ati catalyst and driver is the year so catalyst 7.2 is 2007 2nd major release.
then ati went 5, 6,7.8.
with a 9 - 9550, 9600tx, 9800xt
then they went 8 - 850xt
then they added a 1 - x1800xt
then they went with 3, 6.9 - 1300,1600,1900 (this is not in the exact order)
then 50 x1950 pro, 1650xt
xtx = best xt = next pro=next
now 2 for the newest unreleased - 2900xtx new big boy r600 - super cooker, super late, super bugged
amd named of pentiums
so a 3000+ is better the a p4 3.0 but then they lost it
so a 4200+ WAS A 4.2ghz p4
then amti lost it so now you have a x2 4200+ which is 2 4.2ghz p4's and 6000+ which i guess is 2 6ghz p4 - i doubt it scales correctly
then fx -50 's are singles fx-60s are dual core and 70's are also dula core but 4x4 only new socket you need 2 and special mobo sold as a set of 3 - 2 chips and a mobo
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---- intel -- i am guessing from memory on alot of this so please correct me
net burst - bursted after 4.25ghz or 3.8ghz stock or the 570j the last - no 10ghz scaling due to electron leakage
p4= 3ghz = 3.0
then 500 series = prescott 775 super cooker
then 600 seres = supposed to run cooler with thermal throttling
661 = the 1 had smaller die and new features
800= crapy dual core = 2 to die
900 single die dual core
core 2 new architecture shorter path (like 20 steps?) from ~33 steps of net burst - extra calculation per cycle
quad core = combines the 800 series 2 cores packed in to one package plus the C2D
-------i am bored and waiting for emails-----
well nvidia
5000 junky
6000 seies - 6600 6800 then you add GS GT ultra ( big improvement)
7000 7300 7600 7800 new core GTX = killer
then remake it the 7900, smaller die - i think????
7950 GX2 2= dual gpu
8000 gts gtx s= pretty good stuff x=good stuff
after gpu's been out a while they detune it (make it woarse) usually call it a GS or xt
IFB (amti is always #2)