Pentium 4 v. Pentium D

[Perd Hapley]

I just went and picked up the computer that I bought on ebay.  It was sold by a local place that cleans out corporate lease computers. 

It was advertised as having a Pentium 4, at 2.8 GHz.  I checked inside the case before I left, but it wasn't until I got it home that I saw the sticker on the front of the case that said Pentium D.  I don't have an OS on it yet, so I haven't checked it with CPU Z or anything.  I fed the tag number to Dell's website, and it confirms that the processor is indeed:

Processor, 80551, Pentium D Smithfield For Desktops, 820 2.8, BO, Server



I looked up 80551 and found this on another website:
80551 Pentium D 2004
15-4-7 B0 step 'Smithfiled' OEM     
FSB133x4, XD, DualCore, EIST     
0.09µm, SSE2 SSE3 EMT64     
16+12kB/1024kB L1/L2

So, I expected a Pentium 4 at 2.8, and I got a dual-core at 2.8 then.  This is a good deal, yes? 

Here's an article on the D 820:
http://techreport.com/articles.x/8369

[never_retreat]

Ya thats a good chip.
Now just don't cripple it by putting a 32 bit os on it.

[Perd Hapley]

Uh, is there a 64-bit OS that will work well for a novice user, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? 

[roo_ster]

Uh, is there a 64-bit OS that will work well for a novice user, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? 

Do you really have to ask?

Most flavors of linux can be had in 64 bit, free for the download.

I suspect you got quite a good deal, there.

[never_retreat]

Xp 64 bit or vista which I would not recommend because it sucks or some form of linux (your choice)

I run xp 64 on my quad core and ubuntu on my dual core.
It just depends on what your going to use the computer for.

You might be able to find an oem copy of xp 64 pro on ebay, liniux is all free
Or there is always getting a boot leg copy.

[Perd Hapley]

Yes, I did have to ask.  I have an XP Pro disk (I presume it's 32 bit) which is what I plan to use.  I was thinking about dual-booting it with Ubuntu, later, so if I do I'll use the 64-bit version. 

[Gewehr98]

You can run XP Pro 32-bit just fine on that machine, Fistful.

64-bit Windows is more capable, but it's not as if you have a bunch of 64-bit applications to run under the more expensive OS, either.

You can always upgrade to the 64-bit OS when time and money permit.

[Perd Hapley]

Yeah, I wasn't terribly worried about it.     I don't even know what the difference is.   

[CNYCacher]

You can run XP Pro 32-bit just fine on that machine, Fistful.

64-bit Windows is more capable, but it's not as if you have a bunch of 64-bit applications to run under the more expensive OS, either.

You can always upgrade to the 64-bit OS when time and money permit.

He can upgrade right now for free.

[Perd Hapley]

Predictable.   

[Gewehr98]

And annoying, too.

[Perd Hapley]

So, back on topic, this Pentium D is a dual-core?  Super-neato, huh? 

[Gewehr98]

Dual and Quad core processors are becoming the norm, because manufacturers are running into trouble keeping up with Moore's Law.

Smaller die sizes for semiconductor devices haven't kept up with that rule, and will eventually hit a brick wall when the circuits are so small that electrons jump traces that are just too close together. Photolithography can only do so much, so Intel and others are looking at alternatives.

To get more computing horsepower out of a given die size, it's easier to double or quadruple the physical processors by stacking them on that chip, and use the extra bandwidth to speed things along.  As an analogy, you can move a lot of stuff on a two-lane highway with a 80 mph speed limit, but you can move even more traffic on a 4-lane highway with a 65 mph speed limit.

Moore here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore%27s_law

[Perd Hapley]

Cool, thanks. 

[roo_ster]

fistful:

Yep, you can run a 32bit OS on 64bit hardware, no problem.

64bit buys you a few things.

1. More memory (RAM) can be used/addressed. 32bit allows for a theoretical 4GB (2 or 3GB in reality, minus any memory on your video card).  64bit allows, uh, more.  A lot more, theoretically.

