Don't give up on AMD!

[Evil-Dragon]

A long time ago i had a Cyrix CPU in my very first desktop machine, it was 200Mhz (supposedly) with 128mb RAM and a 4GB HDD. I remember being bowelled over by how fast Windows 95 was running on it and being pretty happy with my very first PC...

...But it was short lived, 1 year later and i'm already seeing how slow this processor really was. I decided, with the help of my brother-in-law to upgrade my machine to something faster. With his help and my money i bought a Pentium 3 450Mhz and my brother-in-law built the machine (I had no machine building skills back then)

1 year and a half later upgrade time came and after experiencing how slow Intel P3's were, i decided to make a change. AMD were coming on the scene and everyone from magazines to PC builders were raving on about how great these new AMD Athlon chips were and how they smashed all benchmarks compared to Intel. I was skeptical to begin with, but soon my fears were washed away with an upgrade to an AMD Athlon 750Mhz. I'd never been happier with a machine with such good performance that I made a pledge to never touch another Intel CPU again.

Was I right in my decision? Of course, for me AMD was the fastest CPU on the market and kept the benchmark market for years. They were the first to introduce a proper 64bit chip and the first to push PROPER dual core chips (not just some fancy emulated hyperthreading)

So now, what do I see... people buying Intel that were committed to AMD. All for what, Quad core? Basic CPU's that are overclockable? Supposed performance increases? Lower power requirements? Sure, I've seen the countless reviews, i've read the benchmark scores and read about how great Intel is and all that.

So you're probably wondering why i've not gone out and bought one of these wonderful Intel chips... The answer? I'm not falling for their marketing gimmicks. Sure their all singing all dancing chips are going to entice you, thats what they want you to do. Go and buy one, but wait, don't do it!

Have you stopped to wonder what AMD are doing in all this? Sure Intel's new chips have come as a bit of blow but AMD isn't going to just run off into the night and give up. AMD has always shown what they are made of and made great chips. Acquiring ATi is just a start of a new technology era that they are going to create and dominate until Intel decides to follow suit. Intel will have no choice.

Do yourself a favor, keep your money in the bank. Wait till next year when AMD introduce their Quad core lineup and you will see that what i've written here isn't just a load of bullshit. I have faith that AMD will come through this and top benchmark scores again. Remember, this is "AMD Users"! Don't give up on AMD!

Thanks for reading!

[drezha]

T this point I'd like to add my 2 pence..

I didn't run away from AMD when I bought my laptop. I wanted an AMD processor and I looked around hard for one. I knew full well that Semperon's weren't great great and I've seen the performance of my flatmates Turion and I wanted to stay well away (I've not seen a good one...maybe because his is 800Mhz I've ignored it...I'd still like to see it on BOINC or something but it appears to struggle when he has many windows etc.)

Anyhow after looking for a good AMD laptop (some were quite good for my price range) I settled on a Semperon. When it arrived it was DOA. Well not quite but the mouse pad didn't work. So that went back and I was forced to look again.

On the advice of Blackheath I purchased a Core Duo laptop. I was a bit doubtful at first. I mean my brother had a Celeron processor PC at home and that sucks a bit, my dad used to have a P4 and that wasn't as nice or as quick as my XP chip. He has got a dual core now but I've not seen it in action...so needless to say I was a bit nervous (espcially when I found the Core Duo was a cut back Core 2)...I know Intel inflate there readings...yeah it maybe 3.6Ghz but when a 2.2Ghz AMD can top it in data crunching and gaming, I know what I prefer...the cheaper underdog that wins.

Anyhow it arrived and I am MIGHTILY impressed. When I have a 1.6Ghz chip, with one core running, it can almost equal the output of my A64 2.2Ghz machine on Folding@home. And the trick up it's sleeve? It has two cores! :D My laptop generally outproduces my main rig now depending on the WU's it gets in Folding. And most often, the Core Duo is getting a higher PPD per Ghz. Off one core.

I'm yet to see a Core 2 Duo, but if that kicks ass as much as the Core DUo, AMD are in trouble. It kinda hurts to say it, but the adverts for the Core 2 on TV at the minute are right. It IS the best CPU around at the minute. And until AMD get themselves sorted and bring out the Core 2 beater chip, they are behind.

I reckon that the AMD 4 core will beat the Kentsfield. I'm hoping so. It's still true that AMD produce the best 64 bit single cores. But until 64 bit processing comes to the fore, AMD are at a disadvantage with that one I'm afraid.


Thats just some of my thoughts and feelings on the matter. Criticise me if you will ;)

[NeoGen]

--OFFTOPIC--Ignore after reading--
I hope you guys have keycounters running on your machines!!
--/OFFTOPIC--

[Nflight]

--OFFTOPIC--Ignore after reading--
I hope you guys have keycounters running on your machines!!
--/OFFTOPIC--

I disagree with NeoGen this is on Subject Topic, We are talking about hardware!

I for one have had many small insignificant run in's with machines of various brands and speeds of CPU's. I first had a wizbang machine of a 1994 Gateway with one of the original 33mhz pentium I (386 platform) processors. Oh the speed back then was lightning fast (we Thought), and the graphics were well nice to see color when in the 70's and 80's all I ever had used was green monocolor.

I then moved to a laptop which had a 200 mhz CPU, it was faster but slower, its graphics card was lack luster but it worked most of the time. This is of course no longer with me as it received a drop of condensation into the keyboard while moving a cold beverage from one side of the machine to the other, So long laptop.

