How does Athlon 3200 compare to a p4 2.8-3.2GHz?

[Youth N Asia 0]

Alright, I'm in the market for a new computer, and I keep seeing Althon 3000s and 3200s. I really don't know what an Athlon is, but they carry a high price tag.

 

I'm currently running on my HP 1.3 Intel Celeron, 256mb mem, 40gb hard drive. I'm looking to double my memory and hard drive, plus get a DVD burner, nice monitor, and a few other things...

 

But I don't know much about the processors. So how does a Pentium 4 between 2.8 and 3.2 GHz compare to a Althon 3200?

 

thanks

[razazteca 0]

AMD processors are usually cheaper and faster than Intel.

[Dr. Tom 0]

To a point, yes. AMD CPU's perform more instructions per clock cycle, which is why they can compete with Intel chips despite a lower clock speed. An Athlon 3200 doesn't actually run at 3.2 GHz; without seeing the figures, I'd guess it to be 2.7 or so. But the greater number of instructions per clock cycle make it equivalent.

 

For the vast majority of users, there will not be a noticable performance difference between equivalent AMD and Intel chips.

 

AMD has overheating problems, though. Tom's Hardware did a test where they pulled the plug on the CPU cooling fan to see how the chips would do. Intel's chips immediately slowed themselves down so they could continue to run at a safe temperature. AMD's burst into flames (literally) within about two seconds.

 

I'd owned AMD chips forever until I got a P4 2.4 GHz a while ago. It's been nothing but a dream to use.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Price isn't really a huge issue for me. I'd rather pay more and get the better computer. I plan on buying a computer I'm going to keep a while.

[razazteca 0]

Use the money you save on the CPU to buy more RAM or a bigger harddrive.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Dr. Tom: Tom's Hardware, although it's pretty and they DO test this stuff, is kind of like the Drudge Report of hardware websites. Sure, everything may be factually correct, but Tom's is pretty renowned for being slanted to Intel.

 

I have an Intel myself and only owned one AMD (a K6-2 300mhz), but that's simply the way it's viewed in the hardware world. So, take 'em with a grain of salt.