Think you don't need an X2?

T

TheRapture

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
May 31, 2000
Messages
6,885
Check this out....DVD-Shrink kicking some ass, almost twice as fast as a single core, AND I can still surf, post, read, etc., as if nothing else is even going on, while both cores are loaded to the hilt....

On my old rig at 2.5ghz doing the same thing, I had to go away and leave it to it's own devices, it got too laggy and unresponsive....

http://img212.imageshack.us/my.php?image=loadedx26dq.jpg

Right now the rig is transcoding down from the original 11gb file, compressing it to a 4.7 gig dvd, and I am using the computer like normal, no problems or slowdown whatsoever...


Man, AMD has hit a home run with the X2.... :cool:
 
Awesome performance. I increased by budget enough to go dual core, this is gonna be so amazing (once I get my computer that is)
 
DuffMan72 said:
Awesome performance. I increased by budget enough to go dual core, this is gonna be so amazing (once I get my computer that is)
Click to expand...


You won't regret not going with a single core.....I can't even see a reason to use a single core any more unless someone is just a single threaded benchmark whore... :p

That is going to start some flames......but those that shit can the X2 cpu, have never used it....that's for sure or they would be singing a different tune....I can't express enough how responsive and quick the X2 system is.....it is like opening a whole new avenue for me....
 
Tell me about it ;)
My Pentium D heater is smoking, Fast as hell. Grats on the X2 :cool:
 
TheRapture said:
That is going to start some flames......but those that shit can the X2 cpu, have never used it....that's for sure or they would be singing a different tune....I can't express enough how responsive and quick the X2 system is.....it is like opening a whole new avenue for me....
Click to expand...
SMP is a wonderful thing, my friend. 2>1 ;)
 
I really wanted to go the X2 route but I couldn't justify spending the extra bucks when the most I do on my system at once is play a game.
 
FiZ said:
I really wanted to go the X2 route but I couldn't justify spending the extra bucks when the most I do on my system at once is play a game.
Click to expand...



Do you run an instant messenger type program while gaming? Do you run an antivirus program while you game? Do you ever listen to an MP3 while you game? Do you have anything at all in your systray?

Well then, you should experience an X2 :)
 
i hate to whine but......IF NEWEGG WOULDN'T HAVE SHIPPED MY CASE TO OREGON I'D KNOW FIRST HAND HOW AN X2 PERFORMS!!! :mad:
 
I had a SMP Compaq Proliant, dual cpus.

Although only 220Mhz per cpu, it was noticably faster than my K7-500 for video work. It didnt cough and lag itself up like the K7 did.

But then again, it had three 10,000 rpm scsi drives.
 
would u recommend it for the gamer that uses office, internet and plays mp3's? Would there really be a benefit for someone like me? I mean, I'd buy it if I could justify its means.
 
TheRapture said:
Do you run an instant messenger type program while gaming? Do you run an antivirus program while you game? Do you ever listen to an MP3 while you game? Do you have anything at all in your systray?

Well then, you should experience an X2 :)
Click to expand...
The only thing I run while gaming is an instant messenger and Ventrilo, and I have never thought, "Oh damn this blows I need a dual CPU because my IM needs more megahurtzz1!!1".
 
thats what I thought. though if i were into video editing while doing some cad work, maybe it better suit my needs. Im not knocking it, because I haven't tried it. truthfully, i dont want to cuz then i might lol.
 
If you run dual monitors, X2's are extremely nice. I typically will be playing games and have an internet window up on the other monitor. No lag when switching between the two. Lots of fun. :)

Astaroth
 
Astaroth125 said:
If you run dual monitors, X2's are extremely nice. I typically will be playing games and have an internet window up on the other monitor. No lag when switching between the two. Lots of fun. :)

Astaroth
Click to expand...

How much ram do you have? I think thats a product of having a large amount of RAM.
 
TheRapture said:
Check this out....DVD-Shrink kicking some ass, almost twice as fast as a single core, AND I can still surf, post, read, etc., as if nothing else is even going on, while both cores are loaded to the hilt....
Click to expand...
Although I perfer to use DVD Decrypter I do plan on building a dual cored media server that I'll be ripping my DVDs to so I plan on using Shrink on atleast a good deal of them.

Now if only Gordian Knot was SMP aware. :)
 
TheRapture said:
Do you run an instant messenger type program while gaming? Do you run an antivirus program while you game? Do you ever listen to an MP3 while you game? Do you have anything at all in your systray?

Well then, you should experience an X2 :)
Click to expand...


Yeah, because Xfire and Teamspeak take up so much CPU time..

