What will be your NEXT computer? Pentium or Athlon?? Why?

Dyre Straits · May 16, 2002, 11:12 PM

Well, that other little thread about your first computer has generated a very interesting set of responses and I hope they keep coming.

Now, how about what you plan for your NEXT computer/upgrade? What do you plan...and why?

I'm tossing and turning between Pentium 4 and the Athlons. I'm not too keen on the VIA chipsets, however. I also need a motherboard that has ONE ISA slot for my legal size UMAX 1200S scanner. I've priced them lately and this one simply has continued to serve me very well. However, I really don't want to spend 80 bucks on a PCI version SCSI card.
I'm open to suggestions.

Dyre Straits

Ryoko · May 16, 2002, 11:23 PM

athlon.

price. need i say more?

peroni · May 16, 2002, 11:24 PM

If I had the money, right now I would buy a P4

A few weeks ago I built a computer for a friend and I was stunned to see how high that 1.6a overclocked without compromising stability.
I reached 2.4 Ghz with default voltage and 2.6Mhz with a higher voltage.
I had the pc for 2-3 days ad I run all the tests/benchs I could and I never saw a blue screen or even a program crashing.
The board was an MSI 845 Ultra ARU (no ISA slot sorry)

I never had the chance to test an Athlon XP.

JavaFox · May 16, 2002, 11:40 PM

Well, I will have to toss my opinion in on this one.

Listen, there is no problem with VIA chipsets. They have been the superior choice for the Athlon platform since KX133. Instability and incompatibility are largely issues of the past; even now, they are small ones that get worked out quickly. VIA releases updated drivers for its chipsets frequently.

I think there are two reasons so many people still think VIA are the chipset equivalent of a Pinto. One: not enough use, and two: FUD. I've run a 1.2GHz Athlon on a KT266A board @ 100% CPU utilization for two days straight before. I've done large 3DSMAX renderings and video conversion and my system did not even flinch. VIA chipsets, if maintained (with proper drivers, that is), work extremely well. For the most part, people think VIA chipsets are unstable 'cause they haven't used them enough. Intel fans and AMD haters spread FUD that VIA chipsets are unstable, but at the end of the day, experience transcends their misguided/malicious words. Ask if you can play on a friend's VIA-based machine. Make sure he's the type that knows how to set up his box, and you'll see that it is stable and cheerful.

However, regarding the ISA slot... you may be out of luck. I haven't seen a board with ISA in a while. ABIT hung on to the ISA slot for an abnormally long period of time, so maybe their boards still have them. I don't really concern myself with ABIT, so you'll have to check it out. But, yeah, I'm sorry to say it, but I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and upgrade your SCSI card.

Hope that was helpful!

***Zardon*** · May 17, 2002, 02:28 AM

interesting thread, I have to say I have been buying AMD for the last few years, but I might venture back into P4 ground if I got a good price. im not really a dedicated follower of any single company and I just move around if I get a good product.

My friend has a P4 running at 2,600 MHZ, and its awesome for ripping Mp3s.

I think both offer a great cpu and personally I have never had any problem with the VIA chipsets, maybe ive just been lucky, but the recent IBM drives problems is another thing Ive been lucky with. ive owned IBM since the early 90s and never had a single drive fail on me.

my comment would be to get the best deal you can at the time you are buying.

~~Crash Override~~ · May 17, 2002, 03:02 AM

I have unfortunately had some very very bad experiences with P4 systems

I got an Athlon Tbird and all was made right as rain

I know that when I have the money I will either A: invest in an Athlon XP (whichever is the fastest at the time) or wait for the Hammer and get XP 64-Bit Edition.

Im thinking the Hammer is gonna put AMD way way back on top again for a long time

May 17, 2002, 03:13 AM

an AMD ATI combo, they rock.

Darksider · May 17, 2002, 09:44 AM

My next computer is definately going to be a Hammer.

Shikatanai · May 17, 2002, 06:57 PM

AMD, but only because of the price. By the time I have the money who knows what will be best?

Vaporizer · May 18, 2002, 04:02 AM

Probably and AMD, but if i can afford it when the time comes i want a Intel.

