side bus, and most critically, your application area. It doesn’t make sense in arming your PC with a high-end dual core processor if you’re only going to surf the web or use office applications—an entry-level processor will do just fine. Processors belonging to this category are ideal for home and office users who want a Plain Jane PC for basic computing needs. You have two options here. If you’re on a really tight budget you can opt for a single-core  processor belonging to the Intel Celeron D or AMD Sempron 64 family. The processors from these families come with clock speeds ranging from 1.6 to 3.6 GHz. Alternatively, you can opt for an entry-level dual-core processor if you want more power for multi-tasking and applications like image editing or audio and video encoding. Priced below Rs 4,500, the Intel Pentium D 915 (2.80 GHz, 2x 2 MB L2 cache) and AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (2 GHz, 2x 512 KB L2 cache) offer great performance at a sweet price.

Mid-range
Suggested CPUs
Intel Core 2 Duo E6320, Intel Core 2 Duo E6420, AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+, AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
Budget
Rs 5,000 – Rs 11,000

Pick a processor in this category if you want power while staying within a five-figure budget. These processors are designed to handle moderate to heavy loads involving multi-tasking, audio and video editing, gaming, 3D modeling and so on. Dual-core is obviously a must. However, pay attention to the clock speed and the size of L2 cache, which determine the performance of a processor. If your choice is Intel, look out for a minimum clock speed of 1.86 GHz with 4 MB of L2 cache (Intel Core 2 Duo E6320). AMD users shouldn’t settle for anything below 2.4 GHz with 1 MB of L2 cache (AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+). The more expensive processors in this category feature higher clock speeds coupled with larger L2 caches. Processors from the Intel Core 2 Duo and AMD Athlon 64 X2 families come in varying combinations of clock speeds and L2 cache amounts. Make sure you look at all the available options offered by Intel and AMD. This informaton will be available on their websites. If you come across a processor with a higher clock speed or L2 cache that still fits your budget, grab the deal.

High-end
Suggested CPUs
Intel Core 2 Duo E6700, Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700, AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+, AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
Budget
Above Rs 11,000

This segment caters to power users, enthusiasts and hardcore gamers who crave extreme performance. The processors here are supercharged with high clock speeds and large L2 caches  handle heavy multitasking and demanding applications. Processors like the Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 and AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ are the best in their respective families. If you enjoy pushing your PC to extreme limits, an unlocked multiplier would make overclocking much more flexible. All processors from the Intel Core 2 Extreme family and the AMD Athlon 64 FX-62 come with unlocked multipliers. Quad core processors like the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 and the Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 are ideal for workstations that will need to handle demanding applications simultaneously. You will also need a high-end motherboard and memory modules to support them. Motherboards with Nvidia nForce 680i SLI (Intel) or Nvidia nForce 590 SLI (AMD) chipsets are the best for these processors. But be prepared to pay through your nose for this performance.