Does anybody know which processor is best?

africanphoenix

africanphoenix

New Member
I'm trying to purchase a new processor but I'm having a hard time finding reviews on a couple of processors:

Intel Pentium 4 551 Prescott 800MHz FSB 1MB L2 Cache: $296.00
Intel Pentium 4 651 Cedar Mill 800MHz FSB 2MB L2 Cache: $277.00
Intel Pentium 4 650 Prescott 800MHz FSB 2MB L2 Cache: $271.00

I do a lot of multitasking and I play games a little such as The Sims 2 including expansion packs, Quake 4, and Doom 3 are played on this computer. I encode DVDs and also play music and do my homework. Just about anything you can think of. What I'm looking for is speed focus moreso on encoding than playing games.

Thanks for any help in advance.

EDIT: I'm eyeing the Cedar Mill moreso than anything else right now.
 
Based on the things that you listed for the uses of the computer, I would take a look at this processor:

AMD X2 3800+

Its dual core and you said you would be doing encoding. And before you say well thats AMD and I dont play games that much take a look at this article:

Dual Core Showdown

Its just a idea.
 
bigsaucybob said:
Based on the things that you listed for the uses of the computer, I would take a look at this processor:

AMD X2 3800+

Its dual core and you said you would be doing encoding. And before you say well thats AMD and I dont play games that much take a look at this article:

Dual Core Showdown

Its just a idea.
Click to expand...

Originally, I'd considered switching from Pentium to AMD but I decided not to because #1 I'm use to Pentium #2 I'm use to Pentium. Even though I consider AMD the best right now, I just decided to stick with Pentium, I just can't decide which of the three above to get. But who knows I might decide to go with AMD, since I have to replace the Pentium motherboard due to bulging capacitors.
 
africanphoenix said:
Originally, I'd considered switching from Pentium to AMD but I decided not to because #1 I'm use to Pentium #2 I'm use to Pentium. Even though I consider AMD the best right now, I just decided to stick with Pentium, I just can't decide which of the three above to get. But who knows I might decide to go with AMD, since I have to replace the Pentium motherboard due to bulging capacitors.
Click to expand...
people don't like change i c...

and bigsoucybob, congrats on 2000 posts...
 
Encore4More said:
people don't like change i c...

and bigsoucybob, congrats on 2000 posts...
Click to expand...

With switching to the X2, is it true that I can no longer use XP Pro, but I have to get the 64 bit version of Windows. Because initially I was looking at AMD dual core Opteron's (which as far as the reviews is concern, is the best) and people were having issues even after installing Windows 64-bit version. This is why I decided not to mess with AMD because it's unfamiliar territory to me. If I find out that the X2 3800 is faster then the processors listed above, i'll give it another looksey, but with me not knowing much of AMD, I'll scared to put down a lot of money on something I know nothing about.

P.S. Do you have the same name on "The Ill Community"? Your signature looks familiar.
 
africanphoenix said:
With switching to the X2, is it true that I can no longer use XP Pro, but I have to get the 64 bit version of Windows. Because initially I was looking at AMD dual core Opteron's (which as far as the reviews is concern, is the best) and people were having issues even after installing Windows 64-bit version. This is why I decided not to mess with AMD because it's unfamiliar territory to me. If I find out that the X2 3800 is faster then the processors listed above, i'll give it another looksey, but with me not knowing much of AMD, I'll scared to put down a lot of money on something I know nothing about.
Click to expand...
no that isn't true.
 
africanphoenix said:
I'm trying to purchase a new processor but I'm having a hard time finding reviews on a couple of processors:

Intel Pentium 4 551 Prescott 800MHz FSB 1MB L2 Cache: $296.00
Intel Pentium 4 651 Cedar Mill 800MHz FSB 2MB L2 Cache: $277.00
Intel Pentium 4 650 Prescott 800MHz FSB 2MB L2 Cache: $271.00

I do a lot of multitasking and I play games a little such as The Sims 2 including expansion packs, Quake 4, and Doom 3 are played on this computer. I encode DVDs and also play music and do my homework. Just about anything you can think of. What I'm looking for is speed focus moreso on encoding than playing games.

Thanks for any help in advance.

EDIT: I'm eyeing the Cedar Mill moreso than anything else right now.
Click to expand...
Thats why they put the number there, the higher the number, the better the processor.

So out of those, the P4 651 would be the best.

africanphoenix said:
With switching to the X2, is it true that I can no longer use XP Pro, but I have to get the 64 bit version of Windows. Because initially I was looking at AMD dual core Opteron's (which as far as the reviews is concern, is the best) and people were having issues even after installing Windows 64-bit version. This is why I decided not to mess with AMD because it's unfamiliar territory to me. If I find out that the X2 3800 is faster then the processors listed above, i'll give it another looksey, but with me not knowing much of AMD, I'll scared to put down a lot of money on something I know nothing about.

P.S. Do you have the same name on "The Ill Community"? Your signature looks familiar.
Click to expand...
Not true at all.
 
