940 double cpu or 939 dual core

[sittingbison]

I need to build new computer mostly for autocad, 3dsmax, photoshop etc. Should I go dual core 939 (athlon or opteron?), or double 940 cpu mboard (2x opteron 250, or even 2x dual core cpus opteron 270).

Or should I go dark side of force and look at evil empire intel?

 

[sittingbison]

mostly use acad. I have had max, pshop and acad all running at same time. I personally think twin dual cores overkill, am really wanting advice as to go one dual core or twin singles, and whether opteron or athlon

 

[chuckshissle]

Socket 939 is great, however it ended with the FX-60. Socket 940 are coming out really fast making socket 939 one of the most shortest lifespan of the AMD based motherboard. I guess it's because of the 65 nanometer CPU of Intel. So 940 are really coming out with some of the fastest CPU and not to mention the quad they have been talking about. There's nothing wrong with the 939 in fact it is now the mainstream amongst AMD users. However with the socket 940, it makes your system future proof. Im looking to changing to socket 940 in several months myself.

 

[function9]

Socket 939 is great, however it ended with the FX-60. Socket 940 are coming out really fast making socket 939 one of the most shortest lifespan of the AMD based motherboard. I guess it's because of the 65 nanometer CPU of Intel. So 940 are really coming out with some of the fastest CPU and not to mention the quad they have been talking about. There's nothing wrong with the 939 in fact it is now the mainstream amongst AMD users. However with the socket 940, it makes your system future proof. Im looking to changing to socket 940 in several months myself.

He's talking about s940 now (Opteron). It depends on what you need. Do you need a high bandwidth SCSI/RAID/SATA controller? Do you need over 4gb of memory? Is dual NICs a must have? Do you need Registered memory?

The apps you mentioned, are more cpu intensive than anything. In that regard, a single dualcore chip will be just as fast as dual single core chips of the same clockspeed. What you get with a dual socket board is the ability to run >2 cores, more than 4gb of memory as well as it being Registered. You also get more options as far as expansion goes. Dual socket boards use PCI-X which can operate at 33mhz/66mhz/100mhz/133mhz. Some boards also have x8 and x4 pci-e slots.

I used to run a dual Opteron setup, but when dualcore chips came around I ditched it for an x2 4400. A lot of people look at dualcore chips as some weird, crazy or even useless invention. Where as I look at it as having the cpu power of dual processors for a heck of a lot less money.

 

[endyen]

There are pluses to dual chip and to dual core. Either way would be fine, just get opteron either way.
Realisticly, for the cost, the dual core s939 opterons are the best value.

 

[Makaveli]

listen to function 9, Socket 940 out right now, and the new socket 940 that will support DDR 2 are different and not compatible. Chuckshissle, needs to get updated on his facts before making suggestions!

 

[mpjesse]

Dual core processors are faster than dual CPU setups. Please review the following benchmarks:

Read the article in entirety here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/11/07/single/

-mpjesse

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Dual core processors are faster than dual CPU setups.

Da. That aside though, if you just need two CPUs and don't need all of that high end hardware, dualcore can still save you a butt load of cash.

 

[hawkstar]

Excellent thorough post from mpjesse.

One dual core opteron - 165 or 175 - should suit your needs and as slvr_phoenix says will save you many bucks.

 

[mpjesse]

Indeed it will... indeed.

-mpjesse