GamblerFEXonlin
07-28-02, 10:19 AM
That's my angle after two generations with an SMP system. Just to inform you, I'm a hard-core gamer and I use my computer to make graphics with programs like Lightwave 3d, adobe premiere and photoshop.
I used Win2k and now I use WinXP pro with it. Here is the system specs:
first "generation"
Asus P2B-DS
2x P3-450
256MB ram
Matrox G400 Max
SB Live Player 1024
Problems:
The SB live was incompatible with SMP systems, so I had crackling and popping in games. Rebooting with /ONECPU trigger everytime I wanted to play a game was a pain.
Later I got a SB Live Player 5.1 and had the same problem. However, the Audigy is supposedly compatible with SMP systems, but the Philips Acoustic Edge is officially incompatible with SMP.
second generation:
Asus P2B-DS (kept this fine BX motherboard)
2x P3-800
448MB ram
GF2 (later a GF3)
Hercules GameTheaterXP
Problems:
GTXP would crackle and pop when in 5.1 mode in games. Later drivers got better, but it still crackles if I use a .1 i.e 4.1 or 5.1 modes. The bass management sucks too (in my experience with the card) so till now I've used it as nothing more than a stereo soundcard digitally connected to my Marantz SR7000 receiver. The audioquality IMO is very good, and not so colored as the SB lives I've had. The bass is tighter too if I recall correctly.
Positive sides of a SMP system:
- I can play quake3 while lightwave renders in the background, though I do take a small performance-hit.
- supposedly better multitasking. (this is partially correct)
- if a program set's itself to "high priority" and is very busy, the system won't slow down
NEgative sides:
- It's rediculously expensive compared to the application and multitasking performance gain
- Some hardware doesn't work with SMP systems
- Better multitasking is a myth in my experience. I've not felt any difference with 1 CPU vs. SMP mode.
- Did I say it's expensive? You can buy a 1.5x better CPU and double your ammount of RAM and still have money left.
Win2k/XP is a "modern" OS with pre-emptive multitasking and good memory management. It multitasks excellent with only 1 CPU. Ok, so it's nice to have a program in the background using one CPU while you for instance model a 3d object on the other CPU (subdividing and boolean operations can take a lot of CPU power), but it's much nicer IMO to set the background program in low-priority mode and have the subdividing/boolean operations finish 1.5 times quicker (they would use all CPU power).
No, skip the SMP and invest the saved money in the fastest CPU available (or if you plan on overclocking just get a medium fast CPU), twice the amount of RAM and a better 3D card (if you would use the system with gaming).
An SMP motherboard is about twice as expensive as a regular motherboard (Asus A7N266-C vs. Asus A7M-266-D) and you would save $100 on 2x medium CPU vs 1x fastest CPU (2x Athlon MP 1.4GHz vs 1x Athlon XP 1.733GHz).
Think about it. All you're applications and games would run 1.5 times as fast, especially quake 3 and older games as they are very CPU dependant, and newer games would also run faster as now you have lots of money to spare that can be used on a faster 3D card.
Programs and games that use SMP is very rare, as it is very difficult to program applications to be multithreaded. The only 3D-cards that has SMP support is the ones from nVidia, but even they have problems. Earlier drivers of the GF3 does not support SMP, some GF2 drivers does not, and with latest drivers+GF3 one must run Quake 3 in realtime priority or else it crashes.
No, I cannot see any real benefits worth it (not even in a server) to go SMP, save you're money and enjoy better performance. My experience, my next system will be (if I buy it today):
Asus A7N266-C Hovedkort for Socket A DDR
- nForce415D, ATA/100, ATX, DDR, lyd
AMD Athlon XP1800+ 1.53 GHz 266 MHz bus (overclock it like mad)
- Socket A (Palomino) prosessor
Gainward AGP GeForce4 Ti4200 64MB DDR
- "Ultra/650TV/DVI", Retail
DDR-DIMM PC2100 512MB DDR CL2 (one, and maybe add another later)
- Minne 184-P (for DDR-PC266MHz)
The nforce has the rest I need: DD 5.1 output to my receiver and LAN onboard. I'll go nforce 2 if I buy the system in the fall (as I probably would as I'm low on money these days).
