Difference between AMD 64 and Opteron CPU's

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
S

SynthDude2001

Lifer
Mar 19, 2003
18,289
2
71
The new Opterons are overclocking very well overall, and they have twice the L2 cache of the 3500+ you're also considering. The 146 you linked to has a 200MHz slower stock frequency than the 3500+, but due to the extra L2 cache and overclocking ability, that isn't really an issue.
 
L

Linearsoup

Member
Jun 25, 2005
107
0
0
hello didnt want to start a new thread so thought id jump on this one,anyone know what multis the 939 opterons have,i think id need 11x as my board maxs out around 270htt,cheers
 
TankGuys

TankGuys

Golden Member
Jun 3, 2005
1,080
0
0
Originally posted by: Linearsoup
hello didnt want to start a new thread so thought id jump on this one,anyone know what multis the 939 opterons have,i think id need 11x as my board maxs out around 270htt,cheers
Click to expand...

144 = 9x
146 = 10x
148 = 11x

I THINK. Could be wrong though, it's happened in the past :)
 
A

andrewbabcock

Senior member
Oct 2, 2005
561
0
0
Originally posted by: SynthDude2001
The new Opterons are overclocking very well overall, and they have twice the L2 cache of the 3500+ you're also considering. The 146 you linked to has a 200MHz slower stock frequency than the 3500+, but due to the extra L2 cache and overclocking ability, that isn't really an issue.
Click to expand...

People need to realize that the majority of 939 Optys can't oc at all. A few rare ones might be able to do like a 100% oc with really good cooling, but most of them will be able to do less than 40%. They are not very good ocers unless you get really, really, good stepping. And you won't because they made mostly bad stepping ones.

 
TankGuys

TankGuys

Golden Member
Jun 3, 2005
1,080
0
0
Originally posted by: andrewbabcock
Originally posted by: SynthDude2001
The new Opterons are overclocking very well overall, and they have twice the L2 cache of the 3500+ you're also considering. The 146 you linked to has a 200MHz slower stock frequency than the 3500+, but due to the extra L2 cache and overclocking ability, that isn't really an issue.
Click to expand...

People need to realize that the majority of 939 Optys can't oc at all. A few rare ones might be able to do like a 100% oc with really good cooling, but most of them will be able to do less than 40%. They are not very good ocers unless you get really, really, good stepping. And you won't because they made mostly bad stepping ones.
Click to expand...


??

I have not seen any do 100%...

40% is a very nice overclock by any standard...

And even the "bad" steppings are generally hitting 2.5+ which is a 40% OC right there.

I'm not sure where you're getting the impression that they aren't good OCers in general from, no offense intended.
 
D

Drizzy

Golden Member
Dec 12, 2003
1,229
0
0
Originally posted by: andrewbabcock
Originally posted by: SynthDude2001
The new Opterons are overclocking very well overall, and they have twice the L2 cache of the 3500+ you're also considering. The 146 you linked to has a 200MHz slower stock frequency than the 3500+, but due to the extra L2 cache and overclocking ability, that isn't really an issue.
Click to expand...

People need to realize that the majority of 939 Optys can't oc at all. A few rare ones might be able to do like a 100% oc with really good cooling, but most of them will be able to do less than 40%. They are not very good ocers unless you get really, really, good stepping. And you won't because they made mostly bad stepping ones.
Click to expand...

I love it when people talk like experts "people need to realize..." when they are completely ignorant to the facts - go to some OC websites and read up then post something intelligent.
 
I

icarus4586

Senior member
Jun 10, 2004
219
0
0
So anyway, differences between the desktop Athlon 64 and the server/workstation Opteron.
The Opterons all come with 1MB L2 cache, whereas all recent Athlon 64s have only 512KB. Also, Opterons have two HT links, which means that they can be used in DP situations. Sometimes (like in the case of the 1xx models) the second link isn't verified. (I think... it might also just not be there) Opteron 1xx series are tested to be used in single CPU situations, 2xx in dual, 4xx in quad, and 8xx in 8 and up.
At first all Opterons used socket 940 and required dual channel ECC memory, the Athlon 64s used socket 754 with single channel non-ECC, but now you can get both of them in socket 939 dual channel, non-ECC.
 
J

jiffylube1024

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
7,430
0
71
Originally posted by: andrewbabcock
Originally posted by: SynthDude2001
The new Opterons are overclocking very well overall, and they have twice the L2 cache of the 3500+ you're also considering. The 146 you linked to has a 200MHz slower stock frequency than the 3500+, but due to the extra L2 cache and overclocking ability, that isn't really an issue.
Click to expand...

People need to realize that the majority of 939 Optys can't oc at all. A few rare ones might be able to do like a 100% oc with really good cooling, but most of them will be able to do less than 40%. They are not very good ocers unless you get really, really, good stepping. And you won't because they made mostly bad stepping ones.
Click to expand...

