Dual CPU or DualCore?

[Noya]

I was thinking about building a new system (it would be my first).
I love to multi-task. I hate waiting and doing one thing at a time. I want to be able to:
a) listen to music
b) downloading
c) burning DVD/CDs
d) encoding DVDs
e) editing in Adobe PRO and Photoshop
f) browsing

...all at the same time.

I know I need multiple hard drives and plenty of ram.

Also, how do you setup multiple monitors?

What's the best video card for PRO? I think the newest version supports mainstream gaming cards, but im not sure?

Anyway, two Opteron 246 Troy's are $360 for both. An X2 3800 is $300. Granted the server mobo is more and the ECC registered RAM is more than the X2 counterpart.

So, my question is what do you think is better and WHY? What are the pros and con's of each?

Thanks!

 

[RichPLS]

What about the Dual Core Opterons series 1xx based on socket 939?
My Opty 175 suits me...

 

[admiral25]

dual core opteron 170 or 165 if you have highend mobo.

 

[kmjohnso]

Remember Toms comparison.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/11/07/single/index.html

Although a 4-core system would be sweet.

 

[Facey]

Duel Duel core!

Also, how do you setup multiple monitors?

Just plug them both into your gfx card (one to each output on the card). When you boot up you should see both displaying the same thing, then once you get to the windows login screen one will proberbly turn black. Log in, then right click on the desktop and go to properties. Then the settings tab, click on monitor 2 and tick extend my desktop to this monitor, chose the resilution you want and press apply/ok and you are done. 8)

There are other modes like clone, and stretch, but they are not very usefull tbh. Stretch creates one bigger screen, half of which is on each monitor. It is better to have 2 seperate desktops, because then you can maximise 2 differnt windows at the same time without having to drag their size manualy.

If you were using something like 3ds Max, it could be better to use stretch, then you could have more viewports, or just widescreen viewports.

Btw, if you use photoshop with 2 monitors, I find it is best to move all of your floating palets onto the 2nd monitor, so you can maximize your images on the first without any of them being coverd.

 

[Noya]

Concerning Toms comparo, they were using the (now) older 248 Opterons (130nm, 800mhz) vs. the newer 246 Troy (90nm, 1ghz, SSE3), though the 248 Sledgehammer was clocked at 2.2 vs 2.0 for the 246 Troy

Is it possible to overclock a dual CPU system? Or would that require a very expensive mobo/RAM?