New Motherboard AMD v INTEL?

J_J · 08-30-06, 08:37 PM

Hi,
I am in the market for building a newer machine to run some of the latest games as the 2ghz I currently have does not cut it anymore. Got an ATI Radeon 9600XT AGP Card also which does not run the latest stuff well at all.

Amazing how PC gaming requires updating often!!!

So I am looking at either an ASUS or Gigabyte motherboard with and AMD or Intel Chip

Upgradeability is a must for Intel (to eventually be able to get a Core 2), AMD (dont know the upgrade path!)

ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard

$190

Gigabyte GA-M59SLI-S5 Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard

$190

The chips would be either

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ 2.40GHz / 1MB Cache / 2000MHz FSB / Socket AM2 / Dual-Core (Windsor) / Processor with Fan

$255

or

Intel Pentium D 950 3.4GHz / 4MB Cache / 800MHz FSB / Dual-Core / Presler / OEM / Socket 775 / Processor

$250

Then a PCI Express Video card.

The main questions are to choose between AMD or INTEL?
All opinions welcome.

Thanks.

JJ

SmackDaddy · 08-30-06, 08:51 PM

I'd go AMD AM2, but I am biased. I just put this together:

Gigabyte GA-M51gm-S2G
AMD X2 4600+ AM2
2gb Mushkin DDR2 667
ATI X1800XT DDR3 256 PCIe
WD SATA II 160gb HD
Panasonic DVD+- R\RW
Viewsonic 19" lcd

I'm mostly playing UT2005 right now, but can play Quake 4 on Ultra at 1280X1024 and Prey on High at the same resolution. FEAR Combat is also running at high quality settings.

I'd jump on the X1800XT either way you go. At $200 and performance equal to a 7900GT it's a great bang for your buck card (at newegg).

bwvanh114 · 08-30-06, 08:52 PM

Is the $250 Core 2 Duo faster than the AMD offering? If that's the case, why not get a Core 2 Duo right now?

J_J · 08-30-06, 09:18 PM

The Core 2 is faster for sure, so that would be a plus and the upgradability would be more certain. So Intel is the no.1 choice so far.

Though as SmackDaddy mentioned the AMD system is a good solid system and I am open to all ideas.

I do have to keep to a budget also.

Also play Prey and have downloaded a demo of "Just Cause" by Eidos and that needs more horsepower on the graphics. The 9600XT I currently have is not good. So instead of spending $200 on a new AGP graphics card for the old system, I am going to get a newer one.

GHackmann · 08-30-06, 10:33 PM

Since you're building a gaming rig, I'd wait until the middle of September before putting a PC together. NVIDIA and ATI announced new chips last week to replace their low-end and mid-end GPUs. When the boards they're based on ship in mid-September, you'll get a lot more bang for your buck.

fumanstan · 08-31-06, 12:24 AM

I'd go Core 2 if I were building a system today, and i've been a big AMD fan ever since the K6 days

Thrush · 08-31-06, 02:08 AM

Without a doubt, Core 2.

matome · 08-31-06, 08:03 AM

Yes, Core 2

J_J · 08-31-06, 08:06 AM

From all your posts I'll be going with a Core 2, and will wait until the end of September (tnx Ghackmann) for the new chipsets to arrive and prices to go down.

Thanks for the help.

JJ

tbird2340 · 08-31-06, 10:50 AM

Good call.. If you're wanting to build a new PC you'd be crazy not do go Core 2 Duo..

SmackDaddy · 08-31-06, 07:33 PM

I must be crazy!!!!

tbird2340 · 09-01-06, 06:59 AM

That's one word for it

Was your AMD CPU / Mobo Combo wasn't A LOT cheaper then a Core 2 / Mobo combo? If not, then what was your reasoning?

SmackDaddy · 09-01-06, 09:13 AM

I built an entirely new PC (exluding power supply), including LCD monitor for about $800. Judging from the prices of the Core 2 motherboards and what I was looking for, I would have spent more for a Core 2 setup. Plus, the AM2 hardware has had time to mature. I've never jumped on a new CPU architecture until it has had some time out to mature and have more motherboard options.

lucasorion · 09-04-06, 03:46 PM

AM2 mobos are also supposedly going to be forward compatible with AM3 procs (not sure when they are coming out) so you can get a cheap 3800+ (highly oc-able) X2 AM2 proc now and then the latest and greatest AM3 next year if you want.

08-30-06, 08:37 PM	#1
J_J Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Posts: 255	New Motherboard AMD v INTEL? Hi, I am in the market for building a newer machine to run some of the latest games as the 2ghz I currently have does not cut it anymore. Got an ATI Radeon 9600XT AGP Card also which does not run the latest stuff well at all. Amazing how PC gaming requires updating often!!! So I am looking at either an ASUS or Gigabyte motherboard with and AMD or Intel Chip Upgradeability is a must for Intel (to eventually be able to get a Core 2), AMD (dont know the upgrade path!) ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard $190 Gigabyte GA-M59SLI-S5 Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard $190 The chips would be either AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ 2.40GHz / 1MB Cache / 2000MHz FSB / Socket AM2 / Dual-Core (Windsor) / Processor with Fan $255 or Intel Pentium D 950 3.4GHz / 4MB Cache / 800MHz FSB / Dual-Core / Presler / OEM / Socket 775 / Processor $250 Then a PCI Express Video card. The main questions are to choose between AMD or INTEL? All opinions welcome. Thanks. JJ

08-30-06, 08:51 PM	#2
SmackDaddy DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 2,380	I'd go AMD AM2, but I am biased. I just put this together: Gigabyte GA-M51gm-S2G AMD X2 4600+ AM2 2gb Mushkin DDR2 667 ATI X1800XT DDR3 256 PCIe WD SATA II 160gb HD Panasonic DVD+- R\RW Viewsonic 19" lcd I'm mostly playing UT2005 right now, but can play Quake 4 on Ultra at 1280X1024 and Prey on High at the same resolution. FEAR Combat is also running at high quality settings. I'd jump on the X1800XT either way you go. At $200 and performance equal to a 7900GT it's a great bang for your buck card (at newegg). __________________ Ruler of all that I survey...and that ain't much! WiiU ID: ButrzRulz PSN ID: ButrzRulz Last edited by SmackDaddy; 08-30-06 at 10:25 PM.

08-31-06, 12:24 AM	#6
fumanstan DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 33,303	I'd go Core 2 if I were building a system today, and i've been a big AMD fan ever since the K6 days __________________ 3x Sheep Champion VG Round 1b \| VG Round 7 \| NFL

08-31-06, 08:03 AM	#8
matome DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: NY Posts: 12,304	Yes, Core 2 __________________ DVD/Blu-Ray/HD-DVD \| Blu-Ray only \| Laserdisc

08-31-06, 10:50 AM	#10
tbird2340 DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Ytown, Ohio Posts: 4,999	Good call.. If you're wanting to build a new PC you'd be crazy not do go Core 2 Duo.. __________________ Michael: When I was five, I imagined that there was such a thing as a unicorn. And this is before I even heard of one or seen one. I just drew a picture of a horse that could fly over rainbows and had a huge spike in its head. I was five, five years old... couldn't even talk yet. Xbox Live! - Tbird2340

08-30-06, 08:52 PM	#3
bwvanh114 DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,364	Is the $250 Core 2 Duo faster than the AMD offering? If that's the case, why not get a Core 2 Duo right now?

08-30-06, 09:18 PM	#4
J_J Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Posts: 255	The Core 2 is faster for sure, so that would be a plus and the upgradability would be more certain. So Intel is the no.1 choice so far. Though as SmackDaddy mentioned the AMD system is a good solid system and I am open to all ideas. I do have to keep to a budget also. Also play Prey and have downloaded a demo of "Just Cause" by Eidos and that needs more horsepower on the graphics. The 9600XT I currently have is not good. So instead of spending $200 on a new AGP graphics card for the old system, I am going to get a newer one.

08-30-06, 10:33 PM	#5
GHackmann Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 628	Since you're building a gaming rig, I'd wait until the middle of September before putting a PC together. NVIDIA and ATI announced new chips last week to replace their low-end and mid-end GPUs. When the boards they're based on ship in mid-September, you'll get a lot more bang for your buck.

08-31-06, 02:08 AM	#7
Thrush DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Under a dead Ohio sky Posts: 4,068	Without a doubt, Core 2.

08-31-06, 08:06 AM	#9
J_J Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Posts: 255	From all your posts I'll be going with a Core 2, and will wait until the end of September (tnx Ghackmann) for the new chipsets to arrive and prices to go down. Thanks for the help. JJ

08-31-06, 07:33 PM	#11
SmackDaddy DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 2,380	I must be crazy!!!! __________________ Ruler of all that I survey...and that ain't much! WiiU ID: ButrzRulz PSN ID: ButrzRulz

09-01-06, 06:59 AM	#12
tbird2340 DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Ytown, Ohio Posts: 4,999	That's one word for it Was your AMD CPU / Mobo Combo wasn't A LOT cheaper then a Core 2 / Mobo combo? If not, then what was your reasoning? __________________ Michael: When I was five, I imagined that there was such a thing as a unicorn. And this is before I even heard of one or seen one. I just drew a picture of a horse that could fly over rainbows and had a huge spike in its head. I was five, five years old... couldn't even talk yet. Xbox Live! - Tbird2340

09-01-06, 09:13 AM	#13
SmackDaddy DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 2,380	I built an entirely new PC (exluding power supply), including LCD monitor for about $800. Judging from the prices of the Core 2 motherboards and what I was looking for, I would have spent more for a Core 2 setup. Plus, the AM2 hardware has had time to mature. I've never jumped on a new CPU architecture until it has had some time out to mature and have more motherboard options. __________________ Ruler of all that I survey...and that ain't much! WiiU ID: ButrzRulz PSN ID: ButrzRulz

09-04-06, 03:46 PM	#14
lucasorion Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 960	AM2 mobos are also supposedly going to be forward compatible with AM3 procs (not sure when they are coming out) so you can get a cheap 3800+ (highly oc-able) X2 AM2 proc now and then the latest and greatest AM3 next year if you want.