Difference between 800FSB 3GHz Xeon & 533FSB 1MB GHzXeon

[videocheez]

I in the process of selecting hardware for a new comp and was checking out hardware at pricewatch.com. There is a substantial price difference between the 800FSB 3.06GHz Xeon and the 533FSB 1MB 3.06GHz.

I'm guessing that the 533FSB CPU has more cache? Is this going to perform faster encoding that the 800FSB CPU?

Why is the 533FSB more expensive?

Thanks in advance,

VC

[Capmaster]

I in the process of selecting hardware for a new comp and was checking out hardware at pricewatch.com. There is a substantial price difference between the 800FSB 3.06GHz Xeon and the 533FSB 1MB 3.06GHz.

I'm guessing that the 533FSB CPU has more cache? Is this going to perform faster encoding that the 800FSB CPU?

Why is the 533FSB more expensive?

Thanks in advance,

VC

The extra cache will always drive the price up. Ultra high speed memory like the kind used in L2 caches is still expensive because it decreases the number of usable chips on a given wafer at the fab plant.

The larger cache doesn't buy you much when doing sequential work like encoding. It's more of a benefit when doing more branchy work like gaming and business apps.

[rallynavvie]

Those 1MB L3 cache Xeons are also known as M-0 stepping Xeons (they are M-0 stepping revision cores), or also Gallatins (for Gallatin core). They have all the same speeds as the 533 FSB 512k cache variants but with the higher L3 cache. They are better suited to server and database work since the extra cache is great for that.

The Nocona Xeon has a 1MB L2 cache on it which is pretty much the same. Why the Gallatins are still more expensive is beyond me. Maybe someone with a lot more Intel knowledge knows the difference between the different level caches.

[ViRaL1]

Have you already chosen a mobo? If you don't NEED 800MHz FSB, you'll save more on the board as well as the chips.

[videocheez]

Have you already chosen a mobo? If you don't NEED 800MHz FSB, you'll save more on the board as well as the chips.

Yes, I'm going to use the Iwill DH800. Thanks to suggestions by rallynavvie. Thanks for the info. guys.

VC

[rallynavvie]

NewEgg has the DH800 for only $335 now. It's out of stock currently but oh well. Are you planning on waiting until the winter for the next generation of Xeons? I'd highly suggest it if you're going to spend all that money on your system. I had to get processors right away because my other work machine failed so I got 533 FSB Xeons and I'll wait until the next stepping revision comes out to upgrade to Noconas.

[videocheez]

Are you planning on waiting until the winter for the next generation of Xeons? I'd highly suggest it if you're going to spend all that money on your system. I'll wait until the next stepping revision comes out to upgrade to Noconas.

Yes, im going to wait per your suggestions. I would like to get started buying a few things now so my wife doesn't notice how much the whole thing cost's. Are there any components that you suggest that I might purchase in advance of the next generation of Xeon's?

Also, how do you know the name of the names of the next generation of chips? e.g "Noconas" Where do these names come from? and is the Noconas going to be the next 3.06GHz Xeon with the 800 FSB?

Thanks in advance,

VC

[rallynavvie]

The nicknames are the core names given to processors. The 512k 533 FSB Xeons are Prestonias, the 1MB 533 FSB Xeons are Gallatins, and the new 800 FSB Xeons are Noconas. Core names are also used in P4 and Athlon processors to denote different abilities specific to a chip. Usually only used by us hardware nerds