Re: AMD vs Intel - Ghz & performance question

Big McLargehuge wrote: 
is an $800 AMD cpu that clocks in at 2.8 Ghz actually that much faster
than my old P4 2.8? It seems like a lot of money for the same speed,
although I realize that there other differences than just clock speed.

An $800 AMD chip? Then that must mean that you're looking at either an A64 FX-58 single-core, or an A64 X2-4800+ dual-core. Since you mentioned 2.8Ghz, then that would indicate that you're looking at the FX rather than the X2 which runs at 2.6Ghz (but it runs two processors at the 2.6Ghz).

Can anyone explain to me what all the differences are that support the
claims (and price) of the AMD promoters? This is not a loaded
question, I'm seriously considering buying AND (a dual core, actually)
and want to make an informed decision.

Whoops, I should've read further! You're looking at a 2.8Ghz dual-core? That would likely mean you'll be looking at an X2-5000+, which haven't even come out yet, and when they do come out they're usually closer to $1000 mark.

As for why the AMD's do so much better at a given Mhz? It's mostly because the AMD's do more work per clock cycle than the P4's. That's why Intel is phasing its P4's out, and eventually replacing them with derivations of its Pentium-M mobile processor. The P-M's are closer in philosophy to the AMD processors, i.e. do more work per clock cycle.

Other factors affecting AMD's performance is something they call Direct Connect Architecture. DCA is a quick way to describe both its integrated memory controller and its Hypertransport bus. Intels use a single connection called the Front-Side-Bus (FSB) to connect all of the memory and peripherals to the processor. It's simple, but it's also congestable, with so much data coming over one link. AMD replaced the FSB with DCA. The peripherals connect through a point-to-point link called Hypertransport, instead of a shared bus. The memory connects through its own memory controller, instead of through a chipset which then connects to the FSB. Basically a lot of the AMD success is completely attributable to DCA.

	Yousuf Khan
.

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