C2D E7400 vs AMD 64 x2 7750; also NVidia vs ATI

[peter_ming]

hi guys,

hopefully this topic will never go out of fashion:
going head to head, which one is a better choice for running a multimedia PC?

Intel C2D E7400, 2.8GHz, 1066FSB, L2 3MB
or
AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 (Kuma), 2.7GHz, L2 1MB

PC will be used for non-gaming, non-overclocking, heavy on HD video (H.246, DivX, MKV, etc) playback, some video rendering (DVD making), while multitasking day-to-day internet and office use, and comparison only in a matter of CPU capability, GPU not included.

AMD is not commonly used among my friends (even less popular in my region), and I got mixed reviews from the PC sellers, so while I'll probably go for AMD x2 7750 for better price-to-performance ratio, Intel is still on my list.

And after the Intel vs AMD debate, which one is a better companion for both CPUs, nVidia or ATI GPUs? Budget is the magic word here, I won't be buying $500 worth of GPU for things that can be done by $100 or less GPU.

Also, I read in many reviews both in magazines and online, about the 3DMark and other benchmarking tools, saying one CPU/GPU/Mobo is superior than the others, but stripped down to day-to-day use and on the simplest language: how significant is the top marking peripherals influenced the way we use the PC on daily task? Can the winner of 3DMark performs better than the runner-up, or even 3rd or 4th grade, on let's say: making worksheets, modifying photos and watching videos?

hope to hear from you guys very soon
Peter

 

[saltynay]

Out of your choices

Go with the E7400
Get an ATI HD3470 and use the dvi-to hdmi adapter to interlace the audio and video signal so that its direct to the tv


I however think that with you usage you would be better of with a tricore cpu such as this
Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X3 710 2.6GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops
with this motherboard
Newegg.com - Foxconn A7GM-S 2.0 AM2+ / AM3 Ready AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards

 

[gurusan]

For your purposes I'd recommend the Phenom II X3 710 as well...and something like a 4350 for graphics.

 

[Hussein19891]

For your purposes I'd recommend the Phenom II X2 710 as well...and something like a 4350 for graphics.

X3 710 its a triple core and can overclock to about 3.3ghz~.

So it will overclock like that Kuma chip but with a better architecture and an extra core.

 

[parsalian]

If you are not averclocking i would go for the higher clocked 7400, I know its a dualy but better architecture, lower consumption and lower noise. On the other hand if u go for a AMD rig the onboard video (780g) can do pretty much everything u need and u save some cash. Hope it helped

 

[gurusan]

X3 710 its a triple core and can overclock to about 3.3ghz~.

So it will overclock like that Kuma chip but with a better architecture and an extra core.

Woops I meant X3

If you are not averclocking i would go for the higher clocked 7400, I know its a dualy but better architecture, lower consumption and lower noise. On the other hand if u go for a AMD rig the onboard video (780g) can do pretty much everything u need and u save some cash. Hope it helped

If he's not overclocking and will be doing encoding then I'd say the x3 is the better all around CPU.

 

[philbar71]

but between the e7400 and the 7750 the e7400 is better.

 

[peter_ming]

okay, I see that 7750 is not a fair match to E7400, but Phenom x3 710 probably is.

@parsalian
E700 is cool and quiet: seeing that Phenom X3 710 is built on 45nm architecture will it give the same coolness and quietness as E7400?

also, seeing that I'm building HTPC, is it better to get cheaper CPU but higher GPU than faster CPU with so-and-so GPU?

Some info: i will use 2x1GB + 2x512MB of RAM with dual channel configuration, XP or Vista 32bit.

 

[saltynay]

E7400* there is no E700 but you may confuse some people. Its a Penom 2 tricore not a phenom 1 tricore in question. What is this quietness your referring to if its electronic noise then neither have much fluctuation, if its audible noise then that depends on the heatsink used not the cpu itself.

The E7400 will run slightly cooler then the Phenom2 710 but this is due to it having one less processing core. This extra heat will not matter though as with the heat you gain performance which is performance you would use with the circumstances you have put forward. The temperature difference would be negligible around 5C max.

You want a htpc with encoding and editing power therefore better to be cpu intensive so therefore a decent cpu is needed. All the graphics suggested so far are rubbish for gaming but have excellent hd video decoding ability hence why they have been put forward. The 780g is not in the AM3 (as far as I know) so is not a viable motherboard with the phenom 2 tricore so you would be best off with the motherboard I suggested. Then either the 3470 or 4350 which both have audio processors on die and give you an interlaced video and audio signal via hdmi which is easy to setup they also aren't premium graphics cards.

Unless you have the sticks already don't do that config get 2x2gb and vista home premium 64 bit and if you get xp 32 (get MCE version btw) you will still see 3.2gb so 4gb is normally cheaper for better and easier to work with.

 

[Hussein19891]

The 780g is not in the AM3 (as far as I know) so is not a viable motherboard with the phenom 2 tricore so you would be best off with the motherboard I suggested.

The X3 710 will work on the 780G board anyways. Unless you want to get an AM3 board with DDR3 ram. If that were the case, then the E7400 would be the better deal.

But that is not the case. The 710 will clock about .5ghz~ lower then the E7400 while it still has that extra core. While it still works on the cheapo 780G board which has the second best onboard graphics.