In the fast moving world of technology, it can become impossible to keep up with the ever changing landscape. This is why I have introduced this new series of posts to give you guys an idea of what is upcoming in the world of computers and whether it is worth the wait or better to just buy what is currently on offer. New technology also leads to price drops in the older (but not outdated) technology. For example, when Sandy Bridge processors from Intel came out, they offered a large jump in processing power as well as efficiency but laptops with the older generation of i5 and i7 could be found for $500-700, a far cry from the $1700 they were available for 6 months before. If you're willing to buy slightly older technology, the newer components can lead to massive savings for you especially as manufacturers and shops try to clear out their stocks. So what's new in the world of CPUs?

Intel

Intel is on the verge of releasing its new Ivy Bridge processors built on the 22nm architecture. They should by unveiled early next year and released soon after. It promises processors with more cores, more power and more efficiency than the previous generation as well as bringing 6 core processes to a more mainstream level (although still at the higher end). Obviously the high end will be well above $1000 but it should bring prices of existing Sandy Bridge processors down significantly. Sandy Bridge should be fine for the majority of people and is perfectly adequate for gaming as well. The potential cost savings are huge for those who want to build a cheap desktop or buy a new laptop. The advantages of upgrading to Ivy Bridge would be significant mainly for laptop users. The 22nm manufacturing process means less heat generated with more power. It should also be good news for overclockers especially due to the already high clock speeds and availability of multiplier unlocked processors.

AMD

AMD has already released their Bulldozer processors which includes the highest clock speed processor currently available however benchmarks have been disappointing. An interesting direction AMD seems to be taking is in launching Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) which aim to combine the roles of CPUs and graphics cards into one. This has the advantage of utilising the power of often unused graphics cards for everyday tasks. This also provides the benefit of lower power usage and less components in the system. This new concept will be of particular importance to laptops due to these key aspects. AMD is expected to replace its Bulldozer processors with the new Piledriver architecture in mid-late 2012. One key point about AMD processors is they are also significantly cheaper than Intel ones but offer similar performance. These soon to be released processors are capable of competing directly with both Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors from Intel and can be an excellent choice for those with a tight budget not looking to skimp on performance.

This is a brief summary of things to come in 2012. If you are considering building or buying a new computer, you might want to wait a few months for these new technologies to be released, either to have the latest and greatest or save a few bucks on the previous generation products. Please note that this information is based on leaked roadmaps and may not be 100% accurate, it is just meant to be used as a rough guide. The next post will cover motherboards.

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Ever wanted to try and build your own computer or you just needed a new computer but couldn't afford one. Well, here are the specs for a well rounded system which has decent speed, the latest processor and is perfect for normal everyday use. With Intel HD graphics you can do a bit of video and photo editing but no games at this price. Of course, the motherboard is compatible with a video card so if you want to add a video card on later, it is possible. So not only is this system cheap, it is flexible and pretty powerful. All for under A$600.

All of the parts I have chosen are good quality and like I stated in the previous post, I have gone with a reputable case manufacturer. The other components are made by trusted brands. One potential downside is that to get it this cheap, I have had to use Linux instead of Windows. It is pretty good if you give it a go and it is free but some people absolutely must have Windows in which case the whole computer will cost another $150-250 extra depending on the version.

So if you are on a tight budget but are looking for a computer which will last you 2-3 years (depending on how much you hate having outdated components) and has a bit of flexibility for future upgrades, then consider a build like this.

Depending on the store you buy the parts from, you can also bargain and get it for even less. Try StaticIce to see if you are getting the best deal on your parts.

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In today's day and age, when you go out to buy a new computer or upgrade your existing one, there are so many choices out there. You can get a bargain basement computer which will need to be replaced in a couple of years or you can buy a top of the line PC which has the best of the best components but its value is halved in six months time when better components come out. There is a point when you go up in models where you end up paying double the amount of the model down just for a tiny performance gain. This is unrealistic for most people and so there is always a sweetspot when looking at computer components. This is a special consideration you have to make when building your own computer and on this post I hope to show you the best value computer you can get for your money today.

First, the most important part of the computer, the CPU. There are so many different types of CPU out there and so many different brands but if you are looking for the best value CPU out there, you cannot step past the AMD processors. For example their new Phenom II X6 1055T at 2.8GHz is a 6 core processor and goes for the unbelievable price of AU$240. Intel's 6 core processor will cost you well over AU$1000. If you're looking to upgrade an Intel processor, a good value one is the i7-930 which is 2.88GHz quad core. Although not the fastest, it costs only AU$340. if your budget doesn't stretch that far, have a look at the i5-661 which will set you back $240. If you are building a new PC, AMD has the best value processors by far. Not to mention in some cases they are significantly faster than Intel's alternative.

Of course, different people have different budgets. So if you have $750 to spend on a computer, you aren't going to spend half of that budget on a CPU just because it is the best value. The CPUs listed in this post cover the needs of an average user with an average budget of around $1000 to $1200. So when looking at which processor to buy, look for the best bang for your buck but don't be tempted into spending too much over your budget in order to get it. You also have to look at your own needs.

Next time, find out about the best value Video Card

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The new chip has graphics capability built into the core processor, a first for Intel, and has new Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) instructions also built in for faster encryption and decryption. The new chip will go into production in the fourth quarter of the year.

“The rapidly increasing number of transistors and processor instructions we add have made possible the integration of more and more capabilities and features within our processors,” he said.

“This has driven an incredible amount of innovation throughout the industry.”

Maloney will also be showing the Westmere-EP server platform and said that it would provide a performance boost greater than that seen with the introduction of the Xeon 5500 series of server chips over the previous generation.

Intel is also working on an ultra-low power server chip in the Xeon 3000 range, which will operate at just 30 watts.

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As a follow up to Westmere the next generation chip, codenamed Sandy Bridge, will see an acceleration in graphics capabilities for the chip, with Intel's sixth generation graphics core built into the die. This will accelerate floating point, video and processor intensive software applications.

To help IT administrators Intel has developed a new PC management tool called Keyboard Video Mouse Remote Control, which allows managers to view problems directly as the user sees them, which it hopes will speed up fault solving.

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