64 bit or 32 bit

[TheCrookedCEO]

I am slowly going insane trying to decide whether to get an Athlon 64
3000 or an Athlon XP 2600. Y can't the fools just drop the price on
the Athlon 64 already and make my decision easier. I've waited long
enough. DROP IT NOW!!! (please)

If I bought an athlon xp 2600, would it be obsolete? Would I AGAIN
have to upgrade my system come next year to keep pace with M$ latest
operating system?

Will Longhorn be able to run on a 32 bit processor? How about
Mandrake 10? And why in the world is Intel still putting out 32 bit
processors like Prescott & Centrino when 64 bit computing is soon to
come? I figure there is a close relationship between their declining
stock and their failure to produce a 64 bit desktop chip.

 

[Conor]

I am slowly going insane trying to decide whether to get an Athlon 64
3000 or an Athlon XP 2600. Y can't the fools just drop the price on
the Athlon 64 already and make my decision easier. I've waited long
enough. DROP IT NOW!!! (please)

If I bought an athlon xp 2600, would it be obsolete? Would I AGAIN
have to upgrade my system come next year to keep pace with M$ latest
operating system?

The choice at the moment is quite simple. Microsoft does not have a 64
bit version of Windows. It has a BETA version which you can trila for
free. The fact that the free trial is a year long worries me into
thinking they're nowhere near a release versoin. Add to that the
shortage of Win64 compatible drivers plus the fact there's no/very
little 64 bit Windows software then I'd put my money into a XP2500 for
12 months.

As for Longhorn, don't expect it much before mid 2005.

 

[philo]

I am slowly going insane trying to decide whether to get an Athlon 64
3000 or an Athlon XP 2600. Y can't the fools just drop the price on
the Athlon 64 already and make my decision easier. I've waited long
enough. DROP IT NOW!!! (please)

<snip>

i;d go with a 32 bit cpu and wait to see what "killer" 64 bit apps (and
OS's)
come along over the next few years

 

[Alan Walker]

I am slowly going insane trying to decide whether to get an Athlon 64
3000 or an Athlon XP 2600. Y can't the fools just drop the price on
the Athlon 64 already and make my decision easier. I've waited long
enough. DROP IT NOW!!! (please)

If I bought an athlon xp 2600, would it be obsolete? Would I AGAIN
have to upgrade my system come next year to keep pace with M$ latest
operating system?

Will Longhorn be able to run on a 32 bit processor? How about
Mandrake 10? And why in the world is Intel still putting out 32 bit
processors like Prescott & Centrino when 64 bit computing is soon to
come? I figure there is a close relationship between their declining
stock and their failure to produce a 64 bit desktop chip.

Just had to make the same sort of decision myself and went for an Athlon XP
3000, my upgrade cycle is about 18 months and by then I expect there'll be
faster and cheaper 64 bit processors and proper support in OS, drivers and
apps.

 

[jaster]

I am slowly going insane trying to decide whether to get an Athlon 64
3000 or an Athlon XP 2600. Y can't the fools just drop the price on
the Athlon 64 already and make my decision easier. I've waited long
enough. DROP IT NOW!!! (please)

If I bought an athlon xp 2600, would it be obsolete? Would I AGAIN
have to upgrade my system come next year to keep pace with M$ latest
operating system?

Will Longhorn be able to run on a 32 bit processor? How about
Mandrake 10? And why in the world is Intel still putting out 32 bit
processors like Prescott & Centrino when 64 bit computing is soon to
come? I figure there is a close relationship between their declining
stock and their failure to produce a 64 bit desktop chip.

Ebay can be your friend. Performance wise go for the AMD 64 although
there isn't software for 64 processors. Wait a few months for the price
to drop why waste money on 2600 when you can wait for a 64?

 

[TheCrookedCEO]

Ebay can be your friend. Performance wise go for the AMD 64 although
there isn't software for 64 processors. Wait a few months for the price
to drop why waste money on 2600 when you can wait for a 64?

