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Recommendations for CPU

Tags: Hardware

I’ve spent a lot of time researching CPUs for an upgrade to my Windows 11 computer, unsuccessfully. As mentioned in another thread, my hardware is old.
My search has been frustrating because a lot of the CPUs I clicked on turned out to be for laptops. And I won’t buy any of the CPUs that could potentially be affected by the flaw hitting Intel 13th and 14th gen CPUs. I’m not impressed with what Intel has been saying about their fix. It’s one thing if people already bought one of those CPUs. But why buy one and ask for trouble?
I’d prefer to keep it to $300 or less, but would go to $400. AMD is fine. And while there are advantages to buying an older, established CPU, I’m still leaning toward an as modern a CPU as possible. Integrated graphics is fine, as I’m not a gamer.
This will necessitate a new M/B and RAM, but I figure a M/B can be had for $100 – $150. I don’t know what the RAM will cost me, but if possible, I’d at least like to have the option of installing DDR5.
Thank you for your recommendations.

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In reply to Recommendations for CPU

How old is the computer that you are using. Many motherboards/CPU sockets from older systems may not be compatible with many newer processors. RAM is one of the cheapest components and have the same limitations. For example a motherboard that uses DDR2 memory sticks is almost always incompatible with DDR5 memory. Sometimes it is better to simply buy a newer computer rather than upgrading an older one with new components.

You never indicated how you use your computer. Is it used for business/gaming/research or whatever? Are you comfortable in installing computer components? You need to be more specific about what requirements you have in a computer. Sometimes a new CPU might work, but on a gaming system a better Graphics card may be sufficient.

The flaw is in the i9 models of note.

In reply to Recommendations for CPU

Intel has extended the warranty as the BIOS updates are sorted.

It’s getting more and more rare to find an old motherboard that will support more than a few generations of CPUs.

As you didn’t provide details in this discussion and I can’t locate your priors all you can do is to check the CPU Compatibility List for your motherboard (new or old.)

If you have to change the motherboard, count on getting the full kit.

Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

In reply to The flaw is in the i9 models of note.

birdmantd, I appreciate your taking the time to offer your thoughts, but some of the information you want is in my original post. I wrote that I know that I’ll need to get a new m/b and RAM. And I specifically wrote that I’m not a gamer and integrated graphics would suffice.
I’ve put together my own systems in the past and I’m looking to do this upgrade myself.
In other threads both at Cnet and here, I’ve mentioned that prices in this country are much more expensive than in the U.S. (where I was born and raised). I can order these parts in the U.S. and someone coming here can bring them, but I can’t do that with a whole new desktop.
I have no special needs in a computer. It’s for home use. One problem I face now is that I’ve installed the maximum amount of RAM and it’s barely sufficient.
Bob, thank you for your input. I’m aware that Intel has extended the warranty. But that in itself is yet another indication that those CPUs are problematic and it would be foolish to buy one knowing that it could be defective.
You also seem to have missed what I wrote about needing to buy a new m/b to accommodate a new CPU.
I want to add one more detail that I forgot to write in my original post. I was unable to find a number of CPUs – e.g., Intel i7-14700T, which isn’t affected by the flaw – for sale.

I find few “home use” computers need an Intel i9.

In reply to Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

As to the i7, for home use I don’t see a problem getting into the 11th or better generation.

ABOUT RAM. Windows changed how memory is managed which has confused a majority of Windows users. You can find folk with 64GB RAM equipped PCs complaining about memory use. This is exactly what Windows does now. Use all the RAM otherwise it’s wasted RAM.

There is something else that happens. Some PC users are trying to fix speed issues on their PC with more RAM but you check out the PC and it has the old Hard Disk Drives. These are like dragging anchor and deploying the drag chutes. I find the older the owner is, the harder it is for some to understand that HDDs are performance limiters.

Don’t count on folk’s memory of your location or PC particulars. Tell a short story at the end or beginning of each new discussion.

Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

In reply to I find few “home use” computers need an Intel i9.

