Better Server CPU

[Boney]

What is better suited for a gaming server ..... an intel or an amd?

Edit - will be a midranged cpu - like @ a 3500+ amd or whatever intel has at the same budget

 

[Furen]

I would think AMD but I'm not absolutely certain (I'm guessing you mean a P4 vs an A64, correct?)...

 

[Boney]

yes P4 vs A64

 

[TankGuys]

Are you looking to go dual core, or single core? What is your budget?

If you are looking to do a true "server" chip (i.e. Xeon or Opteron) then it's pretty much a no brainer... Opteron for sure.

Most people on this forum will tell you AMD is the way to go no matter what, but let's get some more info first

EDIT:

Oops posts were updated while I was writing mine!

If you are looking in that range, I'd lean AMD. Go with a nice venice/san diego core and you'll be happy.

 

[Boney]

Yea that was what my friend is trying to decide as well - Would a midrange single-core but HIGHER clocked and say 1mb cacheAMD be better for a server or would a dual core 3800+ be better.

The server is a @35 man server - his budget is @ $500 for a cpu, mobo + (maybe) cheap sata drive

 

[TankGuys]

Originally posted by: Boney
Yea that was what my friend is trying to decide as well - Would a midrange single-core but HIGHER clocked and say 1mb cacheAMD be better for a server or would a dual core 3800+ be better.

The server is a @35 man server - his budget is @ $500 for a cpu, mobo + (maybe) cheap sata drive

Does he use the machine for anything else? If he goes the dual core route, he could run it as a server but do other things with it at the same time. He may see a nice boost if the server software is mult-threaded... otherwise he could set all background processes to one core and the server program to the other, that would see a nice boost.

The dual core route gives him more options and flexibility; but also costs more... so it's a toss up.

 

[Boney]

No - its strictly a gaming server that sits in his room at work


Edit: Would there be any advantage (remember its a game server) of having a slower clocked 2.2ghz 512 cache skt 939 as apposed to having a skt 754 at 2.4 with 1mb cache at the same price?

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

A 754 with 1mb would be superior in all ways. You don't need dual channel for the server portion of the show. Only specific apps and most aren't games that take advantage of dual channel. 3800 for sure would be great since you could always sell another gameserver on the other resource of CPU BUT...if you are just doing the one and that is it. Go the 1mb cache with 754 you will be fine and save yourself some green. Best make sure you have enough ram though. Don't go less than 2 gig. That is the other problem with 754 is that you really max out around 2 gig. If the board has a 3rd slot most times it is still problematic which is not what you are looking for out of a server. If you are going to need more than 2 gig in anything other than a 2 x 1 gig arrangement...go 3800.