I used Win2k and now I use WinXP pro with it. Here is the system specs:
first "generation"
Asus P2B-DS
2x P3-450
256MB ram
Matrox G400 Max
SB Live Player 1024
Problems:
The SB live was incompatible with SMP systems, so I had crackling and popping in games. Rebooting with /ONECPU trigger everytime I wanted to play a game was a pain.
Later I got a SB Live Player 5.1 and had the same problem. However, the Audigy is supposedly compatible with SMP systems, but the Philips Acoustic Edge is officially incompatible with SMP.
second generation:
Asus P2B-DS (kept this fine BX motherboard)
2x P3-800
448MB ram
GF2 (later a GF3)
Hercules GameTheaterXP
Problems:
GTXP would crackle and pop when in 5.1 mode in games. Later drivers got better, but it still crackles if I use a .1 i.e 4.1 or 5.1 modes. The bass management sucks too (in my experience with the card) so till now I've used it as nothing more than a stereo soundcard digitally connected to my Marantz SR7000 receiver. The audioquality IMO is very good, and not so colored as the SB lives I've had. The bass is tighter too if I recall correctly.
Positive sides of a SMP system:
- I can play quake3 while lightwave renders in the background, though I do take a small performance-hit.
- supposedly better multitasking. (this is partially correct)
- if a program set's itself to "high priority" and is very busy, the system won't slow down
NEgative sides:
- It's rediculously expensive compared to the application and multitasking performance gain
- Some hardware doesn't work with SMP systems
- Better multitasking is a myth in my experience. I've not felt any difference with 1 CPU vs. SMP mode.
- Did I say it's expensive? You can buy a 1.5x better CPU and double your ammount of RAM and still have money left.
Win2k/XP is a "modern" OS with pre-emptive multitasking and good memory management. It multitasks excellent with only 1 CPU. Ok, so it's nice to have a program in the background using one CPU while you for instance model a 3d object on the other CPU (subdividing and boolean operations can take a lot of CPU power), but it's much nicer IMO to set the background program in low-priority mode and have the subdividing/boolean operations finish 1.5 times quicker (they would use all CPU power).
No, skip the SMP and invest the saved money in the fastest CPU available (or if you plan on overclocking just get a medium fast CPU), twice the amount of RAM and a better 3D card (if you would use the system with gaming).
An SMP motherboard is about twice as expensive as a regular motherboard (Asus A7N266-C vs. Asus A7M-266-D) and you would save $100 on 2x medium CPU vs 1x fastest CPU (2x Athlon MP 1.4GHz vs 1x Athlon XP 1.733GHz).
Think about it. All you're applications and games would run 1.5 times as fast, especially quake 3 and older games as they are very CPU dependant, and newer games would also run faster as now you have lots of money to spare that can be used on a faster 3D card.
Programs and games that use SMP is very rare, as it is very difficult to program applications to be multithreaded. The only 3D-cards that has SMP support is the ones from nVidia, but even they have problems. Earlier drivers of the GF3 does not support SMP, some GF2 drivers does not, and with latest drivers+GF3 one must run Quake 3 in realtime priority or else it crashes.
No, I cannot see any real benefits worth it (not even in a server) to go SMP, save you're money and enjoy better performance. My experience, my next system will be (if I buy it today):
Asus A7N266-C Hovedkort for Socket A DDR
- nForce415D, ATA/100, ATX, DDR, lyd
AMD Athlon XP1800+ 1.53 GHz 266 MHz bus (overclock it like mad)
- Socket A (Palomino) prosessor
Gainward AGP GeForce4 Ti4200 64MB DDR
- "Ultra/650TV/DVI", Retail
DDR-DIMM PC2100 512MB DDR CL2 (one, and maybe add another later)
- Minne 184-P (for DDR-PC266MHz)
The nforce has the rest I need: DD 5.1 output to my receiver and LAN onboard. I'll go nforce 2 if I buy the system in the fall (as I probably would as I'm low on money these days).