AMD Athlon is generally the same as the Intel Core 2. it's counterpart. I'm thinking AMD will satisfy your money's worth.
Intel Core 2 Duo is better in speed and energy requirements . But the cost of the processor is pretty much higher than AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core .AMD generates more heat and produces much sound . AMD is recommended if you are a graphic designer . Core 2 Duo is better for long term use with lower power cost , maintenance and better speed.
The answer to this question will depend heavily on: your needs, your budget, exact time of purchase and if upgrading - your current hardware. If anyone else says otherwise they are simply full of shit. I suggest checking benchmarks on tomshardware.com or similar site for benchmarks of software you are likely to use, and froogle.com to compare the prices of similar products and decide what is the "best bang for the buck" for you. The choice you make in the end is of little consequence as for most practical purposes these two product lines will perform nearly identically. AMD's processors tend to be a bit cheaper, Intel's a bit faster. Unless you are purchasing large numbers of identical machines with a particular task in mind then honestly the time spent on this particular decision is being misspent.
You get more power for your money if you go for AMD, but if you have extra money that you don't mind spending then go for Intel.
my vote is for intel! but I must say AMD have improved tremendously over the years... they used to have overheating issues...
Been running the same Core 2 Duo for 3 years now It's on atleast 9 hours everyday and does alot of work. Never failed me yet.
Intel Core 2 Duo is best. Intel® Core™2 Duo processor you'll get an arsenal of performance-rich technologies, including up to 6MB of shared L2 cache and up to 1333 MHz Front Side Bus.... !!
Go for Core 2 Duo with u'r eyes closed...AMD processors are good value for money but the INTEL are world leader in Processor manufacturing and the product quality if far more better than AMD.