Posted: 10/12/2006 8:48:09 AM EDT
| Some people use a server processor(ie Opteron or Xeon) in a desktop. What does that buy you? What does it do that a desktop processor doesn't? It may be a basic question, but I don't know the difference between server processors and desktop processors. |
Same here. I think they have more onboard cache (type of RAM). I guess this just improves performance for the typical tasks that a server might do. I'll probably just get an X2 4800 next year sometime. I don't care whether I have the extra cache or not. |
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A lot of times they have more on-die cache than a typical desktop processor. This is more immediate memory that the processor can access faster than storing data out to RAM. Plus they were 64-bit before most desktops were moving that direction and they are designed to be in multiprocessor setups (like up to 32 processors). |
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One reason is multiprocessing. You can't plug more than one Pentium 4 into a motherboard. Xeons are typically for motherboards with 2 or more processors. With Core 2 Duo processors coming into mainstream, this essentially lets most anybody multiprocess with a single cpu |
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Server processors are designed to work under high load, handle many requests, and stay online for months to years at a time. They are designed to operate well in multi-processor environments, and are generally better quality processors than your average desktop processor. Beyond that, there's differences in the actual engineering that change how they handle the processes and interact with the other hardware. Desktop processors are sufficient for most people's needs. For some of us, we need something that's got just a little more oomph. |