Intel or amd faq

[EvErY_DaY]

What are we comparing
We are comparing the high end pentium 4's and any Anthilon Xp amd's
Sometimes in this thread i will be refering to amd's new Fx-62 bit.
FSB Stand point for both cpu's and what it means
FSB stands for Front Side Bus. This is the frequency that the internal components of PC communicate with each other.
Amd
Amd's front side Bus runs at a max of 400Fsb yet the new expencive model fx-64 bit run at a 1600 fsb however since its quad pumped thats not really accurite.
Intel
Intels new modles(c) run at 800 fsb but most northwood cores run at 533fsb(if not all of them) This fast rate alows intels cpus to communicate with other parts of the computer almost double as fast then Amd's
Cache

Their are 3 types of cache L1 L2 and L3
L1 cache has anywhere from 128K-258K
L2 cache has around 512K of cache
L3 cache has anywhere from 1024K-2048K of cache

Cache is a relatively small amount of memory (RAM) which is positioned close to the CPU (or in it), and is used to cut down on delays caused by the CPU having to wait for data to arrive. Cache is pipelined; this is a technique of breaking down instructions into sequential steps and using different resources to do each step. This means the instructions get done faster.

Level 1 (L1) cache has a small capacity but extremely fast speed.

Level 2 (L2) is much larger, but slower. When the CPU needs data, it checks L1, then L2, then goes on to the system memory as a last resort. This kind of cache allows data to be transferred from memory while the CPU is processing (that's the "pipelined" part), thus speeding up overall performance. The keys to the speed-up are the bus speed (the speed at which data is transferred between the cache and the CPU) and the bus width (how many bits can be transferred simultaneously). The external bus speed (for data transfer between the CPU and motherboard) is usually 66Mhz. The external bus width is usually 64 bits.

Let's illustrate this with an example of a CPU with no cache and the same CPU with 256K of cache, with an internal speed of 150Mhz and an internal bus width of 300 bits. Now, it really takes more than one clock cycle to transfer a bit of data, but for simplicity, I will assume one cycle = one transfer. The resulting number of bits per second will be wrong, but we are interested in the ratio between the two CPUs, and this ratio will be correct.

Data transferred from memory to the CPU with no cache comes 64 bits at a time at 66Mhz, or 4,224 million bits per second. For the CPU with cache, the data loads the cache at the same rate, but the CPU can perform other tasks while the cache is loading. The data transfers from the cache to the CPU at 300 bits at 150Mhz, or 45,000 million bits per second. That's more than ten times faster.

Note that the word "cache" is also used in Windows operating systems to mean a portion of the disk that is being used as an extension of memory. That is not a true cache, however, as seen above.

Amd and Intel
Most amds have L1 cache to L2 cache the same as most intels there are very few with L3 cache and are very expensive as well.

GLory Hog
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the glory hog. It gets most of the attention, and is the standard that most people believe determines their overall performance. While this usually is a mistaken belief, the CPU is still very important in determining performance. However, to make an informed decision about a CPU, you need to know what is available.

The Brain
The brain of a computer is the CPU or Central Processing Unit. Like a brain, it controls information and tells other parts what to do. The type of CPU in a computer also determines how fast that computer can operate. A CPU generates lots of heat, so there is usually a small fan nearby to cool it down.

A very important computer component is the BIOS chip. BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System. In very simple terms, the BIOS chip wakes up the computer when you turn it on and reminds it what parts it has and what they do

Amd
Amds are limited to a 2.2ghz speed but they half more data tranfer per cycle so a 1.8ghz can run
like a 2.5ghz intel 800fsb
Intel
Intels 800fsb 2.8ghz and up are a bit faster then amd but you do end up paying a lot more.

Cpu
Most mainstream users will be fine with processors of at least 800 Mhz. Higher end workstations and servers will want the fastest multiprocessor capable systems. Avoid standalone OEM CPUs as they do not have full multi year manufacture warranties nor do they include fans. CPUs can and do fail. As a guide, you should only upgrade if you can at least double your CPU megahertz.

But raw speed is no longer the only consideration. Cache, architecture, pipelining, and more now contribute to CPU performance. Intel and AMD are the prime CPU players now. Check reliable benchmarks to get overall performance results. Performance is affected storage and graphics performance too, so keep you system balanced when upgrading. When upgrading, make sure you clean out any dust in your machine. Dust has actually caused us video card problems!


