hi i'm going to be building yet another computer (aren't we always?), and i'm trying to decide a cpu for it. i know that the system will have the following: 200gb hard drive 2gb ram dvd burner pci-e video card the only part i need to decide on is the cpu (then i'll get the mobo) this computer is going to be used for surfing the net, downloading stuff, programming, **light** gaming, office work, light audio editing and is going to be on a network. which of all the intel and amd cpus out there will provide the best performance for the best price? i've heard lousy things about the semprons and celerons. are they still any good? what about the pentium ds? athlon 64s? opterons?? any help is appreciated! Toshiba M50-MX2: Celeron M 1.5GHZ 1MB L2 512 DDR2 PC4200 RAM 60GB 5400RPM HDD DVD+/-RW CDRW DVD-RAM

All the CPU's listed above should be fine for what that system is designated for with exception of the Celeron (not to be confused with the Celeron D) and Sempron (not to be confused with the 939 version). If you ask me the 775 Celeron D's are so cheap these days that you might as well get one of those or a 939 Sempron if you can find one. However if you did, you'd probably be paying as much for it as say the 64-bit 3200+ Venice. It all depends on what your preferences are. When Google isn't your best pal

hmmm... everyone has told me that it depends on my preference. my preference is the best one for the best price. what do you prefer? Toshiba M50-MX2: Celeron M 1.5GHZ 1MB L2 512 DDR2 PC4200 RAM 60GB 5400RPM HDD DVD+/-RW CDRW DVD-RAM

Personally I'd get the 3200+ Venice and a DFI NF4 Ultra. When Google isn't your best pal

I love my AMD 3700+ San Diego core processor, but in all honesty it does not seem as fast as my older p4 when it comes to multitasking ( I dont have any quantitative benchmarks - just how it seems to me). Im sure the amd multicores are much better for multitasking and I bought the processor for gaming anyway. I am 100% satisfied with its gaming performance. It will take alot to get me to ever buy an intel again. It seems to me that the AMD x2 processors are beating the pants off of all intel chips in every review I have read. I also read everywhere that AMDs have a better price to performance ratio. Also there are a few select applications that do not work and a few that work but slightly incorectly. I have 32 bit windows and it is a 64 bit processor. Not because I am too cheap to get windows 64 bit - I get it free through MSU along with many other microsoft products because I am an engineering student. I use the 32 bit os because I have heard there are driver issues and other problems with the 64 bit os. But in any case SiSoft sandra will not run at all. Also When I load Day of Defeat source the intro splash screen does not display like it always did before. That is not a big deal and I can still play the game.

perfect, cuz thats the one i bought :D it runs sooooooooo fast! boo intel, yay amd!!