[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by nicfit

I'm just trying to decide what's the most cost-effective cpu "future-proof" for a couple years.

i'd stick with a core2duo.

intel is working on a new cpu microarchitecture that will change the fsb and end the need for a large cache, and amd has a dubious future, but the core2duo has wide enough of a user base that it will continue to be sold for some time in the future. (more on amd's troubles here).

i'm still running a p4 in my video editing machine & it works without trouble. might take a little longer than a newer cpu to render & encode & shit of that sort but it works perfectly fine.

the thing with the core2duo is if you buy a cheap one today you might be able to upgrade a couple of years from now to speeds that currently are unavailable to you.

if you want your system to have a good upgrade path, get the best and more future-proof motherboard you can afford, 2 gigs of ram and a normal cpu. then you can add/replace components as time passes.

if you've chosen an amd platform already just get whatever you can at this point.