AMD Chip question

[xtreemman]

im lookin to build a system with an amd chip its gonna be used for gaming. i havnt ever used an amd chip only intel ones so i was wondering which chip would be a good one to get? im using an p4 1.7ghz and im looking to get an amd one that is fast than the p4. also which motherboard would be a good one to get too? thanks for your help

[glockjs]

p4 is faster at the bigger stuff(games, video, yadda yadda) amd is faster with the smaller stuff common office programs, web browsing, yadda yadda....infact p3 is faster at the smaller stuff than p4

[redwudz]

ASUS A7n8XE = $116US
AMD 3200XP BARTON = $218US

Can't go wrong with this combo. The CPU is with heatsink, cheaper without and you can get a superior cooler. ASUS is very good board. You need fast memory and a really good video card for gaming.

[Solarjetman]

not really sure where glockjs got the idea that P3 is faster than P4 in certian cases. I have never seen a benchmark to prove that. However he is right that Intel is usually better in the performance arena.

IMO I think that AMD is too aggressive in its plus rating system. A good rule of thumb for the AthlonXP line is to knock 10% off the rating for a decent compare. For example, an AthlonXP 3200+ really is more like a 2.8-2.9GHz Pentium 4. That being said, I am a big fan of AMD anyway because of the cost vs performace ratio. I would much rather save on the CPU and spend it elsewhere.

One minor problem is the AthlonXP line is dead. No new speed increases will come from it. However, in a few months, the new sockets will start to appear for both Intel and AMD. Really any CPU you buy now will not have much upgrade ability so it does not make much difference. Just keep that in mind.

Just two weeks ago I bought nearly the same thing redwudz suggested. I got a A7N8X-E with a 3000+ AMD (saved $70 by going 3000+ instead of 3200+). And since mine was unlocked, I overclocked to 3200+. So far its a fine setup and I am happy.

[Cobra]

I agree with what Solarjetman says. AMD do offer a very high performancerice ratio.

Overclocking is a very real option with AMDs. Take a look at the article on my signature and see what you think.

You can now very cheaply buy Athlon XP Mobiles. These are unlocked, and are very overclockable. See the discussion in the thread my signature links to for more info.

Yet another factor in your decision...

Cobra

[flaninacupboard]

not really sure where glockjs got the idea that P3 is faster than P4 in certian cases. I have never seen a benchmark to prove that.

here you go http://www4.tomshardware.com/cpu/20030217/cpu_charts-26.html

P3 1.4Ghz beats the P4 1.5Ghz by a fair margin! Even the P3 1.2Ghz beats the P4 1.5Ghz!!

[glockjs]

got it from pcmag, seen some other comparisons too...

anyways, main thing is p4 is bigger and badder than the amd's.. i don't understand why everybody is crying about having deep pockets, price this price that with p4. if you search around you can find some good deals to build a p4 system.

[Solarjetman]

P3 1.4Ghz beats the P4 1.5Ghz by a fair margin! Even the P3 1.2Ghz beats the P4 1.5Ghz!!

Well, I'll be damned. Sure enough. That is very interesting. It just goes to show how clock speed is not everything and you have to take architecture into account! The basis of every AMD lover's arguement

[Piccoro]

P3 was an awesome design which is based on the p6.
Bet ya you'll see a similar design resurface coming from Intel within a few years. Ditch that netburst design...its old power hungry/inefficent technology.

Anyway...I'd look into either:
A) Moble Athlon XP's (OCing) Abit or Asus nForce2 board
B) Athlon 64 3000+ Abit/Asus/Chaintech nForce3 board
VIA's boards for A64 are solid too. It's up to your preference.

Socket 754 is good up to 3700+/3800+ later this year.
Little bit of an upgrade path.
Boards using nVidia's nForce3 250 will be out on the shelves soon. Better than the 150's out now. Worth the wait IMO. Built-in firewall, SATA and other features. It's a single chip (rather than north and southbridge).

BTW Intel's lovely new Prescott (which is on a shortage, check out news from HP/Dell switching back to Northwood) won't be upgradable much longer since they are switching sockets. 3.6ghz is the end and that will perform like a 3200+ A64 in games no doubt! Video apps are a different matter but we are talking games here so.

p4 is faster at the bigger stuff(games, video, yadda yadda) amd is faster with the smaller stuff common office programs, web browsing, yadda yadda

Nice FUD. Joking? Sarcasm?
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[tonofsteel]

AMD 2500+ Barton. This chip can be overclocked to 3200+ I have done it and run it perfectly however even though it can be run with the stock heat sink, i would recommend using a better heat sink. This is a suggestion if you have limited cash like me....... Works like a charm. IMHO motherboards make a big difference. Buy something that has a good chipset, and the features you want. A mobo can be the bottleneck in your system because if it is not designed properly you will be getting screwed out of speed.

[Cobra]

AMD 2500+ Barton. This chip can be overclocked to 3200+ I have done it and run it perfectly

Unfortunately, this isn't actually true for all XP2500s. All CPUs are created equal... It's just that some are created more equal than others! Most will overclock that high with no bother, but some (like mine) have imperfect cores are aren't capable of reaching those speeds. Read my guide and you'll see where problems arise with overclocking.

IMHO motherboards make a big difference.

Yes, I totally agree with this. The motherboard is critical. Asus make outstanding boards. If you can afford it, the A7N8X-E Deluxe is amongst the best on the market. If you're on a budget, the A7N8X-X would be good as it still packs an nForce2 chipset. As for Abit, I haven't tried their boards (stuck with Asus for all the machines I've built) but I hear good things.

Cobra