Creating a Gaming PC

[Ankush09]

yes, dhw is correct, thats why i said you should go with intel, and if u can afford to, get the 3200+ instead of a 3000.

 

[dario03]

You should give this a good read through
Hardware guide

Basically think of a Amd cpu as a light weight car. It doesn't need as much horsepower to be as fast as a heavy high powered car.

AMD = better for gaming
Intel = better for video editing and cpu intensive stuff.

 

[Chankama]

The performance of a computer is measured in Instructions per second and NOT "cycles per second"..

Cycles per second is what u are used to - the GHz value.

In each "cycle" different CPUs do different amount of work.

Instructions / second = [instructions/cycle] x [cycles / second]

AMDs run at a "lower" [cycles/second]. But they have "higher" [instructions/cycle].. This is why the "GHz" value doesn't tell the full story ..

Just picture 2 people going to work everyday - one person might do MORE work than the other person each day, even if he goes LESS days to work .. What matters is the total work output - not how many days the person goes to work

 

[ThePCmaN]

and ive read in 2 magazines (1 of which i own) that they have put AMDs 2.6GHz against Intels 3.6GHz, and the AMD beat it in everything but like 1 or 2 tests.. and thats 1GHz differ, so if that doesnt say somethin.. then maybe u should read it.. lol

 

[MattTim2004]

Ok Guys, I really appreciate all the help you are giving me. I had a major question... from the AMD motherboards I have looked at, there are no DDR2, only DDR 400 (PC3200) Intel Board have DDR2 and like (PC5000). Isn't that really bad. Is it worth giving up alot of memory speed for a faster CPU? Btw I made two different system "Wish Lists" You guys can give me some feedback on these too ;p

AMD Style

P4 Style

Thanks alot Again!!

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

Even with the Intel boards with DDRII 533 ram, their still outpeformed by AMD's with stock DDRI 400 ram

This is due to AMD's intergrated memory controller and HyperTransporT

 

[str8lazy]

its not necessarily that you are giving up memory speed for a faster CPU. AMD and Intel have different system architectures so it may seem different, but if you get all the right components you can make either system seem to be the same if you know what i am saying. For example:

AMD 3200+ with 512MB(DDR 400) performs the same as P4 @ 2.6Ghz with 512MB(DDR533). I AM IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM SAYING THOSE ARE EQUAL. THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE!

I would definetly have to say go with AMD for gaming and Intel for anything else, and if you switch to an AMD you might have a few more bucks and then you can get a 6800GT. IT IS WORTH IT. That cards should be able to last you for awhile... unless some major breakthrough happens in the chip manufacturing world... but I dont think that is going to happen anytime soon.

EDIT: I completely made those examples up from scratch. I dont know what p4 can operate efficiently @ 2.6... could be a prescott or a northwood. I dont know...

 

[ThePCmaN]

and just because it says DDR400 (PC3200) doesnt mean it cant take somethin like.. PC3500.. i had a Socket 754 motherboard with a stick of Kingston Hyper X 512MB PC4000 in it.. and it didnt crash or anything.. but it woulda been nicer to have 2 sticks.. but thats why im building a Socket939 PC now, to take advantage of Dual Channel.. as should u.. along with AMD as ur CPU.. lol

 

[macdawg]

are you guys positive that AMD does better for video editing and cpu intensive stuff?

I'm pretty sure I've seen benchmarks where the AMD's encode video & do crap like that just as fast as any intel.

 

[MattTim2004]

So AMD it is then? Even with the System Memory? The prices of both are relatively equal...