Even on an 3000+, I dont experience any slow down using all the programs above whilst gaming..
 
FiZ said:
The only thing I run while gaming is an instant messenger and Ventrilo, and I have never thought, "Oh damn this blows I need a dual CPU because my IM needs more megahurtzz1!!1".
Click to expand...

Quoted for truth. Lets pay twice as much for an identicle speed CPU which wont overclock as well so I can dedicate a core to running winamp while playing games.

If you don't spend all day pirating DVDs or doing professional graphics work dual core is wasted.
 
TheRapture said:
Check this out....DVD-Shrink kicking some ass, almost twice as fast as a single core, AND I can still surf, post, read, etc., as if nothing else is even going on, while both cores are loaded to the hilt....

On my old rig at 2.5ghz doing the same thing, I had to go away and leave it to it's own devices, it got too laggy and unresponsive....

http://img212.imageshack.us/my.php?image=loadedx26dq.jpg

Right now the rig is transcoding down from the original 11gb file, compressing it to a 4.7 gig dvd, and I am using the computer like normal, no problems or slowdown whatsoever...


Man, AMD has hit a home run with the X2.... :cool:
Click to expand...
DUH!

SMP is great with encoding, it's where it really shines. It is also the best performance you'll see out of the chip, I wouldn't use the encoding time for a benchmark of complete system performance. IE, everything isn't twice as fast, just the encoding.

While multithreading is fun, it's the lack of support that steers me away.

There's no way to multitask on a single core with 100% utilization from one thread due to improper management (priority would have to be lowered), hence the huge difference. Encoding is a HUGE bottleneck without properly setting the priority for your systems power.
 
robberbaron said:
How much ram do you have? I think thats a product of having a large amount of RAM.
Click to expand...

Did it rather easily with one gig and with two. In my experience with single cores, games don't usually like to lose focus. They keep on rendering at full speed, not leaving you much processor time for anything else. It's nice to either alt+tab out or run windowed mode and have no lag there.

The memory could play a factor if you don't have enough RAM to hold the game and your other applications, but the only game I know of that really eats more than a gig is BF2 and that's not the type of game you normally are leisurely reading forums while playing. :D

Astaroth
 
Darvon said:
Quoted for truth. Lets pay twice as much for an identicle speed CPU which wont overclock as well so I can dedicate a core to running winamp while playing games.

If you don't spend all day pirating DVDs or doing professional graphics work dual core is wasted.
Click to expand...

Dont comment if you havent tried it man. In general windows seems alot faster and snappier with a dual core, dont knock it till you've tried it. Anyways with the price of a X2 3800+ ($515 AUD) i can get a single core a64 3800+ for $475AUD so i thought why the hell not spend that bit extra and OC to make up the mhz shortfall. I mean i'm happy with 2.5ghz :D
 
Darvon said:
Quoted for truth. Lets pay twice as much for an identicle speed CPU which wont overclock as well so I can dedicate a core to running winamp while playing games.

If you don't spend all day pirating DVDs or doing professional graphics work dual core is wasted.
Click to expand...


:rolleyes:
 
I knew this would bring out the dual core detractors. Like I and others have said, don't knock it if you have not tried it. EVERYTHING feels more responsive. Not just when doing two intensive tasks at once. Have some of you forgotten that WindowsXP is multithreaded software? :p If you don't want an X2 fine, just stop smacking around the X2 users, after all, I don't think anybody was trashing the single core users....

And don't say the X2 doesn't overclock well, there are many users taking these 2ghz 3800's and hitting 2.7 or higher....

My own does 2.6 very nicely at only 1.45v...
 
Pkirk618 said:
would u recommend it for the gamer that uses office, internet and plays mp3's? Would there really be a benefit for someone like me? I mean, I'd buy it if I could justify its means.
Click to expand...


If a person was upgrading, I see NO REASON at all to go with a single core. And if you are only doing what you said in your post, i.e., no or very little gaming, and only mild tasks, an X2 would not be worth the cost alone, unless you were upgrading the base cpu/mobo system....

And please, those others that are trying to say I am illegally ripping DVD....stop right there. I am not. I record TV programs...convert VHS to DVD...make custom DVDs with 3 episodes of mini-series, etc., right now I am converting all of Battlestar Galactica's Season 1 episodes to DVD, 3 per disc. I have the files recorded, then I use Ulead DVD creator to set it up, then DVD-Shrink to fit the rather large file down to 4.7 gig dvd's. Works very well, and quality is actually quite good. And it takes a ton of cpu power. At least now I can still use my machine while it is working, before it was...worthless to use while all of that is going on.
 
