AMD64 3800+ or Pentium 4 3GHz

[Trooper599]

My brother is in the market for a new PC and wants something fairly powerful. Im a bit at odds on what to recomend for a processor. He has mentioned the AMD64 3800 and the P4 3GHz as the main choices for processor, but neither he nor I are are too familiar on all the specs of the new line AMD64 chips.

Which in your opinion would provide more power for the system?

Thanks!

 

[stevty2889]

Heh, of those choices, it's a very simple decision, 3800+ is way better than 3ghz P4. Really need to be more specific about the usage of the PC though..

 

[Trooper599]

Way better in what way?

The PC will mostly be used for games.

 

[TraumaRN]

As in it smacks the living sh!t out of that P4 3ghz in terms of speed, power useage, heat, etc etc

 

[Trooper599]

In terms of speed? Isnt the 3800 only 2.4GHz?

Forgive my ignorance when it comes to processors. I know just about every other aspect of a PC inside and out....I have pretty much neglected the changing processor technology since I upgraded my PC last year.

 

[professor1942]

yeah but a 2.4 Ghz athlon64 is much faster than a 3 Ghz P4. Even a 2 Ghz Athlon 64 is usually faster than a 3 Ghz P4... clock speed isn't everything.

Have a look at some of the gaming benchmarks here:

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=249&model2=226&chart=71

and you'll get the picture.

 

[stevty2889]

Originally posted by: Trooper599
In terms of speed? Isnt the 3800 only 2.4GHz?

Forgive my ignorance when it comes to processors. I know just about every other aspect of a PC inside and out....I have pretty much neglected the changing processor technology since I upgraded my PC last year.

3800+ is ~equivilant to a 3.8ghz P4. A64's use a more efficiant architecture, you can't look at clock speed alone, that number isn't valid for comapring an A64 to a P4.

Think of it this way, the P4 is a 2 lane highway with a top speed of 65mph. The A64 is a 3 lane highway, with a top speed of 50mph. Sure the top speed of the AMD is lower..but it has an extra lane, so it can get done just as much work, without going the same speed.

When you factor in gaming, the A64 really shines there, as does a pentium-m, which is also a more efficient architecture than the P4. Not to mention the A64 is a lot less power hungry and runs much cooler as well.

 

[Trooper599]

Thanks for the info guys. i guess the choice is simple.

 

[spacelord]

I just built my first AMD system.. a 3800+ X2, and am extremely pleased with it.