AMD and INTEL, what is the difference?

[archerarmored]

I see the new AMD Processor, the FX-55 is approximately $1,000. The Intel P4 EE is approximately $1,000 also.

The FX-55 is 2.6ghz, and the P4 EE is 3.8ghz. I don't know much about processors, but why is there such a strict competition between the two? And if I'm trying to build a good gaming rig, which should I go for?

[Alzar]

The P4 processors have an advantage with the Pentium 4 chipset's PCI Express capabilities... For games it's more about the graphics card, and the P4 will allow you to get a more advanced graphics card (at least for now).

[John Mora]

I hear you can replace AMD, but not Pentiums. But I also hear that replacing the processor on your computer is more trouble than it's worth.

[osiris]

If you're going for a gaming PC, AMD is the way to go. The only reason to go Intel in a gaming rig is if you want PCI-E support.

[archerarmored]

PCI-E?

[Alzar]

The newer graphics cards are PCI-Express.

They are faster (apparently)

[JLaCroix]

AMD is easilly the best. The main difference between the two, are that they are different form factors for the processor.

AMD leads the market right now, especially given the fact that Intel has said recently they have no plans of going above 3.8ghz, which is absurd.

In my experience, AMD out performs Intel by a large margin. However, the main thing to consider when choosing between the two, is that AMD products let you tweak pretty much everything. Intel does not. Depending on how you look at it, the simplicity of the bios with Intel products may suit you better, or if you are a tweaker like me, you want AMD. If you are an overclocker, AMD is pretty much your only option.

[Smurf Taco]

Pentiums are kind of a 'safe route'. I prefer AMD, but you'll need to invest a little more on cooling systems. Not much, but AMDs tend to run about 10-20 degrees hotter than Pentiums. And replacing a processor is easy or annoying, depending on your case and motherboard. In some cases, all you have to do is remove the heatsink and plop in the new chip, other systems (like mine) you have to take the motherboard out (alon with a lot of components) to reach the heatsink and processor mounts.

[archerarmored]

what does it mean that it's 64bit?

[Smurf Taco]

In basic terms, it's the next-gen processor. It's just a step up, like the Pentium 3 to a Pentium 4.

[Alzar]

Instead of 01010101010101010101010101010101, its 0101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101