Opteron 170 = Pentium 4 @4 ghz?

[vertigofm]

Is this true? Since two dual cores would simply add to 4ghz? Someone told me this... That in terms of gaming performance a P4 at 4ghz is equal to a dual core opteron at 2 ghz (Just for gaming)

 

[n7]

No.

But since P4 aren't the best with games in the first place, the Opteron 170 at stock performs about the same as the P4 640-650 (3.2-3.4 GHz) or Pentium D 940-950 (3.2-3.4 GHz).

 

[TrevorRC]

Wow.

A SINGLE core of an Opteron 170 (which runs at 2Ghz) is something around a P4@ 3.4Ghz, possibly higher.

You can't 'add' the clock cycles--not unless EVERY application you're using is completely multi-threaded.

Basically, NO Pentium 4 (Non-dual core) can stand up to an Opteron 170 in multi-threaded applications, and the same holds true the other way around (though an FX-57 might beat a lower End Pentium D.)

In other words...
Don't simply add frequencies--AMDs do far more work per cycle than do Intels. (Comparing a P4 to a 64)

First, multiply the frequencies by 1.5 (AMD), and then you'll get a decent comparison.

 

[kyparrish]

Nope. If you could simply add up the speed of both, and it WAS equal, it would be equal to a P4 at about 6.4ghz.

But, with dual core, you can't just add up all of the speed of both cores to find a "real" score. Programs that are multi-threaded (written to take advantage and use both cores) can be blazingly fast, mimicking having a "4ghz AMD" chip. But, most programs and games for now are single-threaded, meaning they are only utilizing one of your cores at any given time.

Now, a 2ghz A64 is still plenty fast by itself, but what the dual-core gives you is a whole other core that you can use at the same time if your first core is busy doing something. For example, I can encode video with FairUse Wizard, and instead of my computer being completly sluggish and locked up since cpu usage is 100%, I can surf the internet, play iTunes, play games, type in Word, etc. with no lag since I have a whole other core free to help me out while the first core is at 100% usage.

 

[MBrown]

You can't add the speeds of the two cores together. And AMD uses a different numbering system than Intel and speed doesn't always mean faster.

 

[obeseotron]

Read any cpu review.

 

[vertigofm]

Originally posted by: kyparrish
Nope. If you could simply add up the speed of both, and it WAS equal, it would be equal to a P4 at about 6.4ghz.

But, with dual core, you can't just add up all of the speed of both cores to find a "real" score. Programs that are multi-threaded (written to take advantage and use both cores) can be blazingly fast, mimicking having a "4ghz AMD" chip. But, most programs and games for now are single-threaded, meaning they are only utilizing one of your cores at any given time.

Now, a 2ghz A64 is still plenty fast by itself, but what the dual-core gives you is a whole other core that you can use at the same time if your first core is busy doing something. For example, I can encode video with FairUse Wizard, and instead of my computer being completly sluggish and locked up since cpu usage is 100%, I can surf the internet, play iTunes, play games, type in Word, etc. with no lag since I have a whole other core free to help me out while the first core is at 100% usage.

so does that mean single threaded games only utilize one of the dual cores?

 

[robertk2012]

Originally posted by: vertigofm

Originally posted by: kyparrish
Nope. If you could simply add up the speed of both, and it WAS equal, it would be equal to a P4 at about 6.4ghz.

But, with dual core, you can't just add up all of the speed of both cores to find a "real" score. Programs that are multi-threaded (written to take advantage and use both cores) can be blazingly fast, mimicking having a "4ghz AMD" chip. But, most programs and games for now are single-threaded, meaning they are only utilizing one of your cores at any given time.

Now, a 2ghz A64 is still plenty fast by itself, but what the dual-core gives you is a whole other core that you can use at the same time if your first core is busy doing something. For example, I can encode video with FairUse Wizard, and instead of my computer being completly sluggish and locked up since cpu usage is 100%, I can surf the internet, play iTunes, play games, type in Word, etc. with no lag since I have a whole other core free to help me out while the first core is at 100% usage.

so does that mean single threaded games only utilize one of the dual cores?

As far as your concerned the answer is yes.

 

[necro007]

Originally posted by: vertigofm

Originally posted by: kyparrish
Nope. If you could simply add up the speed of both, and it WAS equal, it would be equal to a P4 at about 6.4ghz.

