So what does this
all mean, is the P4 820 a bargain and the AMD X2 overpriced ? Well, we do not
have all the data yet, because we have not added in the cost of a Motherboard or
the memory. Remember, Intel needs DDR2, a little bit more pricey than DDR, and
the Motherboards are currently more expensive. Further, the Intel System will
need a bigger PSU ( 50 W more ) and better Case Cooling. For simplicity, we will
just list the price of the Motherboards and memory. At present, the only Intel
MBs are 955 Chipset MBs, which are SLI once a new Bios appears, so we will see
AMD SLI and Non SLI prices, to show the Budget AMD MB option.
Intel Package Low End ( SLI ONLY )
ASUS P5WD2 Premium Motherboard $230
Intel 820 CPU $241
Corsair XMS2 DDR2-667 2x512-MB $185
Total $656
Latest : We have just received information on a new
budget ( If you can call it that ) Foxconn 955 Motherbard, so we now include
this new Category.
Intel Low End (Non SLI )
CPU Intel P4 820 $241
MB Foxconn 955X7AA-8EKRS i955X $135
Ram GeIL (2 x 512MB) DDR2 667 $150
Total $526
With the Motherboard costing only $135, it changes the picture for Intel,
finally giving it a clear run at the Budget Dual Core market.
Intel Package High End ( SLI ONLY )
ASUS P5WD2 Premium Motherboard $230
Intel 840 CPU $530
Corsair XMS2 DDR2-667 2x512-MB $185
As can be seen, things are getting very interesting. Firstly, there is no AMD
High End Prices, the reason, the Low End is as powerful as the Intel High End.
The reason AMD have no slower Dual Cores is they know that for gaming, anything
less is not good enough for a premium product. The 4200+ is a superior CPU for
gaming than Intel Dual Cores of any speed. Second point of interest is the lack
of a cheap Motherboard for Intel, and this is a very bad thing. While the CPU is
cheap, the cost of the Motherboard suddenly makes the budget 820 look a little
less of a bargain. Intel is rushing to get the cheaper 945 Chipset MBs to
market, and some companies are considering the use of 865/875 Chipsets to cut
costs, but until these options magically appear, AMD is in a good position. For
$153 more you get a System which is vastly more powerful, uses around the same
power and generates less heat. So moving up to the 830 or 840 renders Intel dead
in the water until the motherboards come down to AMD levels.
We all now have some ideas on price don't we, seeing how the cost versus a
single CPU compares. No, we don't ! We are forgetting 1 thing. For the added
CPU, you do not need a second Motherboard, Video Card, Memory, Hard Disk,
CD/DVD, Case/PSU and a few other components. Suddenly that extra CPU is looking
cheap.
So how do they perform, and will it work for me. Simply put, it comes down to
the Software. For all the hardware prowess, if the Software cannot utilize the
extra Core, it is as good as useless. Ask yourself what do you use the computer
for, do I just do a bit of typing and surf the Net, or do I play games, burn CDs
and DVDs regularly and spend hours on the Net. For those that are constantly
trying to do 100 things at once on the computer, Dual Core is for you. How well
Dual Core works depends on how well the software is Multi Threaded. Simply put,
if a Program can perform different tasks at the same time while running, say
encoding a video file and able to encode the audio file at the same time. At
present there are not a lot of programs that are Multi Threaded, but thanks to
Intel and their Hyperthreading Technology, the list has been growing. And now,
as Dual Cores start selling, companies will be under pressure to optimise their
software to take advantage of Multi Threading or be left behind by their
competitors.
But what of the Software that is not Multi Threaded ? Well, you can still play a
game and burn a DVD can't you, you have a CPU for both tasks. So whether an
application or game is Multi Threaded or not, if you are constantly running
multiple programs on your computer, Dual Core will be a serious upgrade. What
you have to see though is that for Single Threaded Programs like games, your
computer will be exactly like you only had 1 CPU. So a 820 Intel P4 will play
games like a 2.8 Ghz P4, whereas an AMD A64 X2 4200+ will play games like an A64
3500+. And this is why AMD is not worried about a higher starting price. When
you buy an 820 or 830 Intel Dual Core CPU, you are not getting state of the art
speed for single threaded programs, you must get a 840 for that and suddenly you
are paying more than an AMD Dual Core System.
So, the situation is not so simple. On the Intel side we seem to have a cheap
product, good for general Multi Tasking work, but until we get a value priced
Motherboard, budget buyers will have to wait. At the high end, we see a
reasonable performer for games and CPU intensive tasks, but certainly not value
for money. AMD on the other hand seems a bit expensive, but component costs
lower the pain and even at the entry level, provide a powerful performer for
single and multi threaded applications. Having a cheap Motherboard has been a
winner for AMD, and if you have $1000 US to spend, the 840 EE is no match for
the 4800+.
Now, I am sure someone is asking "What about Overclocking". Luckily, these CPUs
have been put through the wringers by mad OCers. Intel has seen some mad
overclocks, 4.4 Ghz for the 840 EE on water. The Dual Cores are basically 2
Prescotts, so whatever the prescotts can do, so an the Dual Cores...BUT...you
have 2 Prescotts OVERCLOCKED IN THE SAME CASE ! 550W PSU and a good CPU HSF if
you want good results, though the Stock HSF will do 200-300 Mhz OK. But you will
need to vent that case. For AMD, the X2 has been doing 2.5-2.6 Ghz on Stock HSF
with minimal Vcore increases and 2.7-2.8 with a 3rd party HSF and a bit more
volts :) So, there is room for getting the cheaper Dual Cores up to some good
speeds with a little help, and as seen from the pricing, it can be very
worthwhile.
To conclude, I can say that Dual Core is worth it, if you have a use for it. As
time goes on, software will take advantage of it more and more, as seen by the
upcoming games that will be Multi Threaded. I have been using Dual CPU Systems
for many years and would never go back to Single CPUs. Until now, you needed a
lot of $$ for 2 CPUs, now, anyone with a mid range budget will be within reach
of a Dual CPU System. Being able to surf the Net while burning/encoding DVDs and
doing some word processing and perhaps an hour of Half Life 2 without shutting
down some Applications makes life so much easier, and I have not even mentioned
Folding once in this article ( oops, until now :D )
For someone looking at a budget computer with Dual Core, you will need to wait
for Intel to provide Motherboards at the same price as the AMD 939s else look to
AMD, 955 Chipsets as well as the NF4 solutions are too expensive for Budget
Buyers looking at a 820 or 830 based Computer. For power users, there is only
one direction to go, AMD. They have the fastest most modern Dual Core option,
and as a bonus it uses a lot less power and keeping it cool is not a problem.
For me, I have been looking at another Dual CPU System as a general backup
Computer and Folding Box, and the Intel 820 was looking a good buy. Sadly, the
lack of budget Motherboards has put that on hold, and I know a lot of potential
Intel buyers will feel the same way. Intel once again has launched a product
that is big on hype but falls over at the last hurdle, while AMD strolls past to
the finish line. Until that cheap intel 945 Motherboard appears, AMD is your
best choice.
