ZDNet India : Processor benchmarks: Intel versus AMD: "The Athlon 64 has a clear advantage in terms of cost. Although AMD's and Intel's fastest chips are comparably priced, system costs are higher for Pentium 4-based PCs with DDR2 memory. The price difference between Athlon 3500+ and Pentium 4 550 systems is even larger, because the AMD chip costs $71 less than its Intel counterpart.

Post-purchase costs should not be ignored, either. A Pentium 4-based system uses 60 to 70 Watts more power when idling and up to 89 per cent more power relative to an Athlon 64 PC. For a household with a few computers, this may not add up to a significant cost saving, but for larger enterprises with several thousand PCs the sums will look completely different."