AMD Opteron 242 vs Intel Xeon 2.80Ghz

[gat]

I am looking to buy a new server for myself but I can't figure out which is faster. The dual Xeon at 2.8Ghz or the dual Opteron 242. Both have the same hardware except for the processor. I need to know which is faster for multitasking and high load servers. This machine will be used for game servers such as CounterStrike, and the slighest speed increase will make me get it.

 

[Celebrandil]

In order to determine the best choice in your case, you have to determine whether your application is heavy on memory or on computations. The only benchmarks in which the Xeons are ahead are those measuring pure floating-point performance. However, nowadays more and more applications have become memory-bound. It's simply easier to speed up the core of the CPU than to provide it with enough of data to process. The Opteron have an advantage here since each CPU has its own path to memory, whereas the Xeons share a single path. I would definitely go for an Opteron solution, if I had an application like yours, but I would suggest that you ask others running similar servers before. By the way, Tom's Hardware has at least two excellent comparisons of the two architectures. Furthermore, pricewise an Opteron 246 is more comparable to a 2.8 GHz Xeon. Have a nice day!!

 

[cisco]

I would have to lean toward the opterons if you are going to be using it for a gaming servers. If you go to AMDs website they have all kinds of server benchmarks against intels. Of course AMD servers in general dominate.

 

[MadModMike]

In order to determine the best choice in your case, you have to determine whether your application is heavy on memory or on computations. The only benchmarks in which the Xeons are ahead are those measuring pure floating-point performance. However, nowadays more and more applications have become memory-bound. It's simply easier to speed up the core of the CPU than to provide it with enough of data to process. The Opteron have an advantage here since each CPU has its own path to memory, whereas the Xeons share a single path. I would definitely go for an Opteron solution, if I had an application like yours, but I would suggest that you ask others running similar servers before. By the way, Tom's Hardware has at least two excellent comparisons of the two architectures. Furthermore, pricewise an Opteron 246 is more comparable to a 2.8 GHz Xeon. Have a nice day!!

I don't care what you are doing, there is never a case where you should go to Xeon's over Opteron 64's. The Opteron 64 is far superior, always get the Opteron 64.

~~Mad Mod Mike, pimpin' the world 1 rig at a time

 

[dvdpiddy]

In order to determine the best choice in your case, you have to determine whether your application is heavy on memory or on computations. The only benchmarks in which the Xeons are ahead are those measuring pure floating-point performance. However, nowadays more and more applications have become memory-bound. It's simply easier to speed up the core of the CPU than to provide it with enough of data to process. The Opteron have an advantage here since each CPU has its own path to memory, whereas the Xeons share a single path. I would definitely go for an Opteron solution, if I had an application like yours, but I would suggest that you ask others running similar servers before. By the way, Tom's Hardware has at least two excellent comparisons of the two architectures. Furthermore, pricewise an Opteron 246 is more comparable to a 2.8 GHz Xeon. Have a nice day!!

I don't care what you are doing, there is never a case where you should go to Xeon's over Opteron 64's. The Opteron 64 is far superior, always get the Opteron 64.

~~Mad Mod Mike, pimpin' the world 1 rig at a time roger that mike an opty can out perform a xeon up to 1.2 ghz over its clockspeed

 

[pengwin]

why do ppl compare intel with amd? AMD will always win

 

[qurious69ss]

Just wait 4 months dude. Intel will release their bestest and greatest and amd will have to follow, or at least you'll save some money.

 

[K8MAN]

Any dual socket will require expensive reg RAM and will cost more all around. Why not just go with a good dual core 939 chip and lots of value ram?

 

[Ycon]

The Opteron might be the better choice, but they are really expensive.

 

[AdrianX]

Why duel 242's? I'm with K8MAN, a Dure Core 939 will be faster. Or, if you want to go with duel CPU's then get a 265, then you can buy one now and upgrade later if you need to.

I have an Athlon64 3800x2 and Duel Opteron 240's. The Athlon64 x2 is 40% faster and costs less to buy new.