Comparison It-Blok Elite 1080 i7 7700K G vs Artline Gaming X95 X95v02

The model of the chipset used in the standard configuration of the PC.

A chipset can be described as a set of chips that provides the combined operation of the central processor, RAM, I / O devices, etc. It is this chipset that underlies any motherboard. Knowing the chipset model, you can find and evaluate its detailed characteristics; most users do not need such information, but for specialists it can be very useful.

The specific model of the processor installed in the PC, or rather, its index within its series (see "Processor"). The full model name consists of the series name and this index — for example, Intel Core i3 3220; knowing this name, you can find detailed information about the processor (characteristics, reviews, etc.) and determine how suitable it is for your purposes.

Clock speed of the CPU installed in the PC.

In theory, higher clock speeds have a positive effect on performance because they allow the CPU to perform more operations per unit of time. However, this indicator is rather weakly related to real productivity. The fact is that the actual capabilities of the CPU strongly depend on a number of other factors - the overall architecture, cache size, number of cores, support for special instructions, etc. As a result, you can compare by this indicator only chips from the same or similar series (see “CPU”), and ideally, also from the same generation. And that's pretty approximate.

Processor clock speed when running in TurboBoost or TurboCore mode.

Turbo Boost technology is used in Intel processors, Turbo Core — AMD. The essence of this technology is the same both there and there: if some of the cores work under high load, and some are idle, then some tasks are transferred from more loaded cores to less loaded ones, which improves performance. This usually increases the clock frequency of the processor; this value is indicated in this paragraph. See above for more information on clock speed in general.

The type of video card used in a PC. Modern computers can be equipped with either integrated modules (such as products from Apple and Intel — HD Graphics, UHD Graphics, and Iris), or discrete video cards (including professional level ones), which can be installed in multiple units using SLI or CrossFire technology. Additionally, configurations without any graphic adapters can also be found on the market. Here is a more detailed description of each option:

— Integrated. Video cards built directly into the processor (less commonly into the motherboard) and lacking their own dedicated memory: memory for video processing is taken from the general RAM. The main advantages of such modules are low cost, low power consumption, minimal heat generation (not requiring special cooling systems), and extremely compact size. On the other hand, the performance of this type of graphics is low: it is sufficient for simple everyday tasks like web surfing, video viewing, and undemanding games, but for more serious purposes, it is advisable to have a discrete video adapter in the system. Moreover, the fact that integrated systems use part of the system RAM during operation does not cont...ribute to performance.

— Discrete. Video cards in the form of separate modules with a specialized processor and their own memory. They are noticeably more expensive than integrated ones, take up more space, and consume more energy, but all these drawbacks are compensated by the key advantage — high performance. This allows working even with "heavy" graphic content like modern games, 3D rendering, video editing in high resolutions, etc. (although the specific characteristics of discrete graphics can, of course, vary). Additionally, graphics processing in such systems does not use the main RAM, which is also an important advantage. For additional performance enhancement, discrete video adapters can be combined into SLI / CrossFire systems, this option is specified separately (see below). Also, note that in most modern PCs, such graphics are combined with a processor that has a built-in graphics core and often work in a hybrid mode: the integrated module is used for simple tasks, and when the load increases, the system switches to the discrete video card.

— SLI / CrossFire. Several discrete video cards (see above), combined into a bundle using SLI technology (used by NVIDIA) or CrossFire (used by AMD). From the perspective of an ordinary user, there are no fundamental differences between these technologies: both allow combining the computing power of several video cards, thereby increasing graphic performance. However, such graphics are not cheap, and therefore they are used exclusively in high-performance PCs with a focus on graphic capabilities — particularly gaming ones.

— Purchased separately. The absence of any video card in the initial PC configuration. A rather rare option found in certain high-end workstations: such configurations are equipped with professional processors without a built-in graphics core and do not have discrete graphics — it is assumed that it is more convenient for the user to purchase such an adapter separately.

The amount of native memory provided by the discrete graphics card (see "Graphics card type").

The larger this volume, the more powerful and advanced the video adapter is, the better it handles with complex tasks and, accordingly, the more expensive it is. Nowadays, 2 GB and 3 GB are considered quite modest, 4 GB are not bad, 6 GB and 8 GB are very solid, and more than 8 GB means that we have a specialized PC built for maximum graphics performance.

The type of graphics memory used by the discrete graphics card (see "Video Card Type").

In most of these adapters, GDDR graphics memory is installed — a kind of regular DDR "RAM", optimized for use with graphics tasks. This memory is available on the market in several versions; in addition, there are other varieties. Here is a more detailed description of the different options:

— GDDR3. At one time — a fairly common type of graphic memory; today, however, it is considered obsolete and is not used in new PCs.

— GDDR5. The most popular (for 2020) type of GDDR graphic memory. At a reasonable cost, it provides good performance, due to which it is found in computers of different price categories.

— GDDR5X. Modification of the above-mentioned GDDR5, characterized by a 2-fold increased throughput. Accordingly, the performance of such memory (with the same volumes) is noticeably higher; on the other hand, such modules are expensive.

— GDDR6. The newest of the GDDR standards for 2020 — the first video cards based on this type of memory were introduced in 2018. It differs from its immediate predecessor — GDDR5X — in both increased bandwidth and lower operating voltage, which provides both increased efficiency and reduced power consumption. It is also worth noting that GDDR6 was developed with specific applications in mind, such as VR or work with resolutions above 4K UHD.

— HBM2. The original HBM is a type of RAM d...esigned to maximize the speed of data exchange; HBM2 is the second version of this technology, in which the bandwidth compared to the original HBM has been doubled. Such a memory is fundamentally different from DDR in terms of device — in particular, the memory cells in it are placed in layers and allow simultaneous access. Thanks to this, HBM is several times faster than the fastest versions of GDDR, which makes this technology perfect for high workloads such as processing UltraHD graphics and virtual reality. At the same time, the clock frequency of such modules is low and, accordingly, power consumption and heat dissipation are small. The disadvantage of this option is traditional — the high price.

— DDR3. Memory that does not have a specialization for graphics — in other words, the same DDR3 that is used in RAM sticks (see "Memory Type" above). In the case of video cards, such solutions are completely obsolete and are almost never used nowadays.

The nominal rotation speed of the hard drive spindle (see "Drive type") installed in the PC.

The platters of hard drives in working condition rotate constantly. The standard rotation speeds found in modern PCs are 5400 and 7200 rpm (revolutions per minute — revolutions per minute). A higher rotation speed speeds up data access, but significantly affects the cost of the drive. In addition, "fast" drives are considered less reliable (which is often offset by various design tricks, but they also affect the price).

The number of internal 3.5" component bays in the computer. This form factor is standard for hard drives, and is also often used in other types of drives; accordingly, the more bays, the more drives you can install on your computer.

Paying attention to the number of internal 3.5" bays makes sense, first of all, if you purchase a configuration without drives or plan to upgrade your PC in the future. It is worth noting that it is recommended to install drives not in a row, but through one slot — for cooling efficiency ; so ideally the number of slots should be twice the number of devices to be installed.