CPU Question

[Viper22]

I am have decided to purchase a new rig, and I have found many great parts for it, including the motherboard, ram, and video and sound cards cheap.  I am now debating which CPU I should buy.  I am confused between buying an AMD Athlon or a Intel Pentium, as both some good, but I am confused between dual core, 64 bit, and so on.  Do you know what type of CPU I should get that won't be outdated in 3 months?

[ctjoyce]

Well to some it up

intel ~ All around processing
AMD ~ Gameing

64bit is an amount of processing that you will need for Vista

Dual core is basically two processers in one. Good for multitasking, but not needed unless you plan to play FS, rip a DVD and do a virus scan all at the same time.

If I were you I would go with a AMD 4000+ Clawhammer. But when socket AM2 comes out, its going to be outdated. So your really not going to find anything that is going to fit the bill there.

Cheers
Cameron

[richardd43]

Once Vista is released more programmers are going to write 64 bit programs and will probably incorporate dual core technology.

This is my personal opinion but I truely believe 32 bit software will go the way of the dinosaur and 64 bit dual core capable software will be the next mainstream software.

I have boxes of 8 and 16 bit software in my basement and am sure most of the 32 bit will join it by 2008.

[congo]

Get a A64 4400+ cpu and mount it on a suitable chipset if you want something now that will last a bit, or just buy cheaper now and upgrade later.

Motherboards offer either Intel or AMD support , not both.

[Weather_Man]

Also, since you have a newish video card and didn't mention a new one on your list, you'll need a motherboard with an AGP slot to use the X850. That is going to limit your motherboard options considerably --  to an nForce3 or VIA chipset/motherboard for AMD. Not that it's bad, but just so you are aware most of the newer models use PCIe which is means a new vid card for you if you go that route.

[Viper22]

Thanks for the help guys.

[Viper22]

Ok, I'm back again.  I've been looking at the AMD Athlon

[ctjoyce]

Nope AMD cores are "slower" clocks than intel, but when you get it up and running, you will notice that there is no real difference between a 2.2Ghz AMD and a 3.8Ghz intel.

Cheers
Cameron

[congo]

There are only two AMD X2 cpu's worth buying in my opinion, the X2 4400+ and the X2 4800+.

These are markedly different from all the others in that they have 1 mb of L2 cache ram on each CPU core (total 2mb L2 cache ram ) instead of 512kb on each core like the other X2's. They also represent the top clock speeds of any X2's

I also assume that a X2 4400+ is the same or similar to a X2 4800+ and that only the default CPU multiplier is set lower. I would buy the 4400+, and clock it immediately to the same