Getting the best bang for the buck

With the release of the new Intel 'Sandy Bridge' Pentium and Celeron and AMD Llano CPUs come new options in the low-end or value segment of the processor market. Assuming that CPU performance is directly related to overall system performance by ignoring other factors such as memory, storage, graphics etc., we strive to create the best 'bang for the buck' desktop systems using these essential components.

In reality, there is very little overall system performance difference for any of these CPUs based on a different architectures and motherboards. Indeed in a recent comparative test of generations of these architectures less than 25% of general performance separated the oldest and latest. It isn't until the mid-range performance where great differences are noticed such as the Intel Core i5-2500K when it is suitably overclocked. Then personal desire seems to take preference over necessity. DIY and bespoke system builders take advantage of this. The mainstream PC manufacturers mostly take the easy option of standard configurations. DELL is perhaps the odd one out here with its XPS and Alienware brands.

The variation in performance in the dual-core Socket AM3, FM1, LGA1155, LGA1156 and LGA775 CPUs is fairly minimal as is their quad-core versions. Bargains can be had by taking a £50 processor overclocking it by 20% (no expensive cooling solutions here) and by unlocking a core or two as well. They st

Windows XP R.I.P.

I've had a steady number of requests for Windows XP on a new system. I've had to tell them that it is no longer available from DELL or any other manufacturer or retailer and apart from a few 'dodgy' copies on eBaY that's it. No more.

I then try to sell them on the benefits of the new Windows 7 over an operating system that was designed over 15 years ago, sold for the last 10 years, no longer supported from Microsoft for consumers, etc. It generally comes down to two excuses as to why they want it; I'm used to Windows XP and don't want to change (usually an elderly customer); or my business critical application only runs on Windows XP or IE6. For the latter I argue if it is business critical either buy the updated version or switch to an application that is supported for Windows 7 and the future. With a lot of pirated software in the small business segment these become hard lessons to learn.

There are exceptions, such as Lotus Organiser. This little application won the hearts and minds of users many years ago and though it has been discontinued by IBM it is sorely missed and there is a limited upgrade path to any similar application. If anyone has the source code and could develop a similar product for a reasonable cost they would have a winner.

So the end is nigh for Windows XP, but I dare say I will still be 'fixing' it for a few years yet on old DELL, Compaq, Time, Acer, etc. systems to prove what an enduring bit of software it really is.