{"id":22154,"date":"2023-04-07T12:16:24","date_gmt":"2023-04-07T10:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=22154"},"modified":"2023-10-05T09:56:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T07:56:41","slug":"types-of-processors-cpus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Processors (CPUs) Listed and Explained [Updated 2024]"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684475d76a85\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684475d76a85\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684475d76a85\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Basic_CPU_Types\" title=\"Basic CPU Types\">Basic CPU Types<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#CPU\" title=\"CPU\">CPU<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#APU_CPU_with_Integrated_Graphics\" title=\"APU (CPU with Integrated Graphics)\">APU (CPU with Integrated Graphics)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#CPU_Types_By_CoreThread_Architecture\" title=\"CPU Types By Core\/Thread Architecture\">CPU Types By Core\/Thread Architecture<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Single-Core_CPU\" title=\"Single-Core CPU\">Single-Core CPU<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Multi-Core_CPU\" title=\"Multi-Core CPU\">Multi-Core CPU<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Multi-Threaded_CPU\" title=\"Multi-Threaded CPU\">Multi-Threaded CPU<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#CPU_Types_by_Market_Segment\" title=\"CPU Types by Market Segment\">CPU Types by Market Segment<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Mainstream_CPU\" title=\"Mainstream CPU\">Mainstream CPU<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Server_and_Workstation_CPU\" title=\"Server and Workstation CPU\">Server and Workstation CPU<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#HEDT_CPU\" title=\"HEDT CPU\">HEDT CPU<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#CPU_Types_by_Overclockability\" title=\"CPU Types by Overclockability\">CPU Types by Overclockability<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Locked_CPU\" title=\"Locked CPU\">Locked CPU<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Unlocked_CPU\" title=\"Unlocked CPU\">Unlocked CPU<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Should_I_Go_With_AMD_or_Intel\" title=\"Should I Go With AMD or Intel?\">Should I Go With AMD or Intel?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#What_is_an_ARM_CPU\" title=\"What is an ARM CPU?\">What is an ARM CPU?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#How_Many_CPU_Cores_Do_I_Need\" title=\"How Many CPU Cores Do I Need?\">How Many CPU Cores Do I Need?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#A_Brief_on_CPU_Coolers\" title=\"A Brief on CPU Coolers\">A Brief on CPU Coolers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/types-of-processors-cpus\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>What are the types of Processors on the market, and what makes them distinct from one another? And which general categories can they be put into?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m going to break down the varieties of CPUs in this article, and overall give you a nice, focused starting course on CPUs.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s dive into it!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Basic_CPU_Types\"><\/span>Basic CPU Types<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CPU\"><\/span>CPU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Your basic \u201cCPU\u201d (or Processor) in this context will just be any regular PC <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">C<\/span>entral <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">P<\/span>rocessing <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">U<\/span>nit.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>CPUs are composed of one or more processing \u201ccores\u201d, and these core(s) run at a fixed range of clock speed, measured in <em>Mega<\/em>hertz or <em>Giga<\/em>hertz.<\/p>\n<p>If the CPU is unlocked, it can be run above this fixed frequency but will need more voltage and thus generate more heat.<strong> A stable (non-system-crashing) overclock <em>may<\/em> require a few attempts to get right.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"APU_CPU_with_Integrated_Graphics\"><\/span>APU (CPU with Integrated Graphics)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Realistically, this is a somewhat nebulous category, but one worth mentioning all the same. Not all CPUs are built identically!<\/p>\n<p>Some come with <strong>integrated graphics<\/strong>, and this treatment is approached differently depending on if you\u2019re using an Intel or AMD <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/apu-vs-cpu\/\">CPU\/APU<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>On Intel CPUs, integrated graphics have become a commonplace feature across nearly the entire product range.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It took many years for them to begin offering their CPUs <em>without<\/em> integrated graphics once their iGPUs were introduced, and since Intel still enjoyed a comfortable market and performance lead for most of that time, no one was gonna stop \u2018em.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21204\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit.jpg\" alt=\"Type of GPUs (Graphics Processing Unit)\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21204 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Type of GPUs (Graphics Processing Unit)\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/12\/Type-of-GPUs-Graphics-Processing-Unit.