Hello, I am about to buy a new AMD. Things I do mostly are gaming, such as Crysis etc. and Emulation ( working on getting a good build to emulate PS2 so I need a really good processor for the job) and I should also mention that I use Windows Vista Which of these processors do you think would benefit me the most? AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Processor ADX6400CZBOX - 3.20GHz, 2 x 1MB Cache, 1000MHz (2000 MTs) FSB, Windsor, Dual-Core, Retail, Socket AM2, Processor at TigerDirect.com or the AMD Phenom X3 8650 AMD Phenom X3 8650 Processor HD8650WCGHBOX - 2.30MHz, 3.5MB, 1800MHz (3600 MTs) FSB, Toliman, Triple-Core, Retail, Socket AM2+, Processor with Fan at TigerDirect.com Thanks in advance for any help
Well, although the AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ is faster, it only has 2 cores, while the AMD Phenom X3 8650 has three, slightly slower cores, ie you can do more. For emulation and gaming, i think you may prefer the X3 but that's one man's opinion. In my opinion, you need more opinions. Opinions anyone?
If you'll be running multiple heavy-duty apps at once, the more cores, the better. If you'll be going with one app at a time, it would be better to look at a dual-core. Also, depending on the particular programs, you may want to see how they perform on Intel hardware.
thanks for the replies now, here's something completely different that I've been looking at. So many people told me that Intel is a better investment so I found this Motherboard and CPU combo. XFX nForce 680i LT SLI Motherboard CPU Bundle - OEM, Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Processor 2.40GHz OEM at TigerDirect.com how's that compared to the others? It has less Ghz but it's quad core and has a way bigger cache which is important I've heard. And I guess you've noticed but CPUs are my biggest weakness as far as knowledge goes. So what are your opinions? Thanks again
Clockspeed, while a nice number, isn't something to focus solely on. How much work is being done per clock cycle is, and currently, Intel wins in that area. They simply do more work per clock than AMD does at the moment, and when you factor that in, the clock speed starts lose weight. It's not entirely irrelevant as it is related to the clockspeed, but the speed isn't the end all be all. Were all CPU's equal in terms of performance per clock, then, yes, the CPU speed would be the holy grail. But, that's not the current reality. Cache is important to a point. 1MB to 2MB offers a descent boost, whereas 2MB to 4MB is almost moot, assuming all other factors are equal. That bundle is a nice price, but if you live in the UK, if you want the TigerDirect order, you'll need to go through TigerDirect Canada as they handle international stuff. (I haven't a clue why this is.)
