Modern Chipsets and an Opteron 1212

[iooiioio]

Do all modern AMD chipsets support an Opteron Santa Ana 1212?

I understand the connection is there, but do they carry the power requirements that chip needs?

I need the multitasking power on a budget, and a 1212 2.0 GHz runs around 60 USD on newegg right now.

Most board manufacturers only wanna sell you an nforce professional board, and I am on a budget.

Thanks for the info.

P.S. -- I am going to get an Opteron, please no "get intel instead" posting.

 

[Peter]

The chipsets don't care - HyperTransport is compatible back and forth. Your actual problem is more like, does any random board's BIOS support the Opterons, does the board design provide for ECC RAM?

If your answer is "I don't want no ECC RAM", then you don't want an Opteron either. Buy an Athlon X2 and a standard board, whatever fits your budget. It's the same CPU core, just minus the ECC RAM capability and with less L2 cache.

 

[NXIL]

Hi Io/Pete,

Pete, the Opteron AM2 CPU does not necessarily require ECC memory--the true Server quality Opterons do; note also that plain old X2s can support ECC memory if the motherboard manufacturers but the extra traces on the mobo that this requires. Some do, some don't.

IO, there are better AMD choices for socket AM2 in that price range: X2s do not have that Opteron name, they have smaller cache (2 x 512 versus 2 x 1MB, but that costs you maybe 1-3 % or so in terms of speed, and is easily canceled by the higher clock frequencies of thse other CPUs.)

Also, look at the power ratings: the Opteron is 105 watts--old tech. These new cpus are in the 45/65W range: this is good.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...9103257&page=2&bop=And

Less watts equals less heat equals less noise equals smaller power bill. (I assume (?) you may be thinking of a server type system, on 24/7?)

The Santa Ana 1212: $60 or so, but 105W:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819105220

Recommend: any newish AMD chipset, and one of the 65nm lower watt CPUs linked above.

HTH

NXIL

Edit: addendum, a socket F opteron CPU:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819105022

The motherboards that this CPU will fit into take only ECC ram.

Like this one, takes 32GB of ECC (only) ram:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813151070

 

[iooiioio]

I understand the whole new tech thing, and the improvements in technology, but don't the Opterons handle multi-threaded applications much better? Also, I am not concerned with the Server Opterons, this machine is a Workstation/Software Development machine.

I am completely aware of the scalability of the 23xx Barcelonas.

I was just a little unsure if the motherboards would do ok with 105W. I appreciate the input though.

 

[NXIL]

Originally posted by: iooiioio
I understand the whole new tech thing, and the improvements in technology, but don't the Opterons handle multi-threaded applications much better?

Hi,

I think you saw some articles about the *enterprise* class (socket F/1207) Opteron processors. The AM2 Opterons have more L2 cache, and may (or may not) overclock better, might come with a nice heatsink, and, the green box is rocking, but, it's really the same CPU die.

The Santa Ana "Opteron" badged processer you are looking at, 105W, is really just a binned or relabeled AMD 64 X2.

Here is the Santa Ana 1212:

http://products.amd.com/en-us/...nCPUDetail.aspx?id=300

Here is the 90nm 2000 GHZ, but only 2 x 512 cache socket AM2 "X2":

http://products.amd.com/en-us/...opCPUDetail.aspx?id=75

This looks pretty similar to the "Opteron", jsut about the same specs, except stepping I think:

http://products.amd.com/en-us/...opCPUDetail.aspx?id=62

From Wikipedia, a bit out of date:

Socket AM2

Socket AM2 Opterons are available for servers that only have a single-chip setup. These chips may prove to be as successful as the previous generation socket 939 Opterons due to the Opteron's overclockability. Codenamed Santa Ana, rev. F dual core AM2 Opterons feature 2×1 MiB L2 cache, unlike the majority of their Athlon 64 X2 cousins which feature 2x512 KiB L2 cache.

From 2006:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/207255-28-opteron

http://www.ocforums.com/archive/index.php/t-521918.html

I would recommend you go with the lower wattage X2....

HTH

NXIL

 

[iooiioio]

Thanks, that helps a lot.

 

[Peter]

Opterons don't internally handle anything better than other members of the AMD64 family. It's the same processor design throughout, varying only in core count, L2 cache size and external interfaces.

In essence, in the AM2 socket, you can get better performance from an Athlon X2 than from an Opteron - for less money and at half the power consumption.

You'll only /need/ to use an Opteron if you want to use ECC RAM (NXIL, I know it's technically not true, but in the reality of boards and BIOSes it is), and also if you want to use the huge I/O throughput of a workstation or server grade board whose BIOS doesn't accept anything but Opterons.

All others are much better advised to use an Athlon X2, or if money allows, an X3 or X4 Phenom. The latter are better number crunchers due to their newer design and the presence of L3 cache.

 

[NXIL]

Hi Peter,

I think the OP saw some articles, many of them mutated "press releases", i.e. BS, that touted the new Opteron Socket F quad core prowess at VMware benchmarks:

Like this:

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/...8/amd-claims-benchmark

Sorry about the source, but I kind of like them, and their obsession with The Everywhere Girl.

ECC RAM: I always try to build systems with ECC, so I look at motherboards that offer it from time to time; Asus offers it in their AM2/AM2+ systems on a regular basis, and Gigabyte does from time to time, and, Biostar as well; ECC works with both AAMD64 X2 and Opteron AM2 CPUs....(as you pointed out, AMD64 X2 AM2 pretty much = Opteron AM2.....though as I said, I like the snazzy green opteron box it comes in....)

Just a quick glance at some Asus mobos that offer ECC support:

http://usa.asus.com/products.a...model=2139&modelmenu=2

http://usa.asus.com/products.a...1=3&l2=149&l3=643&l4=0

http://usa.asus.com/products.a...1=3&l2=149&l3=592&l4=0

ECC will work on those Mobos with either the X2 or the Opteron....essentially the same on CPU memory controller....

Anyway, I think AMD made a bit of a marketing error calling either the X2 "Opterons" Opterons, or, the New quad core Opterons Opterons. Since it does more, maybe they should have called it the "More-On".....or, since it works hard

Never mind.

Thanks,

NXIL