Readers are always asking if I can recommend a computer for them. In short, I can’t. I don’t sit down in front of the thousands of variations out there to know which is best. What I can share are the parts that you give you a great computer.

At the heart of any computer is the CPU (Central Processing Unit). If you get a better, faster CPU then you have a good start to the rest of the system. Of course a fast CPU can be slowed by other computers so it is important to choose parts that allow you to take advantage of a CPU’s power.

You want a lot of bang? Look to the Intel Core i7-4790K Processor (shown below).

Before I tell you about all the good stuff, you probably want to know what size dent it will put in your wallet. It is currently selling for $339 at Amazon. Remember, I don’t set the prices at Amazon, I just report the number they show me!

There are multiple variations of the i7-4790 processor and this variation is the most powerful. Why? Because the chip is unlocked. That means you can tweak the settings in your system to make it run at a faster speed than Intel designates. Out of the box, it has a base clock speed of 4 GHz. Let’s just say that alone is screaming fast. How much faster you can tweak it is highly dependent on the other components in your computer and especially the cooling system you choose.

It has 4 cores that can run 8 threads via hyper-threading. Or you can stick to only 4 threads at higher speeds. You’ll need a motherboard that supports LGA 1150 socketed processors. For those who don’t want a separate video card, this processor also includes Intel HD Graphics 4600 running at 1250 MHz. Of course you can always run a separate video card if you want better performance than what you get from the embedded video circuitry.

I last updated my computer four years ago and just researching this CPU has gotten me drooling for a faster computer with the i7 4790K at its core!