With a 3GHz AMD at newegg for under 170 usd, are they still something worth getting for FS? My 2.2GHz 3200+ has been a good processor, and still is. But eventually, I would like to upgrade for FSX. My question is this: Can AMD still cut it for flight simulation?

Depends on what you mean by "cutting it". FSX is one of those games where the more CPU horsepower you have the better (esp with addons). The question is where do you draw the line between accepatble and unacceptable?AMD has been getting beat up on the high-end, so if you want the best possible performance, spending more $ on Intel is the obvious answer. However, as a result of AMD's weak matchup with Intel these days, they've been forced to price accordingly. I don't think you can do much better for $170 if you plan on running at stock frequency. But if you would possibly OC, I think I'd still go Intel, because their chips are going to have more headroom to OC than will AMD... at least at the $170 price point.BTW, I have a AMD X2 running at 2.5, and it is acceptable for me (running with Dense autogen, scenery, ground traffic 15%, air traffic at 75%, ASX/XG, Ultimate Traffix X and Ultimate Terrain X). However, I really want to get either the Level-D 767 or PMDG 747 and I am fearful that I I'm not going to have enough headroom without seriously scaling back on some settings.

Keep in mind if you have a Socket 939 motherboard, you can't use any of the latest AMD cpu's with your motherboard. You would have to get a new motherboard (Socket AM2) as well. At that point, when you're talking new cpu AND new motherboard, the price vs. perf starts leaning toward Core2 at the present time.Can AMD cut it? heh, I think my San Diego core AMD cpu can cut it in FSX surprisingly well--so well in fact, that I have had no pressing need to upgrade it because Core2 people don't report results in the sim that blow my cpu away--yet. I'm sure the 5000+ and all of those newer AMD cpu's give even more speed to the sim--but still as we know, the benchmarks show the core2's out in front at the present time. But AMD seems to match Intel's price cuts with their own pricing strategy. AMD seems to want to keep their cpu's competitive by aggressive pricing.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

>But AMD seems to match Intel's price cuts with their own>pricing strategy. AMD seems to want to keep their cpu's>competitive by aggressive pricing.I would say AMD has no choice if they want to sell chips. This is absolutely killing their profit margin. Last May they were selling their top-end desktop chip for $1000 (FX-62). If you want to count AMD's failed 4x4 setup, their top-end chip (FX74) now sells for for $339. Ignoring the FX chips, the price comparison from May of last year to now is $700 vs $169. Ouch! I guarantee you in light of the heavy losses they've suffered the last 2 quarters and the big loss they will announce next week that this pricing strategy is in no way something they *WANT*.Now that Barcelona looks like it is crap (at least for this year), I'll be stunned if AMD survives. Which is sad because price wars like this one will be a thing of the past (both for CPUs and GPUs)...ALSO: The Gigabit K8NS Pro that he has is socket 754, otherwise I would have suggested one of these:http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList....tion=toledo+oemI have the 3800+ and OC'd it to 2.5... and I'm quite sure its my memory that is preventing me from going further with it.

AMD is a good chip.. I have enjoyed mine. It performs well for its age and power. I hope they survive the year and catch up...

I do too. I was previously an AMD user, but Intel surprised me last year when they came out with a kick a$$ CPU in the form of the C2D AND it wasn't ridiculously priced (well most models anyway). I love how AMD is keeping its prices nice and lean in light of the current C2D dominance. I really do hope AMD does weather out the storm, because they do make really good CPUs and keep Intel honest with their CPU pricing.Gary

Last thing we need is another Intel Monopoly.

Hi Chase, heres a link to a benchmark that simhq did for the 6000+ and fsx http://www.simhq.com/_technology2/technology_106a.html I wish all the best to amd and hope they come back with full force I always had amd in till now with my E6600 but the 6000+ looks like a cool deal if you have socket am2 even better.

