AMD or Intel?

[Nucleophyle]

1.4Ghz Athlon is faster than Intel 1.7Ghz when you use DDR SDRAM. At Crucial, the price for PC2100 DDR SDRAM is virtually the same as the PC133 SDRAM.

If you go with Intel, you'll be stuck using RDRAM, which is more expensive and less ubiquitous than SDRAM. Prices are coming down, but they're still a lot higher.

Compare on Pricewatch:

256MB RDRAM = $114
256MB DDR SDRAM = $42

I'd defintely go with AMD. It's cheaper and faster.

 

[Nox1]

I walk on both sides of the fence when it comes to CPUs. I'm a diehard Intel fan, yet I just bought an AMD 1.4 Thuderbird.

I don't know what anyone else thinks, but in my exprience... I think your choice truly depends on how familuar and comfortable you are with computers.

I found that Intel is a very Plug-n-Play CPU. For me, and the Intel systems I've built, the CPU and getting it up and running is very easy. It's been around for so long as the standard, that everything is made for it's platform. Then again, I've always owned Intel and know what to expect even if there are problems.

With AMD, I was totally unfamiluar with it. I had tons of problems at first that seemed like an endless ocean, but they really were nothing to be worried about. It's basically the same pnp but there are a few drivers you should have for immediate install after you setup your OS. For me, the 4in1 driver ( www.viahardware.com ) and the AMD Mini AGP driver ( http://www.amd.com/products/cpg/bin/ ) come readily to mind.

Most of my problems centered around a cheap 300watt power supply that the computer store I bought my setup from said would work...well, it didn't. Make sure you get an AMD certified PSU if you plan on AMD.

My system is rock solid now. I could set it up a thousand times and it'd still be now that I understand the few things I need for it.

I would say that either CPU is going to be great for you. Heck, it's your computer... get what turns you on the most!

 

[irrigating]

Build with Amd for the computer enthusiast, Intel for a friend or relative.

Though I'm hoping Nvidia will help change my opinion on this...

 

[CrazyHelloDeli]

Yeah once the nForce hits I might get off the Intel train also, until then, I stay clear from VIA and AMD...

 

[jeffrey]

The AMD Athlon 1.2ghz is at a very reasonable price right now ($98). You can't get near the performance from Intel for under a hundred bucks (leaving out overclocking) add to that the savings from DDR memory and AMD is currently win win.

 

[PochiePooh]

For laptop, I would go for Intel since it utilizes less power than AMD. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[guitronics]

You are leaning in the right direction,Intel products have had MORE bugs than AMD in the last two years.Intel costs more, and the price of RAMBUS memory is outrageous,and it doesn't even offer a performance advantage, when you figure in latency.

I would wait a couple of weeks until the reviews come in on the new motherboards with the SIS 735 Chipset.

So far, here's the companies producing Athlon Boards with the SIS 735 chipset: Chaintech 7SlD,Gigabyte GA-7SRX; and Leadtek "WinFast 7350DDR".

Now before y'all get yer boxers in a bunch,here's the link....you may have to scroll down the page to "There's no stopping them:SIS beats AMD".

www6.tomshardware.com/mainboard/01q2/010611/index.html