It is designed for 4x and 8x processor systems. I have no idea technically (or technologically) why the 8xx series should cost so much more, but my layman's logic kicks in and says "Since people who are buying 8 processor servers are already spending five or six figures anyway, why not crank up the price of these enterprise-level processors?" .. Maybe there's some extra "8 processor bridge" doohickey on them, I don't know...
WuGgaRoO said why does the 8xx model cost soooo much more than the 246??? im clueless/speechless at why its such a huge change
Opterons have up to three HyperTransport Links available for Processor comunications.
Opteron 1xx have One Hypertransport Link
Opteron 2xx have Two Hypertransport Links
Opteron 8xx have all Three Hypertransport Links operational.
One HT link can talk to system device & Memory. Two HT links are needed to link with both System devices and another CPU. 3 HT links can talk to TWO other CPUs. (You can daisy chain up to 8 CPUs).
2xx/8xx Opteron require more testing and (multiprocessor )validation than 1xx versions. Also all HT (necessary) HT links must be functional. I'm sure on a 1xx Opteron if only one is needed, but on a 2xx two must work and on the 8xx version the chip must be perfect. Thus they are more expensive to produce.
Chip defects are also why Intel & AMD produce "Value" versions of their flagship chips. If you have a error in the P4/Barton or Opteron's Large L2 cache just deactivate 1/2 or 3/4 of it and call it a Celeron/Duron or Athlon64 256K (due in Sep03)
Other than that though Prime is right.
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Geeky1University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
edited September 2003
Omega and Prime hit the nail on the head- an 8xx cpu is for an 8-way system, a 2xx is a 2-way, and a 1xx is a single-cpu system (although I'm not sure if they're backwards compatible, like using an 8xx in an asus sk8n board...). However, I'm not sure there are any 8-cpu opteron boards out there yet. I certainly haven't seen any.
As omega stated earlier the two most important factors causing the increase in cost for AMD are the increase in transistor count (or working transistor count) and the increased validation required. Testing and validation are expensive procedures and you can bet the 8xx get a lot more time in various test apparatus than the other series.
Even still AMD is probably making a much higher margin on 8xx chips than other opterons, but this is the nature of modern fabrication and while it might seem unfair, its pretty much the way the economics of the high speed, cutting edge semiconductor industry works.
Comments
Opterons have up to three HyperTransport Links available for Processor comunications.
Opteron 1xx have One Hypertransport Link
Opteron 2xx have Two Hypertransport Links
Opteron 8xx have all Three Hypertransport Links operational.
One HT link can talk to system device & Memory. Two HT links are needed to link with both System devices and another CPU. 3 HT links can talk to TWO other CPUs. (You can daisy chain up to 8 CPUs).
2xx/8xx Opteron require more testing and (multiprocessor )validation than 1xx versions. Also all HT (necessary) HT links must be functional. I'm sure on a 1xx Opteron if only one is needed, but on a 2xx two must work and on the 8xx version the chip must be perfect. Thus they are more expensive to produce.
Chip defects are also why Intel & AMD produce "Value" versions of their flagship chips. If you have a error in the P4/Barton or Opteron's Large L2 cache just deactivate 1/2 or 3/4 of it and call it a Celeron/Duron or Athlon64 256K (due in Sep03)
Other than that though Prime is right.
Even still AMD is probably making a much higher margin on 8xx chips than other opterons, but this is the nature of modern fabrication and while it might seem unfair, its pretty much the way the economics of the high speed, cutting edge semiconductor industry works.