Processor recommendation

[Designer]

hey guys,

I've decided to do another build as the last one i planned i never got the chance to start but i'm a little undecided over a processor. So i've got a shortlist of two:

AMD Athlon 64 Dual-Core 4200+ retail £255

http://www.autdirect.co.uk/acatalog/...rocessors.html


Or AMD Athlon 64 4000+ £234

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=88106


Both are in the price range i was expecting to pay for a processor but am undecided between the two as this would be my first 64bit build. What is the support like for the dual core processors and decent motherboard availability? bearing in mind i want this as a repacement for my gaming system

[doctorgonzo]

Support for the dual core is just fine for the most part. The question is what you are going to be doing with this build.

If it is for gaming, I'd go with the single core. A faster single core is better for gaming than a dual core that runs more slowly, since very few games as yet can take advantage of multiple cores.

However, if the build is for multitasking, then go with the dual core. Running multiple programs at once is what dual core is all about.

[Designer]

Single core it is then

Another question that springs to mind is will i still be needing to run WinXP pro (32 bit version) as i've juts been looking at the 64bit version and was wondering if my existing games would run ok on it.

[doctorgonzo]

You can run either a 32-bit OS like Windows XP Home or Pro or a 64-bit OS like Windows XP x64 on the processor. With a 32-bit OS you aren't going to get all the advantages of the 64-bit processor, but Windows x64 still has some driver support issues. To be safest, stick with a 32-bit OS unless you are willing to experiment.

I have an AMD 64 3200+ and I am running Windows XP x64. There are a few things that won't run on it, but for the most part things are compatible. YMMV.

[786ARS]

stay clear of x64 win, ive had incompatibility nightmares on my turion 2.4GHz system

[Davermonk]

Granted, I went from an AMD 1800+ to a dual core 3800 x2, but I've had only good experiences with the dual core processor in my gaming endeavors. So far, I haven't found a game that has problems with my x2.

While the benchmarks show that the single-core processor is a bit faster in games that don't yet take advantage of dual-core technology, you want to keep in mind that most of the new processors coming out are dual core and we can hope that game manufacturers will take this into consideration as they develop new games.

Consider how long you want this system to last. A single core will allow you some performance improvement on the games out today, but if games start coming out with dual-core support you could end up missing out on that performance boost later on.

Speaking of benchmarks, I ran 3DMark 05 & 06 and my scores are pretty consisent with similar single-core systems.

Having said all this, I have to say that single or dual-core processor is still a matter of preference. I'm not trying to contradict doctorgonzo (never argue with doctors!) - just trying to give another perspective.

Good luck on your new build!

[Designer]

well, would it be likely that my Call Of Duty 2 would run on a dual-core? would most existing software still work fine on it then? im not overly fussed if some stuff wont work just that one game is really important to me as thats all i play these days, and if there is no big difference between either of the processors other than future support for dual-core processors then i may take the dual-core route but would i still get the same sort of performance using a 32 bit OS?

[jfk]

Originally Posted by Designer well, would it be likely that my Call Of Duty 2 would run on a dual-core? would most existing software still work fine on it then? im not overly fussed if some stuff wont work just that one game is really important to me as thats all i play these days, and if there is no big difference between either of the processors other than future support for dual-core processors then i may take the dual-core route but would i still get the same sort of performance using a 32 bit OS?

Not only will COD2 run with a dual core, but it has a game patch available to help utilize the dual core CPU's and improve game performance.

[Staren]

Most new games are now being designed for dual core, and even more recent games are being patched to take advantage of the added head room. With the price diffrence being pretty small, I'd go for the dual core. Everything that works on single core will work just fine on dual core. You are just future proofing yourself as new games come out that will run better on dual core boxes.

[Adams551]

Originally Posted by Staren Most new games are now being designed for dual core, and even more recent games are being patched to take advantage of the added head room. With the price diffrence being pretty small, I'd go for the dual core. Everything that works on single core will work just fine on dual core. You are just future proofing yourself as new games come out that will run better on dual core boxes.

^^ What he said. Dual-core is the future. If you plan on having this rig into '07, get the dual-core.