wensinfomatics

Two major companies, Intel and AMD (Advanced Micro Devices), make CPUs for PCs. AMD’s CPUs cost much less, but lack the prestige of Intel’s name and high-priced chips. Both brands work equally well, although some say that AMD currently holds the edge.

Intel’s fastest CPU is the Pentium 4; Its top CPU for laptops is the Pentium M, designed especially to prolong battery life. AMD’s fastest CPU is the Athlon 64, and , for laptops, the power-saving Turion.

A few years ago, most people bought PCs based on CPU speed. Today’s breed of CPU’s work so quickly that the other parts of the PC have to work to catch up. The biggest battles now take place among video card manufacturers, as they try to create cards that crank out graphics as quickly as the games can serve them up.