Subject:Single vs. Dual processor PC

Posted by: dlcham

Date:9/11/2002 2:06:08 PM

I'm getting ready to have a new PC built, and wanted to get some feedback on the pros and cons of a single P4 2.0+ GHz CPU configuration vs. a dual P3 1.0 + Ghz CPU setup. I've never tried to tune a dual cpu machine, but heard it can be tricky, and wasn't sure if the throughput advantages of a dual processor system are significant enough to go that route. Any advice or war stories are welcome.

Thanks -

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: SonyNateM

Date:9/11/2002 2:16:01 PM

There are some important points to consider when looking at dual processor machines:

1) Most of your applications will not access both processors. If an app was not written to be multi-processor friendly, then it cannot utilize both CPU's. Your OS will then decide which CPU gets to run it's processes, and it may not make the right decisions. If you have checked on all of the software you use, and have no problem with this, read on.

2) Two 1GHz CPU's are normally not as fast as one 2GHz CPU. There will always be cycles lost due to the threading process that will cause a dual processor machine to slow up a little bit.

Personally, and these are just my own opinions, I find dual processor machines to be slightly less responsive in real-world use. Things just aren't quite as "snappy" as they are on a brand new machine with a fast, single CPU. While I'm all for multi-processor machines for heavy (preferably non-real-time) processing, I think you can squeeze a bit more real-time performance out of a top-of-the-line single CPU machine.

Anyone else have thoughts? I haven't used a dual processor machine as my everyday workstation in the "real world" in a long time. Have things changed? Anyone loving their dual machine?

Nate

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: dlcham

Date:9/11/2002 2:22:12 PM

Are Sonic Foundry's apps designed to take advantage of dual CPUs?

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: anon

Date:9/11/2002 2:41:58 PM

I would assume so since, the Boxx PC that's in the SF catalog supplied with Acid, Sound Forge and Vegas has dual AMD's.

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:9/11/2002 4:06:41 PM

I believe almost every SoFo app does; I know ACID does.

Doesn't the OS have to support dual processors too? I know that Windows XP Professional, for example, has dual (or multiple) processor support, while Windows XP Home doesn't.

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: TeeCee

Date:9/11/2002 5:57:27 PM

Peter (if you're listening):
What Sonic Foundry products support dual processors? I think I know, but these guys whant to know as well.

I used to be into the dual processor thing when Celerons could be had cheap and fast with a cheap motherboard. If XP Pro had been around then, I would have been all over it. But dual Xeons or MPs don't seem worth it. I guess I'm dual CPU now. I have two audio PCs each running an Athlon XP 1600+. I get to decide which CPU runs which product ;).

TeeCee

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: Polaris20

Date:9/11/2002 7:44:51 PM

I think the better route to go if you really want to go duallie is to get the Tyan 2466 server board with the AMD761 chipset, and dual Athlon MP 2000+'s. That will whoop the snot out of a single P4 2.0Ghz.

You do have to be running XP Pro or Win2KPro for dual CPU's to work. XP Home and 98SE/ME do not support it.

I spec'd out the dual AMD MP2000+ with a 400W P/S, case, 80gig HD, 1gig DDR ram, 64mb DDR ATI AGP card and it came out to $1248.

I build my own PC's, I don't know if you guys do the same.

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: groovewerx

Date:9/11/2002 10:56:03 PM

i use a dual p3 1ghz box (not boxx) for all audio tasks but it really comes down to what s/w you'll be running and how much multi-tasking your rig will be doing.

acid runs better on dualies. so does cubase but if you're just doing the basics, get a fast single proc box.

beware of the super fast chips because they generate a lot of heat which means if you're not running a hydro-cooled system, the cooling fans will be loud.

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: Polaris20

Date:9/12/2002 5:02:11 AM

I really don't think any version of Acid is going to need dual processors enough to spend the extra money on it. I've been running 2.0 since I had a 266Mhz. Sure it wasn't great, but it ran.

It just depends on what else you're doing. I run Adobe Photoshop, so I would benefit from dual cpus in at least 3 programs. Still, it's a significant jump in price.

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: groovewerx

Date:9/12/2002 6:10:56 AM

not a huge price difference. i can build a monster smp a/v rig for under $2000.

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/12/2002 9:13:10 AM

>>Peter (if you're listening):
What Sonic Foundry products support dual processors? I think I know, but these guys whant to know as well.
<<
All of our current apps take advantage of SMP boxes under Win2000/XP pro. (The OS MUST support SMP for this to happen.)

We rely on the OS schedualing and affinity assigments to control how CPU usage is done. This basically implies that any multithreaded application will take advantage of the OSes ability to use DUAL processors.

What Nate commented on is very accurate. A dual 1 gHz box is not the equivalent of a single 2.0 gHz box. The most notible improvement in a SMP configuration is that the GUI is more responsive over all.

Peter

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: dlcham

Date:9/12/2002 5:28:48 PM

Thanks for the feedback. Here's a benchmark test that may be good for further discussion, although it doesn't address streaming applications, per se.

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/article/1511.4/

Subject:RE: Single vs. Dual processor PC

Reply by: Polaris20

Date:9/13/2002 6:29:21 AM

There is a decent price difference though, when I can build a full Intel 2.0Ghz box for $600 bucks.

the Dual Athlon MP was twice that. How's that not a big price difference?