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am2 or conroe

future upgrade


  • Total voters
    227

alldat

Weaksauce
Joined
Jun 23, 2005
Messages
72
i am planning an upgrade in a few weeks and i am going back and fourth between am2 and conroe. I have been in the amd camp for the last 6 years. But i feel like am2 is not a performance increase from there 939, and the new intel chip seem like its the best future prrof . i don't like to upgrade very often, i playgames, music , my own web-site watch movies and videos, so which side do i take? :cool:
 
Looking down the road, and with Intel's new agressive 2 year shrink, 2 year new core policy, I'd had to say Conroe...

Terra...
 
I'm pretty much in the same camp as I've only used AMD for the last 7+ years, but since they really dropped the ball with AM2, and Intel finally got their act together, I'm going with a Conroe system this time. Now all I need to finish my system is the motherboard and cpu... :(
 
Venos said:
I'm pretty much in the same camp as I've only used AMD for the last 7+ years, but since they really dropped the ball with AM2, and Intel finally got their act together, I'm going with a Conroe system this time. Now all I need to finish my system is the motherboard and cpu... :(
I wouldn't say they dropped the ball with AM2, it's not even supposed to be that major a refresh. It's just that the Core2 is looking to be such a success that AMD is left without a strong contender for the time being. I have confidence that they will catch up reasonably soon.

Neverthless, if you're in the market for a new computer within the next few months, Intel's Core2 is undoubtedly the way to go.
 
Things like these are hard to decide. I remember when I was comtemplating getting a Prescott a couple of years back and decided against it. Good move on my part.
My point being though, it's hard to predict which would be the best way to go on parts that are not yet released. As for me, I stick to AMD. Just my personal preference and that's what I recommend...go with your personal preference.
 
Conroe. No brand preference here anymore. I used to be AMD but I cannot justify "wasting" money on an inferior AMD chip. Plain and simple. If you have 2 options and 1 is a LOT faster and a LOT cheaper than the other....well....
 
Brahmzy said:
Conroe. No brand preference here anymore. I used to be AMD but I cannot justify "wasting" money on an inferior AMD chip. Plain and simple. If you have 2 options and 1 is a LOT faster and a LOT cheaper than the other....well....
word
 
It's not "wasting" money if AMD still offers a competititve price/performance ratio. We'll see how the market settles in a few months after Conroe's release and the AMD price cuts and any factory changes either company needs to make.

Conroe offers very attractive performance for the prices Intel has quoted thus far, based on PRELIMINARY benchmarks and ESTIMATED pricing.

Brand loyalty dies in the face of price/performance. If AMD can hold onto its market share, and maintain the interest of the enthusiasts that bought its high-end chips in the past, then all the zealots who have been building their conroe rigs months before its release may be looking at AMD again in early 2007.
 
Conroe all the way. Already have my E6600 pre-ordered to be safe. I just don't see any good reason to go AM2.
 
If i honestly recall, isnt AM2 not even designed to compete with Conroe? Just a redesign allowing DDR2(not like AMD's needed that help) and some other stuff?
 
Were are the motherboards for Conroe? I thought I saw one but it turned out to be bigfoot instead.
 
well i have put my system together and decided to stick with am2. i prised out both systems( based on amd hopefully price-cuts) and i will be saving about $200 bucks, give or take 50 bucks.I feel like amd has a few suprises in stor for us so i will stick with who i have been using thus far.
 
uh... why not just get the better chip when youre actually buying the system?

getting a worse chip based on an assumption that something will come out that may be better than the competition 6 months ago to save $150 or so is not very smart.

even the Allendales (ie, the ones with 2mb) are overclocking to 3.5ghz or so, which will handily hand any X2 its ass.
 
I'm not sure how AM2 isn't supposed to compete with Conroe. The both hit the marked within 2 months of one another and it's AMD's top gun against Intel's. I don't think it matters whether it's the same generation of technology or not. It's their top dog at the moment, so whether they want it it to or not - it IS going competing with Conroe.
It's just like Intel's Pentium D was getting thrashed in benchmarks against the FX.
It was the best thing they had in the same price range, so it's competition.
 
lithium726 said:
uh... why not just get the better chip when youre actually buying the system?

getting a worse chip based on an assumption that something will come out that may be better than the competition 6 months ago to save $150 or so is not very smart.

even the Allendales (ie, the ones with 2mb) are overclocking to 3.5ghz or so, which will handily hand any X2 its ass.


Listen to the man. Like most others have said, conroe is the way to go. No reason to follow some blind loyalty when you can have better.
 
Wow, I was very surprised to see everyone supporting NGMA like this, though I haven't seen many reasons as to why, other than performance. As I'm on a budget, and Intel processors are notoriously expensive, I won't be getting the best of anything. Other than performance, are there any other advantages to Conroe?

