AMD or Intel Build

[riversend3]

I have been reading through these forums for a couple of weeks since deciding to finally upgrade my desktop system. (Used XT Knight's guide on LCD's to pick the monitor I currently use, very happy with the results....) I have subject I have not found an answer to. Basically I am having a hard time doing a long-range projection/ upgrade path comparison for AMD vs. Intel CPU's and corresponding chipsets.

My upgrade timeframe is nominally November of this year, and I will do a little of everything with the system: gaming, photo editing, video editing and encoding(this is the reason for the upgrade, need to speed up encoding of digital home movies) and standard office and web apps. I have a limited budget ($800-1200 for case, CPU, PSU, M/B, video card, RAM), probably won't overclock, and expect to own the core of the system for up to five years.

So, with the idea that any AMD AM2 or later socket chip or any Intel C2D (dual or quad core) setup will be spectacularly faster than the AMD AthlonXP 2700+ I currently have, I am looking for a chipset that will be able to start off with a relatively mainstream processor now, but which I can upgrade for the next couple of years. I understand that P35 is probably my best bet for an Intel chipset to carry forward to their 45mm parts, but I have no idea about AMD. Any comparable chipset and upgrade path? I know the P35 can get me into the low-mid end C2D processors now, as well as upcoming quad core processors and that the track record of all these parts is good. What about AMD? Or should I just let them go for now since my timeline to buy is only about 4 months out?

Any education on this topic would be great, I know it is asking for a lot of info....thanks.:sun:

RE3

 

[Cutthroat]

Socket-AM2 and Socket-775 will both be around for the next generation of processors, beyond that nobody knows, but my guess is both sockets only have one generation left in them. So the next question for you is whether to get Penryn or Phenom, and until they're released, we also won't know which is going to be better, my bet is Penryn.

Just keep your eyes on Anandtech to see what's new and good, make your decision in November, by then there will be a whole new generation of hardware.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Originally posted by: riversend3
So, with the idea that any AMD AM2 or later socket chip or any Intel C2D (dual or quad core) setup will be spectacularly faster than the AMD AthlonXP 2700+ I currently have, I am looking for a chipset that will be able to start off with a relatively mainstream processor now, but which I can upgrade for the next couple of years.

With that comment, I'd recommend starting with a low-end C2D, a solid mid-range mobo that supports quad core & 1333mhz fsb, & a good 2gb (2x1gb) kit of ram. Then you can simply drop in a 1333mhz fsb, faster C2D in a year or two, & eventually drop in a quad core.

 

[erwos]

Socket AM2 is already on the 939 path to obsolescence, with Socket AM2+ and Socket AM3 looming in the near future. If you care about future upgradability, AMD is probably not the way to go right now.

 

[Extelleron]

Originally posted by: erwos
Socket AM2 is already on the 939 path to obsolescence, with Socket AM2+ and Socket AM3 looming in the near future. If you care about future upgradability, AMD is probably not the way to go right now.

Socket AM2 is forwards-compatible with Phenom and even AMD's 45nm CPUs coming in 2008 will work on AM2.

It's Intel that will have limited upgradability. A newer P35 mobo will work with Penryn, but not with Nehalem which will come in 2008.

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: Extelleron



Socket AM2 is forwards-compatible with Phenom and even AMD's 45nm CPUs coming in 2008 will work on AM2.

It's Intel that will have limited upgradability. A newer P35 mobo will work with Penryn, but not with Nehalem which will come in 2008.

If you think Socket AM2+ is going to be anything but a stop-gap, you're fooling yourself. The industry is moving towards DDR3. I never said Intel was going to be a better bet in terms of future upgradability, either.

 

[GregMal]

Get the best case, PS, DVD burner. Processors, MB's, video cards are oudated within 6 mos nowadays. Tell me the PC spec's that you had 5 yrs ago............heh....

 

[jelifah]

Don't buy with an upgrade path, especially now. Buying with an 'upgrade path in mind' means that you'll have to buy the latest and greatest mobo/chipset now and HOPE that when you go to upgrade that the chipset doesn't change. Of course about the time you upgrade you'll hear rumors of a new chipset that's faster greater cooler.

This goes out the window of course if you change processors every 6 months, but if you wait 12 to 18 months there's no point.

Of course this is a guy who is 'stuck' on his x2 and AGP X800 AIW with poor DDR RAM. I'd hate to have to buy right now.

 

[riversend3]

Thanks for the replies. I think I am in agreement with Giganotpithicus' viewpoint. And based on other comments, it seems like neither camp is going to provide a particularly viable upgrade path wrt mobo/chipset capabilities (not that they ever really did in the past either I suppose, depends on your definition of upgradeable).

But given the fact that I am still relatively satisfied with my computer for 90% of what I do, I can go at this with a bit of an eye toward future upgrades. I can buy a decent mobo, with one of today's low-mid range CPUs and be darn happy, and still have room to upgrade if I want in about 18mos (not to the top of the line for late 2008 or early 2009, but into something that is top of the line in early-mid 2008). Sounds like my purchase timeline will allow me to make a better decision in the next couple of months.

So...... unless AMD does something to make me think Phenom is a better future upgrade than Penryn, I will probably be looking at a P35 mobo with a mid-range dual-core chip from the current lineup (with the price drops today I will probably be able to get a pretty good chip for around $150 give or take). That will allow me to upgrade to one of several versions of quad core later, or a more powerful dual core depending on what seems to make more sense at the time. By the next time I decide to upgrade my CPU any Penryn chips will be on the cheaper side, but I will still see a boost, and with the rate at which software advances I will still likely be in the mainstream.

Still willing to listen to any other comments.....

 

[VirtualLarry]

Get a decent P35-based mobo (Gigabyte P35-DS3R is my current preference), and any cheap C2D (like the recently price-reduced E4400), and some good RAM (for faster-FSB newer C2D and C2Q CPUs), something at least DDR2-800, and you should be golden for some time to come. (Namely, when 1600FSB Penryns show up.)

 

[ethugholla]

Has it been confirmed that P35 mobos will not be compatible with Nehalem?

 

[jkresh]

ethugholla not that I know, but its highly unlikely that it would be, considering that the p35 boards have a memory controller and Nehalem will have an integrated memory controller.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Abit P35-E...$108
E4300...$100

Easy overclock to 3.0GHz with DDR2 667or better RAM.

 

[riversend3]

Looks like the general consensus is to go with the P35 and a mid-range dual-core chip, I will likely throw in some DDR2 800 RAM, maybe order that now since the manufacturers seem to be dumping it right now (too much supply?) and 2GB can be had for around $80-90. I suppose that could come down, but probably not by much.

Somewhere down the road as software matures I'll decide whether my needs extend to a quad core setup.

Thanks for all the input. Probably won't buy anything but the ram right away, I need to ask some questions in the cases and cooling forum about keeping everything quiet....

RE3

 

[ethugholla]

Hmm, I was under the impression that P35 boards would be good enough to handle Nehalem for two reasons..

1. Gigabyte stated that their P35 boards could handle new 45nm architecture. I always figured that it would just require a BIOS update. Makes me wonder if it can handle Penryn....

2. P35 seemed like it would last a little longer especially since mobo manufacturers have said that buying a new motherboard for every cpu to be released is ridiculous.