But, with dual core, you can't just add up all of the speed of both cores to find a "real" score. Programs that are multi-threaded (written to take advantage and use both cores) can be blazingly fast, mimicking having a "4ghz AMD" chip. But, most programs and games for now are single-threaded, meaning they are only utilizing one of your cores at any given time.

Now, a 2ghz A64 is still plenty fast by itself, but what the dual-core gives you is a whole other core that you can use at the same time if your first core is busy doing something. For example, I can encode video with FairUse Wizard, and instead of my computer being completly sluggish and locked up since cpu usage is 100%, I can surf the internet, play iTunes, play games, type in Word, etc. with no lag since I have a whole other core free to help me out while the first core is at 100% usage.

so does that mean single threaded games only utilize one of the dual cores?

I also want to know this.

 

[Jules]

Originally posted by: necro007

Originally posted by: vertigofm

Originally posted by: kyparrish
Nope. If you could simply add up the speed of both, and it WAS equal, it would be equal to a P4 at about 6.4ghz.

But, with dual core, you can't just add up all of the speed of both cores to find a "real" score. Programs that are multi-threaded (written to take advantage and use both cores) can be blazingly fast, mimicking having a "4ghz AMD" chip. But, most programs and games for now are single-threaded, meaning they are only utilizing one of your cores at any given time.

Now, a 2ghz A64 is still plenty fast by itself, but what the dual-core gives you is a whole other core that you can use at the same time if your first core is busy doing something. For example, I can encode video with FairUse Wizard, and instead of my computer being completly sluggish and locked up since cpu usage is 100%, I can surf the internet, play iTunes, play games, type in Word, etc. with no lag since I have a whole other core free to help me out while the first core is at 100% usage.

so does that mean single threaded games only utilize one of the dual cores?

I also want to know this.

id like to know this also.

But isnt 1 of the cores way better then any p4 out there? or it doesnt workt that way?

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: vertigofm

Originally posted by: kyparrish
Nope. If you could simply add up the speed of both, and it WAS equal, it would be equal to a P4 at about 6.4ghz.

But, with dual core, you can't just add up all of the speed of both cores to find a "real" score. Programs that are multi-threaded (written to take advantage and use both cores) can be blazingly fast, mimicking having a "4ghz AMD" chip. But, most programs and games for now are single-threaded, meaning they are only utilizing one of your cores at any given time.

Now, a 2ghz A64 is still plenty fast by itself, but what the dual-core gives you is a whole other core that you can use at the same time if your first core is busy doing something. For example, I can encode video with FairUse Wizard, and instead of my computer being completly sluggish and locked up since cpu usage is 100%, I can surf the internet, play iTunes, play games, type in Word, etc. with no lag since I have a whole other core free to help me out while the first core is at 100% usage.

so does that mean single threaded games only utilize one of the dual cores?

Basically, while the other core is left to "tend the fort" so to speak. While the one core is gaming, the other core is managing the rest of what the computer's doing (windows background processes, other apps you have going while gaming, etc...).

 

[robertk2012]

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: vertigofm

Originally posted by: kyparrish
Nope. If you could simply add up the speed of both, and it WAS equal, it would be equal to a P4 at about 6.4ghz.

But, with dual core, you can't just add up all of the speed of both cores to find a "real" score. Programs that are multi-threaded (written to take advantage and use both cores) can be blazingly fast, mimicking having a "4ghz AMD" chip. But, most programs and games for now are single-threaded, meaning they are only utilizing one of your cores at any given time.

Now, a 2ghz A64 is still plenty fast by itself, but what the dual-core gives you is a whole other core that you can use at the same time if your first core is busy doing something. For example, I can encode video with FairUse Wizard, and instead of my computer being completly sluggish and locked up since cpu usage is 100%, I can surf the internet, play iTunes, play games, type in Word, etc. with no lag since I have a whole other core free to help me out while the first core is at 100% usage.

so does that mean single threaded games only utilize one of the dual cores?

Basically, while the other core is left to "tend the fort" so to speak. While the one core is gaming, the other core is managing the rest of what the computer's doing (windows background processes, other apps you have going while gaming, etc...).