Soon after that I went out and explored a Micron computer from Boise Idaho, a whopping 300 mhz speed with mmx technology. Thrilling not realy in todays' terms sure it impressed me at the time. I got some fancy new operating system to play with windoz 98. But it too now stands silent.

I met my new hardware dealer and new friend, in the summer of 1999. We made small talk never busting on each other very much as he hates it when I am right and he isn't. He built me a new 1.2 Gig haz machine. Wow was my response, oh and that frustrating ME OS was just as obnoxious as teh Windoz 95OS of the old laptop.

I waited along time due to job requirements and other such frustrations to finally in 2004 to pick up my former 3500+ machine. It was a beauty with speed, and at the time I could not get it to fail or BSOD. Then came the lure of Dual Core's.

IN the Fall of 2005 I couldn't wait any longer and tossed the bucks to the hardward dude who had always served me well. He built me Rocketship, I modified her a bit, and she Overclocks well and is stable at nearly 2.5 gig.

In August of 2006, yes just 3 months ago I took the 3500+ in for an upgrade to another 4200+ like rocketship, now with two of them running I am getting jobs done faster with more productivety. Or at least I would be productive if I wasn't crunching for the AMDusers Team.

[Big Whiskey]

Me, I'm waiting for AM3, DDR3, Hypertranport3.0 and Torrenzo

[drezha]

--OFFTOPIC--Ignore after reading--
I hope you guys have keycounters running on your machines!!
--/OFFTOPIC--

Nope sorry. They suck. They're to easily beaten. If you use an auotclicker that can also use letters, then it counts thouse...

I know, I used to use and auto clicker to send recruitment PM's on Dark Throne, before I quit the game.

And I'll stick with my statements above.

Best GFX card I've owned is my nVidia 6200...Never great to begin with but it allows and allowed me to play what I required at resolution's that I could cope with. (Oblivion being an exception perhaps...would have liked it at a higher res) I believe I was using a 4200 or something in the 4000 range to play HL2 (may have been 5200)

Anyhow when ever asked I've always told people who asked for my help that AMD was better. Usually because they were asking me for games. I've had one very happy chappy buy an AMD dual core on my advice and he's chuffed, thanks me whenever he sees me. My flatmate is enjoying an AMD machine. Yes, the three of us might have bought the machines in PC World but there good machines. And cheaper because we all didn't have to buy a screen

[Lagu]

Ok guys, it is refreshing when we can talk to each other in a silent and sensible manner! We have our right have our own option and let us respect each other.

I have as you all know bought an Intel Core 2 Duo E660 because I wanted a cruncher and because I can run whatever I want. For example Seventeen or Bust is made for Intel even if AMD can run it. There are a few math-projects as is fitted for Intel.

Right now I run Riesel Sieve helping Vaughan and both my AMD Athlon 3200+ and the Intel is running their WU’s at 46-48 minutes. But AMD claim more points but instead Intel run 2 WU´s at the same time. I can say, my AMD is a great machine as I not will underestimate. It is doing better than Intel’s PIII and P 4 in most I guess 85 of all projects out there.

It will be quite interesting see whish ace AMD will have in its shirt arm. But I think we not have seen the end of the technical development yet. However peoples want the most powerful processors today. We may not forgot the fact peoples use their computers not only for crunching also private for various reason and that can play a role for their choose of make.

I have 2 Intel’s and 2 AMD’s. The oldest from Intel is a 440EX/PIIX4E from 1999 is running at 350 MHz, has 6 GB 4,000 rpm disc and 128 MB RAM. I have no heart put it in a wardrobe because it can still run Moneybee without complains. Of course it isn’t so fast but 4 tasks per day and night is she able to finish. Many small brooks form a large river as we use to say. And it needs no babysitting.

If you guys will we can say I’m a half AMDuser and a half INTEluser but in my heart I’m a real AMD supporter at 100%. Inte means NO on Swedish.

[drezha]

I've got an ol Intel pentium 2 266Mhz laptop thats on it's last legs. The hard drive is corrupt I believe and it wont install any desktop to it. I happily run it on Damn Small linux on it and save data to a USB drive, but I asked myself is it still worth running? I was running SIMAP on it at one point as it chugged away nicely but is it worth it these days with high electricity costs? It's very much like Lagu's machine but I have 192Mb RAM.

[AMDave]

I disagree with NeoGen this is on Subject Topic, We are talking about hardware!
....

I think he meant he was going off topic.
I agree with drezha, the key counters are abused by the dishonest.
I keep mine running because, when the count gets stupid-high, it reminds me that it's probably 3am

To date, AMD CPUs have given us an excellent bang for the buck.
The core 2 duo has some interesting optimizations but it may be maxed out and I don't like the price.
During some research last year I tripped over a letter containing a statement that AMD took part in a die-level acceleration R&D project with some industry partners. I would like to see them play the Ace, if they can get their R&D partners to agree. This financial year we could/may see something really scintillating. Hopefully christmas won't break me and I'll
have some pennies in the piggy bank waiting to be spent.

[NeoGen]

--OFFTOPIC AGAIN--
Yea... you guys are too tense. Relax fellows!
I just made that funny comment because your posts are so large that if you guys were running keycounters it would give a nice boost to the team.
I enclosed it on offtopic lines because it has really nothing to do with what you guys were discussing.
--OFFTOPIC AGAIN--