Intel or AMD [modified]
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HI :) I am a college student doing an ICT course which involves a unit on hardware. When i was starting the course i heard some comments about what was better, AMD or Intel. So i was just wondering what people on here thought. Is an Intel processor better than an AMD processor or does it depend on the users needs? thanks for reading -- modified at 7:08 Monday 1st October, 2007 AMD vs Intel Both Intel and AMD offer a wide range of CPUs. The two companies' products are in direct competition and are both capable of running any current PC software. The differences are in technical details that, although they may be used for marketing, don't necessarily mean much to the end user. Pricing is also very competitive, with AMD's products being generally cheaper than comparable Intel models. At the budget end of the market, Intel's offering is the Celeron which is a cut-down version of the Pentium 4. AMD's budget processor, the Duron, is still available although it's getting harder to find. In the mainstream desktop market it's Intel's Pentium 4 versus AMD's Athlon XP and Athlon 64. The chief difference between the two is that the Pentium 4 and Athlon XP are 32bit CPUs, while the Athlon 64 is a 64bit model (see later on for an explanation). Just recently both companies have launched new ranges of processors, Intel with the Extreme Edition of the Pentium 4, an expensive model for the hardcore gaming market, and a new version of the Pentium 4 processor. You might see this referred to as Prescott to differentiate it from the previous Northwood version. The technical differences aren't huge, but the pricing hasn't changed for models at the same clock speed. So if you're given a choice, ask for the Prescott models. AMD has also introduced the Athlon 64 FX range, a high-end gaming/workstation CPU that prompted Intel to launch the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition.
Benjamin Dodd
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HI :) I am a college student doing an ICT course which involves a unit on hardware. When i was starting the course i heard some comments about what was better, AMD or Intel. So i was just wondering what people on here thought. Is an Intel processor better than an AMD processor or does it depend on the users needs? thanks for reading -- modified at 7:08 Monday 1st October, 2007 AMD vs Intel Both Intel and AMD offer a wide range of CPUs. The two companies' products are in direct competition and are both capable of running any current PC software. The differences are in technical details that, although they may be used for marketing, don't necessarily mean much to the end user. Pricing is also very competitive, with AMD's products being generally cheaper than comparable Intel models. At the budget end of the market, Intel's offering is the Celeron which is a cut-down version of the Pentium 4. AMD's budget processor, the Duron, is still available although it's getting harder to find. In the mainstream desktop market it's Intel's Pentium 4 versus AMD's Athlon XP and Athlon 64. The chief difference between the two is that the Pentium 4 and Athlon XP are 32bit CPUs, while the Athlon 64 is a 64bit model (see later on for an explanation). Just recently both companies have launched new ranges of processors, Intel with the Extreme Edition of the Pentium 4, an expensive model for the hardcore gaming market, and a new version of the Pentium 4 processor. You might see this referred to as Prescott to differentiate it from the previous Northwood version. The technical differences aren't huge, but the pricing hasn't changed for models at the same clock speed. So if you're given a choice, ask for the Prescott models. AMD has also introduced the Athlon 64 FX range, a high-end gaming/workstation CPU that prompted Intel to launch the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition.
