BPI-M3 vs M64 – best performance for running Ubuntu Mate ?
Which BPI is more capable for running Ubuntu Mate (to eventually run a headless PlesMediaServer plus Airsonic music server plus low demand NAS?
Eight cores means more simultaneous threads and a higher proc GHz speed… but only 32bit??
64bit proc running at a slower speed with fewer cores feels more ‘future-proof’ – but would it be faster for running the desktop (for the purposes of setup/vnc to machine for administration), and would there be any significant advantage over the faster 8 core processor? Seems like no, but what am i missing?
Actually, having a board/pc using 64bit only means that it is using 64bit “pointer” to access the RAM. There is no performance gain nor loss and modern OS can uses both at the same time.
Imagine a factory, the cores and threads are your employees and the speed is, well, the speed at which they can complete their task. Now as you want 3 softwares (and much more behind like vncserver, maybe a cups server and other things) you can see them as 3 delivery “post” all of them waiting for employees to finish their task. The more employee you have the less the software has to wait and the same thing for the speed.
After that if you wonder if you need more Cores/Threads over CPU Speed you have to ask yourself what are your needs. As you said you wanted to use it principally as a server instead of desktop machine, you want to prioritize your core and threads over the speed. Server uses a lot of thread as it has a lot of software. If you wanted a desktop the speed would be prioritized.
Of course there is exception like you don’t want a 3.4GHz with 2 cores with 1 thread each. I would rather have a 2.6GHz cpu with 2 cores and 2 threads each. The tasks are done less quickly BUT there are more employees to do them.
Feels free to read online about “which cpu do I need”. Lot of posts and documentations are waiting for you to explain what you really need.
To answer your question, personally I would choose the BPI-M3 as it has more cores/threads and the speed is higher.
I have both the M3 and the m64, and the m64 is considerably more responsive in the GUI. The only problem is the image for the M60 for seems to create some Strange Behaviors. For instance on the N64 the login session will occasionally completely freeze for several seconds and then kick me out to the login screen. Also even though the WiFi is connected successfully and working successfully the indicator up in the panel keeps looking like WiFi is disconnected and it’s searching for Signal even though it has successfully established a WiFi connection and is working without interruption. Also the interface keeps consistently telling me that ethernet is unconnected, which it is, but why do I need to be told repeatedly? Also I cannot launch Firefox. Also if I attempt to login using xrdp or VNC, right after it connects I can only see the panels for a brief moment, the desktop never shows up and then the VNC session quits. It seems like the graphics drivers are not altogether matched to the system very well.