Yes, 64bit cpu's are backwards compatible and will work like any other 32bit cpu You may want to check out:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/evaluation/trial.mspx
which is a FREE SIX MONTH TRIAL of XP x64. I'm running it right now on my system and it's been working great so far. The only thing I wasn't able to find drivers for was my Canon Image Scanner. Look up your hardware/software through the manufacturer and see if it will work. Otherwise, just use XP 32 bit.

As far as intel vs. amd, as a general rule of thumb:
AMD is tuned for gaming
Intel is tuned for data creation (audio/movies/images/CAD etc.)

I recommend going with Intel...

jcnoernberg wrote:
As far as intel vs. amd, as a general rule of thumb:
AMD is tuned for gaming
Intel is tuned for data creation (audio/movies/images/CAD etc.)

I recommend going with Intel...

You gotta be kidding me. AMD is for tuned for gaming only?? AMD SMOKES INTEL in audio processing.

Check out this thread over at the DUC. 5+ years of research can't be wrong. This is the thread that everyone posts their REAL WORLD specs, not what some pdf file tells you.

http://duc.digidesign.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=360675&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1#360675

I am not saying windows is ever perfect with PT because windows blows donkeys most days of the week, but I have a WinXP box with an AMD XP processor and 3GB of RAM and after the correct tuning of windows, it is extremely stable. I would never turn off session file backups however, I do track/mix on it nearly everyday and I have had very good luck with it.

I also have 32 active tracks (PTLE max) and 8+ aux's open and pumping with all kinds of plugins and Reason running and it still goes fast.

I can't speak highly enough of the AMD processor for recording audio, light years ahead of Intel.

ymmv.

steve

i'm weary of taking advice from someone who uses the phrase "blows donkeys" to describe their dislike of something... but anyways,

it's going to come down to a personal preference. this question goes along side of "what's better, macs or pc". don't let us tell you what is best, research the subject for yourself to find your own system solution. maybe start a poll if you want to see what everyone is using?

i would find it hard to believe that processor speed has anything to do with personal preference, unless of course someone prefers their computer to be slow, as far as trusting people's advice I would be alot more inclined to trust someone that uses harsh language rather than an ignorant person. As far as compatibilty I don't know of any pc software that can't be run on either intel or amd. In reality there are alot of things that are going to be more important than processor as far as compatability. Chipsets, you can get the fastest processor that exists and if you throw it in a crap mobo with a poorly designed chipset it will be slower than it should and give you compatability issues. Pro Tools is a perfect example, check the compatability page at digdesign.com If you want the fastest comp its gonna have to be the total package fast ram good mobo and of course fast processor,

I'd highly recommend Intel for any box you use that isn't a sole gaming machine.
The AMD chips seem to hold well across the board for gaming; so when working on a tighter budget, AMD makes sense because they are cheaper overall.

Obviously one chips processing power isn't significantly greater than another's; otherwise it would be easily measured, and this would be a none issue. What matters is the overall sum of all the parts and the compatibility of those parts.

It is here that I recommend Intel.
They are just better when it comes to compatibility.

I currently run Intel, and before I got in to audio recording with my PC, I ran AMD. I bought AMD for my gaming rig and it worked well and cost less. Then I decided to use it for a recording box. That AMD chipset I was using was incompatible with the M-Audio interface I bought. Upon researching further, there were hundreds with this issue. The sound would click and pop. M-Audio had no solution. There was no fix. Upon having this issue for a year with no resolve, I purchased my Intel machine and never had a problem with any hardware. The AMD chipsets just don't have the track record of the Intel chipsets.

I've never heard of Intel ever running in to such a nightmare. With AMD it has known to happen. Just research the issue and be weary of AMD fanboys. I'm not an Intel fanboy; I just find the product works. The AMD fanboys will come out in fiery droves because it's the "underdog" processor. They come out with a lot more emotional opinion than fact.

Opinion and preference can be good gauges, but know the facts too.

It's more a track record thing than anything else since AMD64. In short: It is harder to select the right components with an AMD-machine, you really have to be picky. With Intel you can hardly go wrong. Since socket 939 AMD has caught up and surpassed Intel on more than a few territories. It's not just gaming, also audio.

Where AMD's dualcore is an elegant architecture as opposed to the rather quick and dirty Pentium D it really depends on the applications you run to choose what to build on. You can maybe take a look at ADK Pro Audio site and look up the benchies there. You'll do very well with an AMD dual core.

Then there's the chipset thing. You can google about that. There's enough said about both brands. I do miss DAW benchies on the latest ULi chipsets though. They have a rather high SATAII throughput. I wonder how that would translate on trackcount. I couldn't recommend a board with that chipset though. Too little info :cry:

I don't know much about incompatibility issues, just know they exist. I have read something about UAD cards. Please google some more. There are threads about that, though the info might be outdated.

