Ask A Geek

Q: Which is better, an Intel Celeron 585 2.16GHz or an AMD Athlon 2650c 1.60GHz?

Q: Which is better, an AMD Athlon XP 2000+ or an Intel Celeron 1.3 GHz?

A: The AMD Athlon XP 2000+ is about 25% faster than the Intel Celeron 1.3 GHz processor. Keep in mind that both processors are about 5 years old at this point in time and they will both struggle with the latest software.

If you are thinking about upgrading from the Celeron to the Athlon I would suggest against it. The upgrade would require, at minimum, a new motherboard. This might also require a new case and/or new RAM as well. If you did the upgrade you would probably still be unhappy with the performance of your system. Read the rest of this entry »

Q: What is the difference between an Intel Core Duo and a Core 2 Duo processor?

A: An Intel Core Duo processor or CPU is based on the older 32-bit processor technology. It has two cores, which means you can really think of it as two processors in one. It is not exactly that but you can safely think of it that way. Read the rest of this entry »

Q: I would like to know which processor is better. An AMD Athlon xp 2000+ or an intel celeron CPU 1300MHz. If the AMD is better how can I swap out the intel CPU for the AMD one?

Q: What games can an Intel(R) GMA 3100 run? I want to have a good PC game like crysis, half-life2, need for speed, etc. I want to know what games are compatible with my system.

A: There is a great free service called Can You RUN It? that will check your system and give you information on what will work with your computer. Read the rest of this entry »

Q: What games can an Intel GMA 3100 run?

My system is:

• Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp.060411-1541)
• Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E7400 @ 2.80GHz (2 CPUs)
• Memory: 1014MB RAM
• DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
• Card name: Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family
• Chip type: Intel(R) GMA 3100

 

I want to have a good PC game like cysis, half-life2, need for speed, etc. I want to know what games are compatible with my system.

Q: What is the difference between an Intel core duo and an Intel core 2 duo?

Q: Can anyone tell me if i can use a samsung 256 mb inside of my Intel computer?

Q: I’m building my first computer and I was wondering which CPU would be a better choice. An AMD Phenom X4 9950 with an MSI Mobo or and Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 with an Asus mobo. This computer will be used for mostly media, web design, World of Warcraft, and Spore.

Q: I am looking at purchasing a laptop for personal and work use. I only need basic MS office functions and internet. I am confused with all the terms thrown around at me. What features do I need? What does Intel Centrino 2 Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz, 4GB RAM, 640GB HDD, DVD Burner, 512MB Graphics, TV Tuner, 17″ Screen, Windows Vista Home Premium mean?

A: I find that the best way to prevent confusion when shopping for a new computer is to divide the computers into categories:

• Both Intel and AMD make good processors. So it really doesn’t matter which brand you choose. I recommend that you purchase a laptop that has a 64-bit processor. Most processors today are 64-bit. Also, many of today’s processors feature multiple “cores”. A core is sort of like a brain within a processor. So dual-core means two brains, quad-core means four brains, etc. I feel that dual-core technology is probably the best option for you.
• You need to purchase a laptop that has at least 2 GB (gigabytes) of RAM. Furthermore, be sure that any laptop with 4 GB of RAM or more includes a 64-bit operating system. Microsoft clearly labels the 64-bit versions of Windows.
• HDD is an abbreviation for hard drive. The two main considerations with hard drives are size and speed. I advise that you purchase a laptop that has a 160 GB or larger hard drive. You might run out of space for your computer files with a smaller hard drive. I also recommend a hard drive speed of at least 5400 RPM, as slower speeds will impede your laptop’s performance. I recommend that you avoid so-called “solid state drives” at this time, because they are very expensive yet they hold less data than normal hard drives.
• DVD burners are standard equipment on most laptops today. Stay away from laptops that only include CD burners. If you have lots of money you may want to get a BD burner in you laptop, which will allow you to burn Blu-ray disks in addition to DVDs.
• There are two kinds of graphics solutions in today’s computers. Shared/Integrated graphics are inexpensive. But they don’t work with some games and will decrease the available amount of RAM in your computer. Discrete graphics are more expensive. But the work with most games and don’t decrease the amount of RAM that your computer can use.  Discrete graphics come in sizes. I recommend a minimum size of 256 MB. Whichever kind of graphics you choose, you will need to make sure that your new laptop is fully compatible with Microsoft’s DirectX 10 technology. The laptop’s manufacture can give you more information on that. NOTE: Unlike a desktop computer, it is not possible to upgrade a laptops graphics after you buy. So when in doubt, purchase the best graphics you can afford.
• Unless you want to watch and/or record television on your laptop, you do not need a TV Tuner. If you decide to include a TV as part of your laptop, be sure that the tuner supports high definition.
• Screen size is a personal decision. I personally feel that laptops with screens in the 15″ to 16″ inch range offer the best combination of viewing and portability. Smaller screens are often difficult to read. Laptops with screens 17″ and larger don’t fit well on laps, and require special computer bags.
• Windows Vista is the successor to Windows XP. There are many more versions of Vista than there were of XP. Vista Home Premium is probably the correct choice for you. You may wish to click here for Microsoft’s official comparison of Vista editions.

TIP: Much of the above information is also applicable to Apple Mac computers.