2. Better performance when playing with encryption

3. Better performance when playing with files larger than 4GB (think digital video or other big stuff)

[Balog]

Just out of curiousity, how's it compare to this kit? http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=4660161&sku=B69-1065&SRCCODE=WEM1922IM&cm_mmc=Email-_-Main-_-WEM1922-_-barebone

[Perd Hapley]

Well, for one thing, it only cost a hundred and ten.  No shipping. 

So, are all computers going to be multi-core, eventually?  So, one day all the OS's will be 64-bit?  Or with a quad-core, could you run, what, 128-bit? 

[RaspberrySurprise]

Well, for one thing, it only cost a hundred and ten.  No shipping. 

So, are all computers going to be multi-core, eventually?  So, one day all the OS's will be 64-bit?  Or with a quad-core, could you run, what, 128-bit? 

The number of cores and bit spec of OSes are not related, you could run a 64bit OS on a single core processor as long as it was a 64bit processor. And yes likely all major OSes will be 64bit, how long I dont know.

[roo_ster]

Well, for one thing, it only cost a hundred and ten.  No shipping. 

So, are all computers going to be multi-core, eventually?  So, one day all the OS's will be 64-bit?  Or with a quad-core, could you run, what, 128-bit? 

Maybe, but cheap, power-sipping, cool single core CPUs have made a comeback in the netbooks.

They are slapping more cores into one "CPU" because they are having trouble manufacturing faster cpu/cores.  In the Cage Match of "Moore's Law vs Physics," Physics has ML in a Fort Lauderdale Leg Lock and is thwacking the back of his head with a folding chair.

For example, the 2004-era  HP xw4100 can crunch one of my heavy-duty simulations in the same amount of time it takes a dual-core-equipped HP xw4400 to crunch one of my sims.  One instance of the sim can not utilize more than one core.  But, the xw4400 can crunch two of the sims at the same time in the same time it takes the xw4100 to crunch one, as it has two cores & a buncha RAM.

The clock speed and core count of a CPU is not necessarily related to the 32 vs 64 bit architecture, as there have been 64bit single core CPUs.

Most HW and OSs will likely go 64bit.

[Perd Hapley]

Then why do I say "I haz dual-core" and everybody suddenly starts talking about 64 bits?

Is it cuz the specs I listed said EMT64? 

[roo_ster]

Then why do I say "I haz dual-core" and everybody suddenly starts talking about 64 bits?

Is it cuz the specs I listed said EMT64? 

IIRC,
1. Every Intel-manuf dual core CPU has been 64bit.
2. Dell is an Intel-only shop.

Therefore, given the above, "fistful haz 64bits."

[KPT]

IIRC,
1. Every Intel-manuf dual core CPU has been 64bit.

Core Duo's were dual core and 32-bit.

Fistful you can get the RC of windows 7 free right now if you want to try a 64 bit os. I've been running it on my quad core since the beta and haven't had any problems.

[roo_ster]

Core Duo's were dual core and 32-bit.

Fistful you can get the RC of windows 7 free right now if you want to try a 64 bit os. I've been running it on my quad core since the beta and haven't had any problems.

Obviously, I did not "IIRC"

[Physics]

Dual and Quad core processors are becoming the norm, because manufacturers are running into trouble keeping up with Moore's Law.

Smaller die sizes for semiconductor devices haven't kept up with that rule, and will eventually hit a brick wall when the circuits are so small that electrons jump traces that are just too close together. Photolithography can only do so much, so Intel and others are looking at alternatives.

To get more computing horsepower out of a given die size, it's easier to double or quadruple the physical processors by stacking them on that chip, and use the extra bandwidth to speed things along.  As an analogy, you can move a lot of stuff on a two-lane highway with a 80 mph speed limit, but you can move even more traffic on a 4-lane highway with a 65 mph speed limit.

Moore here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore%27s_law

Spot on.  You run into, shall we say, issues at smaller scales.  To keep achieving Moore's Law, ideas other than scaling have had to be brought into fruition.  Things like High-K dielectrics, organics, and other different materials are being introduced to help.  Almost wish I was still doing research in this stuff.