Pentium IV versus AMD Processor

wolfman

Well I can't really say for the computer as a whole but the cpu is a good choice. It could be socket 754 or 939 though, 939 is the better.

Loobeylou

You are getting me all confused now - it doesn't take much believe me!

Quote:So, in simple terms, ask for an AMD Athlon 64, Socket 939, San Diego.Unquote

So ... I am right in thinking that this does not now apply? If not, can you tell me exactly what I should be going for?

Also, I have heard a couple of times now regarding dual core processors which seem to be up and coming - I believe more expensive than a P4.

So bearing in mind what I want this system for - my main use is for letters, spreadsheets and internet, but also I have two young grandsons who like to play computer games - please spell out in idiot terms what I should be going for, and thanks for the time you are all spending over this on my behalf.

blinky

Both Intel and AMD produce Dual Core processors.

Intel ones are the Pentium D and I believe there's an Extreme Edition (aka Extremely Expensive) which is dual core.

Only a relatively few boards support the dual core pentiums. I know the Intel 955X chipset supports them. The Nforce 4 for Intel is supposed to (except the cheapest Pentium D 820) but there are issues.

The AMD ones are called X2 and are more expensive staring at around £280-300 for the X2 3800+.

From the types of usage you are talking about I wouldn't think you would see much benefit with a dual core processor.

If the grandsons are into games then I would be tempted to go for the AMD64.

Rave

Both AMD and Intel make good processors, and it's just prejudice that stops people using one or the other. At the present time (and more than likely for the next few months) AMD provide the best performance for a given amount of money so I would recommend them. However, at the cheaper end of the market Dell seem to regularly come up with deals that end up a lot cheaper than anyone else- and Dell only use Intel processors at the moment. There's no point paying over the odds just to get AMD (although you may have other reasons not to buy from Dell).

If the kind of games they like are just simple puzzles etc. which don't have whizzy graphics, then for what you need a basic machine based around an AMD Sempron (or Intel's equivalent, the Celeron) will be fine. Semprons are AMD's budget line of processors but thanks to the basic design of their processors being very clever they don't end up being much slower than the more expensive Athlon processors. I would make sure you get a Sempron 64 though so that if needs be you can run a 64-bit version of Windows in the future- up until a month or two ago Semprons were only 32 bit and there may still be some old stock about. Letters, spreadsheets and internet hardly need any computing power at all, so nowadays any cheap computer will cope fine with those.

If they do want to play shooting or racing games etc. with 3D graphics which need a more powerful computer, then you should indeed look to get a Socket 939 system with an Athlon 64 and a reasonable graphics card. I guess you'd be looking at £600+ for a computer with a monitor if this is what you need.

blinky

It changes which one is best often with each processor revision. The Northwood Pentium 4's were very good and probably slightly better than the AMD XP's. The later Prescott (which was heavily delayed) has some issues, chiefly being heat generation and the lengthened pipelines.

The early P4's (Willamette) were awful - they were usually slower than the PIII they replaced but Intel tried to keep that one quiet.

Loobeylou

Just to let you know that due to the help and advice given by you good people out there, I now have my new computer with the AMD instead of the Pentium 4. I went for a really nice 17" Sony flat screen which had really good reviews, plus a new keyboard, and I am chuffed to pieces! It was probably not the cheapest way around getting my new setup, but it all looks great.

Many thanks.

blinky

Have fun with your new PC

lipidicman

blinky wrote:

It changes which one is best often with each processor revision. The Northwood Pentium 4's were very good and probably slightly better than the AMD XP's. The later Prescott (which was heavily delayed) has some issues, chiefly being heat generation and the lengthened pipelines.

Oh I can confirm that. Northwood at work, silent fans, hardly know it was on. Prescott at home, in a Nexus silent case, but you have to turn the heatsink fan right up (so it sounds like a jet taking off) to keep it cool. The northwood at full tilt is cooler than than the prescott on tickover!

Need another machine - 939 AMD64 looking like the best choice.

The more you know the harder it is to keep yourself happy with your choices!

wackojackouk

Loobeylou wrote:

Just to let you know that due to the help and advice given by you good people out there, I now have my new computer with the AMD instead of the Pentium 4. I went for a really nice 17" Sony flat screen which had really good reviews, plus a new keyboard, and I am chuffed to pieces! It was probably not the cheapest way around getting my new setup, but it all looks great.

Many thanks.

Hey Loobeylou

What did you get in the end, where did you get it from and how much did it cost you

WJUK

Loobeylou

We actually purchased the Sony flat screen and the keyboard separately from the tower, and all from different places. We went around various shops to get prices for having the tower built for us, gaining advice on what best to go for.

The keyboard was a cheap one. However, having looked at some more expensive ones in PC World, we are more than happy with this one, and it comes with a lot more useful buttons than the old one. It is not a wireless keyboard, but having said that, it has the only visible lead on the desk. I already had a perfectly good newish wireless mouse, and my printer was purchased earlier in the year.

The screen we purchased from Empire Direct, Bradford. The shop promises to match the on-line price, and as we are not a million miles away from there we went to pay at the shop and then collected from their warehouse.

The tower we had built locally - AMD64 Athlon 939 Venice as recommended earlier in this thread, and obviously containing the usual gubbins that one seems to need these days.

We were adamant that we did not wish to put our AOL broadband package on the new computer, so we migrated to Plus.net at a cheaper monthly rate. I found it all rather difficult, due to the fact that the day after we requested the MAC number from AOL, I received a message on my screen requesting me to click to upgrade the broadband speed. Well the darned thing stuck half way through and that was the end of broadband from AOL. Must admit I was rather suspicious of it all, but was not willing to pay 0870 premium rate to try to get it up and running with AOL again - I have previously spent hours doing this when it was a free service, so I knew what I was up against!! However, this problem made it all very difficult for connecting to Plus.net, and I ended up having to organise it from my local library computers!

PS - My apologies to ceminem who contacted me privately - I did completely misunderstand your message, and for various reasons I was unable to get back to your message for the referral details for Plus.net.