A64 3000+ vs P4 2.6 GHz

[wakedog102]

Which should I build my new system around? A64 3000+ or P4 2.6 GHz.

with the AMD I would have a non O/C system running ~ as fast as a 3.0-3.2 P4 with little room to O/C and with a 2.6 P4 I could easily O/C to 3.0, 3.2 if I'm lucky.

Primary system use would be for video/image editing, webcontent creation, database building, and some gaming.

Is it worth waiting out for the 939 socket stuff or the prescott, or even just PCI-X, Firewire800 and DDR2?

Pros and cons please.
-Thanks

 

[yhelothar]

I would go with P4... video encoding and webcontent creation is what P4 excels in.

 

[randumb]

A64 3000+ wins. Plus, why wouldn't you not OC? Most AT'ers who got A64 3000+'s hit 2.2ghz with no problem with stock cooling.

 

[Xernex]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0
I would go with P4... video encoding and webcontent creation is what P4 excels in.

Not quite, web content creation is where the Athlons do the best, as you can see in anandtechs review here.

Video and image editing there isn?t a great deal of difference unless your doing heavy video encoding in which the P4 would be better suited. If not then the Athlon with its better game performance would probably top it off for you. Also the socket 940 boards may be getting superseded by the 939 board soon, but AMD have promised continued support in the way of CPU upgrades all through 2004. So going AMD wont leave you screwed for a CPU upgrade a year from now, where as the 478 P4 boards will replaced soon.
IMO its not worth waiting for the 939 socket or PCI express DDR2 etc.... unless you don?t mind waiting till mid to late 2004 for these products + pay through the nose to have the latest stuff.

Hope that helps.