Choosing a Processor

Your processor will determine the speed and ability to run various applications and games. A processor’s frequency, core count, and number of threads will have a direct effect on how efficiently your PC handles tasks. It’s important to consider how you plan to use your PC when selecting your processor.

As games remain relatively lightly threaded, higher core count CPUs don’t always mean better in-game performance. When it comes to in-game performance, core frequency (speed) plays a much larger role than the number of cores. Typically, the higher the core count, the lower the core frequency, although there are some exceptions to this rule. If primarily configuring a PC for gaming, focus on the speed of the CPU and not so much the core count. As an example, an 8-core AMD Ryzen will deliver far superior gaming performance over a 64-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper, despite having 1/8th of the cores.

Users focused on productivity, such as content creation, rendering, design, animation, etc., should certainly factor core count into their CPU decision, as pro applications tend to be multi-threaded, making much better use of all the cores your CPU has to offer. Video editors and animators who rely on rendering speed to drive productivity will benefit from higher core count CPUs. Programmers who compile code regularly will also see a huge boost in performance with higher core count CPUs. If your time is money, a more capable CPU means less time spent waiting and more time being productive.

Feeling ready to make the jump into a new build? Head over to our custom configurators to spec out your new system here. If you'd rather leave the research and customization to the experts, take a look at our Ready to Game systems here.

Too many options? Still have questions? Give us a call at 908-620-9050 or reach out via email to Sales@MAINGEAR.com. Our entire staff is made up of gamers and creators alike, and we’re happy to lend a hand with configuring your new PC, however you plan to use it most!