Opteron is the processor you can get from AMD.

[kevon27]

Opteron is the best processor you can get from AMD.

I was just on pricewatch and I was amazing that the Opteron is the best deal you can get on the A64..

The opteron 150 (2.4) is cheaper than the FX 53.. And if you think the price is too high for the 2.4ghz you can get the Opteron 140 (1.4) for about $158.

The opterons are even cheap than the single channel A64..

So why would one want to buy anything else? And what is good, since the opteron is Amd's server chip on socket 940 they are going to keep that socket around for awhile.

 

[Gautam]

They don't overclock, the boards are pricey, the memory is pricey. Athlon64's are a much better buy for general purpose.

 

[CPL.Luke]

well those chips do require registered ram in order to run

I think its also because they don't really overclock

gautam you beat me to the reply button

 

[Dylruss]

What those guys said, but I will throw a little +'s in the mix. I would like one because they are horribly stable and are excellent machines. Our Dual opteron system here at work does about the work of 5 2100+ systems, and it is only at 1.8 Ghz.
Minus is like they said, expensive boards and the memory is the registered junk. But if you don't plan on ocing and want an excellent system, then it would be the one for you.

 

[PCGUY112887]

What exactelly is registered memory? I mean, why is it so special and some processors require it?

 

[Busty St. Clair]

it's ecc or error checking ram and also you can get a gig of nice ocz memory for 300 which isn't all that bad compared to other stuff.

 

[PCGUY112887]

I always thought "registered" and "ECC" didn't mean the same thing?

 

[attack]

PCGUY, you are correct.
ECC or error code checking/corection checks for parity to ensure the right binary code is there.
Registered memory simply holds the memory requested for one cycle to ensure stability. It is more stable, but it causes a greater latency.

Ram can be registered and ECC, or just ECC, or just registered, or niether (most RAM desktop users use)

 

[L337 M33P]

Sort of. Registered RAM means that the data and address busses pass through transparent D-type latches, one set for each stick of memory.

Imagine that each memory chip takes a small amount of current to read the address bus and memory bus signals. Add this up over 4 gigs of RAM and you have a significant current draw that will tax whatever is driving the bus - in this case the memory controller in the A64. Adding registers reduces the number of chips driven since the registers drive the 8 chips on the DIMM, so the bus can run without being squashed. It incurs a 1-cycle delay for the data to cross the latches.

ECC error correction means that each bank/side of RAM has an extra chip for parity bits. It prevents single-bit errors from screwing stuff up and detects 2-bit errors. Support for ECC lies with the chipset/memory controller.

 

[dguy6789]

"Opteron is the processor you can get from AMD"

Yes it is.