Need Advice Choosing CPU

[MikeS21]

Here's what I'm looking at in my price range:

CPU #1
Athlon 64 3200+
2.0 Ghz
2000Mhz System Bus
512KB L2 Cache
512MB PC3200 DDR memory (Can be upgraded to 4.0GB)



CPU #2
Athlon 64 3500+
2.2 Ghz
2000Mhz System Bus
512KB L2 Cache
512MB PC3200 DDR memory (Can be upgraded to 4.0GB)



CPU #3
Pentium 4 processor 630 (64 bit)
3.0 Ghz
800Mhz System Bus
1GB L2 Cache
1GB PC3200 DDR memory (Can be upgraded to 4.0GB)


Since we use the computer for everything from word processing to photo editing to gaming, I intend to add a 256MB graphics card in the future, no matter which I go with. The AMD choices, I intend to double the memory to 1GB.

Which system would be faster and more powerful?

I have heard that processor speeds with Athlon 64's are not measured the same as Pentium 4 processor speeds. In other words, a 2.0GHz AMD processor operates at a similar speed as a 2.8 P4 processor. I have also heard that the Athlon can be tweaked or "overclocked." (Although it seems to me as if that would dangerously overheat the processor)

What advice can you give?

[KronoRed]

CPU 1 will do fine for you, unless 2 is only slightly more expensive.

Don't go near a P4, overpriced and it performs worse

Good forum for stuff like this http://forums.anandtech.com/

[westofyou]

I have #1 and I author Multimedia pieces on it, nice box... I could use more memory myself.

[Red Leader]

CPU 1 will do fine for you, unless 2 is only slightly more expensive.

Don't go near a P4, overpriced and it performs worse

Good forum for stuff like this http://forums.anandtech.com/

Are you KronoRed over there, too, or do you go by "T-Bone?"

[KronoRed]

Are you KronoRed over there, too, or do you go by "T-Bone?"

If you see Krono or Kronos around a forum..50/50 chance it's me

But not that one

[SunDeck]

CPU 1 will do fine for you, unless 2 is only slightly more expensive.

Don't go near a P4, overpriced and it performs worse

Good forum for stuff like this http://forums.anandtech.com/

Lot's of entry level PCs are being sold with P4s, aren't they? That's what I have at home, and it was cheap and works fine for me. But, I'm pretty low end, so I'd say it must depend on what one is doing with it, right?

[KronoRed]

The P4 that matches those AMD ones are overpriced in comparison.

[ochre]

The entry level ones are not 64 bit.

[SunDeck]

Okay, I don't know if I'm 64bit or 14K, but my point is I'm happy with what I got. Works fine. If I asked you what to buy I'm betting I'd have spent a lot more than I actually did because I'd go out armed with a little information but not enough to be anything but a danger to myself. Like my dad says about the riding lawnmowers in his neighborhood:

"Five horsepower to cut the guy's grass, fifteen to cart his fat can around a fourth of an acre in style."

[ochre]

only thing I am big on recommending people against is the shared video memory a lot of lower end machines have. I have never seen one that I would consider a decent performing machine.

[SunDeck]

only thing I am big on recommending people against is the shared video memory a lot of lower end machines have. I have never seen one that I would consider a decent performing machine.

Good thing I didn't get that!

"Yeah, 220, 221...whatever it takes".