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[Ark-AMN]

I'm talking about Dual-core processors and dual-video cards. Do games and other programs (such as MAYA and MAX) take advantage of these things to increase performance?

I ask because I'd definately wan't to consider these options if they can help with 3D render times as well as run games better. The thing of course is that I've heard varying opinions about these dual setups and if they truly benefit current applications.

 

[blackadde]

SMP is not additive. You don't just throw in a second processor and boost your performance across the board, although load balancing will allow you to free up some cycles that would otherwise be eaten up by mundane stuff like Firefox, Trillian etc. Some programs are built multi-threaded (rendering apps, Photoshop, Quake3, workstation stuff) and take advantage the two CPU's, usually gaining somewhere between 33%-50% in terms of sheer performance. The real advantage of a dual setup is the fact that you can multitask like a monster.

 

[Ark-AMN]

SMP is not additive. You don't just throw in a second processor and boost your performance across the board, although load balancing will allow you to free up some cycles that would otherwise be eaten up by mundane stuff like Firefox, Trillian etc. Some programs are built multi-threaded (rendering apps, Photoshop, Quake3, workstation stuff) and take advantage the two CPU's, usually gaining somewhere between 33%-50% in terms of sheer performance. The real advantage of a dual setup is the fact that you can multitask like a monster.

Ok, I'm somewhat computer illiterate regarding tech terms. Whats SMP? And is the gist of what you are saying that "dual" setups (like dual core processors or dual graphics cards) are mainly a benefit if you running several applications and do not necessarily improve a single applications performance?

 

[E2G]

It all depends on where your priority lies.

Dual core processors will help a great deal on manipulation calculations while working with 3D objects or with a multi media setup with multiple windows and applications open at once. In game however it will be outclassed by simply faster CPUs with single cores. Take the AMD Athlon X2 4800+ and the AMD Athlon FX57 for example; the later will destroy the first in gaming.

As for the graphics cards however; a SLI setup is known to show approximately a 35 to 45% increase in performance in a BEST case scenario. If gaming is your main interest, and you want the absolute best, then go for SLI (dual Graphics Card). However, if your main interest is 3D work programs, then I would suggest looking at NVidia's Quadro line of cards. They are much slower for gaming as most of its strength lies in 3D program real-time support for programs such as 3Ds MAX, MAYA and such, enabling some effects to be generated even prior to rendering.

The question remains the same and the answer lies within your priorities.

 

[blackadde]

SMP is an acronym for Symmetric Multiprocessing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetric_multiprocessing). There is a serious distinction between general purpose CPU SMP and dual video card solutions, which are called SLI when connected in tandem.

SMP is what I was describing in my previous post. Like I said, a multithreaded program will benefit a great deal from such a setup, but single-threaded applications (90% of your day-to-day stuff) will only benefit in the sense that there will be less competition for raw CPU cycles (but will likely not execute much faster since the cycles themselves are clocked the same as you would have in a non-SMP environment).

SLI used to mean Scanline Interleave back in the 3dfx days, where each Voodoo card would render alternating lines (essentially, doubling performance). Nvidia's current implementation is called Scalable Link Interface and I'm not too familiar with it, so I'll just leave you with a Wikipedia link instead - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalable_Link_Interface

 

[crunker99]

i use the athlon 64 xp 4800+ dual core and it sure is speedy

but how much of that is due to the dual corage? prolly not that much

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

from what I gathered


dual core would be nice to say , play a game and be encoding mp3's at the same time, but the extra chip wont be like "zomg 2 cpus!!! uber fps!!!!!!" unless the game was designed for it, I was thinking of going dual core untill I read that, and bought an a64 4000 (basically a renamed FX xhip) instead. Id wait on dual core for awhile and spend the money towards a 7800 or of course sli setup.



then again my new rig (a64 4000, 2 gigs 3200 ddr, 6800gt pcix)

chugs on call of duty 2....so maybe an 360 would be your best best....

 

[Ark-AMN]

Hmm, so even different video cards to different things for applications as noted with the Nvidia Quadro card. Thats a toughie now, cause I wan't to do both 3D apps and nice gaming with a computer. Hmm, now I see why someone told me never to use the same computer for gaming and 3D apps.