Hi all.

Please, give me an advice: which processor is better for linux? I have to setup a server which will be loaded with 'bzip'. Is there some tests for modern linux distros? I`ve googled for `em, but I was unable to find something useful. In other words: what is better for bzip - CPU frequency or multi-threading?
Thanks in advance.

For almost all servers, you normally look towards Intel. That wll be all I say for fear of yet another "Intel vs AMD" FlameWar.

I go for AMD because they are cheaper, scalable, uses less electricity, and produces less heat than Intel processors. At this time AMD 64-bit processors are faster and better for servers.

Id second Electro, AMDs may be rated at a slower ghz, but Intels wast alot of the ghz rating with the FBS

Do you really get better performance for the dual-core processor on single tasks? ie, you use BOTH cores on the same process? Or just one and the other core remains inactive waiting for a process to come?

Hammett.
IMHO you cannot use both cores for a single process. I think the CPU development has reached the point where upgrading makes no difference whatsoever for an average home user. Wanna get better frame rates for gaming? Get a better graphics card and leave your 2500+ CPU alone.
Of course, they produce those new CPU's and their well-paid marketing departments probably can convince (most of) home users into buying.

Hum, then there's no point in buying an AMD 64bit Dual Core since I won't boost permormance beyond the first core. But, looking into AMD's website, the benchmarks shows better performance of dual core, I suppose (if taking Emerson's statement as true) that the better performance is due to the best processor, not the dual-core. Then, who really needs a dual core processor?

Since you're right with the graphic card thing, processor makes also the job. For example, I have a fairly good nvidia card (fx5900) with 1Gb ram BUT a P4 2.4Ghz...I really think getting a better processor would boost the gaming experience quite a lot, since I haven't found significant improvement between 512 and 1024 RAM.

For now, I'm just collecting info on a future upgrade of my pc, that's why I'm interested in the real performance of the dual-core processors on single processes, since the info on official websites is (IMHO) not real as they want to convince you.

Well... they (the big companies) usually get away with this because nobody really bothers to test. Let's say you build a new box. New m/b, new graphics card and new CPU. And you'll get better frame rate... So what does it prove?
Try testing your old box, downclock your CPU by 10 % and see how much it affects your gaming performance... ?

Well, actually I've found a very interesting website comparing 2 Intel CPUs, one single-cored and a dual-cored CPU.

Here's the link: http://www.vr-zone.com.sg/print.php?i=2746

That site proves that for single task is better to get a single core CPU, but as long as you do multi-task, it's better to get a dual-core.
I guess for now is better to get a single core if you don't multitask that much, but if an OS can make multiple threads of the same process, dual-core CPUs will beat single cored ones. Maybe in the future Linux will be able to do this (if not nowadays) and be controled by the user on how many threads to divide a single task.

Linux works better with multi-processor systems than Windows, so dual-core processors are better. Linux will load each processor while Windows will only load one. Windows will only load multiple processors if the program uses multithreads.

agreed, also AMD's run cooler

Good ole AMD vs Intel fanboys...

I wish people would just take a look at head to head results themselves, rather than touting benchmarks and rumors and gossip.

It doesn't really matter what you use, I am not on a side... but it is good to know the AMD fan boys are so well represented on LQ I shouldn't bother ever responding to any of these types of threads.

Also this is an unfair comparasion we are comparing a dual core 64bit CPU Vs. a one core 32bit CPU

Intel also has single-cored 64bit processors.

but it just said Intel so one assumes a singal core 32bit