What's faster AMD's Barton XP3000+ 400FSB or Intel's Pentium 4 3.0G 800FSB processor? If you want to know just that, then check out this shoot-out at OCWorkbench.com.

As we all know, Intel and AMD has been rushing out with newer processors to take advantage of the higher fsb. The most apparent jump was from Intel P4 533 (133 Mhz fsb) to the 800Mhz (200Mhz FSB). This paints another chapter in PC industry as AMD follows suit with an upcoming model known as the Barton 400 which runs at 200Mhz FSB.

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Sometimes, readers will ask me, what is the difference between all these 200, 400, 800. Well the simple way to differentiate them is to check what speeds is the CPU rated at. For example an Intel P4 400Mhz model is actually running at 100Mhz FSB, 533 is running 133 and 800 is running 200. The "multiplier" of 4 or what is well known quad pumped. That is how you derive 800Mhz (200x4).

On the AMD front, it is somewhat non quad pumped but doubly pumped. Well that is a processor rated operating at 266Mhz is actually in fact running 133Mhz FSB x 2. The current Thoroughbreds are running at 333Mhz or 166x2. The yet to be released processor will be based on 200Mhz fsb, thus it is the Barton 400.

AMD Barton XP3000+ 400 vs Intel Pentium 4 3.0G 800