Processor (CPU)

How to Get a CPU Cooler off of a CPU [Un-stick Glued-On Cooler]

March 21, 2024

A CPU cooler protects your CPU from thermal throttling, stability issues, and heat-related damage.

Will A PC Turn On And Enter BIOS Without A CPU?

February 5, 2024

Will a PC turn on and enter BIOS without a CPU?

“Best” PC Bottleneck Calculators [CPU/GPU]: Do they even work?

February 2, 2024

Today, we’ll be breaking down PC bottleneck calculators!

Best CPU for Video Encoding [2024 Update]

January 30, 2024

What makes the best CPU for video encoding?

Is AMD’s AM5 Socket Backwards Compatible? [Quick & Easy]

January 26, 2024

Is AMD’s AM5 Socket Backwards Compatible?

Intel Core i3 vs i5 vs i7 vs i9: What’s The Difference?

January 2, 2024

Intel’s mainstream CPU line-up consists of their Core i3, i5, i7, and i9 “tiers.

How To Disable Overclocking of the CPU & GPU

December 26, 2023

Wanna know how to disable overclocking of CPU and GPU?

What Is The Silicon Lottery, and How Does It Impact CPU/GPU Performance?

December 22, 2023

Wondering what the silicon lottery is and how it impacts your CPU/GPU performance?

What Is CPU Package Temperature and Is It Important?

November 29, 2023

Today, we’ll be answering questions and other commonly-asked head-scratchers about CPU package temperature, including when you should be alarmed by the reading and what you can do to reduce it.

The Best CPUs with Integrated Graphics (iGPU) [Updated 2024]

November 29, 2023

What are the best CPUs with integrated graphics?

How To Check If Your CPU or GPU Is Overclocked

November 23, 2023

Want to know how to check if your CPU or GPU is overclocked?

AMD Ryzen 5 vs Intel Core i5: Full Comparison [2024 Update]

November 6, 2023

Today is the day for a full comparison between Ryzen 5 and Core i5 CPUs, with pros and cons for each evaluated.

Is Buying A Used CPU Safe? [Or should you buy new?]

October 5, 2023

Is buying a used CPU safe?

x86 vs. x64 vs. ARM: Differences & Which Is Best [2024 Update]

September 28, 2023

X86 vs x64 vs ARM:

Cinema 4D Viewport Performance Benchmark & Scores (Updated Results)

January 16, 2024

CGDirector’s Cinema 4D Viewport Performance Benchmark measures how snappy and smooth active work inside your 3D Software will be.

RISC-V vs ARM: An Introduction and Which Is “Better”?

September 12, 2023

It’s time for an instruction set showdown with RISC-V vs.

Cinebench 2024 Scores [CPU & GPU] (Updated Results)

January 19, 2024

Maxon’s Cinebench is one of the most popular CPU benchmarking applications on the market, and version 2024 continues this streak by, both, adding new features and overhauling its underlying render engine.

Intel Xeon (W) vs Intel Core i9 CPUs: Which Is Best For Workstations?

August 28, 2023

It’s time for Intel Xeon vs i9:

CPU Boxed vs Tray vs WOF — What’s the Difference?

August 2, 2023

Desktop processors (or CPUs, for short) come in three distinct flavors:

What is PBO (Precision Boost Overdrive) and Should You Enable It?

August 27, 2023

What is PBO (Precision Boost Overdrive), and should you enable it?

AMD Ryzen X3D vs X: Which Is Best For Your Needs?

July 31, 2023

Let’s talk about the differences between these versions of AMD’s Ryzen processors and what those differences actually mean to you, the end user.

How Does CPU Cache Work and What Are L1, L2, and L3 Cache? [+ Performance Impact]

July 25, 2023

How does CPU Cache work and what are L1, L2, and L3 Cache?

CPU Power Cable Guide – Everything you need to know [2024 Update]

July 23, 2023

Looking for a straightforward CPU Power Cable Guide?

AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7, 9 CPUs: Which Should You Buy?

July 22, 2023

AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7, 9…which of these AMD CPU tiers should you buy from to suit your needs best?

How to Fix the “CPU Over Temperature Error” [Step by step]

October 5, 2023

There’s nothing more daunting than turning on your computer and seeing a glaring error message, especially if it reads “CPU Over Temperature.

CPU TDP (Thermal Design Power) Explained

June 26, 2023

What is CPU TDP, and how should it impact your choices in CPU, cooler, and motherboard?

Types of Processors (CPUs) Listed and Explained [Updated 2024]

October 5, 2023

What are the types of Processors on the market, and what makes them distinct from one another?

How to fix a CPU Fan that’s not spinning [Or does it not need fixing?]

June 14, 2023

How do you fix a CPU fan that is not spinning?

10 Ways to Stop a CPU From Overheating [Ranked]

May 5, 2023

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is known as the brain of your computer for a reason:

CPUs with the highest Multi-Core Performance [Updated List]

November 4, 2023

The majority of modern CPUs have multiple cores.

