My take on the AMD v.s. Intel question....

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This question was answered on April 2, 2001. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

The processor is one of three key components of a computer that determine the overall performance. The other two are the RAM (Random Access Memory) and the hard drive. The processor is the fastest of the three components and therefore has the least impact of the “big three” on overall performance. The amount of RAM and the speed of the hard drive will have a greater impact on your system than your processor. For instance, a 1,000MHz processor sounds dramatically faster than an 850MHz processor, but in reality it is only 15 percent faster on pure processor intensive tasks. That 15 percent can easily be lost if the hard drive is slow or if you have a small amount of RAM.

I often use the analogy of viewing your computer as a kitchen. The processor is the chef, the RAM is the mixing bowl and the hard drive is the refrigerator. Having a fast chef with a small mixing bowl will hamper the ability of the chef, whereas having a slightly slower chef with a much bigger mixing bowl, will allow the chef to turn out more food, quicker.

The main differences in “chefs” (processors) from AMD and Intel are price and compatibility. For the most part, Intel’s line of processors has been the de facto industry standard so finding motherboards that are made to work with the Intel processor is generally less complicated. AMD processors typically give you better rated performance for less money, but they do require motherboards that are specifically designed to use the AMD chip.

The basic breakdown is that AMD’s Duron and Intel’s Celeron lines are what are referred to as “entry level” processors that are typically lower priced and lower performing. AMD’s Athlon and Intel’s Pentium III / IV series are the higher priced, higher performing processors. (The Pentium II is no longer in production.)

So how do you determine which processor is right for you? It mainly depends upon your current situation, how much money you want to spend and how technical you are.

If you are looking for a low cost system, it will likely come with either an AMD Duron or Intel Celeron processor. If you want a high-performance system, it will have either an Athlon or Pentium III (don’t pay for the Pentium 4 at this point in time). As long as you are purchasing the system from a national brand, the complication of matching the motherboard to the processor will have been handled by the manufacturer.

If you are upgrading an older system there are various issues that come into play such as the existing motherboard, but typically I like to stick to the Intel line of processors as I have found fewer upgrading issues (mainly to do with the required motherboard) with them. For instance, if your current system had an Intel 500MHz Pentium III (most of you have an Intel processor currently) and you wanted to upgrade to an Intel 850MHz Pentium III processor, you would generally only need to buy the processor. If you wanted to upgrade using the AMD Athlon, you would need to purchase a new motherboard as well. If you are a technophile and understand the nuances of motherboards and like to squeeze the most out of what you have, AMD certainly has presented a compelling story with their Athlon processors for those users.

I don’t put much stock into “who has the fastest rated processor” because it’s kind of like shopping for a car based on the “redline” of the tachometer. If you spend all your money on the speed of the processor and neglect the RAM, hard drive, video card, etc. it’s like my high school friend that put a V8 engine into a Pinto; what a waste!

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