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>On AMD, integrated graphics are restricted to AMD\u2019s so-called \u201cAPUs\u201d<\/strong> (Accelerated Processing Unit), <strong>which is just their term for a CPU with an iGPU<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>However, AMD\u2019s APUs are a core part of the business plan on laptops and desktops alike, even if the desktop APUs tend to be a generation behind the mainstream Ryzen chips in CPU core architectures.<\/p>\n<p>AMD APUs have also seen success being used in the last few PlayStation and Xbox console generations, as well as the Steam Deck and its handheld gaming PC ilk.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14395\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture.jpg\" alt=\"AMD APU Architecture\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14395 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"AMD APU Architecture\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/11\/AMD-APU-Architecture.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Non-G series Ryzen CPUs do not have iGPUs and thus, aren\u2019t APUs.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Overall, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-cpus-with-integrated-graphics\/\"><strong>CPUs with integrated graphics<\/strong><\/a><strong> are pretty much exactly what they sound like<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The best performance will obviously come from a beefy discrete graphics card, but the sheer versatility of integrated graphics shouldn\u2019t be underestimated, especially for desktop or editing use.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CPU_Types_By_CoreThread_Architecture\"><\/span>CPU Types By Core\/Thread Architecture<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Single-Core_CPU\"><\/span>Single-Core CPU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The \u201coriginal form\u201d of the CPU is the single-core CPU.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While these haven\u2019t been manufactured in any meaningful capacity for decades, they\u2019re still worth mentioning to establish the groundwork for multi-core and multi-threaded CPUs, which come later.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Multi-Core_CPU\"><\/span>Multi-Core CPU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The first multi-core CPU was launched back in 2001<\/strong>, and the market in the years since has been a continually-escalating competition of increasing IPC<strong>*<\/strong> and core counts.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>*<\/strong>More on IPC later.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>One of the most interesting things about multi-core CPUs is that their impact on a given application will be determined by the application itself<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Many applications, especially complex games being run in real-time, or (inter-) <em><strong>active<\/strong> <\/em>professional workloads (such as 3D Viewport Navigation), are not programmed to utilize more than one or a few cores at a time. <strong>This can be problematic <em>if<\/em> your CPU is balanced toward multi-core instead of single-core (per-core) performance.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21819\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work.jpg\" alt=\"How do cores work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-21819 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"How do cores work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/02\/How-do-cores-work.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Multi-Threaded_CPU\"><\/span>Multi-Threaded CPU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Besides multi-core CPUs, there are also multi-threaded CPUs, first introduced by Intel in 2002<\/strong>. This feature, dubbed <strong>Hyper-threading<\/strong> by Intel and <strong>S<\/strong>imultaneous<strong> M<\/strong>ulti-<strong>T<\/strong>hreading (<strong>SMT<\/strong>) by AMD, works identically wherever implemented.<\/p>\n<p>While it doesn\u2019t make the real-time processing power of a CPU any greater, it <em>does<\/em> increase the bandwidth available for tasks and instructions, <strong>making SMT particularly ideal for rendering, streaming, and productivity workloads<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17855\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work.jpg\" alt=\"How does Hyper-threading work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17855 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"How does Hyper-threading work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/06\/How-does-Hyper-threading-work.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CPU_Types_by_Market_Segment\"><\/span>CPU Types by Market Segment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mainstream_CPU\"><\/span>Mainstream CPU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Most of the CPUs you\u2019ll see in press coverage and advertising will be mainstream CPUs, and for good reason.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The mainstream CPUs are where AMD and Intel are putting forward their CPUs with the highest IPC<\/strong> (<a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-is-cpu-ipc\/\">Instructions Per Clock<\/a>, which relates to per-core speed)<strong> <em>and<\/em> the lowest prices (attractive to the largest consumer base)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Well, <em>relative<\/em> to server and workstation-grade CPUs, anyway, since high-end mainstream CPUs (Core i9, Ryzen 9, etc) can get pretty expensive and eat into the HEDT market quite a bit.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Server_and_Workstation_CPU\"><\/span>Server and Workstation CPU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Server and Workstation CPUs are where AMD and Intel can get their <em>big<\/em> <em>bucks<\/em>, though.