Intel Pentium 4 3.2GHz Extreme Edition

[DR]

The enthusiast with ultra-deep pockets will have a choice between two monster CPUs that go about their respective work in differing ways but tend to achieve similar results. The 3.2GHz Extreme Edition puts Intel back in the very high-end performance game. For that alone, it's a decent CPU. A niche product for a niche market, and it's sure to tempt all those who had their minds fixated on the Athlon FX-51. Competition is always a good thing for the consumer. It's positively rife here. We just hope that Intel decide to leave the Extreme Edition CPUs multiplier unlock. £650+ of your money deserves that treat.

http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews...lld19JRD02MzQ=

[jayisunj]

Umm. . . maybe you forgot to include in your conclusion that the Athlon 64 FX-51 includes support for 64-bit code and the "Extreme Edition" is 32-bit only? This is a pretty important factor as far as the price/product-life ratio and also pertaining to longevity of the product.

[Agent]

Im pretty sure the only reason this CPU was made though is to steal AMD's current spotlight of some good recent releases

[DR]

Originally posted by jayisunj
Umm. . . maybe you forgot to include in your conclusion that the Athlon 64 FX-51 includes support for 64-bit code and the "Extreme Edition" is 32-bit only? This is a pretty important factor as far as the price/product-life ratio and also pertaining to longevity of the product.

Yep cos the market is flooded with 64 bit apps, OS and other uses... and in a years time Intel will still be on 32bit so will 98% of all applications.... 64 bit is the future, but by time it hits the FX-51 will be long dead

[The-Fella]

Impressive results from Intel although I agree with Agent, intel were just trying to steal AMD's thunder. I am always amazed buy the performance of a processor which is 1GHz slower than its intel rival which has to be over clocked to beat in some tests!

I welcome the competition....

[Russ]

david, thast exactly what i have thought, its technology ahead of its time, and altho its powerfull, by the time, the time (too many times ) catches up with the technology, the technology will have been replaced, fx-51, = not for the person short on cash

[cky]

Originally posted by Agent
Im pretty sure the only reason this CPU was made though is to steal AMD's current spotlight of some good recent releases

Yeh..
the 2 main CPU Producers for the past few years have always released new CPU's jsut to compete for money :S
£500+ is a bit to much tbh
Good review.

[Speedo]

Why do people insist on saying 64-bit is not yet but the future ? People rattled on about SSE2 when the Pentium-4 came out, and it's now appearing in programs. Yes it's been a while since the P4 came out, but it's still truly alive and kicking.
The 32bit performance of the A64 rocks anyway, i'll switch back to AMD on my next upgrade .

[VladTheImpaler]

It is not like it is even a new CPU. It is just a repackaged Xeon MP. I bet the Xeon MP buyers are somewhat annoyed at the price drop!

[DR]

Neither is the FX-51 - thats just a rebadged Opteron

[Stoo]

Well, the difference there is that the opteron is new too

I could well imagine that the Xeon MP buyers are mightily peeved, EE systems could be thousands of pounds cheaper than they are paying already for the same hardware...

[Tom]

you say its 64 bit and we dont need it, but when 64 bit is needed AMD will have years of experience in 64 bit processors over intel

[VladTheImpaler]

you say its 64 bit and we dont need it, but when 64 bit is needed AMD will have years of experience in 64 bit processors over intel

I take it you have not heard of IA64 then? Intel have released three 64bit PC processors in the last few years, albeit not very sucessful!