Intel Vs. AMD? Opinions?

Question

I'm currently laptop hunting, and one of the biggest issues I'm having is deciding which processor is better; Intel, or AMD. Basically, I game a lot, and need a great processor. I've gone through many online reviews for both processors, and they both and positive and negative feedback... Can anybody give me an educated opinion about which processor is better for potentially big programs (online world downloads, photoshop, etc.)'
I'm also wondering about graphics... NVIDIA vs Intel vs ATI (I've never really heard of ATI before)....
Educated feedback is very much appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

ATI is AMD. The processor is only about 20 - 30% of gaming, the graphics carries the load. Intel HD graphics are crap. Remember, when you buy a laptop, the only upgradeable parts are the Hard Drive and adding RAM. DO NOT get sucked in to buying a particular computer just because it has a high amount of RAM, RAM is a cheap and easy upgrade. If the computer has a 32bit OS it is only going to be able to use appox 3.5g of RAM and if it has shared RAM for graphics some of that will be reserved for video. Whether you want an Intel processor or AMD/ATI it is up to you, you will get answers from both camps. (although Intel is faster, AMD is usually less expensive and paired with better graphics in mid price range computers). If it has Intel HD graphics DO NOT BUY IT for gaming. Given a choice a lot of people will jump on an Intel over AMD processor without seeing what it has for graphics just because it says Intel and that is what they see advertised on tv. DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE....

If the computer doesn't have dedicated or discrete Nvidia or AMD/ATI graphics stay away.



EDIT

Your link is for a desk top not a laptop? If you are looking at desk tops you will get more bang for your buck if you build it yourself... (its not hard and you will learn how to fix/upgrade it at the same time)



EDIT to the EDIT: Since we are talking desktop now....



http://www.newegg.com/Store/Promotion.aspx?storeid=33&name=DIY-PC-Combos



Watch the 3 part video on this page. Each segment is about 20mins +/-. It will show you how to build your own. Then pick out the computer you want and come back to this site and price what it would cost you to build it, you will be surprised how much money you will save. (of course I the first time I did it, I had set a budget so I just rolled the $ saved into upgrades....but I built a computer for about $600-$700 with the same parts/specs HP wanted around $1k for)

Answer 2

Presently the more powerful CPUs in the benchmark scan sites are all Intel for the top 20 or so. AMD have variety of lost the plot a bit over final few years and that i was hoping the new bulldozer FX variety would provide Intel anything to think about, however unluckily they didn't. Because it stands, for processing vigor then the Intel iCore MHz to MHz with the AMD is more robust but funds sensible that you could get a high of the variety AMD CPU for around the equal price as a excessive mid-variety Intel so it is six of 1 and 1/2 a dozen of the opposite in cost versus efficiency. The best price for money set up at the moment is an Intel i5 2500k CPU on a Z68 or P67 chip-set mainboard from Asus.

Answer 3

Its my opinion that when it comes to processors it comes down to which company do you trust more, performance wise they are on par with one another when it comes to cost, e.g. the Intel i series do perform better than the current AMD series, but you pay extra for the higher performance values. The major problem with AMD is the fact that if you want the latest and greatest AMD processor you only have a handful of boards to choose from due to development limitations placed on who can pre-develop the boards for their processors, it usually takes a few months before a decent selection of boards come out for AMD when a new chip is released.



Graphics wise, best rule of thumb. If you get an AMD make sure it has an AMD graphics card, this was formerly ATI graphics which was bought out by AMD in 2006, this will give you the best all around performance with AMD. Intel you can go with any graphics system you like. Intel graphics are okay, but they are really low end graphics in most cases. NVIDIA is the best choice for Intel if you're given the option, its not that AMD/ATI don't work with Intel chips, they do the job, the problem with AMD/ATI cards/chips is the fact that they were developed with certain functions that Intel can't utilize due to these functions being developed for the AMD processor functions designed for them.

Answer 4

Intel make the better CPUs. The 3rd generation of Intel i7 processors are currently the best widely available CPUs on the market.



NVIDIA make the best graphics cards, followed by ATI Radeon and, lastly, Intel make rubbish integrated graphics cards that can barely run any modern game.

Answer 5

intel and AMD is talked about a lot today

AMD's lower end segment is great, cheap and fast and low powerd (in HTPC's and laptops ushally) however the further up you go the worse AMD gets in performace (they are still cheap thu)

in the end intel is faster (if you compare middel to middle segment and high end to high end segment) however as AMD is cheaper and there for they ushally win on the "price/performans" part.

for a laptop for photoshop, gameing and similar things a higher end intel processor is the way to go, preferibly a quad core like the i7's they got for the laptops.



also its Nvidia vs AMD (they arnt called ATI anymore, changed name a few years ago to AMD)

this really depends on what budget and what card, Nvidia currently have the best high end graphic cards, however amd got great card too, this is really something you have to compare when you found a few computers your looking at, as its a laptop then checking http://www.notebookcheck.com/ for performans is great and easy to find. just search for the graphic cards name and see how fast it is and compare with other cards/computers.

now idk your budget but im guessing your aiming for something higher then the really budget computers and then intel processors is the way to go, howerver AMD or nvidia graphic cards may differe a bit so you have to check each one out to see what one is faster.