<\/p>\n<p>Beefy server CPUs may not push the same high single-core speeds as a mainstream Intel Core or AMD Ryzen CPU but will, in turn, have far more CPU cores and threads to work with (Among other features such as support for more RAM, RAM Channels, more PCIe-Lanes, etc.).<\/p>\n<p>These beefier CPUs are being sold in a market more focused on raw throughput than anything else. Enterprise-grade server farms will rack-mount dozens of server-grade motherboards, each packing dozens of cores thanks to CPUs like these.<\/p>\n<p>These factors combined make server CPUs a good place for AMD and Intel to make money<strong>,<\/strong> especially since they\u2019re advertising primarily toward business users in this segment.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22161\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments.jpg\" alt=\"CPU Market Segments\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22161 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"CPU Market Segments\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/CPU-Market-Segments.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"HEDT_CPU\"><\/span>HEDT CPU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>HEDT (High-End Desktop) CPUs occupy a curious middle ground between mainstream and server CPUs<\/strong> and are generally much less frequently released than mainstream or server CPUs.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22160\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms.jpg\" alt=\"Benefits of HEDT (High-End Desktop) Platforms\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22160 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Benefits of HEDT (High-End Desktop) Platforms\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Benefits-of-HEDT-High-End-Desktop-Platforms.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>In recent years, the yet-higher-end series of Ryzen 9 and Core i9 CPUs were introduced, further increasing the core counts on mainstream CPUs and muddying the borders between mainstream and HEDT.<\/p>\n<p>On the AMD side, HEDT is currently called<strong> \u201cThreadripper\u201d<\/strong>. Intel has both Core i7 and Core i9 HEDT CPUs, but usually calls them <strong>\u201cExtreme Edition\u201d<\/strong> instead. Some Xeon CPUs, too, originally marketed towards server users only, are encroaching on the HEDT segment on Intel's side.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CPU_Types_by_Overclockability\"><\/span>CPU Types by Overclockability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Locked_CPU\"><\/span>Locked CPU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>A CPU that doesn\u2019t support overclocking is called a <em>locked<\/em> CPU.<\/strong> A locked CPU isn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing, especially if you don\u2019t know what overclocking is or aren\u2019t particularly experienced with it.<\/p>\n<p>A locked CPU just means that you as the end user can\u2019t do anything to manually change the CPU\u2019s clock frequencies.<\/p>\n<p><strong>However, if you treat a locked CPU to a motherboard with strong <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/motherboard-vrm-guide\/\"><strong>VRMs<\/strong><\/a><strong> and give it a good cooler, it will automatically \u201cBoost\u201d its own clocks to their highest speeds more stably and frequently<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22162\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks.jpg\" alt=\"What are Base Clocks and Boost Clocks\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22162 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"What are Base Clocks and Boost Clocks\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/What-are-Base-Clocks-and-Boost-Clocks.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t need to overclock to have a good experience!<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Unlocked_CPU\"><\/span>Unlocked CPU<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>An unlocked CPU is a CPU that supports \u201coverclocking\u201d. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Overclocking differs from traditional automated \u201cBoost\u201d clocking done by the CPU since it\u2019s instead done by the end user.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22163\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference.jpg\" alt=\"Boost Clock vs Overclocking - What\u2019s the Difference\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22163 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Boost Clock vs Overclocking - What\u2019s the Difference\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Boost-Clock-vs-Overclocking-Whats-the-Difference.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>An end user overclocking their CPU is increasing their clock speed and voltage in hopes of achieving more performance<\/strong>, but will often need to make steps up in their cooling and power delivery in order to make those overclocks happen.<\/p>\n<p>Pursuing the best <strong>stable overclocks<\/strong> on high-end CPUs is the primary goal of many an enthusiast, and can be a nice way for everyone else to <strong>get more value<\/strong> for their money as long as they are patient.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_Go_With_AMD_or_Intel\"><\/span>Should I Go With AMD or Intel?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>For gaming purposes, it\u2019s generally best to go with Intel unless you\u2019re on a tight budget or want integrated graphics<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Intel\u2019s strong IPC lead makes them a compelling choice for gamers, but <strong>AMD CPUs are nearly as good for gaming<\/strong> these days, and arguably <strong>better<\/strong> for things like live-streaming games.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For editing and productivity purposes...the answer is actually pretty workload-specific!