Which is the Best Mainstream CPU?

[dbarrow]

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/05/04/which_is_the_best_mainstream_cpu/

f you're looking to buy a new system or a new processor, then you've come to the right place. A lot has been going on in the market, though Core 2 Duo is still the best choice, and AMD still has no technology to fight back. Its quad-core processor called Phenom is positioned to be a show-stopper - we will see. Then again, we've seen substantial price cuts that put even high-end processors at prices below $200. It's time to have another look around...

[jcampi]

Intel is really applying the pressure now. AMD is still focusing on the 65NM technology while Intel is already to release the new 45NM chips soon. They aren't even playing catch up now and Intel is leaving them in the dust. AMD better be careful or they risk being returning to the days when they were just a 'Johnny come lately.' Still wish I had Intel stock.

[casey]

Still wish I had Intel stock.



John , I keep reading where you say you wish you had Intel stock. Do You realize that Intel has been in a range of a couple of dollars for the last year or longer.May 11, 2006 Intel stock opened at 19.58 and today it closed at 21.96. Now maybe you think it will really take off in the future but it hasn't shown any sign lately.

If you go back 6mos. Nov 14,2006 the high for the day was 21.93 and today it was 21.96 or a difference of .03.

[jflan]

Now that the 6320 and 6420 are out, I don't know how Intel is going to sell the 6400's without a nice price cut :)
http://compare.intel.com/pcc/showchart.aspx?mmID=888505,884352,888502&familyID=1&culture=en-US

[chuckyb]

I have stock in intel and its been kind of flat. I probably should have sold it when I had the chance.

[jcampi]

Casey, I'm not a speculator when it comes to stocks. If I bought intel I'd be in it for the long haul. I don't look at the prices of any stock based on days or weeks. I look at five and ten year tables and track the history. Over the years intel has performed pretty well.

[casey]

Jcampi, I understand what your saying but after reading your posts I always seem to check Intel and was disappointed in it's performance. Here is the chart from longer then 10 years... http://us.js2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/fi/yfc/images/charts_promo_1.3.gif (http://finance.yahoo.com/charts#symbol=INTC;range=my;compare=)http://chart.finance.yahoo.com/c/my/i/intc

[mylanta]

Casey, I'm not a speculator when it comes to stocks. If I bought intel I'd be in it for the long haul. I don't look at the prices of any stock based on days or weeks. I look at five and ten year tables and track the history. Over the years intel has performed pretty well.

Now John,
I really would not be doing a long term invest in a stock paying a 2% dividend (although any dividend is a rarity for a Nasdaq stock) that basically has been treading water within a $ or 2 for about 5 years now.
It also has a p/e of 25 which isn't terribly appealing for such a "glamour" product you describe.
Point of fact this segment of the market is highly cost intensive and so easy to kill profits with one small price change, and a lot of that is what has happened consistently.
Of course there seldom is a real relationship between product success and the performance of a stock anyway. usually the best of earnings are followed the same day by a huge price drop because we as investors were the last ones to know about the good earnings and they are using our knowledge to sell and grab their profits.

[mylanta]

While we are on the subject, I have to tell you I have retired my Core2 Duo to run as my bench machine. Honestly I am very disappointed in it's performance, as it just does not have the feel and response of my Amd socket 939 4800 X2 with 2 gig of ddr ram. The Core 2 duo is 6400 with ddr2 800 ram and both run on Raptor drives.
I needed the space to work on client units anyway so I took my 17" Compaq X6000 P4 3.0 laptop and added a gigabit nic express adapter, changed the hard drive to 7200 rpm and doubled the ram to Ddr2 667 2 gig and it blows away the Core 2 duo frankly while taking up 1/2 the space. Email me John, I'll give you a good price on it. I am really starting to wonder about what I am reading these days. About the only thing faster about that unit is that it boots faster, and other than that, It has left me "cold" since I built it.

[jcampi]

Most Nasdaq stocks are growth oriented. You don't buy them for a dividend. Intel split 6 times in about 12 years according to your table. That means it split about every other year. The stock also went from almost zero to $80 in about 13 years. I don'tr have much of an issue with that. Gee, I wonder how that all compares to AMD?????

[casey]

Most Nasdaq stocks are growth oriented. You don't buy them for a dividend. Intel split 6 times in about 12 years according to your table. That means it split about every other year


I'm not trying to talk you out of buying Intel. I sold a stock last year that I bought at $39 and it dropped to $13. I just sat back and waited and finally sold it at $106. Even then it was to soon as that stock today is $135. Just do a lot of studying before you purchase.
And comparing it to AMD won't help Intel at all..

Intel might have split 6 times in 12 years but you do know the last time it did was in 2000, 7 years ago.


Intel has had thirteen stock splits in the past. The most recent one was effective 7/30/00. The Board of Directors makes any decision for any future stock splits.

[mylanta]

Oh John that is a matter of opinion. Personally I gave up buying Nasdaq stocks a few years ago because I decided if it was that kind of extreme uncontrollable volatility I wanted, I could go to Dorney Park anytime. I don't see Nasdaq stocks as growth at all, you need stability for growth and any company worth buying, pays a dividend and has a decent P/E as well.