I understand and I already know that AMD doesn't need fast clockspeed to be fast. Ok, AMDs do more operations per hert, so that is how they keep up their processors with Pentium. -> but wait!!! how do they keep up with the cache and the fsb? AMD is recomanded because it is supposed to be cheap. In fact, an AMD and a Pentium 4 are about the same price. I want to get a computer with 512 cache, 400 fsb, 400 ddr speed with 400 512mb ddr ram, and somewhere 2ghz or 2000+ and up. If you would build an AMD with 400 fsb and 512 cache it would be the same as a P4. I just looked at a site, and the slowest processor they offer with 400fsb is an Athlon XP 3200+ Barton wiht 640k which is $270. The only reason they are cheap is because they don't offer slower processors with big fsb.