Anybody know how an AMD Athlon compares with a Pentium 4?

Question

I'm looking at an used computer with an AMD Athlon but I don't want a computer that's already way outdated. I realize it's not a new computer. Is the AMD comparable with a P4, P3 or what? Thanks

Answer 1

Athlon is comparable to P4. Athlon's and P4 is currently AMD's and Intels' product line for home-use single core CPUs. (Home use means, a good CPU with reasonable price, unlike Intel's Xeon and Intel's Itanium and AMD's Opteron, which is targeted for higher end machines like servers.)

(But you should see the speed number of AMD (for example, my AMD Athlon 64 is 2GHz, with speed number 3000+, which means my CPU is comparable to Intel's 3000Mhz CPU, this is actually not accurate enough, however as an estimation, it could be a good starting point)

And the stories about hot AMD CPU is obselete, newest AMD CPU runs almost as cool as Intel's, and you should know that the critical temperature of AMD's CPU is generally higher than Intel's. AMD CPU is also known to be generally cheaper than Intel's.

Up to this second, I can tell you, AMD leads the technological advantage for the best processor. However, there is rumor spreading that the new factory Intel is creating would beat AMD's best. We are yet to see if this claim would comes true.

Up to few years ago, AMD is the one that has been copying what Intel does, but the last few years, it's Intel who copies AMD's technology. For example, the idea of Dual Core.

Answer 2

AMD has many products just like Intel
AMD sempron = Intel celeron
Athlon = pentium
athlon64 = pentium 4 em64

AMD processors have an extraordinary performance in graphics based programs and games than Intel's due to the extra instruction "3DNow" of AMD, while Intel processors perfom better in office based programs like larg databases, searching documenting.

AMD processors in usual has less Cashe memory than intel.

AMD processors in usual have faster Front side Bus(FSB).

NOTE THAT older AMD products get really hot and stop responding at all in higher heat digrees, which is fixed in new generation processors.

Answer 3

no Pentiums are the best processers and Amd are the worst ones