Knowing GPU titles to performance

[TWI88]

I am fairly new to the tech community and have a question or two that I can't seem to find an answer to. I am wondering about the names of graphics cards, and even CPU's for that matter. The titles of the actual units have something like (Intel for example) i7 - 6700 K processor or Nvidia's GeForce GTX 980Ti. When Linus, or anyone else is simply told the model number, is there an easier way to know how well the GPU/CPU performs? Or do they just have the different processors memorized with their weaknesses and strengths?

[App4that]

Mostly memorization, numbers won't always match up. Like the 780 and 960. 780 destroys the 960.

[TheRandomness]

CPUs (Intel):

i7 > i5 > i3 > Pentium > Celeron

Number thingies:

5xxx > 6xxx > 4xxx > 3xxx ...etc

More number thingies:

Stuff like 6700k or 4690k don't make too much of a difference iirc

More:

4690k > 4670k

The K just means overclockable

 

Nvidia GPUs:

GTX (Gamer line of cards) First number = generation (GTX 690, GTX 960)

Second number = Rank of power (almost) (980 > 970 > 960 > 950)

^^^ Note: 780 > 960 but 780 ~= 970. Generations get optimized.

Ti = More power (980TI > 980)

Some have funny names (Titan) Those are supposed to be the best of the best.

 

AMD GPUs:

R5 = Internet browsing, R7 = Budget gaming, R9 = Budget gaming, Enthusiast

First number = Generation (290, 390, (Not released yet) 490)

Second number = Rank of power (almost) (390 > 380 > 370 > 360)

X = More power (390x > 390, 380x > 380)

Some have funny names (Fury) Those are supposed to be the enthusiast grade GPUs.

 

Left out AMD CPUs because just don't get any of them if gaming.

[MEC-777]

The more you follow and read about the products, the more you memorize what's what and how they stack up against each other.

 

No real easy way to learn aside from research. Generally the higher the model number within each "generation" of product, the better it performs. GTX 980 > GTX 960 and i7 > i5 for example. 

[Prysin]

you can use a tool like Anandtechs Benchmarking comparison tool

 

http://anandtech.com/bench/CPU/39

 

it is not perfect. But you can test different GPUs and CPUs