Seeing as how we all enjoy this topic I'd like to get in my 2cents as well. First off, the TBird is the fastest, cheapest, and best processor for 32-bit applications. I think everyone here (except Intel, of course) realizes that more cache = more speed. And the TBird has more cache, hands down!
The reason the P4 originally was planned to have only Rambus memory was because these screaming fast chips these days are hard pressed for information to process all the time. Intels solution: faster RAM memory bus (known as Rambus) to keep the chip supplied with info to crunch. The real problem: not enough cache on the pipeline and in L2, which is resulting in lost clock cycles. This tidbit is proven by TBird systems running regular SDR SDRAM... they're layin' the smack down Intel chips at less than half the price.(can you say price fixing? Intel can)
Second, comparing these two chips is like comparing apples and oranges, they're both spheres but taste nothing alike. The P4 is both a 64-bit and 32-bit processor. Unfortunately for the P4 there is no 64-bit software out yet to take advantage of this cool feature. More unfortunately, it isn't even the fastest 32-bit chip. I feel the reason this is is because of the 20 stage pipeline the core has as opposed to the less than dozen stages the TBird has. (along with the single ALU and FPU)
Conversely, that 20 stage pipeline means it takes the P4 more clock cycles to do the same thing the TBird is doing. Making it look like the TBird can do the same thing the P4 does in less time and less clock cycles. Less clock cycles means less heat which means a cheaper cooling solution as well. Can it get any better? Yes it can! The DDR FSB is SWEET and so is the DDR memory bus! BTW, the "quad-pumped" FSB on the P4 boards is using DDR technology. Quad-pumped = QDR (4 bits per clock cycle sent rather than just two; which I applaud Intel for)
Last thing I've got to say is that if Intel is going to be around in the future those 64-bit apps had better start rolling out!
AMD Rules!!!
The reason the P4 originally was planned to have only Rambus memory was because these screaming fast chips these days are hard pressed for information to process all the time. Intels solution: faster RAM memory bus (known as Rambus) to keep the chip supplied with info to crunch. The real problem: not enough cache on the pipeline and in L2, which is resulting in lost clock cycles. This tidbit is proven by TBird systems running regular SDR SDRAM... they're layin' the smack down Intel chips at less than half the price.(can you say price fixing? Intel can)
Second, comparing these two chips is like comparing apples and oranges, they're both spheres but taste nothing alike. The P4 is both a 64-bit and 32-bit processor. Unfortunately for the P4 there is no 64-bit software out yet to take advantage of this cool feature. More unfortunately, it isn't even the fastest 32-bit chip. I feel the reason this is is because of the 20 stage pipeline the core has as opposed to the less than dozen stages the TBird has. (along with the single ALU and FPU)
Conversely, that 20 stage pipeline means it takes the P4 more clock cycles to do the same thing the TBird is doing. Making it look like the TBird can do the same thing the P4 does in less time and less clock cycles. Less clock cycles means less heat which means a cheaper cooling solution as well. Can it get any better? Yes it can! The DDR FSB is SWEET and so is the DDR memory bus! BTW, the "quad-pumped" FSB on the P4 boards is using DDR technology. Quad-pumped = QDR (4 bits per clock cycle sent rather than just two; which I applaud Intel for)
Last thing I've got to say is that if Intel is going to be around in the future those 64-bit apps had better start rolling out!
AMD Rules!!!
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