Verified answer

Intel all the way, it's been outperforming AMD since the Core 2 Duo.

These Crysis benchmarks should make it perfectly clear which are the best for gaming:

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/desktop-cpu-cha...

May want to read the last sentence of paragraph 2 on this page:

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?...

I use big Core 2 Duos for gaming because games are written for 2 cores and a quad only runs games on 2 cores. Considering that the Q6600 Intel quad is the oldest smallest slowest quad Intel makes. Its 2 generations old. Would game on 2 cores at 2.4 GHz as 1066

BUT, if you look at the first link and the benchmarks that little Intel Quad destroys the King of the AMDs the Phenom X9950BE gaming and if you read the second paragraph on the second link it says they prefer the Q6600 over the Phenom X9950BE and that Intels are better for gaming and there's 15 cpus, all Intel on that Crysis benchmark link thats faster than the Q6600. I suggest an E8400 E8500 or E8600 Core 2 Duo. I run an E8500 clocked at 3.8 in my Vista gamer-awesome cpu. I have a lot of money in my Vista and XP gaming rigs and if AMDs were faster that is what I'd be running but, they are not even close. AMD lovers always say how AMD kicks Intel butt gaming but in the 100 or so times Ive seen them say that NOT ONCE have they provided a link like I have to back their claim up.

AMD X2 is way behind Intel. The Core 2 is much better

That's why AMD processors are so cheap nowadays

A Core 2 will even beat an AMD X3 processor because the core architecture is more advanced

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1307678/amd_3_core_v...

Dollar for dollar, AMD chips are a better value. The motherboards are very full featured, have much better onboard video and are less expensive. I also find that when equally priced the AMD CPU offers better performance. AMD platforms tend to be backwards and forwards compatible, whereas Intel changes things almost at a whim. Seek out the limitations on the 945G chipset, (S775 but 800MHz system bus and no more than E4000 CPU series.) All AM2 boards will run an X2, but perhaps not the 6000+. I don't see much benefit from running the faster memory speeds(PC1066, PC1333), just expense. A really good video card will give more gaming goodness than a memory speed bump anyway.

AMD X2 will be best for gaming. AMD is good in multmedia related applications as well as in 3d games. go for AMD