Why are people buying opterons over A64s?

[Neo_VR]

Sorry if ive missed the point...
But ive noticed that alot of people on here are buying opteron CPUs as opposed to the A64 counterparts... but i cant figure out why, ive also noticed that they are of a similar price to buy too,
so whats the benifit?

should i really be considering a opteron while speccing my new system?

Thanks in advance

[kempez]

Opty's are almost identical to A64's apart from they have 1mb cache rather than a Venice that has 512mb cache.

They are also better hand-picked silicone which clocks amazingly well

I think thats right

[kalniel]

Spot on.

They are basically high quality San Diego cores. The advantage over Venice is the extra cache, and the advantage over San Diegoes is supposedly higher reliability, but as the reliability of San Diegoes seems not to be a problem overclockers are turning that overhead into overclocking.

So for the same clock speed and price, buy an opteron! If it's a lower clockspeed.. then consider your uses and other system specs carefully - a 512k cache chip will use less W and create less heat than a 1mb cache chip. A higher multiplier will allow you to overclock higher whilst keeping 1:1 with the ram without requiring very expensive ram.

[sawyen]

But if you're really running stock, A64 are just as good.. 512kb vs 1mb dun make that much difference in our usual softwares.

A64 may not clock as well as 939 Optys CABNE, but they can still easily hit 2.5Ghz without much effort. 2.5-2.8ish will need abit of luck, even on E4 revision chips..

[Neo_VR]

And opterons will run on normal A64 boards? (probably a asus a8n sli?)

im just planning my trip to scan

[kempez]

Yep Opty's run on 939 (well the 939 ones do)

As long as you have one of the latest BIOS updates

[DeludedGuy]

And lets not forget another good reason....they are CHEAP!

[Neo_VR]

Hokay...
so thats that lil hurdle sorted, optyroooon it is

last one now.. mobo! anyone know the diff between the asus a8n sli and the a8n sli SE?
there similar prices...

[specofdust]

To be honest, if you don't overclock, its almost immoral to buy an opteron, they're in incredibly short supply, and everyone wants one, or just about anyways, so, if you're not gonna overclock, make someones Christmass and buy an A64

[kempez]

Yeah and if you are going to overclock - get a DFI Lanparty - either Ultra-D or SLI-D

[specofdust]

Nah, forget them, if you can afford it get an SLI-DR(Expert if possible) or the brand new brand spanking Asus A8N-32 SLI, its kicking the poop out of anything DFI have so far \o/

[UKMuFFiN]

unless of course your thinking of going crossfire...

[Nox]

I wouldn't recommend the expert I have the SLI-D, and its superb.

The ASUS does look nice though...

Nox

[project187]

they arnt in that short supply are they scan have em in in stock and there is a few on here knocking bout with good steppings??

[Napolean_D]

Neo,

You should find an Opteron will run quite briskly

I've had no problems with my Abit board (from Scan) and Opteron 148. Runs at 3Ghz fine.

[Neo_VR]

Well.. ive got my opteron + mobo from scan
the cpu wasnt the really good stepping that others had been getting, but im currently running 2.6gig on stock cooling n voltage, think the mem is holding it back