AMD

Intro

A great deal does occur in a two-month span of time. Last time around we reported that www.ResellerRatings.com had taken a turn for the worse. Now, scant few weeks later they’re back in action and are better than ever. The site has undergone a total overhaul, and is obscenely quicker. Gone is the 7-point scale, now replaced with a more traditional 10-point scale.

On the CPU end of things prices literally fell off the face of the earth. Both Intel and AMD announced price cuts prior to this article. Don’t worry if you start foaming at the mouth. We had to continuously wipe away the drool while considering the possibilities. If only motherboards could tank in price like CPUs, then we’d be set.

AMD

AMD CPUs
CPU	Current	2/22/02	Change	Shop	Rating
Athlon XP 2100+/1.73 GHz	$229	-	-	TCWO	8.6/10
Athlon XP 2000+/1.67 GHz	$181	$245	-64	TCWO	8.6/10
Athlon XP 1900+/1.60 GHz	$129	$186	-57	TCWO	8.6/10
Athlon XP 1800+/1.53 GHz	$110	$134	-24	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon XP 1700+/1.47 GHz	$96	$112	-16	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon XP 1600+/1.40 GHz	$91	$105	-14	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon XP 1500+/1.33 GHz	$89	$99	-10	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon MP 2000+/1.67 GHz	$263	-	-	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon MP 1900+/1.60 GHz	$202	$261	-59	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon MP 1800+/1.53 GHz	$174	$199	-25	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon MP 1600+/1.40 GHz	$157	$167	-10	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon MP 1500+/1.33 GHz	$151	$174	-23	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon 1.2 GHz MP	$96	$169	-73	NewEgg	9.37/10
Athlon 1.4 GHz 266 FSB	$86	$95	-9	TCWO	8.6/10
Athlon 1.33GHz 266 FSB	$73	$84	-11	TCWO	8.6/10
Duron 1.3 GHz	$64	$85	-21	TCWO	8.6/10
Duron 1.2 GHz	$50	$68	-18	TCWO	8.6/10
Duron 1.1 GHz	$45	$59	-13	TCWO	8.6/10
Duron 1GHz	$36	$45	-9	TCWO	8.6/10
Duron 950 MHz	$35	$39	-4	TCWO	8.6/10
Duron 900 MHz	$31	$38	-7	TCWO	8.6/10

Notes

The XP line of CPUs is reaching the end of its short but sweet life. AMD can only squeeze so much out of the same CPU architecture. If you recall, Intel ran into the same wall with the Pentium III. AMD hasn’t yet hit that wall, but until the next lineup pops out, don’t expect too much. Price-wise AMD has always been a crowd pleaser. With the 1800+ costing a mere $110, it’s certainly hard to go wrong. There isn’t too much that is quicker, and spending less for an XP would be just plain silly, with the cost differential between the 1500+ and the 1800+ being a scant $20. On the other hand spending more just isn’t worth it. You might consider jumping up to the 1900+, but the 2000+ and 2100+ don’t offer enough of a price/performance gain to justify the cost. Overclocking is getting to be a lost cause on the Athlon as well. You may be able to squeeze some performance out of the chips, but more often than not the effort is largely wasted. Most gains end up in the 100MHz range. We’ll have to wait for the next round of CPUs to see what new shiny toys AMD will bring us.

The Athlon MP line of CPUs also took quite a dive in prices. While these CPUs are quite an attractive way to get a good dual setup, we’re a little skeptical of the motherboards. Once you get one running you’re on your way. But until that happens prepare for a world of hurt. The 760MPX lineup is probably one of the most finicky ever made. Even with pre-approved RAM, you might still be taking a chance. But once you get that system working, it’ll be hard to wipe the smile from your face.

The Thunderbird Athlon is essentially dead, if you can afford these, you might as well jump up to the XP. Nuff said.

Durons never cease to surprise me. For such a small amount of cash, an exceedingly large amount of processing power can be purchased. This is the ideal CPU for a small rig meant for playing DVDs or MP3s in the living room, or even as a conventional work horse machine for typing papers. With the 1GHz Duron costing roughly $30, it will beat the tar out of any PIII and is more than powerful enough to get most jobs done.