Huh? You say the majority of 939's can't overclock at all, then most of them will overclock, but less than 40%. That's not "not at all" - that's a half decent o/c, and it all depends on which model Opteron.

It looks like they're overclocking very similar to regular A64's: generally the 2.5-2.7 range.
 
V

vtohthree

Senior member
Apr 18, 2005
701
0
0
I was wondering this myself, I knew for starters about the larger cache, and the renaming of the core(venus? rebadged SD possibly?) from rumours and speculations floating around... but I've been hearing so many good things lately about the Opterons that its steering my attention away from A64's... I was planning on getting the A64 3800+ X2, then I found out about the Opteron 165(sneaking in a question, is it a better buy hands down?)... then I was also considering an A64 3700+(san diego), then I found out about the Opteron 146(sneaking in the same question, is the opteron a better buy hands down?) all this with the factor and full intents of Overclocking these chips.... are they better?

haha, sorry to steal your thread tealk, just furthering the topic..cheers!

because my thread got neglected
in a nutshell, "Opteron's vs A64's"
 
F

Furen

Golden Member
Oct 21, 2004
1,567
0
0
There are no specification differences between the A64s and the socket 939 Opterons aside from the cache (in some cases). Opterons tend to overclock differently (better seems to be the concensus), at lower voltages but end up being a bit hotter when overclocked (not Prescott hot, just hotter than the 41C load temperatures we're so used to, this is an exageration, by the way) and dont seem to gain much from voltage hikes (I've seen an Opteron 146 hit 2.9GHz at stock volts but only gain like 50MHz from voltage hikes all the way to 1.65v, it had a load temperature of 55C or so, if my memory serves me right). They're also validated differently so I'd guess they're more "reliable" (whatever the hell that means) but the package SHOULD be the same.

Now, before all of you start saying that I dont know what I'm talking about I want to say that all of this is based on my limited experience with a few CPUs of the intial batches, havent had any experience with the two newer revisions.
 
L

Linearsoup

Member
Jun 25, 2005
107
0
0
got rained off so thought id do a bit more testing and am at 310htt so looks like i will get away with a 146,result as its saved me 50 quid
 
biostud

biostud

Lifer
Feb 27, 2003
18,854
5,728
136
Originally posted by: icarus4586
So anyway, differences between the desktop Athlon 64 and the server/workstation Opteron.
The Opterons all come with 1MB L2 cache, whereas all recent Athlon 64s have only 512KB. Also, Opterons have two HT links, which means that they can be used in DP situations. Sometimes (like in the case of the 1xx models) the second link isn't verified. (I think... it might also just not be there) Opteron 1xx series are tested to be used in single CPU situations, 2xx in dual, 4xx in quad, and 8xx in 8 and up.
At first all Opterons used socket 940 and required dual channel ECC memory, the Athlon 64s used socket 754 with single channel non-ECC, but now you can get both of them in socket 939 dual channel, non-ECC.
Click to expand...

1xx = single CPU
2xx = max dual CPU
4xx = doesn't exists
8xx = multicore servers (I've seen up to 16 way server.)

The new Opterons are San Diego core's. (Dualcore beeing Toledo)
New A64 are either SD or Venice X2 beeing either Manchester, Toledo or Toledo with half of the cache disabled.
 
T

tealk

Diamond Member
May 27, 2005
4,104
0
76
"I was wondering this myself, I knew for starters about the larger cache, and the renaming of the core(venus? rebadged SD possibly?) from rumours and speculations floating around... but I've been hearing so many good things lately about the Opterons that its steering my attention away from A64's... I was planning on getting the A64 3800+ X2, then I found out about the Opteron 165(sneaking in a question, is it a better buy hands down?)... then I was also considering an A64 3700+(san diego), then I found out about the Opteron 146(sneaking in the same question, is the opteron a better buy hands down?) all this with the factor and full intents of Overclocking these chips.... are they better?
haha, sorry to steal your thread tealk, just furthering the topic..cheers!
because my thread got neglected
in a nutshell, "Opteron's vs A64's"


HAHA! was thinking the same thing man...no problem.
 
T

TheMafioso

Member
Jun 2, 2005
178
0
0
Hey Guys,

Can anyone tell me what it is the exact difference between Athlon64 and Opteron(Apart from they being good OCers and meant for servers).I was also looking forward to buy a s939 opteron for my brother, but i'm confused. Will the opteron be as good as a64 in normal tasks (like gaming, etc).

Regards
TM
 
R

ribbon13

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2005
9,343
0
0
If the clockspeed, L2 cache, core revision, and socket are all the same, they perform identically clock for clock. The only difference is the Opteron is burned in and tested more thoroughly. Otherwise its the same damn silicon.
 
T

tealk

Diamond Member
May 27, 2005
4,104
0
76
so which one will not run fast er then the other???...and I'm talking system speed...I am looking to get the best speed out of my system....I do not game....I just want a fast a$$ PC for internet....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom