A 6 core Xeon is able to run 12 threads by having duplicate registers that allow 2 threads to run on each core, to make more efficient use of the core's multiple execution units (as it's a superscalar processor). With AMD's design, they go a little further by adding additional integer hardware to allow two 'strong' threads to run on what they call a module. The floating point hardware isn't duplicated though, there is a single floating point unit per module shared between the two threads.

Before going for a 12 core Opteron, make sure it's not a 6 module Opteron supporting 12 strong integer threads, but sharing 6 floating point units. Anandtech usually have good architecture reviews.

From the benchmarks I've seen, 4 core i7s tend to outperform 4 module (8 core) AMD processors, so I'd expect the same to be true for the high end Xeon/Opteron parts if they're based on the same architecture.

Another day and another advance in the Rankings as the UK team moves to #65 in the Points table ahead of Crunching@EVGA

University of Texas at Dallas is next, estimated at 7 days.

Congratulations to the following UK team members on achieving a personal milestone in yesterday's crunching:

DerekJGB 180 days RunTime

ChrisUK 90 days RunTime for the UK team

ChrisUK 400,000 Points

Soong passes 125,000,000 Points for the UK team
RTS48 passes 30,000,000 Points for the UK team

Soong passes 300,000 Results for the UK team

blackdog13 moves above 175,000 in the Results Rankings to #174,477

Congratulations also to the following UK team members on setting new PBs

	RTS48            	Runtime	          	Points	        	Results	  183	

UK team Comparison of Daily RunTime, Points, Results

		                          	Hours		Points		      Results	
Yesterday's Production	1:004:20:38:53		8,876		3,200,194		6,578 	
Average per cd  								
March   	          374.4		        8,976		3,251,701		6,669 	
February	          372.9		        8,928		3,224,401		6,710 	
								
7day Avg per cd	          366.9		        8,784		3,276,517		6,708 	

Milestone Targets for the UK team

	       	Target   		Current  	To Do    	7day Avg.	  Estimate		
	RunTime	    900 years		    322,876	      5,624	    366.9	   15 days Apr-10		
	RunTime	  1,000 years		    322,876	     42,124	    366.9	  115 days Jul-19		
	Points 1,000,000,000 	 998,366,966 1,633,034	3,276,517      0 days Mar-26	 	
	Results	    3,000,000		  2,116,560	    883,440	    6,708	  132 days Aug-05		

No. Of Members Active Yesterday

       				Total	        65	out of	98	
				Group 1    	36 	,,  ,,	38	
				Group 2    	10 	,,  ,,	13	
				Group 3    	16 	,,  ,,	26	
				Groups 4 & 5 	 3	,,  ,,	21	

Hopefully it'll be a long-term project, though, and not one that'll only last a few months...

Congratulations to the following UK team members on achieving a personal milestone in the lunchtime update:

fosking 3 years RunTime

endellion moves above 15,000 in the Points Rankings to #14,990

MissMelisande 10,000 Results

UK team midday crunch:

			                    	Hours				
RunTime		      0:186:00:29:25		4,464				
7day Avg		154.7		        3,713				
March		        178.0		        4,282				
February		181.0		        4,367		

 No. Of Members Active This Morning:								
				Total	        54	out of	98	
				Group 1    	35 	,,  ,,	38	
				Group 2    	 8	,,  ,,	13	
				Group 3    	10 	,,  ,,	27	
				Groups 4 & 5 	 1	,,  ,,	20