DUAL CPU Motherboard recommendations

[X-Caliber]

Hi,

I think that the response time for a dual system usually kills any single CPU system, within a resonable frequency range. Right now I have a DUAL 600MHZ P3 setup, which feels much faster then my friends P4 based 2.6GHZ system. Of course, my drives are all SCSI, but I still think the response time is better. Granted, I don't use benchmarks that often, I still think a dual 1.4GHZ Tualatin should be comparable to a 3GHZ P4. From what I have read, the Athlons use a lot of power, and I don't feel like buying a 500WATT PS. As for the XEONS, they are tempting, I saw the PC-D motherboard on eBay for $250 USD....but it uses DDR !! memory is still not cheap. I may just opt for 2 P3 1.1GHZ (100MHZ FSB) on my P2B-DS. Then when Intel releases its 64bit processor(whatever its called), I can do a FULL UPGRADE.


btw, Thanks for the links a_h!! but why is it taking so long for your Parhelia to arrive??? Which one did you get?

-V-

[funky-d-munky]

XP's and P4's use about the same power.
Dual 1.4 PIII's would get crushed by a single XP or P4 3000.

[Kurt]

@x-caliber: lookup aceshardware.com for a comparison between single/dual CPU setups.

[a_h]

@funky-d-munky:

The real difference we dual owners love and enjoy is the true multitasking. If one app uses 100% cpu time the os has to stop the thread periodically to make it possible for the user (or the os) to do other things -> time slices.

This process has an impact on the responsiveness of the system, means the system feels more sluggish under full load.

Do you realize the moment when some app hangs? I don't. I just see in the task manager that 1 cpu is full used, then I kill the thread and go on.

So you cannot simply compare 1 versus 2 cpu setups.

If you run heavily cpu using apps and want to surf the net/watch tv/listen to mp3s or whatever at the SAME time, then the duals are the perfect choice.

Hey you can even play a game and encode a film at the same time! Ever tried?

@x-caliber:

I "bought" a 128MB Parhelia (2nd hand) for a really good price, but it seems that the paket doesn't want to get delivered. Luckily I haven't paid anything yet.

[MultimediaMan]

This may be true, but a_h, not all software, drivers or hardware will work in a dual CPU system.

Yes, Duallies are "smoother", but they can hang and crash with the best of them if you are running the "right" software.

Dual Tuallies will have their heads handed to them in a bag by a Fast Athlon or P4.

The Chipsets and the processors themselves are showing their age.

An Intel 875 board and 2.4GHz+ processor is going to SMOKE a dual P3 1.4GHz running the best Serverworks chipset. If we go cutting edge on Athlons and P4s it only gets worse...The Chipsets are quite a bit more advanced, and all have much better memory bandwidth.

Yes, Duallies are neat, but they are not the end-all beat-all, and it is wrong to assume that they "add" their processing power together: they run their processing power in parallel, not series. The software is the biggest variable facing the duallie user. There are precious few truly multithreaded applications out there that take advantage of dual processors.

I'm saying this owning and currently running four fully functional Duallies (3x Dual AMD, and a Dual P3), with parts for several more Duallies to spare (A Dual P2, and 3 more Dual P3s).

[X-Caliber]

any opinion on the PC-DL and the DPI-533 ? The former is fairly new, so I am sure the design needs to be debugged. But what about the latter?

[a_h]

@MultimediaMan:

Yes to all of your points.

Which software can be taken seriously and can crash my dual machine? Normally I only have to assign the thread to 1 cpu, so the app runs just like on a single cpu-rig.

I'm sure every modern Athlon/Xeon/Opteron smokes a Tualatin, but that was not my point.

@x-caliber:

Sorry, I don't have any infos about Xeons. Parhelia has arrived, but without any cabling, so I cannot use it immediatly...If you're still interested, I can post them maybe in a few days.

[X-Caliber]

@a_h

yes, I am definitely interested!! Let me know when you have everything set.

[UtwigMU]

I just got my Tiger MPX yesterday.

Otherwise I'd also look in Iwill DPI533 and new Asus Canterwood based dual Xeon board for intel solutions.

IMO Hammers are too expensive.

Also did you check www.2cpu.com?

[X-Caliber]

I have checked 2cpu.com - there is a HUGE thread about the ASUS PC-DL board, but I am a little hesitant since it will probably need lots of updates/revisions before they get it right. Also, I have never heard of IWILL, are they a MAJOR motherboard manufacturer (of course they are(!), but whats their reputation like?)

[Wombat]

Wow M3. A_h seems pretty much deaf, even to you, a fellow "duallie."

Those of us that actually helped develop MP systems will probably be ignored as well, so I shan't bother.

[MultimediaMan]

I did try.

[a_h]

Hey Wombat and M^3! Sorry, I really don't want to seem ignorant. I deeply appreciate your knowledge. That's why I like the Murc - lots of cool people here that know really much.

Maybe I've stated too little what the advantage of the pIII is (in my opinion): low power consumption. You can get the rig really silent, what I really like, since I use it as a video server in my living room too.

Sorry again. Hannes

[X-Caliber]

one more question for you guys, regarding the ASUS PC-DL board (or the IWILL board), is there any way I could get away with my current (PC POWER & COOLING) 400 WATT (SUPER-QUIET) ATX powersupply? It has a 20pin ATX connector, and I have seen 20 to 24 pin converters on eBay. But there is the small matter of the additional 8 pin VRM connector, which is required for the XEON. My power supply has a 4 pin connector, which is used for the P4. Is there an 4 to 8 pin converter? Will I really need a larger power supply? My plan was to try the ASUS (or IWILL) board, with one XEON.....and then when I get some more cash, I can get another. I just upgraded my power supply, from a Turbo Cool 300 Watt power supply, which was super loud! I live in a studio, and my computer (which runs 24/7, and is two feet from my bed) has probably killed off part of my hearing, but my new quiet 400 watt power supply is amazing!! PC Power & Cooling has a 15% sale, I would highly recommend one!!

[MultimediaMan]

Without chopping up your existing wiring harness, no.

Vantec's High End PSUs all support EPS 12V motherboards.