- If you're thinking about moving to Linux you can run Windows and Linux parallel for a start

...or, as in my case, you want to run Linux on one cpu (or one core)
and Windows on another cpu / core. Dual monitor setup though. As I don't
have the desk real estate for that, there was no true need to go for an
X2 now.. I have dual monitors here at work now...and it has come in handy
from time to time...

Brian

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true, but I have a feeling Pacifica will only have a very limited
use in the real world.

...and if Man were meant to fly, God would've given him wings... :-)

Not trying to pick at you too much, because you're probably right, short-term.

aimed at the professional market, where VMWare and such are used,
not the average Joe Schmoe.

I'm waiting on OCZ to ramp production on their PC4000 Enhanced Bandwidth
1GB memory modules so I can buy two of them to go to 2GB memory so I can
use VMWare. That was the specific purpose of my hardware upgrade right
now. VMWare is very resource demanding.

would I like to be able to run FireFox or Maya in X, while at the same time playing a game under Vista? I don't think so, I don't need it.

Essentially the same as why I didn't buy an X2 processor yet... Short-term,
you're probably right...

would I like to be able to test a database-server and an application-server at the same time during development? yes, but real* performance-scaling for that stuff based on a Pacifica enabled system is pointless to me.

It would enable you to better test client/server performance, but no, not
if you are running your "real" server as an 8-way Opteron setup...

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true, but I have a feeling Pacifica will only have a very limited use in the real world.

I can think of various applications for virtualisation:

- Building a "sand box" to run your web browser in.
- Install Win95 to run your favourite game
- If you're thinking about moving to Linux you can run Windows and Linux parallel for a start

Regards Hans

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No, they also have hardware virtualization support. Perhaps not on the
bottom end, but you want to do a search for Pacifica...

true, but I have a feeling Pacifica will only have a very limited use in the real world.
as far as I understand it (and Intel's vanderwhatever) it is primeraly aimed at the professional market, where VMWare and such are used, not the average Joe Schmoe.
would I like to be able to run FireFox or Maya in X, while at the same time playing a game under Vista? I don't think so, I don't need it.
would I like to be able to test a database-server and an application-server at the same time during development? yes, but real* performance-scaling for that stuff based on a Pacifica enabled system is pointless to me.


*disclaimer: I work with corporate-sized databases on a near daily basis.

iirc the only "exciting" thing about them is DDR2 support, other then that they're just Athlon64 parts on a new socket (M2 is not pin-compatible with the current socket 940).

No, they also have hardware virtualization support. Perhaps not on the
bottom end, but you want to do a search for Pacifica...

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http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/opteron/default.aspx select Socket 939
and I've already seen them on "green" on Alternate.nl

Willy, I think you have been misinformed about the Opterons, but that's water under the bridge now.

back on topic, any info on the other socket AMD is going to release?

I hate being wrong, especialy when I'm not sure what I'm wrong about (about what have I been misinformed).

Anyway, Tom says it here http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20051107/single_core_cpus_aint_dead_yet-05.html#amds_opteron_family

The dual-core Opterons based on the Italy core are technically very related to the Athlon 64 X2 Manchester core, as both have two 512 kB L2 caches for each of the cores. An Opteron derivative of the Toledo core (with two 1 MB L2 caches) is not yet available.

Mine on the AMD site: http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/desktop/details.aspx?opn=ADA4400DAA6CD

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Join team BOINCstats

Willy, I think you have been misinformed about the Opterons, but that's water under the bridge now.

back on topic, any info on the other socket AMD is going to release?

I have been thinking about buying an Opteron or a dual core Athlon, and every place that I have looked says that the Operon had a 2x1mb L2 cache and the Athlon dual core only 2x512mb L2 cache. Every site I have been to also shows a lower price for the Opteron.

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{snip}
But I just bought an X2 for my webserver. Couldn't wait anymore for M2. Needed it now.

why an X2 and not an Opteron 1xx series dual core?

(sorry for the off-topic)

Because it was a) cheaper and b) available and c) Opterons are only available with 2x512Kb L2 cache. 'My' X2 has 2x1Mb.

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Join team BOINCstats

{snip}
But I just bought an X2 for my webserver. Couldn't wait anymore for M2. Needed it now.

why an X2 and not an Opteron 1xx series dual core?

(sorry for the off-topic)

Another good processor that was just released by AMD is the Skt 939 series of the Opterons. They run on most Skt 939 boards, have at least 1M L2, come in dual core also, and are cheaper than the comparable standard A64. They also overclock like crazy with the Opteron 144 being able to be overclocked from 1.8Ghz to 3.0Ghz on air...!!!. Here's some links:

http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/opteron/details.aspx?opn=OSA144BNBOX

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75211

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103598

I'm not going to upgrade my home system for a long time. It's fast enough for what I'm doing with it (although some extra MHz for BOINC doesn't hurt).

But I just bought an X2 for my webserver. Couldn't wait anymore for M2. Needed it now.

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It's still faster than my 3200+ socket 754.

I always want the latest and best CPU, but I also have a wife. Can't have both :)

not going to comment on the wife thing :P
when coming from a 754 system (or even earlier), it makes sense to wait a bit longer untill they are released before you upgrade.
I gave up the quest for the latest and greatest when I discovered I could get dual xeon systems for the same price as a mid-range A64 with a high-end board.

It's still faster than my 3200+ socket 754.

I always want the latest and best CPU, but I also have a wife. Can't have both :)

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iirc the only "exciting" thing about them is DDR2 support, other then that they're just Athlon64 parts on a new socket (M2 is not pin-compatible with the current socket 940).

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http://www.tgdaily.com/2005/11/08/amd_to_launch_940-pin_cpus/index.html

Yep: want one.

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http://www.tgdaily.com/2005/11/08/amd_to_launch_940-pin_cpus/index.html

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