What is the DIFFERENCE between XEON and P4?

[new2pc]

How much XEON differs from P4 in every aspect?:confused

 

[First]

Originally posted by: new2pc
How much XEON differs from P4 in every aspect?:confused

Cache memory, number of pins, motherboard support....Or you could always do a simple search at Intel.com?

 

[new2pc]

Is it better than P4?

 

[AndyHui]

Under certain circumstances yes.

It is designed for use in multiprocessor environments and is primarily targetted at servers and workstations. Not for general consumer use.

 

[Sunner]

Stuff that you might actually notice.

Good:
All P4 Xeons have Hyperthreading
Some have more cache(L2 and L3), but on the other hand they are slower in clockspeed, and they cost a boatload of cash.

Bad:
Socket 603, which means you have to get Socket 603 mobos, and those tend to cost alot more than S478 mobos.
CPU's themselves are more expensive as well.
Lack flexibility since you need special mobo's, and those aren't exactly geared towards home users.

All in all, it's kinda like with SMP, if you have to ask, you don't need it.

 

[dullard]

Ok there have been some half truths running around with truths so here is accurate information:
1) Not all Xeons have hyperthreading. Hyperthreading was introduced around the 2.0 GHz mark (Give or take 0.2 GHz since I don't have that exact number memorized). The earlier model Xeons do not have it. Note: Intel has tweaked hyperthreading quite a lot since the early Xeons were released. Thus it often may harm performance on the older Xeons.
2) The core and cache is identical between similar P4 and Xeon DP (Probably the Xeon you were asking about). There is a server Xeon MP with more cache, but those cost between $1177 and $3692 per processor.
3) P4s can be run with one processor per computer, Xeon DPs can be single or dual processor. Xeon MPs can be bought in up to 4 processor systems, up to 8 way systems, or Intel claims they can be in even larger numbers but I've never heard of that being done.
4) Xeons do cost more than the similar P4s but in my opinion the price difference is minimal. For Xeons that are 1.7 GHz or slower the price difference is just $25. The 1.8 GHz Xeon price is identical to the 423 pin version of the P4. The 2.4 GHz Xeon is just $20 more than the 2.4 GHz P4. The top end is more expensive though, the 2.8 GHz Xeon is $104 more than the 2.8 GHz P4 (Note: the actual Intel price diffence is just $54 but the stores have decided to make a good profit on this top Xeon).
5) Interestingly the Xeons give you more flexibility than P4s since the 400 MHz fsb Xeon covers the full speed range - all the way up to 2.8 GHz. Thus people who bought the original Xeons can upgrade to any speed they want. The 400 MHz fsb P4 on the otherhand doesn't go past 2.6 GHz (and good luck finding that one).

But like others before me have said: if you need a dual processor computer get a Xeon, if not get a P4.

 

[Whitedog]

All in all, it's kinda like with SMP, if you have to ask, you don't need it.

Couldn't have said that better myself.

 

[Ilmater]

Indeed. However, being an AMD-only guy (I don't want to hear it! I have a budget, OK?!), I didn't know at all what the differences were. I knew that there were more differences than those between the AXP and AMP, but other than that...

If I one day started doing some serious video editing or photoshop work, I would all of a sudden be looking into a duallie system and would like to know what's out there.

 

[CraigRT]

all I know is, Xeons are better at a few things, but at 4x the price, not worth it unless you have ALOT of cash to burn.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Yield
all I know is, Xeons are better at a few things, but at 4x the price, not worth it unless you have ALOT of cash to burn.

Read my post, then show me a Xeon DP at 4x the price.

 

[new2pc]

I am referring to the 2.4 Ghz,XEON/533fsb dual channel DDR266 versus 2.4GHz, P4/533fsb single channel DDR266/DDR333.
It has to be better just for the dual channel alone, if the difference in DELL price of only $200.:frown:

 

[Goosemaster]

Actually Xeons can scale to 32CPU's

Our Unisys Es7000 at work has that many

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Actually Xeons can scale to 32CPU's

Our Unisys Es7000 at work has that many

Correct me if Im wrong, but isn't that some sort of NUMA architecture?

 

[Intelman07]

How much L2 cache does a Xeon have I thought I saw that it had 512k like the 2.0A P4's and so on they have the same cache what gives?

 

[CrazyHelloDeli]

Id like to know also, what exactly does the Xeon MP have over a P4, other than more pins, and a slighly larger cost. Now that P4 have Hyperthreading, what else difference is there?

 

[PowerMacG5]

Originally posted by: HelloDeli
Id like to know also, what exactly does the Xeon MP have over a P4, other than more pins, and a slighly larger cost. Now that P4 have Hyperthreading, what else difference is there?

Cache, anybody?. Xeon MP offers a lot more cache over a traditional P4. Quoted from intel (for a Xeon MP): Level 1: Execution Trace cache, Level 2: 512KB or 256KB Advanced Transfer cache, Level 3: 2MB, 1MB or 512KB. A desktop P4 chip only has the Level 1 execution trace cache, and Level 2 cache at either 512 KB (Northwood) or 256 KB (Williamette), they do not have Level 3 cache. Linky for Xeon MP: http://www.intel.com/products/server/processors/server/xeon_mp/index.htm?iid=ipp_srvr_proc+xeonmp&.

 

[LH]

I think hes refering to the fact that a dual Xeon system is a $1000 more than a P4 system. Which is correct, the motherboards are twice as expensive and $515+(515-382)+250=900. Not really a fair comparison though as if you need a dual processor system $1000 more is worth it.

Xeon DP is the almost exactly the same as a P4 except that it runs it can run in SMP and has more pins. Xeon MP has up to what 3MB L3 cache?

 

[new2pc]

I think I got a good deal @ Dell Xeon(think it is E7505 chip?) for $200 more than the P4.

I didn't care for dual processor, but thought dual channel DDR266 is a big plus.

My config:
2.40GHZ,XEON/533,WS450,MOD,512K CACHE
512MB,DDR266 SDRAM,ECC,2X256,WS450
MONITOR OPTION-NONE
ATI, FIRE GL E1,64MB,VGA/DVI, WS450
80GB,IDE (ATA-100),1INCH,7200RPM,WS450
WINDOWS XP PRO,NTFS,PWS,ENG
48X/24X/48X CDRW,IDE,GRAY,PWS 530/340
1394 CONTROLLER CARD,PWS X20,FACT
SPEAKER OPTION-NONE
HYPER-THREADING PRESET TO ON,WS450/650
ENERGYSTAR,SLEEP STATE 3,PWS330
:frown: