A good apache server like xampp or wampserver? are there others, right?

I want to install a php server in my notebook, i use to install php5 from php.net, plain simple install, but i’ve seen many people using softwares like xampp or wampserver; i’d like to know the pros and cons of the most commonly used servers.
In my old desktop pc with win98 i had iis5 and php4 running at the same time and even in the same host, never had any trouble with them; all happiness ended with XP, and i had to start stopping each one to run the other,... would it be a server wich can run both just like i had them in win98?