Hey guys,

I'm working on designing a Mtyth box, frontend and backend in one. I'm unsure as to whether it is worth getting a dual core CPU as opposed to a single core P4.

I have to option of getting a P4-524 3.0GHz or a P4 D915 Dual-2.8GHz, both AU$140.
I've run a few tests on tomshardware 'CPU Charts 2006' page, and both seem to be fairly even (except multitasking where the dual core performs much better than the P4).
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=463&model2=449&chart=193

Single core is plenty.

Great thanks.

Just another quick question, is there any major differences between an Intel and AMD CPU? Or is it just a matter of preference? (sorry, i havent had any experience in choosing a CPU)

I am considering maybe getting a Celeron over a P4 due to its price. Which of these would you recommend? (all prices in Aussie $)

$92 - Intel Celeron D336 - 2.8GHz
$130 - AMD AM2 3500+
$140 - Intel P4-524 - 3.0GHz

You might want to check out how much heat the P4 will generate compared to the other two.
I am ordering an AM2 3000+ and an ASUS M2NPV-VM motherboard. Which should run fairly cool and quiet, and should be well supported as LixSystems have donated a lx8100 to the Knoppmyth project which uses the same motherboard.

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Paul Turpie
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Thanks turpie, yeah i really want it to be as quiet as possible.
Does anyone know of any good sites where you can compare these sorts of hardware? I used TomsHardware CPU guide for speeds, but it doesnt give any more details.

I'm working on replacing my 2.5GHz Celeron box with something that's quieter and uses less energy. From what I read on Silent PC Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/), the Celeron and P4 chips are very power-hungry. So they generate more heat, cause your CPU fan to spin faster and generate more noise, and cost you more money in energy costs. I'm leaning towards building a Via EPIA system, since they seem to be the quietest and most power-efficient boards out there. The Core Solo chips seem pretty efficient too, but I haven't had any luck finding local dealers for desktop systems that use them.

Boris