Intel's new core (Conroe, I think it's called) looks like a pretty heavy beast. I wouldn't hold my breath if you need a new system now. There's also of course the Intel Mac nowadays. As far as we can tell today AM2 will not increase AMDs performance very much. AM2 is more like a smooth transition to DDR2 for AMD.

Google some more. Most things I mention are on the net, somewhere. Take your time. Good luck!

Just for the record I'm not an AMD fanboy, I have 4 pcs, none of them currently have AMD processor's but like I said with pc's its based on facts not feeling. Fact A.) There are currently no mobo chipsets produced by amd. Fact b.)Having an intel cpu with an intel chipset is great, you will most likely have great performance and no compatability issues. Fact C.) Having an Intel cpu with another manufactures chipset can lead to just as many problems as with an amd cpu. Like I said before its all the components working in unison that makes your day bright and shiny. For example my buddy has an hp comp that he bought to run with pro tools. Being a long time user he knows to verify that the mobo chipset is compatable with poe tooes, this hp has a compatable chipset so its all good right, nope. The hp bios on that mobo does not work, so replacing the mobo with the exact same one but with the mobo manufactures bios corrects the issue. Intel must suck, oh yea I forgot that had nothing to do with it. Anyway bottom line is research. Check the vendors websites for compatability issues, and tomshardware.com orthe previously mentioned web site are a good place for that

just get a mac

lk wrote: just get a mac

Too late now [g]

Hi....I'm the guy who initially asked about chips....AMD or Intel. Along the way I learned a lot about the two big ones...AMD and Intel and Motherboards and all that kind of stuff. It certainly helped me in putting together a system for PC recording. In fact....I'm getting it built as we speak. I want to thank everyone who put in their experience and opinions etc. It sure helped me to decide which way to go when the time came to order a machine. Well that time came yesterday and the box is being built as we speak. Here's the system that I hope will do the job I have in mind, mainly creating loops off my Korg Triton Pro/Karma and flying them out to Acid....screwing with the data in Samplers and stuff....here's the system. I think it'll work well actually.
MAWD

AMD 3800+ Dual Core
Socket 939-MSI-motherboard-PCII-SLI-LAN and SATA
2 x 160 GIG Hard drives
Iomega 100 Meg Zip Drive
3 1/2 Floppy Drive
Legend nVidia Video Card
M-Audiophile 24/96 soundcard
Pioneer DVD-RW +/- drive
Tower w 450 W Power supply
XP Pro w SP 2
2 x 17" LCD screens
Internet:
D-Link G604T broadband Router
Surecomm PCI wireless network card

Whatdo ya think? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

mawd wrote: [quote=lk]just get a mac

Too late now [g]

Hi....I'm the guy who initially asked about chips....AMD or Intel. Along the way I learned a lot about the two big ones...AMD and Intel and Motherboards and all that kind of stuff. It certainly helped me in putting together a system for PC recording. In fact....I'm getting it built as we speak. I want to thank everyone who put in their experience and opinions etc. It sure helped me to decide which way to go when the time came to order a machine. Well that time came yesterday and the box is being built as we speak. Here's the system that I hope will do the job I have in mind, mainly creating loops off my Korg Triton Pro/Karma and flying them out to Acid....screwing with the data in Samplers and stuff....here's the system. I think it'll work well actually.
MAWD

AMD 3800+ Dual Core
Socket 939-MSI-motherboard-PCII-SLI-LAN and SATA
2 x 160 GIG Hard drives
Iomega 100 Meg Zip Drive
3 1/2 Floppy Drive
Legend nVidia Video Card
M-Audiophile 24/96 soundcard
Pioneer DVD-RW +/- drive
Tower w 450 W Power supply
XP Pro w SP 2
2 x 17" LCD screens
Internet:
D-Link G604T broadband Router
Surecomm PCI wireless network card

Whatdo ya think? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Hi....I forgot to add this:

1 GIG DDR 400
Aopen QF 50B Black 450W P AMD Certified USB tower

That should just about do it.
MAWD

Iomega 100 Meg Zip Drive

I had one of those once. Used it for live field recordings of Dodo mating calls. Then along came this new-fangled recordable CD thing. The media was 1/10th the price and would fit 7 times the data.

Hope it was free! :lol:

Norville wrote:

Iomega 100 Meg Zip Drive

I had one of those once. Used it for live field recordings of Dodo mating calls. Then along came this new-fangled recordable CD thing. The media was 1/10th the price and would fit 7 times the data.

Hope it was free! :lol:

Hi....almost....jumble sale....got two of 'em...best buy ever....slots in beautifully with my Korg Sampler......
MAWD

lk wrote: just get a mac

question still stands (wouldn't have until recently)
An Intel Powered mac or not?
:P :lol: :lol:

I use Intel.. Never had any problems.
Friend of mine uses AMD... Never had any problems.

We've swapped machines.. and didn't notice the change over..

What you do notice a difference with is dual core.. especially when you're mixing down for 5 minutes and need to send a message to that oh so annoying git with a flashing msn orange task bar button!