Hello!!

This might be a stupid question but....
I dont know alot about pc stuff, so I would like some help on CPUs. What CPUs are better? the i3 i4 i7 processors or the intel core duo ones?

The i7 processor occupies the top of the food chain, followed by i5 and i3.  Older dual-core processors are probably not worth considering unless you get an incredible deal on one.

unless you get an incredible deal on one

It is pretty hard to imagine what kind of a deal that would be. Free with a free compatible motherboard for a web surfing computer would work for me. I have a couple of old cases etc. and could probably put one together for that.


The problem you have with choosing a CPU is mating it with the technology that supports it. There is very little point to buying a cheap CPU and  motherboard and expecting to upgrade the CPU at a later date. Typically by the time you are ready to upgrade the CPU, your motherboard, memory etc. will have to be swapped out as well. Look at the pro-audio computer vendors sites to see what is there. Typically their entry level machine uses an i5 and their more serious machines use i7. Some home builders have made good audio machines built on AMD chips, but Intel really has become the industry standard, and probably provides a lesser chance of incompatibility with some of the more non-standard audio equipment. The price/performance ratio has also fallen off in later AMD chips, so the huge savings that used to be available for a comparable AMD machine are not huge anymore.

My stock answer to someone wanting to buy a new PC (or build a PC) is to buy more than you think you need ("overkill') or as much as your wallet can stand.  Don't go for the lesser equipment or you will regret it and as startabartfest notes you won't be able to upgrade the lesser hardware.

i'm rebuilding a system this year and going for the i5 3.4 Ivy Bridge proc and Z77 mobo.  IMHO the best bang for the buck... unless you want to go i7 for much more cost.  Been an AMD user for 15 years but after reading on Toms Hardware and AnandTech, I changed my mind. 

If you are going to use the built in Intel graphics I would recommend the i7 as there are better Intel graphics in the i7.   I'm using the Intel HD4000 graphics in my i7.  I have no need to add a separate video card for Sonar or anything else I have installed on the new PC.

I have another build with an i5 and the Intel graphics on the i5 are so so.

I have been using AMD for about 15 years.
But ive just built a new pc and this time chose an Intel.
Always had issues with all my AMD machines and most experts seem to say that Intel works best with Daws.
So i took the advice and went for Intel i7.
Very fast!
I used existing ATI graphics with dual DVI out.