Answer 6

Nvidia and AMD both makes great gaming cards, as for Intel, try to avoid that. Both Nvidia and AMD makes non gaming cards also, so you need to be sure it's a gaming video card before buying



As for the processor, intel and AMD both make good processor, but I'd say go with intel for overclocking, a good i5 or i7 if you can afford it, will be alright.



Budget Nvidia card from decent to best : GTS 450,

Budget AMD card from decent to best : Radeon HD 7750, Radeon HD 6670, Radeon HD 6850, Radeon HD 5770



Mid-range Nvidia card from decent to best : GeForce GTX 550, GeForce GTX 560 Ti

Mid-range AMD card from decent to best : Radeon HD 7850, Radeon HD 6950



Top Nvidia card from decent to best : GeForce GTX 570, GeForce GTX 580, GeForce GTX 680

Top AMD card from decent to best : Radeon HD 7970, Radeon HD 7950



Good luck!

Answer 7

You won't go wrong with either of them for your purposes.



However, from reviews and what not- the common opinion is this:



AMD and ATI - Better performance

INTEL and Nvidea- Better quality



Basically, they are both the same. What you pay for is what you get.

Answer 8

AMD processors are generally slower than Intel processors.

Mainly because AMD processors aren't truly advertised as much as Intel's.

Intel puts their money into advertising and researching.

AMD doesn't advertise too much which cripples their income; their fault truly.



AMD does hold a share on the graphics card market though- ATi/Radeon

And holding dedicated graphics gave them an advantage over integrated graphics.

All of that leading to the making of APU's.

APU's are processors that share a low-scale graphics set on the same die.

Intel integrated graphics don't compare what-so-ever.

AMD takes the cake on graphics.



Another thing to be aware of prices.

AMD holds to be cheaper than the Intel counter part.

AMD processors and motherboards tend to be cheaper than Intel's MOST of the time.

One thing to be sure of, Intel processors have better power due to their better architecture though.

So most of the time you really do get what you pay for.

AMD wins budget and Intel takes quality.



AMD has now looked into the RAM side of the market.

Intel hasn't a scratch on that.

AMD RAM is sponsored by Patriot; a trusted brand.

AMD wins unanimously.



Overclockability is on alot of people's mind now, too.

Almost every single AMD processor can be overclocked due to its unlocked architecture.

Intel's overclocking is locked on most processors unless you buy a "K" series.

AMD is more fruitful to overclocks.



Power and heat is a concern to keep in mind.

Most AMD processors take more power than Intel's.

Intel processors tend to get hotter though, especially the new Ivy Bridge architecture.

That is really a draw between the two.



Now onto the mobile platform of both.

AMD APU's are now being found more and more in laptops.

APU's are extremely crippled in laptops though, mainly because of the RAM.

Also, AMD APU's are clocked 1.5GHz, dual core, most of the time in laptops.

Although the APU may have a nice graphics set, the processor within can't handle it.

On Intel's side though, is the affordable mobile i3's.

For about $450, you can get a mobile i3, dual core@2.3Ghz with Intel HD 3000

That is usually enough to play World of Warcraft on good settings.



More games love Intel architecture over AMD's.



Now onto dedicated graphics between NVidia and Radeon.

NVidia cards have some quirks over Radeon cards.

NVidia has a thing called Cuda and PhysX.

Both are more for programming, 3D modeling, physics, and such. (atleast thats how I see it)

NVidia also has 3D gaming, and SLi, the combining two cards with a connector.

Radeon has the same thing as SLi but it's called Crossfire.

Radeon also has a monitors specialty, the ability to use multi-monitor setups on one card.

NVidia needs to be SLi'd to use multi-monitor sets I believe.

Radeon cards are also towards gaming, and just gaming.



A good way to see it is like this, an Xbox360 uses ATi graphics.

And the PS3 uses NVidia graphics.

Preference to the console is yours, is it not?



Drivers are a factor too.

Radeon drivers tend not to be as stable as NVidia drivers.

Simple as that.



Heat and power consumption:

Most NVidia cards use more power than Radeon cards.

And heat is a split into both, it just depends on the card.



Pricing-

NVidia cards and Radeon cards are always competing.

Most of the time, Radeon takes the cake on prices and bonuses (free games with the card etc...)

But NVidia cards are favored in more games than Radeon cards.

EX: BF3 and WoW love NVidia cards.



ATi VS NVidia is really set to your opinion on what you're looking for.



Now the verdict for a laptop.

Go with a mobile Intel processor, it handles heavier tasks.

Just keep in mind, mobile i3's and i5's are DUAL cores, and some i7's are QUAD core.

As for graphics, I don't know a whole lot on mobile graphics, but HD 3000 is enough for WoW.



Hope this all helps



Edit- I check the link to the PC you had provided.

It's nice, not a bad buy.

The difference between laptops and desktops is bigger.

Desktops can handle better graphics cards and such.

Just refer to what I said above.

Happy hunting.

And remember, fanboyism makes you an idiot.

Don't be loyal to a brand or a machine.



Side notes:

Intel's upgrade path is unbeatable with the new Z77 motherboards

Intel motherboards also tend to be nicer quality than AMD's.

Games optimize Intel/NVidia better than AMD/ATi/Radeon

Buy what you can afford.