Running stuff like kazaa is just begging to load your computer down with junk, spyware, and all kinds of crap, use a program like DC++ if you want "file sharing" and yeah ...alienware.com doesnt have 'reasonable' prices at all.....
AMD has shorter pipelines and can do more instructions per clock cycle than Intel. That's why they have lower clock speeds but still perform just as well if not better than Intel. Currently my 2.7GHz OC'd processor is faster than a 64 3500+ as far as a CPU Arithmatic and Multimedia benchmark goes only because we arent in a 64bit environment yet...so really the 64 doesn't fully utilize itself quite yet...but this means your computer will be fully prepared for quite longer than my machine will be.
and will it be faster for normal desktop stuff, like running kazaa, browsing the internet, and doing other things?
This is where people get so hung up.....it'll all be about the same.....both top of the line chips will perform damn near the same it depends really on personal preferance...I like AMD because they never advertise and it seems like they listen to their users and our demands and make a chip based on that. Intel is too busy marketing putting money in their pockets and selling their crap to Dell, compaq, PeoplePC, and all those brand name pieces of junk that people buy all the time. They focus solely on the numbers so people will see 3.6GHz vs 2.2GHz at the same price and not understand why and automatically go with Intel.
The truth is until windows64bit has been released and is completely 100% completed and stable (which no OS really is, but you know what I mean) then it has no substantial increases for the moment.......
Look how my processor at 2.7GHz benched against those other processors...it beats even a 3.8GHz Intel in the dhrystone benchmarks....that goes to show you AMD has a lot of punch for their 'little numbers'
All in all if you've been an Intel man try AMD, you won't be disappointed. They make great chips and don't try to advertise or brag about it like Intel.
As far as gaming and apps...that relies more on your RAM and Graphics card now.....if you get a 64bit system you should get a minimum of PC3200 RAM if not 3500 just so you'll be prepared for the future...but you need to get socket 939 board for the AMD64 so you can have upgradeability in the future and it also supports dual channel RAM. Don't let stupid terms like 'Ooooh Hyper-Threading' throw you off and make it seem like it has some all important feature that only they have. I hope this has been somewhat informative....but realize it mainly comes to personal preference but I really suggest you go AMD...you won't be disappointed.