Thanks, Bob.
I provided all the details I thought were relevant. I didn’t anticipate that a request for a CPU recommendation would result in a suggestion t buy a whole new computer (which necessitated my explaining how expensive they are here).
Due to my current RAM constraints, I have a memory monitor running all the time. As far as I can tell, it’s programs, not so much Windows, that are taking up all the memory. In particular, Firefox. I know that you’re against keeping a lot of tabs open, but it’s a matter of convenience.

I see folk with over 100 tabs open on i5 8GB PCs but no HDDs.

In reply to Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

They seem fine.

Watching such memory monitors can be fun but doesn’t tell you much anymore since a few years back Windows changed how memory is managed. To wit, memory is no longer freed when you quite that Firefox. Windows can let it stay allocated and release it when needed.

This has lead to so many adding RAM, changing entire PCs when Windows is doing exactly what it should be doing.

And again, a HDD in such a PC only adds to the laggy to almost locked up speeds.

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In reply to I see folk with over 100 tabs open on i5 8GB PCs but no HDDs.

If Windows keeps unused memory as allocated, I can’t agree that it’s doing exactly what it should be doing.
By the way, I see a significant drop in memory usage when I exit FF.

Which is nice.

In reply to Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

Some memory would be released but over and over folk have noticed the changes in how Windows manages memory.

And again, if the machine has a HDD, game over.

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In reply to Which is nice.

Do you mean if it has ANY hard drives or do you mean if it doesn’t boot off SSD?

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Bob, I’d like to ask a small favor of you.
I’ve taken your recommendation and ordered an i5-11400 and an Asus PRIME H510M-E. I’m now looking at memory. I believe what I’ve settled on is compatible with the Asus m/b, but the seller isn’t taking questions. Could you look at
https://www.ebay.com/itm/325889839005?_nkw=DDR4+3200+%28OC%29+MHz&epid=8060541019&itmmeta=01J5V9K0Z9FNST78YTEK12N2ZA&hash=item4be08c4f9d:g:ZHoAAOSwSY1mly6h&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKm5Fn9%2Bxy95j4MlABdNEWOc5M8S480%2Fdk8hPxeJi2xltKdPopgUcLsKg56iH8cxHTQR6bZE0pYl4p6gfKEeHvcq9SIsI2pNbEdCsLtlGfMiZT%2B1N7zS0gFMDcXGdMlYmXxk8mLghowhe%2BaUb77bHIxQtmT2m2cSrCsgElG7Y3Hzg7Es14PQE7eRNz25o8912BGoWx8VQo5uz9CL9GIHPgAyCK6Sn8EHrTJTAYxjlV485uIFQtXtSNK50PQ5L3cxvms%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9yPzOmuZA
and confirm that?

Sorry.

In reply to Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

I won’t recommend boards and such. While it’s a good enough system, all bets are off that it will address your needs.

Any.

In reply to Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

Windows will look at the HDD and performance will drop. And then we have drives that show other symptoms such as 100% use in Task Manager. The discussion about this has been done to no end. I don’t want to upset anyone but HDDs are not used in computers where performance is expected.

Good HDDs of course work fine but most folk won’t accept test results that show a problem along with the 100% disk use indication.
As such, I won’t work on performance issues, RAM use etc. if the PC has any HDD. You learn this quickly in the support world.

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In reply to Any.

Bob, please reread my post above. I wasn’t asking for a recommendation. I was just asking you to confirm that the RAM I’m looking at is compatible with the m/b I’ve already ordered. RAM is my weak point. I almost made a doozy of a mistake once when ordering and therefore have a little bit of a lack of confidence in my ability to choose correctly.

“I’ve taken your recommendation and ordered “

In reply to Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

I did mention the i5 but didn’t recommend that.

Sadly in this discussion the details of the current trouble machine was omitted but we do read there’s a HDD in the mix.

Even with that HDD one has to look for the signs that it’s the HDD dogging the machine or something else.

-> At this point I don’t recommend buying any hardware.

Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

In reply to “I’ve taken your recommendation and ordered “

As written above, I’ve already ordered the CPU and m/b, so too late for that.
Since I’ve already committed, would you mind checking out the RAM I provided a link to?
1) I want to be sure it’s compatible with the m/b I bought.
2) I was just looking at the specs for the m/b again and Asus writes that “11th Gen Intel® processors support 2933/2800/2666/2400/2133 natively.” That indicates that the i5 I just ordered doesn’t support the 3200 memory I’ve asked you to look at natively. So what does that actually boil down to? Do I lose a little bit of the memory’s speed? Is it supported non-natively? If yes, how?

Sorry but my take on RAM is that it’s 1 or 2.

In reply to Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

1. It’s on the QPL.
2. The maker/seller tells you it’s compatible.

Also, if the RAM malfunctions with stock BIOS settings I declare it incompatible or the motherboard maker has work to do with their stock BIOS settings.

Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

In reply to Sorry but my take on RAM is that it’s 1 or 2.

Sometimes, to my chagrin, I overlook the obvious. Once you mentioned “the maker,” I smacked my head and got in touch with . . . the maker! They confirmed that the RAM I was looking at is compatible with the m/b.
This began as a request for a recommendation for a CPU. I’ve ordered one, as well as the necessary accouterments. So as far as I’m concerned, this thread is closed.
As always, Bob, thank you!

Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

In reply to Any.

Many if not most people need one or more hard drives because of their larger capacity. It’s not always realistic to have a system with just SSD. And while they’re coming out with 16TB SSDs now, the cost differential means that a lot of people have no choice but to go with a hard drive.

“one of those”

In reply to Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

And here it is again. One of those HDDs can beginning to fail. The tests and symptoms are known but not to most PC owners.

Look for the 100% disk use in Task Manager and the smart values of the drive. Too often the owner thinks the drive is fine because it still works. It’s not.

I’ve seen people replace entire PCs, max out RAM, upgrade CPUs, and move a HDD over only for the problems to follow.

This is beyond the Windows memory management issue or those that try to run with 4 or less GB RAM.

[evaelfie5091]

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In reply to Recommendations for CPU

Well, I bought a used laptop, basically I had two laptops in the older one I had my DDR3 RAM and I was advised that the windows will not work on it, so I bought another used laptop and had the shopkeeper install the DDR4 RAM in it so it’ll allow the windows 11 to run smoothly. Regarding the space 8 GB will be enough but I advise you to upgrade it to 16 GB so it’ll be perfect for smooth working.

Regarding the GPU, as long as you’re running some high resolution software like MAYA, Blender, After Affects, you’ll be fine with the shared GPU, as it’ll be enough for the rest of your tasks.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by evaelfie5091.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by kees_b.

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Thank you.

[doniel]

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In reply to Reply To: Recommendations for CPU

I’m reopening this thread because the eBay seller messed up and sent my i5 to someone in Hawaii and the Hawaiin’s AMD to me. I remind you that we live overseas. Our son is currently in the U.S. and returning here tom’w. The seller didn’t get a replacement to our son on time.
Bob, you commented that you didn’t recommend the i5. I must confess that what stuck in my memory was your suggestion to buy 11th gen. I didn’t recall that you’d also written i7.
So . . . since I’m going to have to order a CPU again, I’m checking with you. Do you have anything against the i5? Any specific reason you endorse the i7? My thinking was that an i5 simply gave me better value for my money. It’s less expensive than the i7 and should provide the processing power I need.

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by doniel.

At the office and home.

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The office has moved to all i7 and SSDs in the fleet because we pay by the hour. Faster machines are cheaper.

At home, I like smooth fast PCs.

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In reply to At the office and home.

Thanks.
While my gut tells me that an i5 would probably suffice for my needs, I’ll take your advice. No point in asking for it and then ignoring it.
Thank you again, Bob.

Recommendations for CPU’s

In reply to Recommendations for CPU

A good budget cpu I would recommend a Ryzen 3600, because of the clock speed and the current support for it.

[Author]

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