Benjamin Dodd
Is that a BND course you are doing? Your college library should have many books you can borrow. See if they can lend you PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition by Robert Bruce Thompson; Barbara Fritchman Thompson. Publisher: O'Reilly. Pub Date: July 2003. ISBN: 0-596-00513-X
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Is that a BND course you are doing? Your college library should have many books you can borrow. See if they can lend you PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition by Robert Bruce Thompson; Barbara Fritchman Thompson. Publisher: O'Reilly. Pub Date: July 2003. ISBN: 0-596-00513-X
Richard A. Abbott wrote:
Is that a BND course you are doing? Your college library should have many books you can borrow. See if they can lend you PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition by Robert Bruce Thompson; Barbara Fritchman Thompson. Publisher: O'Reilly. Pub Date: July 2003. ISBN: 0-596-00513-X
Hey, thank you for your help i shall look that book up. I am doing a National Diploma in ICT a BTEC Course which will give me the qualifications to study Computer Science with Artificial Inteligence in University
Benjamin Dodd
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Richard A. Abbott wrote:
Is that a BND course you are doing? Your college library should have many books you can borrow. See if they can lend you PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition by Robert Bruce Thompson; Barbara Fritchman Thompson. Publisher: O'Reilly. Pub Date: July 2003. ISBN: 0-596-00513-X
Hey, thank you for your help i shall look that book up. I am doing a National Diploma in ICT a BTEC Course which will give me the qualifications to study Computer Science with Artificial Inteligence in University
Benjamin Dodd
Best of luck doing your BTEC. I assume from your age (your biography) this is your first year of post 16 education. Enjoy this next two years but ensure that your assignments comprehensively cover what is needed (in other words, strive for Distinction grades) and submit them on-time. Don't be afraid to ask questions here at Code Project but when you ask questions, don't ask for people to do your work for you, and show that when you ask questions you have made an attempt to answer them yourself. And if you require advice on resources such as books and tutorials, then ask. also After your modified original message, please take this as a warning, whenever you put pen to paper, make sure you do not violate the laws of copyright thus provoke questions of plagiarism. Nothing is more certain to get you marked down using the works of somebody else and passing them off as your own. And make sure your submissions follows the rules of the Harvard Referencing System [^] or such similar referencing system your college prefers.
Last modified: 2hrs 4mins after originally posted --
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HI :) I am a college student doing an ICT course which involves a unit on hardware. When i was starting the course i heard some comments about what was better, AMD or Intel. So i was just wondering what people on here thought. Is an Intel processor better than an AMD processor or does it depend on the users needs? thanks for reading -- modified at 7:08 Monday 1st October, 2007 AMD vs Intel Both Intel and AMD offer a wide range of CPUs. The two companies' products are in direct competition and are both capable of running any current PC software. The differences are in technical details that, although they may be used for marketing, don't necessarily mean much to the end user. Pricing is also very competitive, with AMD's products being generally cheaper than comparable Intel models. At the budget end of the market, Intel's offering is the Celeron which is a cut-down version of the Pentium 4. AMD's budget processor, the Duron, is still available although it's getting harder to find. In the mainstream desktop market it's Intel's Pentium 4 versus AMD's Athlon XP and Athlon 64. The chief difference between the two is that the Pentium 4 and Athlon XP are 32bit CPUs, while the Athlon 64 is a 64bit model (see later on for an explanation). Just recently both companies have launched new ranges of processors, Intel with the Extreme Edition of the Pentium 4, an expensive model for the hardcore gaming market, and a new version of the Pentium 4 processor. You might see this referred to as Prescott to differentiate it from the previous Northwood version. The technical differences aren't huge, but the pricing hasn't changed for models at the same clock speed. So if you're given a choice, ask for the Prescott models. AMD has also introduced the Athlon 64 FX range, a high-end gaming/workstation CPU that prompted Intel to launch the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition.
Benjamin Dodd
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Best of luck doing your BTEC. I assume from your age (your biography) this is your first year of post 16 education. Enjoy this next two years but ensure that your assignments comprehensively cover what is needed (in other words, strive for Distinction grades) and submit them on-time. Don't be afraid to ask questions here at Code Project but when you ask questions, don't ask for people to do your work for you, and show that when you ask questions you have made an attempt to answer them yourself. And if you require advice on resources such as books and tutorials, then ask. also After your modified original message, please take this as a warning, whenever you put pen to paper, make sure you do not violate the laws of copyright thus provoke questions of plagiarism. Nothing is more certain to get you marked down using the works of somebody else and passing them off as your own. And make sure your submissions follows the rules of the Harvard Referencing System [^] or such similar referencing system your college prefers.
Last modified: 2hrs 4mins after originally posted --
Richard A. Abbott wrote:
Best of luck doing your BTEC. I assume from your age (your biography) this is your first year of post 16 education. Enjoy this next two years but ensure that your assignments comprehensively cover what is needed (in other words, strive for Distinction grades) and submit them on-time. Don't be afraid to ask questions here at Code Project but when you ask questions, don't ask for people to do your work for you, and show that when you ask questions you have made an attempt to answer them yourself. And if you require advice on resources such as books and tutorials, then ask. also After your modified original message, please take this as a warning, whenever you put pen to paper, make sure you do not violate the laws of copyright thus provoke questions of plagiarism. Nothing is more certain to get you marked down using the works of somebody else and passing them off as your own. And make sure your submissions follows the rules of the Harvard Referencing System [^] or such similar referencing system your college prefers.
