Shop for processors

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 3 reviews

The Bottom Line: We recommend the AMD A8-3850 to mainstream desktop PC users in search of capable gaming power and multithreaded application performance. Read review

Specs: AMD, A8-3850

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.7 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 13 reviews

The Bottom Line: Thanks to an expensive new motherboard requirement, Intel's new Core i7 desktop processors will remain enthusiast and professional-level parts until more affordable complementary hardware comes out later next year. Speed never comes cheap, however, and if you're willing to spend for it now, you'll find yourself in possession of the fastest CPU on the market. Read review

Specs: Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition i7-965

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.5 stars Spectacular

  Overall score: 9.0 (4.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 27 reviews

The Bottom Line: Intel's Core 2 Duo E6700 offers the best price-to-performance ratio we've seen in a desktop chip. For half the cost of AMD's top-of-the-line chip, you get identical if not superior performance and better power efficiency. AMD surprised us last year with its completely dominant dual-core chips, but Intel regains the crown with Core 2 Duo. Read review

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo E6700

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: AMD FX FX-4170

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 2 reviews

Specs: AMD FX FX 4100

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 6 reviews

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo E7500

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 3 reviews

Specs: AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology TL-60

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 7 reviews

The Bottom Line: Intel's Core 2 Duo line marks the end of AMD's run of dominance through the dual-core desktop-processor landscape. Not only are Intel's new chips fast, efficient, and well designed, but they're also aggressively priced and sure to send ripples though the desktop PC industry. If you are buying or building a new computer, we recommend that a Core 2 Duo chip be at its center. Read review

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: AMD FX Black Edition FX-6200

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 8 reviews

Specs: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Intel Core i5 i5-2320

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: The quad-core Core 2 Extreme QX6850 keeps the desktop CPU performance belt tied firmly around Intel's waist at a price that helps offset the lack of sizable performance gains. New products at the end of the year may outclass this new chip when they arrive, but for now, the QX6850 reigns supreme. Read review

Specs: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: AMD FX FX-8150

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: AMD Sempron 145

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.7 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: AMD's Athlon 64 FX line has worn the desktop CPU performance crown for over a year. The king is dead. Intel's new flagship Core 2 Extreme X6800 not only hands AMD a defeat on all of our benchmarks, but it's also a more efficient, better designed chip overall. Read review

Specs: Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 8 reviews

The Bottom Line: Intel's Core 2 Duo line marks the end of AMD's run of dominance through the dual-core desktop-processor landscape. Not only are Intel's new chips fast, efficient, and well designed, but they're also aggressively priced and sure to send ripples though the desktop PC industry. If you are buying or building a new computer, we recommend that a Core 2 Duo chip be at its center. Read review

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Intel Pentium D 950

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Intel Core i7 i7-2600

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 3 reviews

Specs: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.7 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: If you thought dual cores were over the top, get ready. Intel presents the Core 2 Extreme QX6700, a single CPU with four distinct processing cores. At $999, the first quad-core CPU will remain an enthusiast part for a while, but as a glimpse of the future, it's clear that clock speed is out and core counts are in. Read review

Specs: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 2 reviews

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo E6850

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: Intel's Core 2 Duo line marks the end of AMD's run of dominance through the dual-core desktop-processor landscape. Not only are Intel's new chips fast, efficient, and well designed, but they're also aggressively priced and sure to send ripples though the desktop PC industry. If you are buying or building a new computer, we recommend that a Core 2 Duo chip be at its center. Read review

Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Intel Xeon E5420

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: AMD Sempron 2800+

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: AMD FX FX-8150