Tip about buying CPU for Java development

[Ricardo Palomares]

Hi,

I'm about to upgrade an old desktop computer that I'm going mainly use
to (besides general user tasks) develop in Java using NetBeans. I'm
amateur and not looking for a high-end workstation, so I'm trying to
go with a <100 EUR (in computer parts change rate, also USD) CPU.

I've been reading about AMD Kaveri and HSA (both CPU and GPU cores are
able to address the whole memory) and, while the initial launch
suggests that, at least for this year, no significant enhancements can
be expected, it looks like a promising technology. Thus, I'd like to
buy a cheap AMD APU (not Kaveri, not HSA) and install it on a FM2+
motherboard (which would allow me to put later a Kaveri APU if time
delivers promises).

AMD APUs are far behind in CPU computing power against Intel, but
still can be comparable in multi-core workloads in some scenarios.
Where they blatantly fall deep in the benchmarks is in single-core
performance. So, I'm pretty much interested in knowing if general Java
development (e.g., compiling and running apps with several threads),
and NetBeans in particular, take advantage of multiple cores. The
applications I work on are Java SE, not EE.

For instance, since GUI runs in the EDT and long tasks should be run
in different threads using SwingWorker, would Java dispatch each task
to a different core if OS allows it? If not, then I could be forced to
go with an Intel core i3, which is already over 100 USD, since the
single-core performance blows out even the new AMD APU flagship.

I will be running Linux 64-bits in the box.

TIA

[Roedy Green]

On Fri, 17 Jan 2014 23:42:55 +0100, Ricardo Palomares

Post by Ricardo Palomares
take advantage of multiple cores.

Yes they do. I have six cores, most of the time two of them are idle.
My multithread stuff is mostly screen scraping so most threads just
sit there waiting for i/o. If I were to do this again, for the same
money I would get 4 cores, but faster cores.

I write manufacturers of software all the time explaining how their
software could run much faster with threads, but they don't write in
Java so threads scare them to death.

[Ricardo Palomares]

Post by Roedy Green
On Fri, 17 Jan 2014 23:42:55 +0100, Ricardo Palomares

Post by Ricardo Palomares
take advantage of multiple cores.

Yes they do. I have six cores, most of the time two of them are idle.
My multithread stuff is mostly screen scraping so most threads just
sit there waiting for i/o. If I were to do this again, for the same
money I would get 4 cores, but faster cores.
I write manufacturers of software all the time explaining how their
software could run much faster with threads, but they don't write in
Java so threads scare them to death.

Thanks for the tip. To be honest, I bought the replacement parts a
week ago (AMD A8 6600K, 8 GB RAM). I've installed Linux Mint 16 64
bits, and I ran benchmarks from "HardInfo" utility and compared with
my laptop running Intel Core i5 460M with Linux Mint 16 32 bits. For
most tests, the AMD is faster (in some of them, more than 2x faster,
others about 20-30 %, and for N-Queens it is actually slower).

Regarding Java performance, I'm using JDK 7u51 in both systems (64 vs
32 bits); in the AMD I'm using NetBeans 7.4, in the Intel I'm still
with 7.3.1 because I had some issues with 7.4. Again, most of the time
the AMD system feels slightly faster (hard to say, maybe 25 % faster),
although I've also hit a couple of times a 2-seconds hang while
editing GUIs in NetBeans. Still testing, but overall I'd say I've got
better performance for not much money and a FM2+ motherboard prepared
to switch the CPU for a newer, faster one in case I need it.

Thanks again for replying.

[Joerg Meier]

Post by Ricardo Palomares
I'm about to upgrade an old desktop computer that I'm going mainly use
to (besides general user tasks) develop in Java using NetBeans. I'm
amateur and not looking for a high-end workstation, so I'm trying to
go with a <100 EUR (in computer parts change rate, also USD) CPU.

As a slightly different tip: a MUCH MUCH more noticeable difference will be
gained from switching from a mechanical drive to an SSD.

Liebe Gruesse,
Joerg