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"New Computer – What Processor?"

I am building a new computer and I am undecided on the processor. Basically I have narrowed it down to a choice from these two:

AMD 64 3800+ Socket 939 Processor Retail Boxed
Intel Pentium 4 650 LGA775 Prescott 3.4Ghz 800FSB Retail 2MB

Which one will give the best all round performance from playing games like F.E.A.R. and Battlefield 2 to editing photos and such. I know the RAM will play a big part in this but for know I need to decide on a processor. What do you reckon?

My X2 4400+ is great and it is now clocked to higher than x2 4800+ speed with no problems at all, if you want to overclock then the x2 3800+ is also a good clocker and cheap.

viperfire wrote:
> Does XP Pro support duel core or will we have to wait for Vista?

XP Pro only as it has dual CPU support (= Dual core), they don't work with home as the licence for home is single CPU only.

X2 3800 is equivalent to having two 3200+s though, so in single threaded applications a standard A64 3800+ would be faster (you should look at a 3700+ over a 3800+ btw, more cache).

Duel core will work fine with anythng over win2000 i think.

PhysX cards could go either way i think, as it all depends on the big names making sure their games use it to it's fullest, i personally won't bother with a PhysX card next year untill xmas i don't think and even then only if games really require it.

Does XP Pro support duel core or will we have to wait for Vista?

Chippxero wrote:
> duel cores arn't really supported by softare yet but thats expected to
> change next year. unreal tournement 2007 is going to be the first game
> supporting it from what i have read so that new physics can be scaled
> up.

Which is a bit pointless as isn't this what the AGEIA PhysX card has been designed for, negating the need for all of us having to run out and replace half our PC to play it. Just drop in the PCI card and the processor load is dramtically reduced as the physics in game then get handles by a dedicated processor as opposed to a core which could be doing more important stuff?

duel cores arn't really supported by softare yet but thats expected to change next year. unreal tournement 2007 is going to be the first game supporting it from what i have read so that new physics can be scaled up.

Bullet is it just me or does that motherboard not have a grpahics card slot listed in it's specification?

Sorry to hijack, but after seeing how affordable Dual Core is, could you expertses tell me if this is a good combo and worth it or not?

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ S939 512KB [URL]http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3T1P&CategorySelectedId=11022&PageMode=1[/URL]

ASRock S939 Athlon ULi m1695 ATX A L [URL]http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3SYF&CategorySelectedId=11143&NavigationKey=11143,50568[/URL]

Bear in mind I need a board that has AGP on it, preferably with also PCI-E, like that mobo has. Thanks

Is this the duel one:

AMD 64 x2 3800+ 2.2Ghz 512K L2 Cache 939 Procesor Retail

So is this duel core then? And will it be much faster then the single or do you have to wait for software to support it?

Although the 3.4 is cheaper i'd go for the AMD performance wise, and if you have a smigine more cash you could get a dual 3800+ for about £20 more than the single core 3800+.