Dual Core AMD

Anyone have one? I've got an AMD 64 3800 right now. I was wondering if it was worth it to upgrade (even though the 3800 still kicks ass).

Any thoughts?

 

Can I have your old one if you upgrade?

 

If it happens, then I'll see what I can do for ya

 

Unless you have software made for dual core its a waste of money for someone with what you have now.

 

Sweet! that's all the reason I need. :bananalam




Software? Dual core is just like hyperthreading with Intel processors.

 

Uhm...NO.

Hyperthreading is faking two CPU's.
Dual Core IS two CPU's.

VERY big difference. Case and point: SQL performance can actually DROP with Hyper Threading enabled, dual cores are ALWAYS faster.

 

Gotcha. Shows you how much I knew about it.

 

speaking of dual-core... hwo do intel's compare? i hear they run really hot, but is it something somebody would notice or is it code for "don't try to overclock"?

i've got a 3.0 p4ht and i'm starting to think about my next upgrade. i'm thinking about getting the 3.0 dual core cuz it'll slap right in my current machine (i think) and it's in the $250 range. what's the comperable amd offering?

if i do upgrade, i'm going to move whatever parts come out of this box to my 2nd box (which means getting a new mobo either for my 3.0 intel or moving the cpu and mobo and getting an amd setup for my main unit).

if i upgrade, i'd like to keep it under $300 for the cpu/mobo...

 

Dual-Core is NOT two CPU's. It is two CPU cores on a single die. That is a big difference. On an Intel chip, those cores are linked via the primary CPU bus and on the AMD chip they are linked via internal pathways. In either case, a true dual CPU board will perform far better than a single dual-core chip based board.

Also the thing to keep in mind is that Intel and AMD have shipped Hyper-threading, dual-core and hypertransport knowing full well that 99% of the market is flooded with single CPU based applications. These technologies are designed as performance work arounds to the heat problems associated with continued increases in speed. Intel's HT was never intended to speed up enterprise apps like SQL and replace the multiprocessors servers. However in a desktop multi-tasking enviornment where the vast majority of PC's are in play, it can and does help nicely.

Dual-Core is probably currently more robust on the AMD line because the cores are communicating on a dedicated internal pathway whereas the Intel line is sharing the CPU bus. But that is why the AMD X2 series has a larger pricetag. And if you you do want to spend $1000 on a CPU and are a gamer, the Intel Extreme Edition 840 is currently the fastest of the fast. Dual Core and hypterthreaded to give you 4 logical processors.

 

What you ignore is that a CPU is a processing unit, and that in a dual core there are two processing units. There is a big difference in bus, shared L1 cache, etc., but it's still two CPU's.