Originally Posted by Jejking

Hello guys,

Next week I am going to get my new computer, and I really really REALLY want to jump into the little world with big numbers, named Folding @Home (and Rosetta @Home of course).

My budget is pretty tight, so I am bound to two CPU's and motherboards:
- AMD's X2 3600 (no Brisbane, I don't want a Dual Sempron, so this is the 2x512KB-version) combined with the Asus M2R32-MVP.
- Intel's E2140 based on the Core-core, with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3

When I put the numbers and facts together, I see the following facts:
AMD:
+ Low powerconsumption
+ Pretty overclockable and a pretty performanceboost
++ Undervoltable up to 0.8GHz @ 0.8V (have seen evidence)

Intel:
+ Low powerconsumption (M0-stepping lowers power consumption with 4W in HALT-mode, but that doesn't matter here, right?)
++ HUGE overclockability and so a HUGE performanceboost with practically no voltage increase
(when taken performancelevels of an FX62 @2.6GHz and C2D E6700, increases the gap from -3% to +20% in games, advantage for Intel)
-? Undervoltable up to 0.6GHz @ 1.05V (practically no C2D beats that, once seen 0.95V), so compared to AMD WAY higher powerconsumption.

What processor should I buy to get the best results in Folding @Home and Rosetta @Home? And what should be the delta in powerconsumption when you compare an X2 3600 0.8GHz @0.8V to an E2140 0.6GHz @1.05V? Those things are pretty important to me, because I have to pay for my own energybill. I have been searching around the net, but few people can explain which buy should be better.

The difference in price between the combo's is about 15-20 euro, in advantage of AMD, so that won't kill me, so you can let that argument go.

Advice is needed pretty much in here, because days are short and my study is waving to me. Anyone?