Intel introduces new rating system. How simple it was when all you needed was a processor family name and clock speed. Getting the fastest was just a matter of buying the most recent architecture with the highest clock speed. The battle between AMD and Intel was only a matter of watching for the next big CPU.

Between then and now there has been an ever-increasing list of additional things to consider when buying the best.

Architecture, cache, dual core, quad core, clock speed, bus speed, Hyper-Threading and equivalency numbering, have all been rolled together to present a confusing picture to today’s unprepared consumers.

What is Intel's latest answer to all this confusion? STARS! Intel has implemented a new rating system using between 1 and 5 stars to rate its processor’s performance. The consumer needs some help but this won't do it. I’m betting it will wind up being just one more piece of useless information printed on packages and labels. Will a 2 star Extreme label be faster than a 3 star Core Duo? Will there be sets of stars for energy efficiency, clock speed, and cache? Will this grow into a milky way spreading across CPU boxes. Yes, it probably will.

Long story short consumers will still need an understanding of processors in order to make an informed decision about their next purchase. Every year it gets harder and harder to find the actual specifications of the hardware being used in systems. Give us the real information and make it accessible. Just print the complete specs on the package or a sticker on the computer. Stars won't shine through the clouds.

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• A Beginners Guide To Choosing Processors
• AMD VISION… Keeping Buyers In The Dark