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Intel and AMD trade blows depending on applications in use, but<strong> I\u2019d consider checking out Jerry\u2019s article for <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/intel-core-vs-amd-ryzen\/\"><strong>a more detailed breakdown of Intel Core vs AMD Ryzen CPUs<\/strong><\/a> in various benchmarks and workloads.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_an_ARM_CPU\"><\/span>What is an ARM CPU?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>AMD and Intel CPUs, whether 32-bit or 64-bit, are both \u201cx86\u201d CPUs. This means they follow the x86 instruction set or the x86-64 instruction set for 64-bit CPUs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>An ARM CPU follows the \u201cARM\u201d instruction set, and ARM is primarily seen in smartphones and tablets instead of desktop and laptop PCs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>ARM isn\u2019t really relevant to the rest of this article, but if you were curious about what CPUs are in use inside your smart devices, there you go!<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Many_CPU_Cores_Do_I_Need\"><\/span>How Many CPU Cores Do I Need?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Not sure <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-many-cpu-cores-do-i-need\/\"><strong>how many CPU cores you need<\/strong><\/a><strong>? <\/strong>You can use the link planted in the previous sentence for an extended guide to that question, but I can give you a quick idea here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The number of CPU cores you need will always scale to your specific workload,<\/strong> but there are some trends to keep in mind.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The biggest tell will be whether or not your workload is actually geared for multiple cores<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Gamers probably don\u2019t need to worry that much about core count, though this is likely to change over time as the latest game engines get better and better at distributing resources across multiple cores.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Anyone doing rendering or editing will probably benefit from more cores to throw at that workload, though<\/strong>. <strong>I\u2019d recommend a starting point of 4-6 cores for Gaming and 6+ cores for Rendering\/Editing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>For my insight on other workloads, consider the extended guide.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Brief_on_CPU_Coolers\"><\/span>A Brief on CPU Coolers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Before we get things wrapped up, I\u2019d like to take just a moment to talk about CPU coolers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22164\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers.jpg\" alt=\"Types of CPU Coolers\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22164 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Types of CPU Coolers\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/04\/Types-of-CPU-Coolers.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>First, I\u2019d like to make the disclaimer that unless you\u2019re overclocking or have a specific cooler-related goal, you probably don\u2019t need to worry about your specific cooler at all.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The stock CPU cooler included with your CPU will be perfectly fine if you aren\u2019t overclocking<\/strong>, or may even allow a light OC if you\u2019re using AMD.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you <em>are<\/em> overclocking or simply want a quieter or better-looking PC is when you should start looking out for the best CPU cooler<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s when you should also consider <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-cpu-cooler-brands\/\"><strong>my extended guide to the Best CPU Cooler Brands<\/strong><\/a>, where I break down each one and what makes them unique.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>And that\u2019s it, at least for now!<\/p>\n<p>I hope that this article helped clear up the CPU terminology you\u2019ve probably seen thrown around in advertising and comments sections all around.  CPUs are more or less the \u201cbrain\u201d of any modern PC, and gaining a deeper understanding of how exactly they function always appeals to me.<\/p>\n<p>But what do you think\u2014are there any other types of CPUs you think I should have listed or covered here? Are there other questions about CPUs you still aren\u2019t sure about?<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Whatever your question is, feel free to ask it in the <a href=\"#comments\">comments<\/a> section below! The rest of the G100 Team and Community will also be happy to speak with you on our <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">Forums<\/a>. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Until then or until next time, stay safe and remember not to push your next CPU too hard.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are the types of Processors on the market, and what makes them distinct from one another? And which general categories can they be put into? I\u2019m going to break down the varieties of CPUs in this article, and overall give you a nice, focused starting course on CPUs. Let\u2019s dive into it! Basic CPU...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2339,"featured_media":22155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[74],"tags":[117],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22154"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2339"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22154"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22202,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22154\/revisions\/22202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}