ARGH! Another decision.. 2xAthlon MPs or 1xPentium 4


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Ah! I got another decision on my hands here.. I was thinking, MPs are for workstations, why arnt they made for gamers? Do they have a larger cache? Within a couple of months, when the CH and the PRESCOTT emerge, the mps are gonna be cheap as bleep, so I was thinking 2x2000's (or 2100s) or 1xP4 2.4 ghz 533 bus..

let me do the math.. dual amds would be 533 bus as well

WHAT would be more for my money.. would i ACTUALLY get the performance of 4ghz?

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NO you wouldn't get 4ghz effectively. No you wouldn't get a 533mhz bus with dual AMD's, and no the Athlon MP's don't have a larger cache. Not to mention with Dual cpu's you'll need an os that supports, that being, NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and *nix. In games you will not get both processors working on the game for twice the power. You will still use a 133mhz fsb with the dual athlons. I say wait for the CH and get your self a good single processor rig, with serial ATA and AGP 8x.

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so i have heard Athlon MPs are just Athlon XPs that have been tested to work with multi-processors and passed so they add a load more to the price

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I've seen someone with an Athlon MP computer, and they are pretty good. The problem is that you will need a bigger tower so that those processors don't cook. Furthermore, if you are limited in budget, then I'd suggest that you go to the P4 computer.

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They're nothing but xp's with the smp part turned ON, no different. The big deal is that the only real dual mobo for is really the tyan, wich sucks for a gamer. Not to mention that no games are coded for dual processors, and I think you gotta use the more expensive, and slightly slower registered ram. Just buy the fastest single proc system you can afford, unless your gonna edit movies or design nukes or something

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actually there are a couple of games (QIII for one) that can take advantage of smp - yes athlon mp's are just xp's, xp's can be used in an mp configuration, but you have to connect bridges similar to unlocking athlons for overclocking - these guys are right, go for a single proc (that p4 would be a good choice if you're buying right now)

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I would go for the dual system if you are big on programming, rendering, or just for impressing people...I myself have a dual 1900 mp system.

The P4 may be more stable and more compatable for software not designed for SMP systemss...which includes for the most part games.

As for the difference between XP and MP in dual configurations, you should go for the MP's...as they are covered under support and warrenty when in dual configuration where as the XP's are not. And correct me if i am wrong, but while the chip programming is exactly the same as the XP's, the MP does have some additional overhead programming which allow for a more seamless SMP compatibility.

Go dual

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