Dual core, or not to Dual core

[Briang86]

Im trying to decide between 2 cpus for a new computer

Right now the tossup is between:

x2 4200 @ $185

and

xp 4000 @ $135

The 4200 has 2 cores at a slower clock speed, but with more cache. The 4000 has a higher clock speed but with half the L1 cache and its also cheaper.

anyone want to throw in their 2 cents?

[Langley]

Re: Dual core, or not to Dual core

Having more cache is superior to speed these days, especially between those two models.

[bside]

Re: Dual core, or not to Dual core

The 4200 has 2 cores at a slower clock speed, but with more cache. The 4000 has a higher clock speed but with half the L1 cache and its also cheaper.

First of all, that info is wrong, or maybe a typo. Currently available models of both Athlon 64 and Athlon 64 X2 have a total of 128KB L1 cache, regardless of model numbers (FX line has a 256KB L1 cache). Even if you meant L2 cache, 4000+ has 1MB L2 cache, and X2 4200+ (regardless of sockets 939 or AM2) has 512KB for each core, so actually 4000+ has twice the L2 cache per core as X2 4200+.

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/...e10248,00.html
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/...E13076,00.html

Under the current Athlon 64 X2 architecture, L2 cache is attached to each core, and is exclusive. Even if the total cache is 512KB x 2 = 1MB, it's not the same as CPU w/ 1MB L2 cache; L2 cache on X2 is never shared, unlike Core 2 Duo (this has both advantages and disadvantages, so which one's better depends on circumstances).

FFXI, like most other 3D games on the market today, isn't coded for multi-threading. Therefore, if you're seeing the new PC as a gaming machine, 4000+ would turn out to be better at this point, simply because of higher clock speed and more cache. But if you plan to use it for other purposes, especially those multi-threading-capable applications, and/or doing several other things at the same time, then X2 4200+ is for you.


Nevertheless, if you're buying/building a new Athlon-based PC now, I strongly recommend that you go w/ AM2 socket for future upgradability and better performace thanks to DDR2, although they don't currently offer 4000+ for AM2 (for AM2 single core, 3800+ is currently the fastest).