Can You Upgrade Your Laptop’s Processor? If So, How?

May 5, 2023

We have brains; computers have processors.

Can You Overclock A Laptop (And Should You?)

October 13, 2022

Can you overclock a laptop?

Boxed vs. Tray (OEM) Processor – What’s the difference?

October 10, 2022

If you’ve ever found yourself on the market looking for a used CPU, you’ve probably run into a listing like this.

What is a CPU’s IPC? Instructions per Cycle explained

September 21, 2022

If you’ve looked into CPU performance to buy your next processor, you would’ve encountered the term “IPC” here and there.

CPUs with the highest Single-Core Performance [Updated List]

November 4, 2023

A Processor’s single-core performance is one, if not the most important indicator of how your CPU will perform in many workloads.

Intel CPU (Processor) List in Order of Performance

January 2, 2024

How are Intel CPUs ranked in order of performance – is there an easy list to check?

Are Intel Celeron CPUs Any Good? [Workloads Explored]

November 2, 2022

We’ve come a long way when it comes to CPU performance.

What Are Good Idle CPU Temps?

November 2, 2022

What are Good Idle CPU Temps, and how can you improve yours if they don’t fall into your desired range?

External Processors (CPU) For Laptops: Do They Exist?

November 2, 2022

Are external CPUs for laptops a real thing?

Can You Use An AMD GPU With An Intel CPU?

September 3, 2022

Can you use AMD GPUs with Intel CPUs?

Intel K vs KF vs F CPUs: What’s the Difference?

September 3, 2022

Processor naming schemes sure can get chaotic, and that holds true for both Intel and AMD.

How Many CPU Cores & Threads Do You have? [How To Check]

May 5, 2023

The number of cores and threads your CPU has depends on several different factors including its brand, model, and generation.

How Many CPU Cores Do I need? [Workloads Explored]

September 3, 2022

You might’ve wondered:

How to choose a Processor (CPU) for Video Editing

December 10, 2022

Video editing is a very layered workflow, one that tends to be quite taxing on a wide range of components; figuring out what exactly you need and how much money you have to spend so as to get an enjoyable video editing experience sure can seem like an overly complex endeavor.

Do You Have to Reinstall Windows After Upgrading CPU, GPU or Motherboard?

September 3, 2022

Do you have to reinstall Windows after installing new hardware, let’s say, the processor (CPU), motherboard, or graphics card?

Guide to CPU FAN RPM – What’s a good CPU FAN Speed?

June 17, 2022

Your CPU fan spins at different speeds, which helps keep your processor cool enough to run all your tasks efficiently.

System FAN vs CPU FAN Headers – Difference & When to Use Which

December 11, 2023

You’re ready to plug in those Case or CPU fans but you’ve stumbled upon terminology you’re not all that familiar with?

How To Find Out Which CPU is compatible With Your Motherboard

November 21, 2022

Figuring out which CPUs are compatible with your motherboard can be tricky because of the many factors to consider.

AMD CPU (Processor) List in Order of Performance

December 13, 2022

How are AMD CPUs ranked in order of performance – is there an easy list to check?

Locked vs Unlocked CPUs. Which One Do You Need?

September 3, 2022

When it comes down to locked vs unlocked CPUs, what’s the real-world difference, and which actually suits your needs?

What is SVM Mode in your BIOS?

April 27, 2022

What is SVM Mode in your BIOs?

Thermal Throttling Guide (Prevent your GPU & CPU from Thermal throttling)

April 27, 2022

Thermal throttling can plague almost any PC or smart device, but what is it, and how does it actually work?

How hot is too hot for a CPU? – Processor Temperature Guide

April 29, 2022

How hot is too hot for a CPU?

APU vs CPU – Differences, Benefits and Drawbacks

June 17, 2022

Have you ever wondered what the difference between an Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) is compared to a Central Processing Unit (CPU)?

P-Cores vs E-Cores & Intel’s New CPUs

April 28, 2022

The idea of having different kinds of processor cores on the same CPU package isn’t a new one by any means.

How to Fix the “CPU Fan Error!” Message

December 13, 2022

“CPU Fan Error!

CPU Cores vs. Logical Processors & Threads

April 27, 2022

There’s so much to take into account when looking for a CPU.

CPU Base Clocks vs Boost Clocks – What are they and what are the differences?

April 27, 2022

Gone are the days when CPUs had fixed clock speeds, and comparing different models from various manufacturers was as easy as ranking them by their frequency.

When Should You Upgrade Your CPU?

March 1, 2022

Are you due for a CPU upgrade?

Troubleshooting MSI EZ Debug LEDs: Everything You need to know

December 10, 2022

MSI’s EZ debug LEDs might seem like a trivial feature when purchasing a new motherboard, but it can save you hours when troubleshooting in case something does go wrong.

How to Combine the Processing Power of Two (or more) Computers

April 4, 2022

What’s faster than one PC?

Can You Use Nvidia GPUs with an AMD CPU?

November 25, 2022

AMD is the only PC component manufacturer that builds both CPUs and dedicated graphics cards for the mainstream PC market.

