Conclusion
This content was originally featured on Amdmb.com and has been converted to PC Perspective’s website. Some color changes and flaws may appear.
Again, I come back to the point made in the introduction to this article about the price/performance/value dilemma. You can see from all the tests that the Duron is a viable contender in the CPU market, tieing the Thunderbird in some tests, and staying near it in most others. The Duron however, NEVER passed or exceeded the Thunderbird in any of the results.The Duron is cheaper than the Thunderbird. Is this price difference worth the extra power that the Thunderbird can provide you? The final decision may be left up to your wallet and opinion. Overclockability is another factor that can wavier you decision. Many people have been getting their Duron 650 MHz processor to reach 950 MHz speeds, while the Thunderbird is having less luck with this kind of increase in clock speed. So you have a Duron 650 @ 950 MHz for the price of $80 vs. the cost of a Thunderbird 950MHz processor at $356. Quite a difference there, isn’t it?
As I keep saying, the final decision is up to you. If you don’t like the idea of having an overclocked processor keeping all your important files working correctly, then the extra money can be worth your piece of mind. But if you are always looking for the best deal at the best price, I don’t think you can pass up a 950 MHz machine for the price of $80 + $150 or so for the motherboard.
As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please feel free to email me, or to get opinions from other readers, visit the thread in the Athlonmb.com Forums based on this article.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you received some helpful information in this article.
Prices:
