Athlons and Pentiums?
- Thread starter Vasco
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GilesGuthrie
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They're rival products made by rival companies. They do basically the same job - i.e. they're both CPUs - and nowadays certainly the reliability and performance advantages previously enjoyed by Intel have been all but erased.
The problem with trying to assess which is better is two-fold:
1. You can't get an honest answer about which is better.
2. Which is better depends upon your requirements, as they have slightly different internal architecture, which leads to different strengths/weaknesses. Unfortunately, because of these, "independent" tests may or may not be relevant to your requirements.
The problem with trying to assess which is better is two-fold:
1. You can't get an honest answer about which is better.
2. Which is better depends upon your requirements, as they have slightly different internal architecture, which leads to different strengths/weaknesses. Unfortunately, because of these, "independent" tests may or may not be relevant to your requirements.
- 2,732
Here's the basics:
AMD makes processors that have more functions per cycle. This means that if you have a 2Ghz Pentium vs a 2Ghz Athlon, you'll get better performance out of the Athlon. Nowadays, there are faster clock cycles with Pentium than with Athlon, which means that they can perform better for most gaming. However, Athlons work better for office work and school work because they take less cycles to do all of the functions. Plus, with the increase of clock speeds, Pentiums are more prone to drop a command here and there, which means that the command must be sent over again, meaning slower performance. So basically, if you're a huge gamer, go with Intel's new Hyperthreading Pentium processors. If you're not a huge gamer, save your money and get better performance for everything else with an AMD processor.
AMD makes processors that have more functions per cycle. This means that if you have a 2Ghz Pentium vs a 2Ghz Athlon, you'll get better performance out of the Athlon. Nowadays, there are faster clock cycles with Pentium than with Athlon, which means that they can perform better for most gaming. However, Athlons work better for office work and school work because they take less cycles to do all of the functions. Plus, with the increase of clock speeds, Pentiums are more prone to drop a command here and there, which means that the command must be sent over again, meaning slower performance. So basically, if you're a huge gamer, go with Intel's new Hyperthreading Pentium processors. If you're not a huge gamer, save your money and get better performance for everything else with an AMD processor.
Pako
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Something not mentioned, certain specialized hardware/software will run better with a particular processor or another.
First you need to define what your going to be doing with your processor. If that task can be meet by both processors, I would definately look into the AMD products for cost savings for a comparable product.
For my recording studio, I find a more stable environment with my P4 then I could with a AMD product, and rendering movies using certain codec's are optimized for my P4 so I would see better performance there as well...
That is a very NON-Technical explaination. Hope it helps.
First you need to define what your going to be doing with your processor. If that task can be meet by both processors, I would definately look into the AMD products for cost savings for a comparable product.
For my recording studio, I find a more stable environment with my P4 then I could with a AMD product, and rendering movies using certain codec's are optimized for my P4 so I would see better performance there as well...
That is a very NON-Technical explaination. Hope it helps.
Pako
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My system is out of date now, but they can be found in this thread:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?postid=264202#post264202
Keep in mind that this system will be two years old here in just a couple more months...
I've never had AMD products before, you would have to tak to Tom about that.
If at all possible, I try to stay away from AMD. If I were going to build a straight gaming machine, I would definately go AMD all the way, but in a business/client mission critical situation, I'll stick with Intel products.
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?postid=264202#post264202
Keep in mind that this system will be two years old here in just a couple more months...
I've never had AMD products before, you would have to tak to Tom about that.
If at all possible, I try to stay away from AMD. If I were going to build a straight gaming machine, I would definately go AMD all the way, but in a business/client mission critical situation, I'll stick with Intel products.Originally posted by Pako
My system is out of date now, but they can be found in this thread:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?postid=264202#post264202
Keep in mind that this system will be two years old here in just a couple more months...
I've never had AMD products before, you would have to tak to Tom about that.
Funny you should say that - we get our PC through my partner's brother's business, and they switched over to AMD after they found the processors were able to get through their day-end case processing in a third of a time of the equivalent Pentium chips.
Pako
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I suppose it all depends on how the program is optimized for which chipset.
Take ProCoder for example. This little gem is optimized for P4's and can encode video much faster on a Intel Based P4 then a AMD machine.
So like I say, decide your application and choose around those processes.
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- Vasco506
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Well I wouldn't be getting a 3.06 HyperThreading Pentium (Way too expensive) but I would probably be choosing out of either a 2.67 Pentium 4 or a 2800+ XP Athlon...
