Rich said the following on Sat, 23 Aug 2003 09:35:58 -0400:
shawn,
i'm also specing out a new system and would like to know your reasons
for prefering AMD to Intel. i'm not a hardware guy and my question is
sincere. i know i can save $ with an AMD chip...but what about
performance and compatibility with software?
rich
Well, I'm not a hardware expert either. I generally go by
these standards:
1. AMD processors are cheaper.
2. AMD processors are faster than Intel
(AMD: 9 operations per clock cycle as opposed to 6 for Intel)
That is why my processor, which is 1.53ghz, is called the
AMD Athlon XP 1800+, because it is comparable in speed to a
Pentium 4 1.8ghz.
3. Speaking to really "hardware knowledgable" people, I've been
told that AMD's products are superior technology to AMD technology.
4. Ideology. I'm sure you've heard of the controversy over the
identification in Pentium III chips. By default, they were to
make the processor identifiable over the internet, allegedly to
provide greater security for online transactions (when you use your
credit card, they can see it's coming from your machine, or whatever.)
After a huge backlash from consumers over privacy issues, the default
was set to have this feature turned off by Intel. However, AMD has
never pulled a stunt like this.
Also, Intel is like Microsoft, in a way. Buy any computer at random and
you will almost certainly be purchasing a copy of Windows and an Intel
processor. This means that the majority of computer users use Windows
and Intel. This does not mean that the majority of users prefer or
choose Windows or Intel. It is what they were given by default. This
does not mean that Windows is the best OS or that Intel makes the best
processors. To be fair, it doesn't mean that they are *not* the best,
either. I just think that people should be able to choose for themselves.
But, I don't expect you to take my word for it, so in response to
your question I did some Googling, and here are some links:
Benchmarks comparing the Pentium 3 to the Athlon, and
Pentium 4 to the Athlon XP:
http://www.emulators.com/docs/pentium_3.htm
(scroll down, there are several sections of benchmarks, comparing
the processors in different situations.)
A whitepaper from AMD, explaining processor performance, including that
"9 operations per clock cycle" thing I mentioned before.
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/con...docs/processor_performance_whitepaper_v12.pdf
A comparison chart from AMD, comparing the specs of an AMD Athlon XP
processor to the Pentium 4.
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_756_3734^3759,00.html
I would also like to point out that on only recently switched from Intel
to AMD. I've only purchased one AMD processor for a machine I've built,
and I've bought one laptop since then, and I made sure it had an AMD
processor. Before that, I used Intel exclusively, until research and
recommendations from AMD users (and a nice package deal on a processor
and motherboard) made me pick up an Athlon XP. Now I only buy AMD.
Shawn
