^ Find me an AMD "budget" processor that will match a Core 2 Duo e2160 (£44) @ 3.2ghz ??
Yes and really would I use a E2160 at 3.2ghz 24/7? No. Especially if I was a normal family member. In businesses AMDs look more desirable I have to admit-they don't cheap out on stuff like cooling, unlike Intel.
Sidenote: My E2160 can't even do 3.2Ghz.
Be more realistic, you would NEVER want to construct systems that are overclocked for businesses so your C2D's advantage is totally negated, and I don't think OEMs these days are going to pre-overclock a E2160 to sell-that's just ludicrous, their customers wouldn't have an idea. Maybe you do but that doesn't matter because we are a minority! The Core 2 Architecture doesn't really get moving around under 2.4Ghz, therefore stock performance AMD wins, in terms of price ratio.
Example 780G System, with Athlon 4850+ X2 Low power edition vs the Intel G35 + E2160 "Price counterpart".
The 780G runs far cooler, saps less energy, and the CPU runs cooler and quieter.
Why? Just think, Intel with their nearing-monopoly operations have just cheaped out with the cooling and possibly miscalibrated the temperature sensors deliberately (something people should Investigate on :shadedshh) that relay with the motherboard sensor/PWM, in order for their CPUs to run "cooler" to the user with inferior and cheap coolers, so the fans wouldn't spin up. Usually core temp or a thermo proves the opposite (as newtekie proved.... temps sky-rocketed). AMD? They either provide the large aluminium fin array (but i reckon they only provide those with Semprons these days), or the Aluminium + quad heatpipe fin array which rivals aftermarket solutions and runs extremely quietly and genuinely cools the already cool CPU well.
I'm no AMD fanboy but I'm starting to get sick of Intel cheaping out in underhanded ways to the average consumer. AMD provides honest and genuine products and notifies consumers of the issues associated with their products. I don't see Intel doing that at anytime. Their cost cutting could easily be a reason for their profits. I reckon this started with the release of the E4xxx series-where things started getting dodgy. Anyway I wouldn't really be happy with this because an announcement like this is detrimental to AMD's shareholders who may go into panic and sell off shares-not good.