Processors

[steamshow]

Could someone help this oap to understand the different processors?

I do not know how an amd compares to a p4 or a dual core to a celeron.

is there a simple list or comparison table to be found?

Thank you in anticipation

[thefunstore]

AMD vs Pentium depends on which kind of processor you want, single or dual and what you want to use it for. I can probably help if you tell me why you need to know, are you getting a new computer? What will it be used for?

[steamshow]

Thank you, I have been looking for a computer for my wife on the auction sites and she will use it just for her games which are mainly just the hidden object games and for general home use.

[canuckbid]

Hello. There is benchmark speed graphs online if you search abit. AMD and celeron are generally cheaper than intel. I'm no tech and cann't recommend which is best for you or your wife. Keep in mind when you read articles who is sponsering the site. Just like car magezines. Whoever is paying the most for advertising is going to get the best writeup. I run a intel centrino dual core and so far I like it. Some like to pay the extra for the mac computer but they now run intel processor's also. Any new machine should be more than enough for you. Keep in mind though that alot of new machines might not have a built-in modem for dial up connections. Most home tower machines don't have a wireless connection but you can easily add one or plug in a wireles adapter to a usb port. I did for a friend the other day. They just about all have extra slots for adding hardware. Best price and warranty coverage is what I'ld look at.

http://ca.ebid.net/stores/UBUYWAREHOUSE

[thefunstore]

sounds like a celeron or a single core athlon would be fine for you, the athlons will most likely be the more powerful of the two

if you want a bit more power you could look at pcs with dual core celerons or dual core athlons, the dual core celerons have a low clock speed though and will most likely be beaten in almost any benchmark by a higher clock speed dual core athlon.

pentium dual cores are also very good, but cannot be compared with an athlon clock to clock, due to the pentium dual core being a newer design


Suitable for what you most likely need

Semprons
Celerons
Single core athlons

If you want a bit more power

Dual core athlons
Pentium dual cores

Laptops

Anything with intel in it should be fine, just not the intel atom, AMD laptop proccessors tend to run very hot

hope that covers it

mcblob seems to have it covered. If all you want it for is simple games and word processing etc just go for a cheap single core machine. When you find one you think looks good post a link and we may be able to help you further.

[steamshow]

Thank you all for the help it really was useful and I have now bought a second hand celeron based machine from our local Cash generator shop and it works a treat

[heatemyfather]

I've been told that a Pentium 4 is much better than an equivalent AMD, running at lower clock speeds (GHz) for the same performance, meaning it should run cooler and use less power.

Of course, the best current CPU is probably the Intel Core 2 Duo because it is powerful yet affordable. Then there's the Intel Quad Core 2 Extreme which is for the serious number crunching machines, blows everything else out of the water; they will mostly be used in computers running weather simulations and the like. Intel are way ahead of AMD at the moment in this area.

Most of the current Macs use the Core 2 Duo (laptops and desktops), the Mac Pro uses the Quad Core and can have two of these for somewhat mind-blowing performance in a desktop machine. Of course, a high-spec PC could also have the same CPUs in it but currently Windows cannot address the full 64-bit capability, where as when Mac OS X Snow Leopard comes out Macs will be fully 64-bit.

Read here for more info:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...c_swindle.html

Although not really relevant to every-day gaming requirements being discussed in this thread, it's something to think about for future purchasing (basically no current version of Windows, be it XP or Vista, can address more than about 3GB of RAM, installing more is a waste of time and money).

[heatemyfather]

its the other way around, intel got a huge slap in the face when they found out they were being beaten by athlons at lower clockspeeds, if I'm correct I even the earlier P4 were being beaten by the P3's clock for clock, until intel added exta instuction sets to the P4 e.g. hyperthreading

Well, I never was a fan of Pentiums anyway. Core Duo was the first time I actually sat up and took notice of an Intel CPU, Core 2 Duo is where it's at right now as far as I'm concerned.

[spiritcat]

Just so as not to freighten too many folk into going out and buying super dooper top of the range machines, my hubby says (yep! got to blame him, lol )

Think what you are likely to want out of a machine, unless you are into serious video editing or more to the point, up to date top notch games, you are unlikely to need anything anywhere near the top price machines.

For most everyday office type use, photo editing / viewing and internet use, most lower to mid priced machines will be fine.

Hubbies pc is nearly 7 years old now and still does all he asks of it, its an AMD athlon 2800 (whatever that means) and he does a little video editing and loads of photo editing, plus all is old music compilations.
Offered to buy him a new one so I could have his, and he said "why, when it does all I need it to"

Just had to tell him to stop looking over my shoulder now, dont like all this tecki stuff, but he loves it lol.