How do you compare AMD to Intel?

[Burnthings176]

Im relatively new to really caring about whats inside a computer, but how do you compare the Intel processors to AMD? I understand ghz and all, but ive never seen an AMD measured like this. All i see with AMD are the 64bit stuff, and i realy dont understand it all. I am currently saving up for a new laptop, and i figure itd be best to understand this before i go and blow a bunch of mone on a new computer. Can somone explain the differences?

 

[mammikoura]

well amd runs at way lower clock speeds, but they are still as good, and better in some things, than the intels.

Basicly amd puts a number at their processor, like the amd 64 3200+. So that 3200+ should basicly be the equivalent intel cpu which runs at 3.2GHZ. But I don't believe in that, though it will give u some thing to compare with, but I don't think that those numers are always true.

 

[acphenom]

Intel CPU's are only superior to AMD's in media encoding/editing, but AMD's win by some margin in office work, compression, scanning etc.

They also run cooler, and are better value, so definitely go for an AMD if you want a desktop.

But for a laptop, however, I tend to side with Intel's Centrino more, cause it supports DDR2 RAM, which consumes less power than the DDR RAM which AMD's Turion uses.

64-bit only increases performance in certain tasks, like gaming and media encoding, but only if you have a 64-bit OS, such as Windows XP Pro x64 Edition, but I don't reccommend it.

 

[mayorredbeard]

you see the numbers on amd's market chips? Like amd 3500+, or amd 3000+, or amd 3800+, thats basically to compare it to competitors chips like intel who mainly focus on only clock speed, and how to get more of it, rather then other aspects of the processor. An amd 3000 should peform on par of a intel 3.0 ghz processor, an amd 3500 should be about on par with a intel 3.5 ghz, and a 3800 should be about on part with a 3.8 ghz processor from intel. Although those arent exact, because each processor is good at differrent things.

 

[acphenom]

Basically, I say ignore the rating system. AMD processors are definitely ones to go for. If you want an Intel, my advice is wait for Conroe and Yonah next year.

 

[alvino]

Or if you're desperate, just go with the older Northwood cores. Those were some of the best...

 

[acphenom]

How much power do those Northwoods consume?

 

[mayorredbeard]

a whopping 55 watts or somewhere around their right?

 

[acphenom]

Is that the TDP or how much they actually consume under full load?

 

[alvino]

Not sure, but they were way better than the Prescrap and they overclock WAY high, although not as high as the Prescrap cores...

My friend has a Pentium 4 2.8ghz Northwood core and he overclocked it to 3.8ghz and it runs perfectly fine with a Zalman CNPS7700-Cu.