I am faced with a tough decision, my choices are below. The price difference is only $50. Which do you think I should buy?

INTEL PENTIUM-4 2.2G SOCKET 478 w/512 Cache
Memory 512MB PC-2100 DDRAM
80G ATA-100 HDD 7200 RPM
1.44MB Sony Floppy drive
16x Sony DVD-Rom Drive
40x12x48x Sanyo CDRW
nVidia GeForce4 MX440 64 MB DDR AGP w/ TV out
SB Live! 5.1

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-or-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

AMD Athlon XP 2100 1.73GHz 266MHz FSB
512MB PC-266 DDRAM
80G ATA-100 HDD 7200 RPM
1.44MB Sony Floppy drive
16x Sony DVD-Rom Drive
40x12x48x Sanyo CDRW
nVidia GeForce4 MX440 64 MB DDR AGP w/ TV out
SB Live! 5.1

first

I'm getting a similar AMD system, only more RAM (1280MB PC2100), a different video card (GeForce4 Ti 4600), and no cd-writer/dvd (already have a brand new cd-writer, Plextor 40x12x40, good enough for me, dvd doesn't matter since I never use mine anyway). I would go with the AMD system, but only because I personally prefer AMD processors over Intel.

Any reason for your choice of AMD over INTEL?

dave, im just curious, where are you getting this computer from?

Why do you ask?

cuz i'm thinking about buying a new computer soon (mines only an 800mhz celeron, lol), and I just wanted to check some prices out :)

What will you be using the computer for? That well help the decision between XP and P4

Go AMD get the Xp1900 or 2000 (save a bit on cash) UnLock the chip (see OverClocking sites) and the 1900 will run at 2100 and the 2000 at 2200 speeds... You can even then OC Motherboard (no more than 10mhz IMHO) and run faster... However unlocking chip suffices and your CPU won't be in jeporady of fryin!!!;) :D

And you will save hundreds in price over an intel!!!

Go get AMD cheaper and better,

AMD

From all the benhmarks I've seen AMD XPs blow P4s away.

Exactly :).

Originally posted by dynamitehost
cuz i'm thinking about buying a new computer soon (mines only an 800mhz celeron, lol), and I just wanted to check some prices out :) The P4 is $920 and the AMD is $970. If you want to know the place, PM me.

p4 prolly hs cheaper hardware in it to cut price...
(i.e. Motherboard, modem, video etc etc)

Originally posted by EzSnake
p4 prolly hs cheaper hardware in it to cut price...
(i.e. Motherboard, modem, video etc etc) Did you even read my post? Both have the same video card. I am not buying a nic card, since I have a few at home. I can't comment on the motherboard. And I customized this computer on their site, so I doubt they are using a cheaper motherboard to cut price.

It depends on what you want the computer for, if its for games i would go for the XP since it will run much faster but if you are making a server that needs to be reliable then go with the P4. XP's are known for overheating and even though the p4 will be stable it will run slower..

I'd rather have stability over speed. This isn't for server nor for intense gaming use. I use my home computer for mainly web design, and I will probably play CS on it...

CS... arrrr.

anyway CS will run fine on either machine.. good luck

Thanks for your comments. :)

That 440MX will be your downfall. Ditch the p4 and use the extra 50 bux towards a TI4200 or get a Radeon 8500LE.

I agree with PhoenixCIS on the vid board, G4 MX series are basically G2's with faster GPU's... they do not include some of the advance features of either G3's or G4's like pixel shading.
As far as the P4 over AMD I use both and build with both depending on what your needs are both will most likely do the job just as good as the other.
I would go with 2.26Ghz on the P4 with the 533Mhz FSB though which currently does bench faster then AMD's and Via just made a new mobo (P4PB) to run the P4's with PC333 ram which makes a very nice box. P4's also run cooler then AMD chips, the downside is almost everything related to P4's are more expensive then AMD counter parts.
In the end I agree with most others on here, if you are using this as a home computer doing gaming/internet/digital video I would go with the AMD and use the $50 to get the better vid card. If you need this machine for mission critical data then go with Intel always. Make sure if you go P4 that your power supply is at least 325Watts as P4's like to be fed, they even have dual power feeds to the mobo :)

What's the difference?

i used to be hard core amd when intel released the original p4. then they went and released the northwood. now i could go either way. i still like the price of amd. :stickout

Originally posted by iamdave
Any reason for your choice of AMD over INTEL?

Sorry, I tried to respond to this last night when you originally posted but my DSL kept going out every minute for 5 minutes until it finally died completely.

Anyway. AMD processors are cheaper, and I've never once had a problem with them. I have owned a great deal of Intel processors in the past, all of which had problems except one. Interestingly enough, the one that didn't have problems (a Celeron 566) had a crushed core :eek: I also have a T-Bird 1.3GHz with a badly crushed core that runs 100% perfect. Weird. The only issue with AMD processors I've ever had, is that my old Athlon wouldn't run at it's normal speed once I overclocked it for the first time. It would just crash constantly if I tried to take it back down to it's "normal" speed for some reason. People always say that AMD processors run hotter, but I never have a problem and I've only got 2 fans in this case (that I use regularly). I usually run about 89 F idle and usually no more than 100 F at full load.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, anyone else?

Originally posted by secludo

Interestingly enough, the one that didn't have problems (a Celeron 566) had a crushed core :eek: I also have a T-Bird 1.3GHz with a badly crushed core that runs 100% perfect. Weird.

How can someone crush 2 cores :eek:

Originally posted by vSector


How can someone crush 2 cores :eek:

First of all, it is quite easy to do. Second of all, I didn't do it to either of these two. The Athlon my fiancé brought home from his work - someone gave it to him saying it "didn't work" and I tried it in my system, works 100% perfectly. The Celeron, I have no idea what happened to it, since I'm not the one that originally had it. I traded a different processor for it and didn't find out about the crushed core until awhile later.

I agree AMD's are cheaper, that is fact. But if you take into account the overall picture, sure you might of had no problems with AMD and alot with Intel and I am sure there are people that will say the exact opposite, but coperations that need rock solid mission criticle servers always choose intel over amd.
When my customers state they need and/or going to use this for criticle data and/or run it as their server for the company I always choose Intel, PIII is a perfect server grade cheap and I am hard pressed to find anything better.
Now if you are using it as a stand alone computer or home/soho then either will do just as good. Right now if you want the fastest computer on the market it would be a P4 2.53 with the new Via P4PB mobo with 533Mhz FSB and DDR333. Slap a Ti G4 in it and you have one heck of a box.
I still say if you need a steadfast box use Intel, if you want to cut cost and get better vid card use AMD.

EzSnake got any url's handy?

dave, why don't you get a Ti instead of MX? They have much better performance