[ILUG] Spoilt for choice at Elara

[Robert Sweetnam]

Timothy Murphy wrote:
> Dear ILUG guru,
>
> Just as I was about to purchase
> --------------------------------------
> HP ML110 G5 Xeon 3065 (2330/1333-4MB) Dual Core, 1x1GB,
> Non Hot Plug SATA 250GB, DVD¦R/RW, 3 Year Next Business Day Warranty
> 219.92 euro.
> --------------------------------------
> <http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfull.asp?productcode=ECE1466838>
>
> Elara put out a second ultra-cheap HP server:
> --------------------------------------
> 1. HP ML115 G5 Opteron 1352 (2.1 GHz, 2MB) Quad Core 1x1GB
> Non Hot Plug SATA 160GB DVD
> 189.54 euro.
> --------------------------------------
> <http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfullat.asp?productcode=ECE1706165>
>
> Which is the better?
> I've had slightly unhappy experience recently with AMD machines,
> so tend to prefer the Xeon.
> Also Elara don't give any precise specification for this machine,
> and there don't seem to be any reviews around.
>
> I don't know what difference Quad Core makes?
>
> I read a warning among reviews of the Xeon machine:
> "The single PCI slot is V2.3 which means only 3.3V cards are compatible,
> so take care choosing your card."
> Are these PCI cards very rare?
>
>
>   

Spoiled for choice indeed! If only I had spare cache. Ahem. I mean cash! 
(Sorry!)

Anyway PCI was always 3.3V. And V2.3 is 3.3V also. More here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Local_Bus

My preference is Intel CPU's. Primarily because every AMD CPU I have had 
has ended up almost on fire. Always through overheating. Intel 
processors detect when they are getting too hot and shut themselves down 
thereby saving you a few hundred quid on a replacement.

As for the number of cores, it really depends on what you plan on using 
it for. Most software is still written with single cores in mind. Most 
recent software may be multi-core aware but benefits would be negligible 
for everyday use.

That said most CPU's are multicore anyway so you will end up with one 
regardless.

Regards,
Robert