Server vs. Desktop CPUs: What are the differences?

May 24, 2022

A common question amongst our readers is which processor type they should choose:

CPU vs. GPU Rendering – What’s the difference and which should you choose?

April 12, 2022

Ever wondered what the difference between CPU and GPU rendering was and which one fits your needs best?

Do CPUs Come With Thermal Paste? (And how to apply it properly)

December 28, 2022

Building a new PC can be a daunting task, but this experience can also be very exciting.

Do You need a CPU Cooler? All cases where you’ll need a CPU Cooler explained.

November 8, 2021

Whether you need a CPU Cooler or not might seem like a bit of an obvious question to some, but it can certainly be confusing to newcomers.

How to fix bent Pins on a CPU and Motherboard (LGA & PGA)

August 15, 2022

Bent pins can cause a variety of peculiarities.

How to upgrade your PC (Beginner’s Guide)

February 8, 2023

Upgrading your system is an exciting experience that comes with a lot of benefits:

How to check your PC’s Specs (CPU, GPU, RAM, Storage & More)

May 9, 2022

There are many reasons why you would want to check your PC’s specs.

AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Review for Content Creators – Goodbye Competition

May 9, 2022

AMD released its newest range of Ryzen 5000 Series CPUs on October 8th.

LGA vs. PGA Sockets – Benefits & Drawbacks

September 12, 2022

If you’ve ever shopped for processors and motherboards, you would’ve encountered words and terms like ‘sockets,’ ‘LGA1200,’ and so on.

Render Engine Hardware Compatibility – CPU / GPU / Hybrid

May 9, 2022

This is one of the first things you need to know when planning a new PC for Rendering Workloads:

The AMD Threadripper 3990X Review for Content Creators

October 5, 2021

AMD’s Threadripper lineup launch, featuring overwhelming 24 and 32-core CPUs, left a trail of dizzy Intel HEDT and even enterprise-class Xeon processors in its wake.

Best Motherboards for 3rd Gen AMD Threadripper CPUs 3990X, 3970X, 3960X

December 10, 2022

With the release of AMD’s Threadripper 3000 processors (3rd Generation Threadripper), Intel has finally lost the lead in both single-core and multi-threaded workloads.

Best Motherboards for i9 9900k, i7 9700k [Intel 9th Gen CPUs]

December 10, 2022

Intel’s consumer CPUs have always remained a step ahead of their AMD counterparts when it comes to single-thread performance.

Best CPU Coolers for AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPUs (Review Roundup)

May 9, 2022

AMD’s Threadripper CPUs were designed to deliver incredible performance at shockingly low prices.

Intel Core vs AMD Ryzen CPUs in January 2024 (Benchmarks & Comparison)

January 3, 2024

Now that both Intel and AMD have played their hands with the launches of 14th Gen Raptor Lake and Ryzen 7000, it’s time to take a step back and look at the state of affairs when it comes to CPUs to buy in early 2024.

Best Memory (RAM) for 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs 3900X, 3700X, 3600

May 9, 2022

Wondering what RAM would be perfect for your Ryzen PC Build?

Best Motherboards for AMD Ryzen 5000 Series CPUs 5950X, 5900X, 5600X

February 8, 2023

On the lookout for a motherboard that pairs well with a Ryzen 5000 CPU like the 5950X?

Cinebench R20 Scores (Updated Results)

September 8, 2023

There’s a newer version of Cinebench Available Here.

Parts Needed to Build a PC (Computer Parts List & Explanation)

May 15, 2023

What Computer Parts do you need to build a PC, you ask?

VRAY Benchmark & CPU + GPU Scores (Updated Results)

March 31, 2022

Chaos Group’s V-Ray Benchmark is a widely used tool for benchmarking your Processor and your Graphics Card.

PC-Builder: Find The Best Parts For Your PC & Workstation

February 8, 2023

Quickly find the best Parts for your PC & Workstation.

Best Workstation Computer for 3D Modeling and Rendering

October 5, 2023

The most interesting thing you’ll come across when looking for a computer or workstation for 3D modeling and rendering is that 3D modeling and (CPU) rendering are two very different workloads.

Cinebench R15 Scores (Updated Results)

September 8, 2023

There’s a newer version of Cinebench Available Here.

Blender Benchmark Results (Updated Scores)

December 4, 2023

The Open Source Digital Content Creation Software Blender is among the most popular 3D-Modeling, -Animation, -Rendering, Video Editing & Compositing Solutions on the market.

Best CPU & GPU Render Benchmarks

April 28, 2022

There are many kinds of Benchmarks out there.

Best CPU For Rendering [2024 Guide]

January 6, 2023

Have you ever wondered what Processor (CPU) is best for rendering?

Best Hardware for GPU Rendering in Octane – Redshift – Vray (Updated)

October 6, 2023

Graphics Card (GPU) based render engines such as Redshift, Octane, or VRAY have matured quite a bit and are overtaking CPU-based Render-Engines – both in popularity and speed.