EFA11 · May 18, 2002, 06:38 AM

AMD
Because..

**Asmoday** · May 18, 2002, 10:41 AM

The one who gives the biggest bang for the buck i´d say....for now:AMD!!

DallasStar · May 18, 2002, 12:09 PM

I wish AMD processors didn't run so damn hot!!! I swear, just because of my computer, my entire room gets hot! It pisses me off. Well, it can be remedied by AC and Fan, but I still think its ridiculous. I don't believe that just to use a processor without generating enough heat to cook eggs, that you should have to buy an expensive heatsink... Well, I guess I can't complain because of the price and how well my 1800+ is working for me. I'd say that I'd go for whichever company has the fastest processor for the highest price I'm willing to pay. That is usually AMD, but the new Northwoods are looking mighty nice... especially because they can run around 40 degrees even WITHOUT a heatsink (though I'd never even think about running it without one)

DarkAngel · May 18, 2002, 06:36 PM

Well right now I'm looking at a Pentium4 setup as my next box (and OC the shiznit out of it too).

HOWEVER, it would be nice to have a Dualie setup....but if I have a fast enough CPU I can get away with just one processor. But I'll wait until i see some numbers on the Hammer (it sounds sweet!)

~~WyreTheWolf~~ · May 19, 2002, 05:52 AM

I have one of the fastes Xp processors out there .. It will be a long ime before I have to upgrade. But, when it comes time ... I will read the reviews, and do a little research before I buy again. I have always been a huge fan of AMD... to me neither one is better than the other.... At least not by any huge margin. Things change over the cource of two years ... who knows waht will be available.

Capt Ron · May 19, 2002, 10:29 AM

Intel.

Stability and compatibility

Dyre Straits · May 19, 2002, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Capt Ron
Intel.

Stability and compatibility

I've had nothing but Intel since entering the PC arena.

I have a brother-in-law who went with an AMD Athlon 1 Ghz about a year ago. 5 months later he got a P4 1.4 Ghz. He couldn't wait to get rid of a lot of issues he was having. Most of these were compatibility issues with certain devices. He's been a lot happier since getting his P4.
This isn't meant to promote one over the other, but, in his case, he was spending more time trying to make things work than he was using the computer to do what he bought it to do in the first place.
My own inclination is that I'll be going with a P4 1.8 or up when I find the right motherboard or a good deal on a PCI SCSI card. Although, I may just network my current rig and keep the scanner on this one and use it via the LAN. I'm really not unhappy with what I've got.....but it's been two years since my last major system upgrade.

Dyre Straits

DallasStar · May 19, 2002, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dyre Straits
I've had nothing but Intel since entering the PC arena.

I have a brother-in-law who went with an AMD Athlon 1 Ghz about a year ago. 5 months later he got a P4 1.4 Ghz. He couldn't wait to get rid of a lot of issues he was having. Most of these were compatibility issues with certain devices. He's been a lot happier since getting his P4.
This isn't meant to promote one over the other, but, in his case, he was spending more time trying to make things work than he was using the computer to do what he bought it to do in the first place.
My own inclination is that I'll be going with a P4 1.8 or up when I find the right motherboard or a good deal on a PCI SCSI card. Although, I may just network my current rig and keep the scanner on this one and use it via the LAN. I'm really not unhappy with what I've got.....but it's been two years since my last major system upgrade.

Dyre Straits

Lemmie guess.... He didn't go to Windows Update and download the K7 AMD driver? Yeah, thought so.... How do you expect it to run properly without its driver? (yeah yeah, i know P4 doesn't need a driver, but gimmie a break... 1 measly driver download and a trip to windows update won't kill anyone). I duno, going to windows update on install and checking to make sure there aren't any bugs in your Windows version just seems like the logical thing to do... Well, just let him know that he wasted too much time trying to fix it and too little time doing the logical thing.