Thanks everyone for you help, i wasn't trying to pass it off as my own i just forgot to put in it speech marks :( sorry if that offended people. and yes i have just started college, i'm aiming for Distinctions all way through. I need 2 distinctions and a merit to get into university, where hopefully i will study Computer Science and AI. Thanks
Benjamin Dodd
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HI :) I am a college student doing an ICT course which involves a unit on hardware. When i was starting the course i heard some comments about what was better, AMD or Intel. So i was just wondering what people on here thought. Is an Intel processor better than an AMD processor or does it depend on the users needs? thanks for reading -- modified at 7:08 Monday 1st October, 2007 AMD vs Intel Both Intel and AMD offer a wide range of CPUs. The two companies' products are in direct competition and are both capable of running any current PC software. The differences are in technical details that, although they may be used for marketing, don't necessarily mean much to the end user. Pricing is also very competitive, with AMD's products being generally cheaper than comparable Intel models. At the budget end of the market, Intel's offering is the Celeron which is a cut-down version of the Pentium 4. AMD's budget processor, the Duron, is still available although it's getting harder to find. In the mainstream desktop market it's Intel's Pentium 4 versus AMD's Athlon XP and Athlon 64. The chief difference between the two is that the Pentium 4 and Athlon XP are 32bit CPUs, while the Athlon 64 is a 64bit model (see later on for an explanation). Just recently both companies have launched new ranges of processors, Intel with the Extreme Edition of the Pentium 4, an expensive model for the hardcore gaming market, and a new version of the Pentium 4 processor. You might see this referred to as Prescott to differentiate it from the previous Northwood version. The technical differences aren't huge, but the pricing hasn't changed for models at the same clock speed. So if you're given a choice, ask for the Prescott models. AMD has also introduced the Athlon 64 FX range, a high-end gaming/workstation CPU that prompted Intel to launch the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition.
Benjamin Dodd
I've always preferred Intel. In the Pentium II and III days Intel typically had a clear lead, but were usually more expensive. AMD started to pick up a performance lead towards the end of this era. However, I tended to observe that the computers using VIA and SIS chipsets were less reliable than Intel chipsets. When all the processors used Socket 7 (Pentium and AMD K5/K6) you could match an AMD processor to an Intel chipset; once Intel moved to Slot 1 for the Pentium II and the AMD clock rates started climbing, the old Intel chipsets couldn't cope any more leaving VIA and SIS as the only (flaky) choices. It could be that the behaviour of some of the owners of the computers was actually the cause of the flakiness - generally they'd swap components over regularly and install and uninstall a lot of (often slightly dodgy) software. Still, people with Intel systems did the same and they were generally more reliable. Pentium 4 - NetBurst architecture - was an attempt by Intel to massively ramp the clockspeed and it was designed to make best use of fast clocks, by having a long pipeline in which a little progress was made in each stage. If you're not familiar with electronics, it takes a certain amount of time for the signal at the output of a series of logic gates to stabilise at the correct result, or in the case of latch circuits, to latch at the correct result. If the result is sampled too soon (with a faster clock), the incorrect result can be latched and you get incorrect answers. To get the most benefit from this, though, the pipeline needed to be kept filled, and instruction dependencies, memory latency, and branch mispredictions tended to mean that it couldn't be kept full, meaning cycles were wasted. In the case of a dependency error or branch misprediction the whole pipeline has to be thrown away and restarted to recompute the correct operations. The trouble is, the design was intended to ramp to 10GHz and as we know, we never got there - 'NetBurst' Xeons topped out at 3.8GHz or so. The problem was simply heat - too much current was leaking, causing the circuit to consume more power and emit it as heat rather than do useful work. AMD, on the other hand, kept a shorter pipeline consistent with its older models, with larger amounts of work done per cycle. In the end the Athlons were able to clock high enough to surpass the P4s at much lower clock rates. At this point the choice of chipsets for an AMD system appeared to be VIA, nVidia or ATI. nVidia and ATI can't get a video board right (I use which