AMD or Pentium

[fazer]

I'm in the market for a new pc but can't decide whether to go for a Pentium 4 3.2 Ghz or an AMD 64 3200+ or 64 3500+ which has got a newer 939PIN,the rest of the components are pretty similar.
Basically i want something that will be fairly future proof for at least a year hopefully three.
Am swayed torwards AMD but does it really matter whether i get the newer chip or is there not much in it?
Or am i just worrying about minor things?
Any help much appreciated.

[Pegasus]

Peole will argue the AMD/Intel debate until the cows come home.

Before you make a decision on what CPU to use, you need to decide what the machine is going to be primarily used for.
If it is for video/photographic work then the clear leader is Intel.

One thing is for sure though, there is no such word as "futureproof" where computing is concerned.

[BLUTO141]

IMHO Intel for CAD and heavy serious stuff AMD for games leisure but as the man said peeps will argue til the MOO MOO's come home for T

[kayahaze]

Got a amd 64 3400 myself cant complain try this site for detailed info and benchmarks for both chips. http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20030923/ hope this helps.
Kayahaze.

[Phreakster]

I'm in the market for a new pc but can't decide whether to go for a Pentium 4 3.2 Ghz or an AMD 64 3200+ or 64 3500+ which has got a newer 939PIN,the rest of the components are pretty similar.
Basically i want something that will be fairly future proof for at least a year hopefully three.
Am swayed torwards AMD but does it really matter whether i get the newer chip or is there not much in it?
Or am i just worrying about minor things?
Any help much appreciated.

Intel all the way mate, I would never have an AMD processor running in a server unless I wanted a meltdown at work, so I wouldn't want one at home either.

[stevie v]

a 3200 AMD runs like a 2400 Peniurm 4
Intel have much better Maths Co-processor & large 2nd level (i.e. on the processor as opposed to on the mother board) cache ~ the latter is very important in terms of performance

[Little John]

Got a amd 64 3400 myself cant complain try this site for detailed info and benchmarks for both chips. http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20030923/ hope this helps.
Kayahaze.

And this is the only thing you will ever get from an AMD owner, "look at the benchmark tests they speak for themselves" Who gives a s**t what the benchmarks say, most people want a stable and cool pc which isnt going to need 24 hour care incase it over heats.

I have a P3 733 and a P4 2Ghz both which have been on pretty much 24/7 for about 2-3 years, the P3 uses a standard Intel cooler with no problems the P4 has a coolermaster heatpipe thingy on it only because the copper heatsink looked nice in the packaging.

It comes down to money, if you have it to spend buy Intel if not buy AMD.

[Pegasus]

Got a amd 64 3400 myself cant complain try this site for detailed info and benchmarks for both chips. http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20030923/

I think the summary of those tests says it all anyway

Summary: The P4 3.2 EE Wins 32 Times, The Athlon 64 FX-51 15 Times - An Uncertain 64-bit Future For AMD

[BLUTO141]

from the above comments above, my point still stands, Intel more suited towards serious applications and amd for games etc, i have not checked on price, what is the diffrence in the cpu's, i have used amd for more than 6 years played all the games i wanted ran generic stuff like office and adobe graphic software along, i also use bespoke cad porgrams never once have i had the cpu MELTDOWN, a server was never mentioned as a function required the point is not valid had you asked for a cpu for in a server then i am pretty sure we would all agree intel is the way to go, the fact is you did not.

[helmsman]

I always buy AMD to support it. Without AMD, you guys(ie intel supporters) will pay a much higher price for your loyalty.

[cosmicma]

i personally use intel and always recomend intel but thats my preference i like to think they are more stable than amd but then again i can't compare i only have intel based pc's

in all honesty i don't think there's a whole lot of difference when your sat in front of the pc using it
apart from the odd wait states you seem to get from amd based pc's ( never worked out what was going on there )

[kayahaze]

And this is the only thing you will ever get from an AMD owner, "look at the benchmark tests they speak for themselves" Who gives a s**t what the benchmarks say, most people want a stable and cool pc which isnt going to need 24 hour care incase it over heats.

I have a P3 733 and a P4 2Ghz both which have been on pretty much 24/7 for about 2-3 years, the P3 uses a standard Intel cooler with no problems the P4 has a coolermaster heatpipe thingy on it only because the copper heatsink looked nice in the packaging.

It comes down to money, if you have it to spend buy Intel if not buy AMD.

I have both Intel and AMD. Use Intel for graphic and video work the AMD for games.
The web site i linked was unbiased and reveiwed both chips and has other information regarding computers. I did this to help fazer, not to put forward a biased opinion. Some people do give a s**t and like as much information as possible before buying a PC. As pegasus pointed out summary says it all anyway.