This is really confusing...thanks for your help, I might just stick with a Pentium though, since I haven't used an Athlon before, and I am a big gamer...
This is really confusing...thanks for your help, I might just stick with a Pentium though, since I haven't used an Athlon before, and I am a big gamer...
- 15,799
I see where your coming from with too expensive. A Pentium 4 3.06GHz HT is like $800-$1000 AU!Originally posted by DODGE the VIPER
Well I wouldn't be getting a 3.06 HyperThreading Pentium (Way too expensive) but I would probably be choosing out of either a 2.67 Pentium 4 or a 2800+ XP Athlon...
This is really confusing...thanks for your help, I might just stick with a Pentium though, since I haven't used an Athlon before, and I am a big gamer...
Personally, I'd take the Athlon XP 2800+. It's cheaper (as many said) and basically the same performance. You'd probably only get a few more FPS out of the Pentium.
That's an interesting article - much of the complaint seems to centre around the labelling of the processors. I note there wasn't much discussion of costs.
It seems Intel are finally getting to grips with the P4 architecture and getting rid of bottlenecks (about frikkin' time).
My comments were centred around processors of around 12-18 months ago, so progress has rendered them obsolete. The business is coming up for a hardware change in the next 6-12 months, so it'll be interesting to see what the next box has got in it (sure won't be a Celeron!).
It looks to be way better at games than the Athlon, and that'll be the main use that I would use a computer for...
- 2,281
i've used both processors extensively...and to be honest, there isnt much of a difference for the same speed processor....i prefer intel rather than AMD....
i think the general idea is that amd is better for gaming, graphics and all that demanding stuff but the pentium is more reliable under office applications...
i havent had much probs with either but i dont do much gaming on my PCs...
i think the general idea is that amd is better for gaming, graphics and all that demanding stuff but the pentium is more reliable under office applications...
i havent had much probs with either but i dont do much gaming on my PCs...
- 2,281
yeah, iknow....i cant realy tell much of a difference myself....that was just some tripe i read in magazines....since i am not a PC gamer i cant really comment from my own personal experience...but under general use....much of the same...
i cant be arsed with updating graphics cards every 5 minutes and sound cards and memory....then filling your hard drive with games that just end up crashing it....i used to do that and got sick of it...i only play games on my PS2 these days
- 4,036
Word...I'm playing fewer PC games than ever. I mostly play emulated games on my PC now. I don't want to have to troubleshoot my games (which happens waaaay too much on the PC).
- 4,036
I still play Half Life. I'd play it more if it were more agreeable. I've only started having problems recently, too.... 
- 613
If you buy an AMD xp 2600, it will run basicly the same as a 2800, just cost less. I think you'd save money just buying more ram to make up the difference. By the way amd's are good for gaming if you get the nforce motherboard with the graphics enhancing hardware built in. For gaming i'll take AMD over Pentium any day.
I have an amd xp 2600 with 512mb 3200 ddr.
120gb + 40gb hard drives.
19" Samsung SyncMaster
Creative dvd + cd-rw drives.
2 mice. Razer Boomslang 2000dpi and Logitech Ifeel.
GeForce FX 5200
A crappy microsoft internet keyboard
3D Glasses that connects to my video card and keyboard. It using stereographic vision to display 2 seperate images in each eye to give a 3d effect. Things pop out of my screen, even my games.i-glasses found here
I have an amd xp 2600 with 512mb 3200 ddr.
120gb + 40gb hard drives.
19" Samsung SyncMaster
Creative dvd + cd-rw drives.
2 mice. Razer Boomslang 2000dpi and Logitech Ifeel.
GeForce FX 5200
A crappy microsoft internet keyboard
3D Glasses that connects to my video card and keyboard. It using stereographic vision to display 2 seperate images in each eye to give a 3d effect. Things pop out of my screen, even my games.i-glasses found here
- 2,281
why would you need 2 mice?
just curious...
- 15,799
Yeah. When dirt and stuff gets inside the mouse, it is impossible to play mouse games.Originally posted by DODGE the VIPER
***wants an optical mouse***
The rollerball is way too crap for split second games like UT2003 and precise games like C & C...I really need an optical.
I remember having to clean my mouse every week.
I finally gave in and bought an optical mouse.
- 4,036
...or try a different surface. If the mouse is on a surface that's hard to read (for whatever reason) it will move about wildly.
