CPU's

Which CPU is better PT 4 1.9 or AMD XP 1800+ I know this will be controversial. I am building a new system that will be used to edit audio and some video and also be used extensively for web design.

well if it means anything, Steinberg said they would be optimizing their main audio programs for athlon (I believe they are already optimized for p3's and maybe p4's)

Personally I think both cpu's are up to the task to edit audio and video. The more important issue will be latency and hd speeds for this type of work. When it comes to web design, again, either cpu would do.

AMD = Anger Management Disorder

I do tend to put heavy loads on the system. I open up to 20 windows and sometimes more with audio editing and graphics editing. I plan to run windows xp. Planning to have the system built by End of November. I figure some of the bugs should be worked out by then.

“Bottom line, check out the reputable websites..anandtech, extremetech, and the like, for comparisons and base your choice at least in part on the reviews there.”

Yo Yo Yo, you be kickin it in the crib without givin props to the house. Slap My Fro.

cubase vst, wavelab, a ton of plugins, and many others.

They are probably the biggest audio software company for pc + mac.

AMD = Anger Management Disorder

I don't really know what processor I'd go for because I think the P4 is faster in MPEG encoding but it is also more expensive than the Athlon XP 1800+. But if A/V editing is your primary task,then go with the P4. Also, go with Windows 2000 because now that XP is out, it will be cheaper and 2000 has the best multitasking ability of any Microsoft OS. Make sure you have a lot of RAM too for multitasking.

<b>Rhode Island is neither a road, nor an island. Discuss!</b>

Cubasis VST, I've played with it. It can be quirky with some sound cards.

Since he intimated he planned to do mostly audio editing with some video, the Athlon XP1800+ is clearly the better choice. In tasks like converting MP3 to WAV and similar tasks, the Palomino outperforms the P42 ghz by a sizable margin. The 2-4% performance advantage in streaming video the P4 has over 1800+ is offset by the choice of the P41.9ghz CPU as the alternative choice.

Mark-

When all else fails, throw your computer out the window!!!

Unfortunately, Hammer will not be a viable upgrade option for you when it comes out. It will require a new motherboard along with the CPU since the CPU will have a different pin out. However, AMD has at least 2 more iterations of the Athlon in the works...Thoroughbred and then Barton around the same time Hammer starts to appear. So, you should be able to upgrade to one of these new Athlon CPUs over the next 12-18 months and see a noticeable performance boost without going to Hammer. Hammer will make sense sometime after Barton has been available for awhile; when you are ready for another new system in 18-24 months' time.

Of course, this is only my own deduction here..how I would plan my upgrade paths. Your needs will likely vary some from mine.

Mark-

When all else fails, throw your computer out the window!!!

However with hammer integrated memory controler one would expect the motherboards which use it to cost less than others due to the lack of a need for a northbridge chip. So upgrading at that time may not be uber expensive.

~Matisaro~
"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
~Tbird1.3@1.5~

It really depends on what software you will use the most. Most programs perform relatively equal, but there are those that are optimized and then usually for the pentium. However, most of these (Cubase for example) are optimized for P3, not p4. Future sofware (not the company will probably support Athlon XP as well as Pentiums. So my advice is to check what programs you will use and then decide.
On the other hand I run on an Athlon 1.4 Ghz and Cubase VST, Music Studio, Sonar, Reason, Acid, fruity loops etc. all run fine.
<rant>On a side note: Check what features you will need before spending big bucks on a sequencer. While I got Sonar and Cubase at a very favorable price from my university, I spent 30 bucks on Music Studio and mostly use that now. Good interface, good features, but limited on the effects (2, 4 in the $60 version) and other flashy stuff. Got Vst though.</rant>


Legalize lutefisk (UFF DA).

I'd go with the Athlon XP if only for the fact that it will leave a lot of cash in your pocket.

"No one will ever need more than 640k of RAM"