Sun SPARC 336 MHz processor

Advantages: Cheap entry level Sun SPARC from 1997
Disadvantages: Build quality is PC like, and low cache processors

...The Sun UltraSPARC 5 workstation was brought out in 1997, and was priced so you could have one on your desk for approx 1000 US Dollars. They stopped shipping to customers in May 2002. These days, it is not a fast machine, but still they are perfectly useable for many workstation and server tasks. Processor and Memory - This model has an UltraSPARC IIi processor which is, of course, 64 bit and is clocked at 360 MHz. You can have 1GB of memory in the workstation, installed as up to 4 DIMMS, which must be installed in pairs. "Normal" PC memory will not work in these workstations. The 260MHz model only has 256kB cache (same with the 270MHz processor) For better performance, you need the 2MB cache version on the 333 or 400MHz versions. Storage - There is one HDD bay in the machine, although if you remove the floppy drive, you can put... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Plenty of Scope for improvement
Disadvantages: You can't get one for a P.C. - shame

...In recent trials the Motorola G4 Processor for Mac (running at 450 Mhz) out performed a P.C. running 2 thats....... TWO 1Gig Mhz Pentium III processors. I don't understand why P.C. owners are son fixated with Mhz - I suppose they need to run DOS so that Windows will RUN or is that crawl. C:/> CISC - Complex Instruction Set Computing = 30 - 40 time more code to process than an equivelent RISC Processor Reduced Instruction Set Computing Go Figure And 1 Gig Mhz is coming soon. PC are going to need Liquid Nitrogen Cooled Processors Just to Keep Up If they Can... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average off topic

Advantages: They are very powewrful processors
Disadvantages: Too expensive

...I'm not if AMD have done this but Intel definitely have. When they introduced the PIII 450 MHz for the first time, they did not mention to the public that it was only 10% faster than it's little brother the Pentium II 450MHz processor. When the gigahertz processor was introduced, it was tested by a popular computer magazine. I found the results to be surprising. In some areas of performance the Gigahertz processor was SLOWER than the 850 MHz processor. When ever a new processor is introduced it is always overpriced. This overpricing is not little it is ridicously high. A month or two after the release the prices drop massively. Then soon after a new processor is introduced, faster and more powerful. When this show will end who knows. These very powerful processors don't even operate to maximum performance because of the operating... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful