The entry level AMD socket AM2 athlon64 x2 dual core 3800+ (2000mhz) , dual core - 2 x 128k L1 + 2 x 512k L2 ; 2000mhz hypertransport , with PVT @ R3050 is R200 more expensive than the almost topline Intel Pentium D 950 , 3.4ghz box cpu , dual core with VT ( Virtualization Technology ) , 65nm , LGA775 , 800mhz fsb - 2 x 16k L1+ 2 x 2mb L2 cache - with EDB , EM64T , EiST - for i945 , i955 , i975 chipset @ R2850, which isn't such a flame thrower since its made on the 65nm process.
I know what I would choose. Sigh, why does AMD have to be so expensive...
How the mighty (seem to) have fallen! In the Days of Yore(tm), it was the Chipzilla CPUs that were breathtakingly expensive (and hotter and less capable to boot!) than the AMD ones. But watch, as much as the pendulum has swung, it will in the fullness of time swing back again.