How much does cache effect performance?

P

Psycho

Gawd
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I'm looking at two system's that are around the same price. I passed on the dual MP system.

System 1 : Dual 866mhz P3's with 256k cache

System 2 : Dual 550Mhz Xeon's with 2mb cache

Both systems are going to be upgraded to 2 gigs of ram and a nice 36GB 15K SCSI drive along with windows XP Pro. The computer is going to be used for APPS only... Have a C2D system for games :D

What would be better for what i want to do? The Xeon because of the 2 megs of cache?
 
Didnt xeons have more going for them in those days, rather than now where they are just the same CPUs modified to work in dual/multi
 
DeFex said:
Didnt xeons have more going for them in those days, rather than now where they are just the same CPUs modified to work in dual/multi
Click to expand...

Back then P3 Xeon's were essentially just regular pentium's with a shitload more cache.
 
Given that the 256kB cache had something like a 95% hit rate, I don't think that the extra cache would count for much compared to the raw clock speed difference. If the only difference is clock and cache, I'd expect the PIII to do better most of the time.
 
id go for the P3s

im not sure how high P2 based xeons went in terms of clock speed, but even if those xeons are P3 based, they will most likely be Katmais (slot based AFAIK), while the 866s will be coppermines, which is a much better core

also keep in mind the xeons have a 100 mhz buss, the p3s are on 133 mhz
 
Between the 866mhz/256KB and 550mhz/2MB, it would really depend on the app. For some the 866 would out perform the 550 and like wise the other way around.

Question: Why not get a system with 700mhz/2MB Xeons? The systems are dirt cheap for duals and even quads. Most of the time shipping costs as much or more than the system. Even quad Xeon 900mhz/2MB system are around $200.

Keith
 
402blownstroker said:
Between the 866mhz/256KB and 550mhz/2MB, it would really depend on the app. For some the 866 would out perform the 550 and like wise the other way around.

Question: Why not get a system with 700mhz/2MB Xeons? The systems are dirt cheap for duals and even quads. Most of the time shipping costs as much or more than the system. Even quad Xeon 900mhz/2MB system are around $200.

Keith
Click to expand...

I'm just looking for something to fuck around with. I already have a quad 900mhz 2M server. :D
 
The 866s will blow away the Xeons. Higher FSB, more than 50% higher clock.
 
well i did some aditional research, reasons not to get the 550 mhz xeons:

- Katmai core is 250 nm, coppermine in 180nm, so high possible clocks on the p3
- Katmai core has external L2 cache at half the core speed, coppermine has internal L2 at full core speed
 
upgrade it to dual P3-s 1.4ghz


i have a single p3-s 1.4ghz running in my hobby rig..
ordered a dual P3 mainboard with a second 1.4ghz p3..

( also got two of those adapter for them ( from www.upgradeware.com)

i am going to try 3dmark 2006 after i have this rig done..

lol dual p3-s 1.4ghz(512k cache)
1.2gb PC133
Asus Cuv4x-D
X800 GTO 16 pipe 256mb

this will be a good rig lol

( with single cpu i can run BF 2142 on it.. playable.)
 
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