One of the good things about using the AMD platform is that the new CPUs will generally work on older chipsets as the interface is the same meaning that you can upgrade the CPU on a motherboard without buying a new motherboard assuming the manufacturer has updated BIOS that supports the new CPU. This means the cost of a new platform is less than on the Intel side of things since you don't have to spend the extra money that new memory and have the expense of a new motherboard as you would on the Intel side with their new platform.

http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/...re/1872_1.html