AMD vs. Intel Processors
There now exists only two major brands of central processing units (CPUs): Intel and AMD. AMD, by the way, stands for Advanced Micro Devices. The difference between the two processor brands is sometimes hard to see, as each has its own line, and even give such vital statistics, such as processor speed, in different terms. It can be difficult sometimes to simply compare an AMD processor and an Intel processor. Typically, AMD has produced cheaper alternatives to the Intel processor line. But the big question is, has this come at a cost of performance? In the processor industry, just as in any other, it is likely that you get what you pay for. Nonetheless, here we take a look at some AMD and Intel products and try to figure out a comparative cost to performance ratio.

Pentium 4 Extreme Edition vs. AMD Athlon FX 64

To compare the companies as fairly as possible, lets take a look at two of the newest processors by each, and compare the speed to cost ratio. The newest processor by AMD is the AMD Athlon FX 64-bit processor. AMD claims that this processor gives you "leading-edge performance and unparalleled technology with its simultaneous 32-bit and 64-bit computing." 64-bit processing is certainly a new development, and one that is perhaps long overdue. This chip is really something to behold, and hints that AMD is going to be in this battle for quite sometime. Some of the nice features of the FX include a 128-bit integrated DDR memory controller (up to 6.4GB/sec memory bandwidth for breakthrough performance and extraordinary cinematic computing experiences) and HyperTransport technology (much like Intel's hyperthreading), which provides "increased bandwidth and reduced I/O bottlenecks for increased system performance and better multitasking." You can purchase one of these processors for about $800 or so, if you look hard enough. You will find that their "core operating speeds" are about 2.6GHZ or so max.

Intel's latest chip is the Pentium 4 extreme edition. This processor is also very impressive with about a 3.2GHZ core operating speed. Like the most recent p4s before it, the Pentium 4 extreme edition comes with Hyper-Threading technology. However, it also comes with a hefty 800 MHz system bus and its major distinction from previous versions: a L3 cache at 2 MB, which is integrated into the chip and runs at the processor core clock speed. Another interesting architectual note is that the Pentium 4 extreme has 170 mln transistors, compared with the 104 mln found on the Athlon FX. This processor currently sells for about $1000 - a bit more expensive.
The cost to speed ratios for the Pentium 4 extreme edition and the AMD Athlon FX are actually very similar. Deciding which processor to spend your hard earned money on depends more upon what you actually plan on using your computer for. After various trials, it was found that the Pentium 4 extreme does better - overall - with gaming programs like Doom 3 and AntiPlanet. However, if you aren't a big gamer, you could probably save yourself some money going with the FX, and not really seeing any difference in application performance. In fact, you may even find that some games work better with Athlon FX. It really seems that AMD, with its new 64-bit processor, really has put out some stiff competition for Intel and the Pentium line.

Comments

Processor speed: Intel Pentium Dual Core vs. AMD Turion?
I know the processor speed isn't the only thing to look at, but if they have the same memory and hard drive space, are both of these processors powerful? Does one outdo the other? I'm looking at Intel Pentium Dual Core (T2060 or T2080) and AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-50. I'm not a gamer, but I do muti-task with many web and Word windows.

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