Do certain CPUs offer certain advantages for Windows 7?

Question

I'm about to buy a new PC that will run Windows 7.

My question:

Do certain CPUs offer certain advantages for Windows 7?

As a rule of thumb, more expensive CPUs yield better performance and more features; but I'd like to know the marginal benefit of each tier.

For example:

• Do some CPUs support virtualization much better than others?
• Past a certain threshold, will more expensive CPUs support Windows 7 better than others?
  • And if there is such a threshold, what is that threshold?

I'm also very interested in the AMD/Intel dichotomy; so if you could elaborate on that, that would be great.

Answer 1

1. TR's Windows 7 system guide: Recommendations for building the right enthusiast's PCs
   Gives some configurations and suggestions
2. A Slashdot thread: Windows 7 On Multicore — How Much Faster? to slide over;
   could be informative if you can handle some distraction.
3. Lighter reading at InfoWorld: How Intel Nehalem processors and Windows 7 work together

Answer 2

If you need to run a virtualized XP mode along with Windows 7, make sure you get Intel CPU with VT-x or AMD CPU with AMD-V.

Answer 3

Windows 7 includes parallel processing enhancements that utilizes multi-core CPU's. Thus, you will gain solid performance improvements going from a Dual Core to a Quad core to a Core i7/i5 CPU.