AMD 64 vs 64X2...

[Answer Seeker]

looking to build a new PC and am trying to decide on getting an AMD 64
or 64 X2 chip? i know the first is for pure horsepower and the other is
for multitasking. any other advantages/disadvantages of one over the
other?? i have heard that gaming with the X2 is a little tricky
requiring some tweaking. as far as multitasking...i don't plan to do
anything else while gaming.

thanks in advance for the answers,
todd

 

[DaveW]

You summed up the complete differences betweeen them very well. You just
have to decide what you plan to use the computer for and that will determine
which CPU to get.

 

[Chinooks_FURY]

Go for the dual-core simply because that's the motion in the industry. If
you can, I would wait until after the launch of the AM2 platform. 939 CPU's
and mobo's are going to drop in price significantly. Release date: 6/6/06
Great savings opportunity - especially on RAM, which is already uber-cheap.

Chances are you may be able to pick up a 4800+ for less than $500. Team it
with a good 939 mobo which has passive cooling (ABIT's AN8-32X or ASUS's
A8N32-SLI) Both are excellent mature platforms with great BIOS that are
going to drop in price nicely. Grab the very best 2GB kit of RAM you can -
OCZ, Mushkin, G. Skill, Geil, or Corsair. I'm looking to build a nice media
center rig around this time myself and join the dual-core gang. I'm hoping
to grab these parts at around these prices:

CPU: 4800+ approx. $450
Mobo: ASUS A8N32-SLI approx. $150
RAM: Corsair XMS 3500LLPRO approx. $200

Whole lotta 'puter for $800. As far as gaming goes on dual-cores, it's
simply a matter of setting the core's affinity in BIOS. This info is
readily available on the net for any game you want to play. No problems
there.

Happy building!

 

[John Weiss]

looking to build a new PC and am trying to decide on getting an AMD 64 or 64
X2 chip? i know the first is for pure horsepower and the other is for
multitasking. any other advantages/disadvantages of one over the other?? i
have heard that gaming with the X2 is a little tricky requiring some tweaking.
as far as multitasking...i don't plan to do anything else while gaming.

First, the main difference today is $$ vs clock speed. For gaming, you can get
a single-core FX-57 or a slightly slower (clock speed) and much more expensive
FX-60 that will play games equally well.

Also, there should be no "tweaking" required to play a single-threaded game on
an X2; it will simply use a single core.

 

[Andy Jeffries]

First, the main difference today is $$ vs clock speed. For gaming, you
can get a single-core FX-57 or a slightly slower (clock speed) and much
more expensive FX-60 that will play games equally well.

And remember the FX-60 is a dual core (it's the gaming equivalent of an X2).

Cheers,


Andy