[Fusen]

tomshardware = intel biased always have been always will be.. I'd look at other reviews also people who say about "omg amd overheat" they don't have heat problems anymore since middle of athlon range

I'd go with amd personally cheaper and more bang for your buck

[Mr_Flash]

I've just bought my first Intel chip. Always been a AMD man before but had problems recently with 1 or 2 so decided for a change and bought 3Ghz Prescott.

Had inital problems with temps hitting 62C idle and 73C under load with stock heatsink/fan.

Just installed Coolermaster Hyper 6 and now at 46C idle and 55C load max.

Just a warning to anyone who buys this i had to cut some fins off the chipset heatsink to get it to fit on my MSI neo2 board

Very happy with CPU and it runs like a dream

[The Prodigy]

AMD64 pound for pound is the best CPU.. period!!

For games the AMD64 beats the Intel chip with ease, and the difference between AMD64's and INtels in Multi-tasking, encoding ...etc is VERY minimal now that AMD64 supports SSE3 :thumbs

Basically Intel are now playing catch-up, hence why a few months back they reverse engineered the AMD64

LOL, all this rubbish about AMD's running really hot shows what little knowledge you have!! Indeed the old Tbirds ran a little warm, but the new Apple Durons, bartons and AMD64's run VERY cool. What’s that I can smell?? Is it a prescott burning

Intel Prescott’s run FAR hotter than AMD64’s do.

[padd]

64bit or not 64bit? That is the question....

Really it comes down to the point of this: An AMD 64 is not going to be all that if it is runing on a 32bit os. think of it as running a car with half the cylinders blocked. It is designed for a 64bit os so should be used on one. You would be surprised how many reviews miss this part out giving excuses such as it would not be a fair test and all that. Does it not seem sensible to buy a 64bit processor and then want to use it in 64bit mode?

The fact that the 64 is only a margin behind the Intels in 32bit is not a bad thing really, AMDs were always that bit slower when it came to raw crunching power. What you need to remember is that in 32bit mode a AMD64 is just a bloated Barton with a few extra bits here and there.

When 64 bit apps come into the mainstream, the AMD will begin to shine. I would say it would be a worthwhile investment for the near future.


On another note, intel are making a new 64bit chip but if we wait out for the newest bit of tech all the time we would never buy anything because there is always something new round the corner.

sorry for the rant

padd

[BLUTO141]

64bit or not 64bit? That is the question....

Really it comes down to the point of this: An AMD 64 is not going to be all that if it is runing on a 32bit os. think of it as running a car with half the cylinders blocked. It is designed for a 64bit os so should be used on one. You would be surprised how many reviews miss this part out giving excuses such as it would not be a fair test and all that. Does it not seem sensible to buy a 64bit processor and then want to use it in 64bit mode?

The fact that the 64 is only a margin behind the Intels in 32bit is not a bad thing really, AMDs were always that bit slower when it came to raw crunching power. What you need to remember is that in 32bit mode a AMD64 is just a bloated Barton with a few extra bits here and there.

When 64 bit apps come into the mainstream, the AMD will begin to shine. I would say it would be a worthwhile investment for the near future.


On another note, intel are making a new 64bit chip but if we wait out for the newest bit of tech all the time we would never buy anything because there is always something new round the corner.

sorry for the rant

padd

so would you not buy the 64 now ready for future surley the answer is yes, and how much serious number crunching as you put it is done at home, as intel are only in the process of producing the 64 then the amd is stilll the way to go, and rant away mate thats why we are all here :thumbs

[padd]

If you are interested in large numbers and benchmark scores go for the intel route, you will impress all your friends and be happy with it.
If you want a cost effective powerful processor go for the AMD. Even if it is a first gen 64bit processor it 's lifespan is still going to be longer than a 32bit one. 64bit is the way to go and major players know this (ultra sparc anyone?) The wider registers have been proven to work by dare i say: Apple Macs! The G4 and G5s have an integrated 128bit velocity engine on their core that makes them super quick. And everyone knows that macs are better at imaging than pcs even if we don't like to admit it.
Given the choice between a AMD64 and a prescott i would go for a AMD64. Choose the 940pin package though as AMD are discontinuing the other one. Also that gives you room to upgrade to an 64fx at a later date if you are feeling flush.

[The Prodigy]

Sorry but that is rubbish!!

AMD64's running in 32Bit cream the majority of 32Bit only CPU's!!
It's not just about 64Bit, the AMD 64's are a complete new CPU with much improved architecture, memory controllers on die (bypassing the chipset) and SSE3 support.

With the price of AMD64's and the performance per pound they give you would have to be pretty thick to buy a 32Bit CPU!!

[padd]

Still agreeing that the AMD is the way to go, but the AMD64s are just an extention of the AMD athlon, hence their designation X86-64. They are based on tried and tested X86 architecture with increased memory registers.