Ignore the alphabet soup

Processor names are among the more confounding elements of a computer’s specs. Don’t worry about interpreting the meaning of P8400, 9100E, or Q9300. Just make sure you get a system with at least a dual-core processor. For budget users, that means an Intel Pentium Dual-Core, an AMD Athlon 64 X2, or an AMD Turion X2. For more power, consider the Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Phenom. Hard-core gamers or video editors should kick up the specs and buy an Intel Core 2 Quad system, which has four processors. Centrino refers to the chipset that houses some Intel processors.