AMD vs Intel Build Off!
LENGTH OF TIME: 1-2 HOURS
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: EASY
THE CONCEPT
THERE’S NOTHING WE ENJOY more at Maximum PC than a good old-fashioned build-off challenge. In the world of absent GPUs and crypto-currency madness, however, the traditional Intel vs AMD “who can build a better productivity machine” argument just didn’t hold much water. It’s hard to recommend building a workstation PC if you can’t buy the workstation parts.
So with that in mind, we decided to try a different take on that age-old fight. This issue, we pit the best of integrated graphics against one another: AMD vs Intel; Red vs Blue; Market Leader vs Underdog. And, with Christian out of the office, young rookie Sam will take on old man Zak in a build-off battle for the ages.
Is this an unfair fight? Absolutely. In one corner you have Zak Storey, Maximum PC’s long-time team member and editor-in-chief, complete with 19 years of PC building experience, and no less than 81 individual PCs built under his careful eye. In the other corner, Sam Lewis, relative newcomer and Maximum PC staff writer, complete with a total of two PCs built in his short time on this prestigious title.
But arguably the far more important question is who will win the battle of the builds, and take the crown of integrated budget-PC-that-doesn’t-cost-as-much-as-a-full-GPU-these-days champion? Read on to find out.
AMD STEP-BY-STEP
AMD BEHEMOTH
ALTHOUGH THE PHANTEKS P400A is a pretty slick-looking case, the build’s attention isn’t strictly focused on this or the machine’s looks for that matter. We’re sorry people, there is no off-the-wall flashy RGB here. The battle’s main focus is on which is the better chip to side with for an integrated graphics rig, AMD or Intel? Yes, it’s an age-old debate between AMD or Intel, much like the great PlayStation or Xbox wars of yesteryear.
We get it, it’s not always a clear-cut verdict either. There
