3000+ XP or P4 2.8 (800fsb)

[BoboTheAngry]

Ok, I know this is a hot topic, but i think that my case is specific enough to get a good answer out of. No biased opinions please =) (thats gonna happen...)
ANyway, I'm building a new computer, and i dont want to upgrade (read: I wont upgrade) for probably 2 years at least. ALl i do is play games and I need to know which processor will keep me happier for a while.. Oh, Money isnt an object and I dont want to overclock

 

[BoboTheAngry]

Oh, and I'm looking at that nice ddr400 stuff from Corsair =)

 

[duncan888]

i guess it would be better to get a AMD if its for games only and no overclocking.

 

[Jeff7181]

If money isn't an object, either get the P4C 3.0 (is the 3.2 out yet? if so, get that) or the Athlon XP3200 (newegg has them for $461 Retail) They will just last you THAT much longer than a 2.8 or XP3000.

Realistically though, your CPU choice isn't nearly as important as your video card choice if all you're doing is playing games. You might want to wait for ATI and nVidia's new cores to arrive before you buy a new video card. If not, I say go with a 5900 Ultra if you can find one. AnandTech's review on them makes them look like a better choice than a 9800 pro.

 

[BoboTheAngry]

Actually, from what I've heard, the P4 2.8c (think thats right) is faster than the xp 3200+.. So ill probably go with the 2.8..

 

[Tetsuo]

isnt the 2.8 cheaper too? I'd always go the cheaper route...

 

[BoboTheAngry]

I must be losing my mind... A high end pentium is faster AND cheaper than the fastest AMD? Hmm... the end may be near (not sure for what, but something (heh heh)

 

[anomaly]

In about all pertanent benchmarks, gaming business apps etc, the 2.8C is going to be faster than the fastest XP out at the moment. I would go that route. And why are you against over clocking? If you for sure are not going to O/C, I would probibly get the Intel brand Canterwood chipset MOBO.

 

[BoboTheAngry]

It's not that im against overclocking, i just dont know how.. heh heh

 

[soja]

Get the cheaper cpu/motherboard combo and spend the rest on a good graphics card which will probably be more important for games.

 

[Necrolezbeast]

actually, I would believe the XP is faster in business apps, but in any mulitmedia and most gaming the 2.8c should be faster....I believe that the better processor would be the 2.8c because of the hyperthreading and 800mhz fsb, but also they tend to cost more and so do their mobo's and need of DCDDR....but I also have no money so I stick with the 1700+ tbred b route + a cheap nforce2 and use SCDDR....hehe, but for raw power the 2.8c is better...