Well what I intend to do is build another system from scratch. I'm thinking about maybe going the AMD route, depending on whether or not they get out of this hole.

I just ordered and received yesterday my 6000+ chip. I'll probably install it on Sunday morning.Anyhow, I did this for 3 reasons:1) I built the rig in my signature in May '06 (basically the day AM2+ came out, I bought). I couldn't wait the extra 2 months for the Core2 stuff to be released because my company had an Employee Computer Purchase Reimbursement program that paid 50% of the cost of new computer equipment. We were about to be bought out any day and we were going to lose that benefit in the buyout. So I had to pull the trigger when I did.2) I built that AM2+ system on the expectation that the AM2+ (Barcelona) stuff would be out in about a year (ok, it's going to be closer to 1.5 years since the desktop stuff won't come until this Xmas) and would be a drop in replacement upgrade.3) I got the fastest chip I could at the time.I paid > $600 for that 4800+ X2 chip a year ago. Now I'm replacing it with a $170 6000+ (25% clock speed upgrade!). I don't have to replace any other part on my machine for that extra 25%.Additionally, I'm STILL ready to go for a Barcelona when they come out. The big difference is that I can now wait until next SUMMER when they've been out for a while, the yields and clock speeds on them come up and the prices go down a bit. No need to buy anything else. Basically, if you're on socket AM2, I say go for it! Get the upgrade now while they're cheap. Especially if you have something < 4800+ X2 in there currently.If you're still on socket 939, and can't afford a full on system (because no matter if you go AM2+ or Intel, you're going to need new CPU, new MB, AND New DDR2 RAM) then I'd seriously be looking at an Opteron 185 dual core chip (they're just the business/server version of the Athlon 64 X2's and drop in replacement - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...k=Opteron%2b185 ). Just make sure it's the 185 and not the 285 (285 uses a different socket and requires registered DDR memory). Newegg has it for $235 retail packaging (HSF included). 2.6Ghz, 2x 1MB L2 cache. As it is, on my 4800+X2 I can run Active SkyX, MyTrafficX and FSX SP1 with no problems with everything on medium or higher settings and still get 20+ FPS pretty much all the time (unless I'm right near an airport with a ton of AI traffic at it.) I'm expecting the extra 25% CPU speed to allow me to get even better out of it.Hope this helps!--Mike

>If you're still on socket 939, and can't afford a full on>system (because no matter if you go AM2+ or Intel, you're>going to need new CPU, new MB, AND New DDR2 RAM) then I'd>seriously be looking at an Opteron 185 dual core chip (they're>just the business/server version of the Athlon 64 X2's and>drop in replacement ->http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...k=Opteron%2b185He's not on 939, he's on 754. Otherwise, I think a 2.0 or 2.2 X2 (Toledo) for $69 or $87 would be the better choice than the 185.http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList....tion=toledo+oemI got the 2.0 (3800) and have it running at 2.5. I am 95% sure it is memory that is holding me back, too (I booted Vista all the way up to 2.8 with severly loosened memory timings and I am actually running the CPU *under* volted a bit right now at 2.5)If you have to build a new system, I don't think there's much of an argument for AMD right now. Traditionally AMD will at least grab $/performance lead if nothing else, but with Intel's recent massive $ cuts, that's not even the case anymore:http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel...aspx?i=3038&p=6Sure you could wait 6 months to a year for Barcelona to get to where the Q6600 is now (for a mere $266), but why would you? Barcelona may be respectable in the server market where power/performance is king, but AMD is dying in the desktop market. Anyway, though my last 5 chips have been AMD, I think its time to face the music-- I doubt AMD survives until next summer. Hopefully someone (IBM?) buys them and keeps the chips on the market, though.

Yea guys, sadly I didnt change that when I built a few years back. Really wish I would of gone the 939 route. I could still upgrade to a 3800 processor today if I would have for around 50-70 bucks. Oh well, I'll be building again in probably by march. For now, Im just getting some ideas.