Dual-Core, Simple Price: Athlon 64 X2 3800+

Athlon 64 X2 4200 And 4600+

In addition to their more modest appetites for power, the Manchester X2s offer another, somewhat related benefit: a smaller total transistor count. At 157 million versus 233 million transistors, the Manchester models offer greater overclocking potential than do their more populated Toledo peers.

Their maximum power consumption of 89 watts also enables the use of cheaper or quieter CPU coolers. Those who don't want to spend the $70 - $90 that top cooler models can cost should weigh this consideration very carefully.