Advantages of Dual Processor Sytem?

[CLTEK]

Hey Folks! Well, I'm in the process of doing some research to build a system in the range of about $1,600. I'll be using it for a digital audio workstation, webdesign, graphics and a smidge of gaming on the side.

I've been looking at the 1GHz CPUs and boards of both Intel and AMD. I was getting things in order and everything was going smoothly until I saw some 'Dual Processor' stuff on Price Watch. I'm unable to find any information on the benefits of using a dual processor system. Especially considering the applications that I'll be using my sytem for.

Can anyone give some some info/guidance on this? Is there a performance/price curve? For instance... What would the performance difference be between say, a 1GHz system and say a Dual PIII system? How does a dula processor system effect cpu intense processing like pro-audio recording or gaming?

As you can see... I'm at a loss.

Respectfully, Cory

 

[Guest]

I don't own a dual cpu board, but my friend does - Celly 566's on Abit's BP6..

The most noticable advantage of dual CPUs is LOAD TIME. I'm on a AMD k3 400mhz system with almost double everything that he has, yet he always loads into Quake 3 at 1/10 to 1/20th the speed that I do. Then the little mofo goes ahead and plays MP3s and searches the web while playign me, with no slow down.

A downside (maybe an upside?) is you can't use Windows 98 (as far as I know). You have to use Win2k or Linux or possibly other UNIX platforms. I use Win2k anyway, and prefer over 98, even though I have only 1 cpu.


Oh yeah 1 other thing: AMD is going to put out a dual cpu board eventually, so if you can hold out until then, that's what I'd suggest...

Looking forward to running dual Durons @ 1ghtz+ DDR one day!!!

~Chris

 

[Guest]

Your friendly neighborhood long distance alternative is right, you will need Windows 2000 or Linux to utilize dual processors. The other catch is, that for an app to be sped-up by dual procs, it needs to be multi-threaded. I know that 3D Studio MAX is and I think Photoshop is, also. This doesn't neccesarily mean you get no advantages if you don't run those apps. Multi-tasking is better because the total number of threads (non-multithread apps=single thread) are split up between the procs. Also, Windows 2000 can run system procedures on one proc, while your app runs on the other. Hope this makes things a bit more clear for you. You can e-mail me if you have any questions.