Problem is I cannot wait. I've been putting the decision off month
after month.

 

[TheCrookedCEO]

Just had to make the same sort of decision myself and went for an Athlon XP
3000, my upgrade cycle is about 18 months and by then I expect there'll be
faster and cheaper 64 bit processors and proper support in OS, drivers and
apps.

I went the other way and put in an order for an Athlon 64.

I don't see the logic behind going for a high end 32 bit chip when 64
bit is just a few dollars away. My choice was between a low end 32
bit computer (low cost which I would ditch later for 64 bits) OR a 64
bit athlon now. I chose the latter especially since I was getting a
good price on it.

 

[TheCrookedCEO]

i;d go with a 32 bit cpu and wait to see what "killer" 64 bit apps (and
OS's)
come along over the next few years

There won't be any killer 64 bit apps but M$ will make us upgrade
anyway I figure. I went for a 64 bit as it was not much more
expensive than a mid range 32 bit system.

 

[TheCrookedCEO]

The choice at the moment is quite simple. Microsoft does not have a 64
bit version of Windows. It has a BETA version which you can trila for
free. The fact that the free trial is a year long worries me into
thinking they're nowhere near a release versoin. Add to that the
shortage of Win64 compatible drivers plus the fact there's no/very
little 64 bit Windows software then I'd put my money into a XP2500 for
12 months.

As for Longhorn, don't expect it much before mid 2005.

You are probably right, its some time off. But since I don't upgrade
that frequently, I decided to go for the Athlon 64 3000+.

The other factor is that PCI Express will be around by the end of this
year and DDR II memory might be around too. However that don't matter
to me since PCI Express will only be useful for faster graphic cards
and not much more. And DDR II will only drop to realistic prices
sometime middle of next year.

There are so many things to take into consideration. So many new
technologies on the horizon. I think i kept waiting, I'd be waiting
forever.

 

[)-()-(]

I am slowly going insane trying to decide whether to get an Athlon 64
3000 or an Athlon XP 2600. Y can't the fools just drop the price on
the Athlon 64 already and make my decision easier. I've waited long
enough. DROP IT NOW!!! (please)

If I bought an athlon xp 2600, would it be obsolete? Would I AGAIN
have to upgrade my system come next year to keep pace with M$ latest
operating system?

Will Longhorn be able to run on a 32 bit processor? How about
Mandrake 10? And why in the world is Intel still putting out 32 bit
processors like Prescott & Centrino when 64 bit computing is soon to
come? I figure there is a close relationship between their declining
stock and their failure to produce a 64 bit desktop chip.

A few articles on Athlon 64 FWIW

http://overclockers.com/tips00533/
http://overclockers.com

 

[Conor]

There are so many things to take into consideration. So many new
technologies on the horizon. I think i kept waiting, I'd be waiting
forever.

You speak so wisely. Eventually you just have to take the plunge. At
least PCs are modular so you can do a bit at a time.

 

[Matt]

I am slowly going insane trying to decide whether to get an Athlon 64
3000 or an Athlon XP 2600. Y can't the fools just drop the price on
the Athlon 64 already and make my decision easier. I've waited long
enough. DROP IT NOW!!! (please)

If I bought an athlon xp 2600, would it be obsolete? Would I AGAIN
have to upgrade my system come next year to keep pace with M$ latest
operating system?

Will Longhorn be able to run on a 32 bit processor? How about
Mandrake 10? And why in the world is Intel still putting out 32 bit
processors like Prescott & Centrino when 64 bit computing is soon to
come? I figure there is a close relationship between their declining
stock and their failure to produce a 64 bit desktop chip.

If you are going so far as 64 bit, you might as well go for the 1MB
cache of the 3200 rather than the half-meg cache of the 3000. Faster
clock, too, for maybe 25% more cost.

But you can buy 32 bit now _and_ 64 bit a year from now and pay about
the same as buying 64 bit now. Then in a year you will have a spare or
something to sell or give to somebody. You have to wait for the
software anyway.