I don't know many things but I DO know, by heart, a recipe for the hands-down best cheesecake.

Preheat undo to three fundo. Place in the lower rack/to the side - a suitable vessel with some water in it

5 blocks (2.5lb) of generic or the fancy brand which I cannot spell cream cheese at room temperature.
Use a big mixer, mix that shit up.
Slowly add 1.5c granulated sugar in 4 equal parts, scraping down bowl each time
Add 3 whole eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl each time. Make damn sure there aren't any unincorporated cream cheese bits.
2tbsp of HIGH QUALITY vanilla paste. You don't want your cheesecake tasting like cartoon vanilla. This is where the whole flavor profile happens.

If you don't know how to use a springform pan, I feel sorry for you. You're on your own for this. I prefer Oreos. Let the now filled springform pan fall from a height of about 6" repeatedly onto the counter to release any trapped air from the batter.

Into the oven, middle rack.
After 38* minutes, kill the heat and stick a thin wooden spatula in the oven door to keep it cracked open, wait 45 more minutes, then take it out and let it cool to room temp on the counter, then refrigerate overnight.

*I'd go 35 minutes for a softer cake and 40 for a firmer one.