Pretty much. If you set the affinity that is exactly what happens. Otherwise there is some switching between the two processors. But basically if the program isnt dual core aware it operates on one core. Many new games are multithreaded though.

 

[essasin]

I did not notice any noticble difference from a opty 148 to a 165 during gaming. But there is a huge difference when multi tasking.

 

[vertigofm]

Originally posted by: robertk2012

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: vertigofm

Originally posted by: kyparrish
Nope. If you could simply add up the speed of both, and it WAS equal, it would be equal to a P4 at about 6.4ghz.

But, with dual core, you can't just add up all of the speed of both cores to find a "real" score. Programs that are multi-threaded (written to take advantage and use both cores) can be blazingly fast, mimicking having a "4ghz AMD" chip. But, most programs and games for now are single-threaded, meaning they are only utilizing one of your cores at any given time.

Now, a 2ghz A64 is still plenty fast by itself, but what the dual-core gives you is a whole other core that you can use at the same time if your first core is busy doing something. For example, I can encode video with FairUse Wizard, and instead of my computer being completly sluggish and locked up since cpu usage is 100%, I can surf the internet, play iTunes, play games, type in Word, etc. with no lag since I have a whole other core free to help me out while the first core is at 100% usage.

so does that mean single threaded games only utilize one of the dual cores?

Basically, while the other core is left to "tend the fort" so to speak. While the one core is gaming, the other core is managing the rest of what the computer's doing (windows background processes, other apps you have going while gaming, etc...).

Pretty much. If you set the affinity that is exactly what happens. Otherwise there is some switching between the two processors. But basically if the program isnt dual core aware it operates on one core. Many new games are multithreaded though.

So does that mean dual cores are bad for gaming?

 

[TanisHalfElven]

no there great. just don't expect them to equal a really fast single threaded proc.
also remeber the above point is valid that one core is always free to handle the system so your game performance increses slightly

 

[vertigofm]

Do you expect games that come out now to utilize dual core?

 

[kyparrish]

Originally posted by: vertigofm
Do you expect games that come out now to utilize dual core?

absofreakinglutely

The future is definitely with dual-core.

 

[vertigofm]

So what would a good estimate of a 2.5 ghz dual core opteron be equal to a 6ghz p4?

 

[XBoxLPU]

Originally posted by: vertigofm
So what would a good estimate of a 2.5 ghz dual core opteron be equal to a 6ghz p4?

Please stop posting

 

[MrX8503]

Originally posted by: vertigofm
So what would a good estimate of a 2.5 ghz dual core opteron be equal to a 6ghz p4?

where are you getting these numbers from? These numbers dont even make sense.

 

[vertigofm]

I'm just used to the pentium scheme - the more Mhz the better

I switch to AMD and I'm like "2 ghz!?!? My old P4 was 3.4 ghz!!!"

Then I hear people saying that the Athlon 64's with a lower ghz are better than the P4 with higher ghz

Im just confused, I wanted to be able to equate the performance of a P4 with an Athlon

 

[kyparrish]

Have you read anything we've typed here or done any type of research at all?

Take your AMD64 clockspeed, multiply by ~1.5, that roughly equals the P4 clockspeed.

 

[vertigofm]

so in a dual core system with video games that dont utilize dual core... at 2ghz ur equal to a P4 3 ghz? Or do u have to take into account the other core taking the stress of the background stuff?

 

[goldkirby]

Originally posted by: vertigofm
so in a dual core system with video games that dont utilize dual core... at 2ghz ur equal to a P4 3 ghz? Or do u have to take into account the other core taking the stress of the background stuff?

How about you go read some reviews first? That'll answer pretty much all of your questions about gaming on Athlons. Until then, stop posting.

---

goldkirby,

Welcome to AnandTech Forums, NOOB! How about you go and learn some courtesy, first. Until then, stop posting.

We hope you enjoy yourself on our forums.

AnandTech Moderator

 

[vertigofm]

Originally posted by: goldkirby

Originally posted by: vertigofm
so in a dual core system with video games that dont utilize dual core... at 2ghz ur equal to a P4 3 ghz? Or do u have to take into account the other core taking the stress of the background stuff?

How about you go read some reviews first? That'll answer pretty much all of your questions about gaming on Athlons. Until then, stop posting.

Ok well thats why there a forums like this- to post questions