Is it VT?
The larger cache?
The beefier maths units?
Better established motherboard and cooling solutions product base?
Or simply the position of the keyed pin on the odd-numbered socket?

(just kidding with the last one)

I was going to go with AM2 with my first custom gaming rig, but now you guys have given me a lot to chew on-- if only by your unanimous support for Conroe.
 
:cool:
Listen to the man. Like most others have said, conroe is the way to go. No reason to follow some blind loyalty when you can have better.
i am not some amd !!!!!!, i just like there cpu's they have been solid performers for me. Nothing against intel, but amd has usally been cheaper with about the same processor power as intel.Don't get me wrong i am very curious abot conroe, but i don't even see any mobo's on sell anywhere, besides the 200+ asus one, and i will never pay over 150 for an motherboard.
 
CryptoQuick said:
Wow, I was very surprised to see everyone supporting NGMA like this, though I haven't seen many reasons as to why, other than performance. As I'm on a budget, and Intel processors are notoriously expensive, I won't be getting the best of anything. Other than performance, are there any other advantages to Conroe?
Uh... Isnt performance the main reason you buy a processor? Most all of these (even the 6300/6400) are overclocking to 3.5ghz or so, and those are pre-release chips, the release ones will no doubt go higher. I dont know if its just me, but every AMD chip ive had in the past couple years has been a dud. Neither of them has got past 2.4-5ish Ghz or so, and it has left a foul taste in my mouth. I've always had good luck with clocking intel chips. The conroe will also run cooler and put out less heat than an AMD chip, while assraming it performance wise.

Is it VT?
The 6600 and up are. the 4200/6300/6400 do not.

The larger cache?
Yes, 4MB L2 for the 6600 and up, the 6300/6400 are 2mb, but they arent codenamed "Conroe," they're "Allendale"
The beefier maths units?
Than any other intel chip, yes. Not sure about AMD chips. These can process SSE instructions in one cycle, which makes them monsters.
Better established motherboard and cooling solutions product base?
Intel has always had better mainboards, IMO. I've found that the mainboard manufacuturers have always put more effort into Intel boards, sans DFI.

I was going to go with AM2 with my first custom gaming rig, but now you guys have given me a lot to chew on-- if only by your unanimous support for Conroe.
Its simply a better chip on a better platform (assuming you get a board with an Intel chipset)
but i don't even see any mobo's on sell anywhere, besides the 200+ asus one, and i will never pay over 150 for an motherboard.
Um... Yeah... the chip has not even been LAUNCHED yet. Give it some time, Intel boards are normally the same price as AMD boards - I paid $160 for my A8N-SLI Premium and that was due to a price mistake, it shouldve been ~ 180-190.

The "AMD is cheaper" argument is absolute bullshit now. AMD used to be cheaper, yes, when their processors were slower than the competition and the platform was a joke. Ever since the Athlon64 where AMD has actually had a nice, competitive solution prices have been about even - How can you call the bottom rung dual core chip at $300 a "bargain?"
 
lets revue

Amd chip $310 (after price drops) (4600+)
Mobo $150 (but really ranges from 90-220)

Intel chip $350 (E6600)
Mobo $160 (but ranges from 120-250 roughly)

the ram will be more expensive for the AMD since it needs tighter timmings.
Vid card, drives and all the rest will be almost the same..

i would say that while an intel mobo (which you should spend 200 or so on to get good quality) and chip combo will set you back an extra 100-300 bucks, it is cheaper in the long run.

Say you buy a 3800+ for 170 when the prices are cut.. then you want to upgrade, you will spend another 170 on another CPU a year or so later and keep everything else the same.
so you only get a marginal gain in perfomance which will STILL probably not match an E6600.

It seems to be a clear cut case.
 
http://www.nvidia.com/page/nforce5_intel.html
The nForce 500 series chipset is also available for Intel processors, but I'm not seeing any of those boards out on the market. Perhaps they're waiting for the Conroe launch.

Also, lithium726, as I'm going over the numbers, you're right about the price. They're about equal, or even cheaper on the Intel side, though we'll see when the product is released. July 27th, correct?

I will probably have to revise the setup I'm going to buy...
 
What ever company has the best Price/Performance ratio will be geting my money this fall.
 
I am waiting for the Conroe "Kingfield" Quad Core

That will blow AM2 away
 
Nali said:
I am waiting for the Conroe "Kingfield" Quad Core

That will blow AM2 away
Thats Kentsfield.

Conroe is already blowing AM2 away. Kentsfield will be competing against AM3 K8L chips, not the X2's.
 
I upgraded to AM2, but would have to vote Conroe. Intel seems to be at the top of their game these days :)
 
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