Understanding AMD Processors

Reader Joe Campbell writes: How do Intel CPUs compare with those of AMD?

Recently I blogged about the differences between Intel CPUs, but I neglected to compare them directly with their companions from AMD. So here's an update that covers AMD's line.

Desktop Chips

• Athlon 64 - The first 64-bit desktop-class CPU on the market, the Athlon 64 is beginning to show its age and has since been passed by the X2 and FX versions of the Athlon. Still, you'll find standard Athlon 64's in many budget machines, and it makes a nice alternative to getting, say, an Intel Celeron or AMD Sempron (see below) system.
• Athlon 64 FX - This is the high-end version of the Athlon 64, comparable to the Pentium Extreme Edition. It has dual cores like the X2 (see below), but is tweaked for gaming performance, some say to the exclusion of other applications. If you're building a gaming rig, the FX is the way to go, but the X2 is less expensive and, for most users, just as good.
• Athlon 64 X2 - Probably the best all-around CPU you can purchase right now, though Intel's upcoming Core 2 Duo is sure to give it a run. This is the processor I have on my desktop, as a matter of fact. It's a dual core, 64-bit chip, and performance is excellent all around, on both gaming and general applications. It's suprisingly affordable, too: You can easily find an X2-based PC for less than $1,000.
• Opteron - This is AMD's high-end server and workstation chip. You probably need not concern yourself with it.
• Sempron - AMD's cheapie chip, a competitor to the Celeron. With Athlon 64 and X2 being so inexpensive, there's really no reason to buy a Sempron unless you want to spend less than $300 on your computer. Also comes in a notebook version, for which I offer the same advice.

Notebook Chips

• Turion 64 - With the exception of Sempron (see above), this is AMD's only notebook chip. It comes in 64 and 64 x2 versions, but I'm sad to report that neither does much to float my boat. Performance-wise, every Turion system I've tested is 20 or 30 percent slower than a comparable Intel Core Duo system, and this isn't theoretical slowness either: Turion laptops I've used are noticeably pokey to respond and just don't seem to be able to keep up with the processing needs of Windows. They're cheaper, yes, but I wouldn't recommend them over a slower Core Duo.

Bottom line: The Athlon desktop chips are absolutely the way to go, and I'd recommend them for anyone. But you can leave the rest of the line behind.