which processor?

[AMDRulz]

i currently have an old XP 2500+ chip, and i am thinking of replacing everything to update.

my question is this, which processor manufacture and family series is best for gaming performance.

i would like to stick with AMD, but what has really tempted me is the Intel dual core 2.66GHZ, i thought this is at a very good price, and review sites say its a killer for performance to budget.

my other question, is it best if within the budget to get a dual core system, i mean has this phased out single core chips like the AMD 64 bit venice and P 4? or is there no advantage towards gaming to get a dual core?

i am led to believe the dual core only has the capacty to improve performance by doing two things at once, but makes no difference at all with gaming and general cpu use?

 

[split]

I think a few are waiting for the new conroe chips, (pentium) but I doubt you'll be interested with that name
Do a search in the CPU forum conroe for stuff like this.

Only downside is the wait, and will the chips we get be as good as good as the ones those guys have.

 

[hp7909]

i currently have an old XP 2500+ chip, and i am thinking of replacing everything to update.

my question is this, which processor manufacture and family series is best for gaming performance.

That would still be AMD & series, Socket 939

i would like to stick with AMD, but what has really tempted me is the Intel dual core 2.66GHZ, i thought this is at a very good price, and review sites say its a killer for performance to budget.

Yup tis true, but going down the Intel route might be more expensive as compared to getting a killer AMD gaming system

my other question, is it best if within the budget to get a dual core system, i mean has this phased out single core chips like the AMD 64 bit venice and P 4? or is there no advantage towards gaming to get a dual core?
i am led to believe the dual core only has the capacty to improve performance by doing two things at once, but makes no difference at all with gaming and general cpu use?

Wrong, Dual-Core's really flying, see this. Check out the Video benchies like DivX Gaming they've been a few issues where games are not taking advantage of the extra core. But that's slowly being ironed out with either patches and or future releases being fully Dual-Core Enabled. So, Single Core processors will be around for awhile because of this and price difference, note that they are also quite capable of holding their own like the 3700+ San Diego.

Most people are playing the waiting game because Intel Conroe’s coming soon & AMD AM2’s literally round the corner. The latter, expectations are low because AMD’s gone to a new socket (AM2) that supports DDR2 which, performance wise is not looking that good – some Socket 939 processors with DDR memory have been outperforming it.

 

[R B Customs]

the intel 805 overclocks like mad... 3.8-4Ghz is well within reach with a quality mainboard ( make sure its NOT an abit AW8 as they lock up at 176Mhz FSB with the 805 )
because of its high multiplyer ( 20x ) really small increases in FSB pushes the chip into space !

but if you can wait... see what comes out of the Conroe corner

 

[ACESHIGH]

At the moment the best bang per buck CPU's are still AMD.

Get something like the Athlon 64 3700+ or X2 3800+ & you cant go wrong.

that dual core intel 2.66 overclocks well but gets very, very hot & uses up lots & lots of power to do it though.