Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Intel are two different companies that produce motherboards and central processing units (CPUs) found within personal computers (PC). The CPU is probably the most important part of the computer, as it is where most calculations take place that run computer programs and systems. The speed with which a CPU can process these calculations is usually given in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). Motherboards provide the circuitry for all computers to function.

While both AMD and Intel offer a range of different CPUs with differing speed processing speeds and price levels, Intel owns a greater percentage of market share than AMD. Both companies have been making computer components for decades, and are said to be the leaders in research and development in the computer industry for this field. Since these are two different companies, it can be difficult to compare the products created by each of them. One of most commonly listed differences is the fact that AMD tends to be cheaper than Intel.

Intel has been the established leader for producing circuit boards and CPUs from the start. It is said that AMD has been influenced by the prices and technological advances of Intel. Not only does AMD produce their own lines chips and motherboards, they also produce cloned versions of Intel products. Some people choose AMD over Intel because the AMD and Intel chips and circuit boards provide almost identical functionality, but the AMD version is about half the price of the Intel one.

Besides cost, the other key differences between AMD and Intel processors are the clock speed and the socket used to connect the processor to the computer. The clock speed is the number of operations a computer can perform in a clock cycle, which is usually one second. Due to design differences, Intel processors are usually faster than AMD ones, but AMD processors are more efficient. As such, for each AMD and Intel processor, the Intel version is usually slightly faster than its AMD counterpart.

The difference in sockets is an important factor to consider. Not only do the connectors not match up, the electrical characteristics and instructions used are different. This is important if anything were to happen to the processor in a computer. If the processor had to be replaced, it would have to be replaced by the same brand, either AMD or Intel. Processors can be upgraded, but again, the same brand must be used when making the replacement.