Jarom?r Dole?ek writes:
> Hi,
> I'm considering buying a MP-capable box, though only dual-processor. Two
> motherboards I'm considering so far are
> 	Gigabyte 6BXD 440BX (Dual2xS1)
> 	Abit BP6 i440BX  (2xPPGA, ATA66)
> 
> Do you have any good experiences with other motherboards
> or any bad experience with these ones ? Bill's SMP code has been
> tested on BP6 so far, right ?

I have a BP6, and it has been working very well for me.  Three of my friends
have them also, and think it is great also.  About the only thing I've
seen that is odd is that my CPUs run quite hot (according to the LMxx chip)
while none of my friend's do.  I think my sensors may just be miscalibrated.
I'm seeing tempatures like 110.F while my friend's with similar CPUs, ambient
tempatures, fans, etc. see something like 92.F

> Since this is designed to be just dual processor box, I'd probably
> go with Celerons, the price different is very tempting :) The
> difference between them is the processor cache size only, right ?
> Does the cache size make the actual processor speed so different ?
> For example, I can get 566 or 533 MHz Celeron for like $US 110 and
> Pentium II 350 SECC2 is for like $US 170, so Celeron seems like better choice.

Well, AFAIK the fastest PPGA Celeron is 533 and the 566 is a FCPGA chip.
Only the PPGA chips will run dual in the BP6.
Looking at pricewatch you should be able to find a decent price, I'm seeing
$93 for a 533 Celeron, and $145 for a PIII-550.

Costs: (ignoring shipping, and "limit one" stuff)
BP6		US$125
2xCeleron 533	US$186
Total		US$311

EPOX KP6-BS	US$128 (a dual slot 1, UDMA/33 only)
2xPIII 550	US$290
Total		US$418

So for about $100 more you get "real" SMP processors, but a cheap board. :)
Personally I think the BP6 is an excellent value.  The performance issues
are difficult to measure.  The P3/550 has a 100Mhz FSB which improves the
memory bandwidth, has a larger cache (but only 1/2 speed), and the new
Pentium III instructions.

You can also buy Powerleap adapters to run real PIII xxxE FCPGA processors
in the BP6, but then it gets really expensive.

I think the ABIT BP6 is a better option for a "cheap" SMP box, considering
the jumperless design and the extra two (UDMA/66) IDE channels.  The
performance issues are still there, but a good quality dual slot 1 with
the same features would increase the cost by $150-$200 more, which just
doesn't seem "cheap" anymore. :)

-Andrew
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Gillham                            | NetBSD ist Affengeil.
gillham@whirlpool.com                     | Nachts ist es kaelter
I speak for myself, not for my employer.  | als draussen.