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Post by pre65 on Nov 5, 2015 16:50:08 GMT
For computer dunces like me. 
How does one of these dual processors compare with i5 or i7 devices ?
Two Intel® Xeon® Processor 5050
(4M Cache, 3.00 GHz, 667 MHz FSB)
Seems i5 and i7 can refer to a bewildering array of different spec processors. 
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Post by MartinT on Nov 5, 2015 17:39:56 GMT
Xeons are generally used in servers. They are designed for 24/7 heavy duty use and to be ultra stable and reliable. That looks like the spec from a few years ago and some of our servers use them (in fact, every one of our servers use Xeon CPUs).
A modern 4-core i5 can blow the pants off a Xeon in a desktop, laptop or tablet application and is designed for multimedia and graphics assistance in ways that the Xeon is not. Unless you're a gamer, you will never need an i7. AMDs are a good alternative, too, and often very good value for money, especially the 10-core A8 and 12-core A10 CPUs.
Different horses for different courses.
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Post by Greg on Nov 5, 2015 22:37:30 GMT
Philip,
your computer quest seems to be endless. Nigel recently went to a Radio fair and picked up a new computer put together with not up to date parts, but never the less, much more advanced compared to the one he was using for £25!
Seller was off loading twenty newly built like this. Get yourself off to a computer fair or similar to look for a bargain.
Greg
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Post by stanleyb on Nov 6, 2015 0:07:48 GMT
When buying a PC there are loads of things to take into account. The processor speed is not always a good one though. As an example, I have two i7 laptops. One is 13.1", runs at 3.4GHz max and boots up in about 20 seconds. It manages up to 2 hours on a full charge. The fan comes on quite easily with some programs. The other one is 15.6", runs at 1.8GHz max and boots up in 45 seconds. It lasts about 5 hours on a full charge. Runs silent most of the time, unless something heavy is being done. For some people the boot up speed is a good indication of how good a PC is, since it is assumed that the rest of its operation will be fast as well. For other people it could the the length of time that the laptop will be able to function on batteries alone. Others would consider the fan noise an important issue.
As it so happens, I also have the i5 version of the 1.8GHz i7 laptop. The i5 is more difficult to provoke into firing up the fan, but it is only slightly slower in operation. I put that down to the 1.6GHz processor, compared to the i7 1.8GHz.
So when deciding what to look at, read up on any comments on fan noises, battery life on a full charge, and whether the hard drive is easy to replace. Some laptops come with a fixed SSD drive ( I got two older machines like that), which means that you can't fit a bigger drive. Weight could also be a factor if you intend to haul it about.
Other things to check are:
See if it has USB3.0 ports, which will come in handy if you intend to use an external hard drive to store music or movies. Also see if it has a hardware or software graphics card. This could be important if you intend to play graphic intensive games.
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Post by MartinT on Nov 6, 2015 7:09:36 GMT
We've just bought 7 Intel NUCs (model NUC5i3RYK), complete with 250GB Samsung 850 EVO M.2 SSD and 4GB Hypex RAM. All for £307 complete. These are outrageously good value for money and absolutely tiny (they can bolt to the back of most monitors). They will even drive 4K displays! Performance with Windows 10 is very good indeed. It just goes to show what you can buy out there for not much money. Who needs a desktop any more?  |
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Post by MikeMusic on Nov 6, 2015 8:33:38 GMT
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Post by brian2957 on Nov 6, 2015 8:43:53 GMT
These look very good VFM indeed Martin , however as Mike says , I would much rather have something which was plug- in and play .
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Post by pre65 on Nov 6, 2015 8:50:49 GMT
My current quest is for a replacement laptop for her indoors.
Current favourite is a Lenovo T520/T530 with i5 and 4gb (8 would be better). They seem to have a fantastic reputation.
There are loads of "reconditioned" ones on Ebay.
I understand what Greg is saying, but not all of us understand computers enough to go down that road.
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Post by zippy on Nov 6, 2015 9:00:46 GMT
In my opinion unless you want a computer for some very specific or exceptionally processor-hungry task* (HD video editing ?) it's almost impossible to buy a bad one these days. Consider that even the lowliest machine of today will match the best from a few years ago ( Moore's Law ! ) * and I consider audio streaming etc to NOT be a processor hungry task... |
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Post by John on Nov 6, 2015 16:55:28 GMT
The Lenovo T520/530 are well made
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Post by MikeMusic on Nov 6, 2015 17:30:48 GMT
Lenovo is good kit
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Post by MartinT on Nov 6, 2015 22:17:41 GMT
Lenovo makes all-round great kit.
Mike - you can buy NUCs ready to go, but the bare-bones is ideal as you can specify the two most important ingredients: SSD and RAM. You can hardly go wrong, it's like Lego!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2015 3:32:01 GMT
I'm still using pentium 4 2.8Ghz with 2G of RAM and can't imagine why anyone would genuinely need more... OK I'm a Luddite.. what would all this modern stuff do so much better? I hate computer gaming with a vengence and use my PC for general browsing, CAD and watching BBC Iplayer (it does get a bit dodgy now and then on the latter if I use full screen mode!)
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Post by John on Nov 7, 2015 6:17:50 GMT
It really depends what you using your PC for I need 16gb for one of mine
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Post by MartinT on Nov 7, 2015 8:54:43 GMT
If you use Office 2013, stream full-screen HD video, work with Photoshop, edit video or want a lot of apps open at once, you need more. At least a quad-core Atom (tablet) or an i3.
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Post by MikeMusic on Nov 7, 2015 17:28:07 GMT
Lenovo makes all-round great kit. Mike - you can buy NUCs ready to go, but the bare-bones is ideal as you can specify the two most important ingredients: SSD and RAM. You can hardly go wrong, it's like Lego! But no operating system or software and I'm not confident enough to start with installing that Given time and a teacher I assume I could manage it. Can't see either happening soon |
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