Athlon 64 in MCE: Faster Clock or more Cache advantageous?

[homestarmy]

If you have two processors that are about the same as quick in SuperPi, but one has a quarter of the cache (one has 256KB, the other 1MB) but is faster, which would you put in the media center?

Could Media Center utilize the extra clocks or the extra cache more?

And in what other circumstances would the cache be advantageous over the clocks?

 

[homestarmy]

Bump because I know you guys are smart enough to know this!

 

[Lord Banshee]

Clockspeed Always.... IMO

Cache has speed increase only in certain apps, where Clockspeeds will speed up everything. I would think the MCE wouldn't really take advantage of the Cache much, so go with the higher Clockspeed.

 

[broly8877]

cache = biggest advantage in encoding
So... yeah, I imagine a MC rig will be doing lots of that.

Of course a clock speed bump can outweigh it, not sure if it completely does in this case. 256KB is tiny.


EDIT: Dual core is strongly recommended for MC, by the way.

 

[Philippart]

for MCE more clock speed for sure!
more cache is good for office/encoding...

 

[homestarmy]

So without overclocking, would you go with a 2.4GHz Newcastle with 256kb in MCE or a 2.2GHz Clawhammer with 1MB?

 

[hennethannun]

increasing clock speed is a better all-around performance enhancer, BUT it is usually not a choice of "Spend $50 for more clock speed" or "spend $50 for more cache". generally, clock speed bumps are more expensive than cache bumps, so a 4400+ X2 costs somwhere in between a 4200+ and a 4600+

 

[homestarmy]

But if you had the two processors that I just listed above...?

 

[formulav8]

IF it was me I would do the 1MB cache 2.2ghz cpu. If it was a 2.4ghz 512KB Cache model I would do that, but since it is a 2.4ghz 256KB Model, the 2.2ghz 1MB Cache cpu is the better.



Jason

 

[Spikesoldier]

raw clock speed > fsb speed > memory speed > cache speed

 

[homestarmy]

Cache speed? You mean size?

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Spikesoldier
raw clock speed > fsb speed > memory speed > cache speed

So by your logic, (for example) a Celeron 3.2ghz has better performance than an Athlon 64 3200+? :roll:

Let me guess, you were a die-hard Pentium 4 fanboy.