Dual CPU Question.

[jeff_harrison_344]

Is it worth getting dual CPUs? I mean if I got dual 733Mhz Intel CPUs, would that be the equivilent speed of running like a 1.4Ghz PIII?

[phantom punisher]

no unfortunatly it dosnt add up like that. there is so few programs writen to take advantage of two cpus that it dosnt make much sence. on the other hand with lots of memory you can have lots of programs running at the same time and not get that tapped out feeling. ive got a vp6 and some day this lone p3 with have a brother sitting next to him but its not the first priority. search the forum for more answers to this question.

[Tim-]

Most software will show about a 5-10% increase in speed- tops. With SMP aware software it is more like 50%. Very little software is SMP aware though, and they are mostly top dollar packages. Unless you do things like video editing, graphic arts, and CAD, and can afford the expensive software packages the difference is small. Even then, you need more ram, a better power supply, and more case/cpu cooling, so the costs really add up, and many folks do not see a return for the added investment. Plus, to even use dual cpus you must run NT/2000/Linux or something more exotic

The average user would be better off to build a fast Tbird system than to go dual.

[Josiah]

I have to agree with phantom punisher and Tim- on the fact that few programs are written to take advantage of SMP. However it is great for multi tasking. I can open as many programs as i want and nothing will skip a beat. It is expensive as well. If you are building a system from scratch, your best bet would be to use a single processor setup, because you can get more for your money. If you already have 2 processors it is fairly cheap to get a dual mobo and throw the 2 chips in it. That is what i did. Cost $100 for the mobo and $70 for the ram. I definetly dont regret it though.

[HAL6000]

After having an Abit BP6 for so long I can say SMP kicks ass. I'm going to mod my BP6 to run dual PIII's or got an Abit VP6 to play with. Altho I don't really like the viw chipset.