Spreed sheet from Inetl and amds
http://www.intel.com/products/deskto...ium4/index.htm
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/...56_759,00.html

Some extra information for your personal use
This Faq is not for people who already have made their choice but new comers who are deciding
AND what i want you to do post saying amd or intel
We do not want any flaming or a war going on here because this is for new comers and deciding people so post say intel or amd and at very most say 2 things y


Amd With its very efficient clock rate, low price, new 3D instruction set, and its performancing enhancing on chip cache, no wonder the Athlon is the flagship of AMD. Unfortuneately, there is little software released other than games that takes advantage of the new 3D instruction set extension. The one area that continues to be a problem area is 3rd party supporting chipsets.

VIA chipsets have had problems with nVidia AGP 4x support for the longest time, especially with fast reads/writes. USB problems also present. VIA drivers are not the most stable around. AMD's motherboard chipsets are the most stable but harder to find and more expensive. Nvidia has chipsets that have shown much more promise.

Buy the Socket A 333 Mhz bus version and get a motherboard that supports DDR memory for maximum performance


Inetl
The P4 entered the mainstrem in 2001 with heavy price cuts. With its high clock rate, new SSE2 instructions, and its 512K advanced transfer cache, no wonder the Pentium 4 is the flagship of Intel.

In 2003, it added a faster 800 Mhz bus that really increased performance. The P4 has instruction set extensions which requires to be recompiled to really run fast, so look for P4 optimized software.

If you want the best performance, you will have to pay for the privilege


The next speed increment up is a big dollar step up. Buy only Socket478 interface and 512K cache P4's not older Socket423. This socket supports future super fast 2002 Northwood P4's that will probably hit 3.5Ghz. High end workstation and power users should stick with Dual channel DDR RAM. DDR is a midrange solution that is a good way to go. Faster 800Mhz Bus CPUs appeared in April 2003 starting at 2.4Ghz. They require a motherboard that supports them

[lil Jimmie]

Very nice copy and paste.

Yup, I knew I had read some of this somewhere else.

http://faculty.southwest.tn.edu/bcob...about_cpu.html

[jlowmt]

What's the question again?

[HAL9000]

Sorry... but again with the price differences. Look at the WHOLE picture. Lower end AMD's are cheaper than lower end Intel's, fine, but higher end Intels are sometimes cheaper than higher end AMD's. Sometimes a variance in pricing comes from the motherboard and/or RAM required. Also, if comparing motherboards, don't compare a VIA to an Intel chipset board... its far from a fair comparison. If you're gonna compare VIA on AMD, you compare VIA on Intel. The only reasonable non Intel comparison to an Intel is one of the nForce series.

[nocturnx]

Lol yea atleast give credit to the source if your gonna rip it. Also the Pentium 4's have 8 kilobyte of L1 cache. And all northwood cores run at a max of 533mhz FSB. The Canterwoods have 800mhz FSB.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by nocturnx Also the Pentium 4's have 8 kilobyte of L1 cache.

Actually, it's more like 20KB.

Originally posted by nocturnx And all northwood cores run at a max of 533mhz FSB.

Nope, they have 533MHz and 800MHz FSB speeds.

Originally posted by nocturnx The Canterwoods have 800mhz FSB.

Canterwood is the code name of the 875 chipset, not one of the P4 CPU's.

Cricket

[rave]

thanks for this article....shedded light on some things that im unsure on

[nocturnx]

oops yea, hmm my P4 says 8kb for L1 cache using belarc

[imbest123]

What was the purpose to this thread?

[Joeberg]

^ To compare Intels and AMDs...

[escher]

[q]Amd
Amds are limited to a 2.2ghz speed but they half more data tranfer per cycle so a 1.8ghz can run
like a 2.5ghz intel 800fsb
Intel
Intels 800fsb 2.8ghz and up are a bit faster then amd but you do end up paying a lot more.
[/q]

it is believed that since the pipelines on AMD cpu's are shorter they run faster even though they dont operate at as high mhz-wise. this also causes an amd cpu to produce more heat. whether this is true or not, I don't know...but i've seen a 2ghz AthlonXP blow away a 2ghz P4 in the benchmarks, even with AMD's lower fsb speeds.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by nocturnx oops yea, hmm my P4 says 8kb for L1 cache using belarc

Oops...my bad. The L1 cache for P4's is 8KB...I was looking at a old data sheet where they were guessing about the amount of L1 cache the P4's would have...it was from a few years ago before the P4's hit the market. Sorry about that.

Cricket

[TwoRails]

Sometimes in this thread i will be refering to amd's new Fx-62 bit.

LOL - Where can I get one of those? Is it a 64 fX missing on two cyclinders?? (no slam, just poking fun)