AMD or Intel

[funkyCable]

Hi

I have always had Intel Pentium and am thinking of changing to AMD. could somebody send me links or explain which is the better in price, and performance etc.

Could you explain what AMD Athone 64 and Athlon XP etc is equillant to Intel processor?

Very newbie with this so go easy please.

[AndrewJ]

While I could not say fully in techincal, but AMD are known for the superior gaming capabilities in there processors.

The 64 Amd Athlon chips and the Intel are superior in there own rights I am sure someone here who knows more will likely show you the figures.

I have used AMD most of my computer life and hated Intels when I had them for some reason AMD has a charm.

[funkyCable]

thanks for your response the reason i ask is that I heard AMD are cheaper Processors and Motherboards are too.

[bmxbandit]

tom's hardware have a decent roundup... as for prices, try somewhere like micro direct

Cost/performance AMD win all the way. If you want to beat AMD then you will need and Extreme edition Pentium at an extreme cost

[nffc]

AMD all the way - they're dirt cheap.

[funkyCable]

ok i take it AMD wins but how do i figure out the specs?

[AndrewJ]

Normally they would show the clock rate in the spec's of the processor.

I run a Amd Athlon 64 3000 newcastle core the clock on my computer properties is 1.81ghz.

[nffc]

The number is the "performance rating".

AMD vehemently deny it but it's widely accepted as the speed of the equivalent Pentium.

Mine in the sig is a AMD Athlon 64 3700- meaning it's a 64-bit CPU running at equivalent performance to an Intel 3.7 GHz CPU - despite itself being clocked at 2400 MHz

AMD chips come in a few flavours. Socket A but this is pretty much obsolete,socket 754 which runs single channel memory and either an AMD64 chip a sempron chip(avoid unless budget is to tight) socket 939 flavour of choice runs either single core Amd 64 or dual core Amd64 x2 chips with dual channel memory and socket 940 which run opteron chips (not needed unless you run a server) and needs ecc ram

I would recommend socket 939 and depending on budget maybe the 3500 or the dual core 3800. Do not worry to much about bus speeds dude just go for what you can afford and spend max amount possible. Never penny pinch on a cpu come to a budget and make sure you spend the lot

Note also now there is the sempron64 which is a budget cpu with 64 bit extensions and can I believe be found for less than 40 quid

[nffc]

I have a S754 and it's fast enough, was dirt cheap too.

Originally Posted by nffc

I have a S754 and it's fast enough, was dirt cheap too.

But would you buy 754 now? how long you had the build?

Also note that on the not to distant horizon there will be the socket M2 which allows use of ddr2 ram although I personally see no value in this

[nffc]

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

But would you buy 754 now? how long you had the build?

Also note that on the not to distant horizon there will be the socket M2 which allows use of ddr2 ram although I personally see no value in this

About a month. I'll usually wait until I need a processor/RAM that needs a completely new board before I upgrade again - previous was a socket A 32-bit XP 2000+ which is almost half the speed and 32 rather than 64 bit.

Can see this being adequate at worst for the next couple of years, I only really need a new graphics card now and then it will only be an AGP because I needed that to save initial money by using the existing one for a while - I like the PC on as much as possible so I prefer passive cooling on them. Also needed to have a few PCIs for sound/TV/wireless and a lot of the newer boards seem to have more PCI-E slots and fewer PCI/AGPs - again, when recycling components you want to have them work in the new PC.

I'm perfectly satisfied with the 754.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Another advantage of AMD over Intel, standard range of processors, is the temperature. AMD do run comparatively cooler.

The two companies have diversified a bit, and Intel have probably lost the lead for innovation, certainly temperature has held them back. Intel were first to the market with hyperthreading allows the processor to emulate two processors in one, although not that much software really takes advantage of that, yet. AMD have hit back with dual core, which is in fact two proper CPUs in one, not just an emulation, altough Intel are now just starting to work through their range also introducing dual core, whilst also having hyperthreading capabilities - two full, plus two emulated processors on one CPU These intel processors are very new to the market though, not yet readily available, in all ranges (but eyeing up a pair of dual core Zeons for a new office server )

However Intel do probably have the lead for mobile (laptop) processors - the Pentium M range.

Realistically, AMD tend to be a tad cheaper for similar performance, but choice of processor, needs to be matched to motherboard, quantity and type of memory, and hard disk types, even graphics card, for a balanced system. It depends what you are wanting your PC to do, but no point having a top end CPU, with next to no memory, and a slow HD.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Rob C

However Intel do probably have the lead for mobile (laptop) processors - the Pentium M range.

I was about to say the same Intel for laptops, AMD for desktops.