Oh yeah, for those that say gamers don't need an X2 cpu....you might just change your tune when Nvidia's multi-threaded drivers hit and us "power gamers" (those with 7800's and whatnot) get a big boost, for free. :eek:

Then those X2's could end up being THE gaming cpu.... :p


I truly hope NV get's it right....they have seen the light.
 
I think I'll let the X2 mature a bit before I jump on th bandwagon. Once they start making multi-threaded games , then I'll switch. I'm a Benchmark Whore and I love games. I wanted the best gaming experience possible, that's the reason I went with 2 GTX's and the FX-57. I mainly watch TV, play games, surf and do some Photoshop and Dreamweaver on my box. My 57 handles all of that pretty good for me, so I'll wait a bit.
 
I run azureus, winamp, GAIM, firefox, encode video (low priority) and i sometimes leave photoshop open while playing CSS and I notice no slowdown.

I have a 3000+ @ 2.4ghz but what really makes the difference is 2 gigs of ram. H.264 encoding takes forever with a single core, but since, I don't do encoding for a profession and usually just set it to run overnight. I see no need to upgrade now though dual core would be nice. I don't need it and niether do most people.
 
DryFire said:
I see no need to upgrade now though dual core would be nice. I don't need it and niether do most people.
Click to expand...



Most of us don't NEED the pc's sitting in our rooms right now...we WANT it....

You COULD get by with a P3 1ghz.....but you don't... :p

Some of us WANT the X2 and therefore we NEED it because of how we use it...


And this is not a thread I started trying to say "single cores suck" because I don't think that! So let's keep it on track, that is, us X2 guys loving our cpu's because of how good it really is for multitasking or apps that can indeed use both cores....
 
GFreeman9 said:
I'm only going to get an X2 when the M2 socket comes out. My 3700+ is fine right now.
Click to expand...

Agreed, all you people with like 64 4000+s pissing away like $600+ on a dual core CPU will be pretty pissed in a year when M2 is released, if you're getting a new system anyways, go nuts, but if you already have a capable s939 cpu, you can wait for M2 *sits on hands and waits* :)
 
I like my SD. For now it games better than non 1 meg cache x2's and was 100 less than the cheapest x2....

When we talk about gaming, buying "for the future," does not appeal to me. Neither does encoding and playing games. Still sharing my ram and who knows what else. I'd rather take advantage of the extra machines in the house. Why do people think they know what you need? When games take advantage of it I'll probably get one and with what other frills have come out, like I might need DDRII.

You have to realize others have different mentalities. I didn't know a fast computer served much more of a purpose other than playing games. :p I just wasn't going to give up my cache to boot.
 
You COULD get by with a P3 1ghz.....but you don't... :p
Click to expand...
yup... my x2 is down and out right now... and my dual p3 doesnt like my 6800gt... so im on a 1.2ghz p3 laptop..

it gets the job done... slowly..
 
Darvon said:
Quoted for truth. Lets pay twice as much for an identicle speed CPU which wont overclock as well so I can dedicate a core to running winamp while playing games.

If you don't spend all day pirating DVDs or doing professional graphics work dual core is wasted.
Click to expand...

who told you that an X2 will not OC as well as a single core, you could check the Venice OC thread or look at this

http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc?id=38698

i will NEVER go back to a single core the X2 is GREAT
 
TheRapture said:
Check this out....DVD-Shrink kicking some ass, almost twice as fast as a single core, AND I can still surf, post, read, etc., as if nothing else is even going on, while both cores are loaded to the hilt....

On my old rig at 2.5ghz doing the same thing, I had to go away and leave it to it's own devices, it got too laggy and unresponsive....

http://img212.imageshack.us/my.php?image=loadedx26dq.jpg

Right now the rig is transcoding down from the original 11gb file, compressing it to a 4.7 gig dvd, and I am using the computer like normal, no problems or slowdown whatsoever...


Man, AMD has hit a home run with the X2.... :cool:
Click to expand...

You do realize most people rip/burn then go to sleep to wake up to a dvd right? So that right there wont justify the x2.....doesnt game any better than single core, i think single is better from what i read? since games are dual core coded.......

not trying to flame you because i saw the numbers for dvd rip/burn and such from Maxpc.....very very low numbers (intel beat amd in the program test, amd smoked the intel in gaming tests)

great cpu.......but like with all new things, other stuff has to come out for it to take advantage of :(

when i upgrade ill upgrade to single core venice for a few years :p

soulsaver
 
texuspete00 When we talk about gaming said:
agreed.......by the time games are coded to take advantage of dual core im sure quad core will be out, and then the coded will be writing for multi core apps/games then it will be worth it.......

soulsaver
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top