Dyre Straits · May 19, 2002, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dallasstar
Lemmie guess.... He didn't go to Windows Update and download the K7 AMD driver? Yeah, thought so.... How do you expect it to run properly without its driver? (yeah yeah, i know P4 doesn't need a driver, but gimmie a break... 1 measly driver download and a trip to windows update won't kill anyone). I duno, going to windows update on install and checking to make sure there aren't any bugs in your Windows version just seems like the logical thing to do... Well, just let him know that he wasted too much time trying to fix it and too little time doing the logical thing.

Wrong guess. The first thing he did do....as I helped him....was to go to Windows Update and get all the updates for his system.
Just so you'll know: I helped him get his AMD up and running the same day he bought it. The very FIRST thing I do once the system and Internet are available is to go to Windows Update...and to ALL other device manufacturers and get the latest drivers. I've had computers for too long not to know to do that.
This includes getting the latest VIA chipset drivers.....and everything else related to his system. Still, he had a lot of incompatibility problems and had to replace certain devices.
One that sticks out in my mind was his Intel PC Camera. Now, I KNOW that either Intel or AMD should have provided some kind of driver patch to allow that camera to install...but, since the installation could not 'find' the correct CPU, the camera software would not install. (I understand that since that time, there HAS been a patch released.) Still, it was simply too much hassle for him...and too many other things...to continue with AMD.
He was able to find a brand new system with a P4 1.4 Ghz, 40 GB HD, 256 MB RAM, NIC card, 56 K Modem, and other devices I can't remember offhand, for around $500 - no monitor. It did include a 32 MB 3D video card, but I can't recall which one. He already had a RADEON 64 DDR VIVO from his previous system to put in so we automatically removed the installed card prior to anything else.
Like I said, I'm not promoting one over the other. This is just from the experience from this particular situation.

Dyre Straits

PS You really shouldn't make too many assumptions without knowing the facts.

***Zardon*** · May 19, 2002, 12:56 PM

I install between 50-80 systems a month, 75% of these being AMD systems.

There are no problems with either platform now. I feel I have good experience in this matter. some AMD motherboards have been very poor, and I feel this is the problem for alot of the people who have complained regarding these kind of issues.

~~WyreTheWolf~~ · May 19, 2002, 12:57 PM

**shudders** he said VIA! ... **shudders**

Really I have had three motherboards with VIA chipsets. One of them was a KT133, one was a KT266, and the last one was a KT266a... Ever since I went from usinf VIA based motherboards to AMD based motherboards... I have not looked back. So far I have had ZERO compatability issues.

I take that back.. I had a compatability issue with Windows XP not wanting to load properly ... Aureal sound card...

But that was due to software incompatability, not hardware.

Just my humble opinion... but an AMD/AMD motherboard is pretty hard to beat for compatability, and stability. Besides, who would know better than the company that designed the processor in the first place.

Dyre Straits · May 19, 2002, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zardon
I install between 50-80 systems a month, 75% of these being AMD systems.

There are no problems with either platform now. I feel I have good experience in this matter. some AMD motherboards have been very poor, and I feel this is the problem for alot of the people who have complained regarding these kind of issues.

I would have to agree that the motherboard itself has to be a critical choice in the whole scheme. I know for a fact from using two different motherboards with the identical same system, that one can truly out-perform another. I had a SuperPower motherboard that I got with my PII 450 a few years ago. When SuperPower went kaput and I couldn't get BIOS updates any longer, I went with the current ABIT BE6-II (1st Ed.) Frankly, the ABIT didn't perform as well with the very same components as the SP did. But, it became a necessity once I upgraded to PIII because I couldn't get a BIOS for the SP board that would support the new CPU.

I've really appreciated all the candid replies to my posts. It's helping quite a bit.

Dyre Straits

ToTalXS · May 19, 2002, 07:27 PM

If you match cpu mhz to mhz up and down the current line I dont think you can beat the Athlon/Duron models......Duron shows its more than a match for the Celeron and Intel has to Compare the P4 with slower clocked Athlon XP's in order to win........The problem comes when developers finally start launching software tweaked specially for the P4...it will be like comparing the old non MMX pentiums with the MMX enabled ones...when the software didnt utilize the instruction set you see no real improvement but when you write the code to properly