Intel 2.0GHz Northwood

A 2 gig processor is a 2 gig processor, right ?, WRONG. An Intel processor factually runs at 2 gig, an AMD 2 gig processor runs at around 1700 mhz or thereabouts (1.7 gig). With Intel you get what you see 2 gig on screen and performance at what you perceive to be 2 gig. AMD performs like a 2 gig processor but clocks at the lower 1.7. So what does this mean in real time performance ?, not alot. Intel has a well established history of performance and reliability, AMD has much the same - exept there was the poor performance of the K6 processors that marrs their history.

Today of course there is little to choose between the two, there is a certain snobbery with INTEL processors much like the family that would only shop at Sainsbury's as they would rather die than be seen with a carrier from a 'bargain' supermarket - "AMD, crikey old boy, wouldn't have one of thoses in my machine! - no it's INTEL or nothing" - you get my meaning.

The performance of the 2 gig Northwood 'A' is simply outstanding, it performs very very well and runs very cool; the fan seems almost verbose for the task in hand - INTEL processors are small to say the least. I am running it with a Jetway motherboard and 512 of DDR ram, and a geforce 4. The chip was easy to install and the fan clipped nicely in place. It has run virtually silent since day one, the Pentium chips are a little more expensive than their AMD counterpart, it is horses for courses really - pay your money and take your choice.

The 2.0 Northwood 'A' has a greater amount of level 2 cache - 512 vs 256 from the older P4's. The newer p4's also come in 100 or 133 flavours, depending if you have a 400 or 533 FSB.

I don't think there is much to choose between AMD or INTEL now, AMD has a few conflicts between VIA chipsets and Geforce cards, Intel as far as I know, are rock steady on compatability. Overclocking is better on AMD chips as you can unlock the Multiplier, having said that a 10% increase on the FSB on a 2.0 gig P4 givs a genuine 2.2 gig an increase of 10% on the AMD 2 gig - gives an overall clock speed of 1800 odd, as I said before it's horses for courses.

Gaming is supurb on the Northwood chip, with a good card you can run virtually anything full whack!! - UT 2003 all singing all dancing full everything - no slow down no problem. Certain games are branded optimised for P4 (but honestly these run just as good on AMD machines), I cannot fault this processor at all, at the end of the day if you are happy with the INTEL route then you will not be unhappy, equally if you don't mind the value route AMD will serve you well...right then, where are the car keys?; I'm off to Sainsbury's !.