AMD problems Turion X2

[shuuhen]

I will need to use LabVIEW in college, but they are telling me to NOT get an AMD processor in my laptop because LabVIEW will have problems.  I've been searching and it seems that most of the problems people see with AMD chipsets are actually from the motherboard used.

I'd like to be running LabVIEW on a Turion X2 processor (specifically on a HP Pavilion dv6040us).  Are there really problems with the AMD chipset, or is this a motherboard issue that could occur with any processor (they also don't allow Celeron based laptops)?

Any advice on picking a machine to run LabVIEW?  Specific motherboards/manufacturers/etc. to avoid?  Anything else I should know/be thinking about?


Any help figuring out whether I'm thinking right and the HP will work or I should look to an Intel processor (Core Duo, etc.) would be greatly appreciated.

[shoneill]

I think they might be referring to possible stability problems or unusual I/O arrangements due to adapting what is essentially a mobile CPU for desktop use.

The motherboards tend to be smaller production charges with the associated reduced testing possibilities and so on.

Any particular reason why a Turion is of interest?  Is it a standard socket 939 or 754 CPU?

Shane.

[altenbach]

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@shuuhen wrote:
I will need to use LabVIEW in college, but they are telling me to NOT get an AMD processor in my laptop because LabVIEW will have problems.  I've been searching and it seems that most of the problems people see with AMD chipsets are actually from the motherboard used.

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Who are "they" and what specific problems are they talking about?

I have run LabVIEW on many types of CPUs (Intel: 486, Pentium I, II, III, VI, Pentium M, Centrino, etc. AMD K6, Athlon, Athlon XP, DualCPU/Dual Core Opteron, etc. VIA C3), a wide variety of MB/Chipset combinations, laptops to workstations, and have never encountered any problem with LabVIEW that would indicate any compatibilty problem. Don't you think that these forums would be full of complaints if such an incompatibility would exists?

Do you need to run plain LabVIEW or do you need to add DAQ boards or other hardware?

[shuuhen]

Everyone at my school is required to have a laptop.  The Engineering department recommends Dells (known to work with all of the software), but I'm not a fan of Dell.

I'm interested in the Turion X2 because I'd like a 64 bit dual core processor in my laptop (I also like AMD more than Intel) and this seems to be the only one available currently (the Core Duo 2 ships to late).  The HP laptop I'm looking at looks like a great machine for a lot less than the Dell (there's an Acer that would also be nice, but it doesn't ship in the USA).

As far as I know, the Turion X2 is a socket S1 chip.

[shoneill]

Well, if it's a mobile chip in a mobile PC, then I don't see where the problems should lie.

I think it's just a case of the IT heads not wanting more diversity in their department.  The more similar (or identical) machines they have, the less problems they may be presented with - less different problems that is).

I'm personally not a HP fan, but I do believe they make solid PCs.  Or they used to at least.

Shane.

[shuuhen]

"they" are the Engineering department at my school.  They told me I would experience driver issues.

I would expect that I would have found more proof of problems if there were any, but they had issues and have not responded with the specifics (other than "driver problem").

As far as I know, just need to run plain LabVIEW.

[shuuhen]

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@shoneill wrote:
Well, if it's a mobile chip in a mobile PC, then I don't see where the problems should lie.

I think it's just a case of the IT heads not wanting more diversity in their department.  The more similar (or identical) machines they have, the less problems they may be presented with - less different problems that is).

I'm personally not a HP fan, but I do believe they make solid PCs.  Or they used to at least.

Shane.

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I haven't been an HP fan, but the model I found looks to be decent and Acer hasn't brought the Aspire 5110 to the US yet.  There aren't many Turion X2 based laptops to choose from.

I was thinking the same thing about the IT heads not wanting diversity in computers.  I can understand requiring a specific operating system and minimum specs on a machine, but not allowing an AMD processor (specifically they say Athlon, but they also list an Intel processor - Celeron) and specifically stating they want a Core Duo, Pentium 4 or a Pentium M doesn't make much sense to me.  Maybe the machine(s) had lower end motherboards.

[shoneill]

Or maybe they're just good friends with the Intel sales rep......


These things happen.

[shuuhen]

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@shoneill wrote:
Or maybe they're just good friends with the Intel sales rep......


These things happen.

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I've considered that possibility...

I think they are just trying to be conservative.  Schools get discounts on Dells, so they probably figure they can avoid most problems by limiting the machines people have.

[Soundar]

Hai,

There is no issue for AMD.

But for Celeron, due to internal Cache memory issue you will feel CPU usage almost 100% for a blank while loop without a wait timer.

In case of Pentium CPU Usage percentage is less and in Dual core it very low (about 2-3%).

Celeron is not good for software development.