Even if you do want to stick with Intel, I would consider looking at the Pentium D (Dual Core) CPUs.
 
ceewi1 said:
Even if you do want to stick with Intel, I would consider looking at the Pentium D (Dual Core) CPUs.
Click to expand...

Agreed, ecspecially since you said you planned on doing encoding. A dual core would make using another program while your encoding much easier.
 
yea, but the X2 3800+ is a really good cpu.
don't buy a Penium 4, or a Pentium D.
i would highly suggest an X2 chip.
so whats the difference between using AMD and using pentium 4? i mean being used to using pentium's doesn't mean you should switch! i mean, what's gonna change besides the X2 doing the encoding much faster :)
not to mention, the benchmarks obviously show that the X2 is better in gaming, and basically all other benchmarks.
 
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Intel D processors must perform better than X2's over SOMETHING, surely?

Edit: For some reason, I'm under the impression that Intel's perform better at multi-tasking and encode better (whether its quicker or encoding is of a higher quality/less corruption, i don't know).
 
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nope, not the X2's. they outperform in all operations for the money (and the lower frequency) especially.
sorry, Athlon 64 X2's are just better. lol
if you're willing to spend the (near) $300 then X2 is the way to go. Pentium d's are more of budget Proc's.
 
africanphoenix said:
With switching to the X2, is it true that I can no longer use XP Pro, but I have to get the 64 bit version of Windows. Because initially I was looking at AMD dual core Opteron's (which as far as the reviews is concern, is the best) and people were having issues even after installing Windows 64-bit version. This is why I decided not to mess with AMD because it's unfamiliar territory to me. If I find out that the X2 3800 is faster then the processors listed above, i'll give it another looksey, but with me not knowing much of AMD, I'll scared to put down a lot of money on something I know nothing about.

P.S. Do you have the same name on "The Ill Community"? Your signature looks familiar.
Click to expand...

i got x2 4400 and im running normal win xp pro, it's an awsome chip... you dont need 64bit
 
fade2green514 said:
nope, not the X2's. they outperform in all operations for the money (and the lower frequency) especially.
Click to expand...

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=73&model2=320
Hmm, looks like the Pentium D is the winner in this one.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=58&model2=320
Yet again, the Pentium D is a bit ahead of the X2.

Now I'm not trying to say that Intel is better than AMD, because at this point, they are clearly not. I'm just stating that in fact the X2's do not perform better in everything.
 
africanphoenix said:
I do a lot of multitasking and I play games a little such as The Sims 2 including expansion packs, Quake 4, and Doom 3 are played on this computer. I encode DVDs and also play music and do my homework. Just about anything you can think of. What I'm looking for is speed focus moreso on encoding than playing games.
Click to expand...

You could get a dual core chip for that money.

Clutch said:
Now I'm not trying to say that Intel is better than AMD, because at this point, they are clearly not. I'm just stating that in fact the X2's do not perform better in everything.
Click to expand...
The X2 is a better overall chip no question about that, only downside is that they cost more which is why PD's can be the wiser route when building a dual core box on a tight budget. But sure there are certain multimedia tasks in which the PD's excel. Also PCMark show this, the Smithfield 830 at stock even outperforms the X2 4800+.
 
Clutch said:
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=73&model2=320
Hmm, looks like the Pentium D is the winner in this one.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=58&model2=320
Yet again, the Pentium D is a bit ahead of the X2.

Now I'm not trying to say that Intel is better than AMD, because at this point, they are clearly not. I'm just stating that in fact the X2's do not perform better in everything.
Click to expand...
ok, but tell me WHY that would convince me to buy the pentium D over the X2? first of all.. were talking LITERALLY TWO SECONDS DIFFERENCE.
seconds off all, the difference in other benchmarks is MUCH more marginal.
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=68&model2=320
try 35fps
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=65&model2=320
or 30seconds, rather than two in pentium d's favor.
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=76&model2=320
or 55 seconds, literally, in "multitasking II"

just because pentium d finished some process 2 seconds earlier doesn't mean im gonna want a pentium d, the X2 overall is simply a better chip.
(which im sure i can spare the two seconds, not to mention mines faster than a 4800+ :) )
 
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fade2green514 said:
ok, but tell me WHY that would convince me to buy the pentium D over the X2? first of all.. were talking LITERALLY TWO SECONDS DIFFERENCE.
seconds off all, the difference in other benchmarks is MUCH more marginal.
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=68&model2=320
try 35fps
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=65&model2=320
or 30seconds, rather than two in pentium d's favor.
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=233&chart=76&model2=320
or 55 seconds, literally, in "multitasking II"

just because pentium d finished some process 2 seconds earlier doesn't mean im gonna want a pentium d, the X2 overall is simply a better chip.
(which im sure i can spare the two seconds, not to mention mines faster than a 4800+ :) )
Click to expand...
You said that the X2 was better in all situations, when I'm just proving that it isn't.
 
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