AMD 64 & Intel P4 - How do they really compare?

[grimlykindo]

My next PC is definately gonna be AMD and I'm trying to figure how fast a AMD 64 really is.

I know the speeds with AMD and Intel are not rated the same, but a Venice 3000+ only runs at 1.8Ghz? how would this CPU compare with my P4?

How do you compare these? Does the 32-bit to 64-bit make it impossible to find an equal?

WHat speed AMD 64 would I need to be noticably faster than my P4?

I'm looking at maybe a 3500+ ?

please help an Intel man make the switch

 

[GuitarDaddy]

A rough rule of thumb is to take the A64 mhz times 1.55. So an AMD at 2.2ghz x 1.55= 3.4ghz Intel equivalent. The kicker is that AMD's run cooler and generally have more overclocking headroom. For example the 3000+ can usually be overclocked to 2.6-2.7 which means it would equate to an overclocked P4 running 4.0-4.2ghz.

 

[erwos]

That's only for general usage. If you ever run really floating-point intensive operations, an Athlon64 will totally trash a P4 6XX by about 50%. I've found, in general, there a lot more corner cases favorable to the A64 than the P4. However, if you want a real performance jump over your current CPU, you'll probably want something along the lines of an X2 4400+. A 3500+ will be faster, but I'm not sure if it's worth the money to upgrade - depends if you overclock, I suppose.

-Erwos

 

[klah]

Is it too difficult to just look at the benchmarks?

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2456
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2429

Lots more here: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/

 

[Bona Fide]

Just use AMD's PR [performance rating, aka 3000+] as MHz, and you should have a rough equivalent.

P4 630 (3000MHz) = A64 3000+
P4 650 (3400MHz) = A64 3400+/3500+

And the converse

A64 4000+ = P4 4.0GHz
A64 3700+ = P4 3.7GHz

But as mentioned before, AMD's tend to have higher headroom for overclocking, since they run a lot cooler. So your 3000+, after some tweaking, may be able to compete with a P4 4.0GHz. If you add in the price factor, AMD has a clear winner.

 

[redhatlinux]

Believe it or not AMD has an independant company certify the PR ratings. They have a complex workload that is used to do this. As mentioned in the floating point case the AMD cpu is very fast. In fact, if more companies would compile using a compiler optimized for AMD then the results would be much more beneficial to AMD.

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

Or, according to the lawsuit by AMD if Intel didn't use compilers that crapped non Intel processor codes AMD would be even further ahead, LOL.

 

[Kriz]

AMD64 also perform more processes per clock cycle.

Someone correct me if I'm off, but if my memory serves me: AMD64s do 9 processes per clock cycle, while Intel P4s do 6.

 

[Hacp]

Ya sure, and P4s haven't been kown to oc past 4ghz with good cooling.. many people have been able to oc their 3.0 GHZ p4s past 4. Its not hard.
I'm tired of AMD fanboys skewing everything in AMD's favor!
If your going to say stuff, try to be unbiased. Saying that a 3000+ overclocked will compare to a 4.0 GHZ p4 is like saying a 4.0 GHZ Oced from a 3.0GHZ p4 will compare to the 4000+. This stuff drives me crazy!

Performance of the P4s isn't that bad. Main problems are heat and power consumption.

 

[carlosd]

Originally posted by: Hacp

If your going to say stuff, try to be unbiased. Saying that a 3000+ overclocked will compare to a 4.0 GHZ

Performance of the P4s isn't that bad. Main problems are heat and power consumption.

But that is true!,also to OC a P4 to 4GHz yo will need very good and expensive cooling, to OC a 3000+ to 4000+ levels you only will need the retail cooler.

I use Quartus II VHDL compilin the compiling of my latest project in a P4 630 lasts 25 minutes, in an A64 3000+ (1.8GHz) it lasts 14 minutes!!!!, the diference is HUGE I would say , at least for me that the P4 performance is awfull and crappy, the diff almost 100%!!, also while making the compiling the P4 reachs 75º degrees with the case open, the A64 only reachs 47º with closed case, hughe difference! also.

 

[TuxDave]

Originally posted by: grimlykindo
Does the 32-bit to 64-bit make it impossible to find an equal?

PSA: Outside of mobile processors, this is a moot point. Both companies offer 64-bit processors in their desktop and server lines.