Anybody with a 3960X...need some data

[BrightCandle]

I was not aware SB-E and IB-E were designed mainly for servers. I thought those were SB-EP or SB-EX. I thought -E denoted Enthusiast.

Memory bandwidth matters more on many-core processors and/or multi CPU systems.

The AIDA scores show how the memory controllers of the SB-E is set-up differently to a desktop CPU, its very much like a XEON. The bandwidth in a single thread isn't that great but once you start using all the threads to read the memory it goes up to well above that of the SB and the X58 before it. The cache latencies are higher but the overall throughput is also higher. The whole memory subsystem is tweaked to be good for many core applications, to the small detriment of a certain class of single threaded problems.

Thankfully in practice no practical desktop apps seem to suffer for having this differently tweaked memory subsystem. There are likely benchmarks however that could show up the performance drop if they rely heavily on cache latency on a single thread for example.

The current evidence from the dye shots suggest that the SB-E is a xeon class chip but with a few bits changed. 2 of the cores have been fused off to leave us with hex cores. They are definitely different chips, but SB-E does seem to have server DNA in its design, to its detriment as an enthusiast toy.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

The AIDA scores show how the memory controllers of the SB-E is set-up differently to a desktop CPU, its very much like a XEON. The bandwidth in a single thread isn't that great but once you start using all the threads to read the memory it goes up to well above that of the SB and the X58 before it. The cache latencies are higher but the overall throughput is also higher. The whole memory subsystem is tweaked to be good for many core applications, to the small detriment of a certain class of single threaded problems.

Thankfully in practice no practical desktop apps seem to suffer for having this differently tweaked memory subsystem. There are likely benchmarks however that could show up the performance drop if they rely heavily on cache latency on a single thread for example.

The current evidence from the dye shots suggest that the SB-E is a xeon class chip but with a few bits changed. 2 of the cores have been fused off to leave us with hex cores. They are definitely different chips, but SB-E does seem to have server DNA in its design, to its detriment as an enthusiast toy.

SB-E is mainly a desktop CPU. SB-EP and SB-EX are mainly server CPUs.

Simple as that.

 

[Edrick]

SB-E is mainly a desktop CPU. SB-EP and SB-EX are mainly server CPUs. Simple as that.

NO.

SB-E is the Xeon E5 series.

The EX series is the Xeon E7 series.

 

[Arachnotronic]

NO.

SB-E is the Xeon E5 series.

The EX series is the Xeon E7 series.

SNB-EP = E5
SNB-E = cut down Extreme Edition for desky
EX = big iron

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

NO.

SB-E is the Xeon E5 series.

The EX series is the Xeon E7 series.

Xeon E3-xxxx and E5-16xx series is only used by small businesses or for lower-end servers. They have no support for 2P or 4P CPU configurations.

That type of CPU was meant first with enthusiasts in mind (and is sold as either Sandy Bridge or the 3820-3960X) with the bonus of being good for low-cost servers (which make up a small percentage of the server market) because of the addition of support of ECC memory.

Now, the Xeon E5 series is Sandy Bridge-EP. EX is the E7 series, like you said. E5-26xx and EX are the ones targeted more at servers. Low-end servers aren't that important in the bulk of the server market.

EDIT:

What I'm saying is, Sandy Bridge-EP means Xeon E5 series and Sandy Bridge-EX means Xeon E7 series. All of these are based on the Sandy Bridge-E architecture, so that's why you got the nomenclature mixed up.

Sandy Bridge E3 and Sandy Bridge-EP E5-16xx are made mainly for small businesses or low-cost servers. Then higher up is the Sandy Bridge-EP E5-26xx and -EX E7 series, which make up the bulk of the server market.

Sandy Bridge-E, the CPU itself, means the 3820, 3930K, and 3960X (for now). If you're referring to the Sandy Bridge-E architecture itself then that means all the E5 and E7 CPUs. Hope that clears it up.

 

[Edrick]

SNB-EP = E5
SNB-E = cut down Extreme Edition for desky
EX = big iron

Unless I am mistaken, the SB-E and SB-EP are the same die but the EP has support for 2P systems. And the Xeon versions have support for ECC while the desktop doesnt. I assume they are just turning that feature off for desktops.

With that said, the cache and memory controllers are going to work exactly the same in both (the original point of this discussion).

The EX line is a different die with a different socket and supports 4P systems and has other RAS features included.

 

[Edrick]

EDIT: What I'm saying is, Sandy Bridge-EP means Xeon E5 series and Sandy Bridge-EX means Xeon E7 series. All of these are based on the Sandy Bridge-E architecture, so that's why you got the nomenclature mixed up.

SB-E and SB-E are the same architecture. SB-EX (or IB-EX) will be different.

Sandy Bridge-E, the CPU itself, means the 3820, 3930K, and 3960X (for now). If you're referring to the Sandy Bridge-E architecture itself then that means all the E5 and E7 CPUs. Hope that clears it up.

Yes, I know what they mean and how Intel markets them. But for the point of this discussion, we can say the E and EP lines will function the same when it comes to cache and memory controllers (same die).

 

[GammaLaser]

BTW, Sandy Bridge EX does not/will not exist. The die used in the Xeon E7 series is Westmere EX. Sandy Bridge EP can support up to 4S.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

BTW, Sandy Bridge EX does not/will not exist. The die used in the Xeon E7 series is Westmere EX. Sandy Bridge EP can support up to 4S.

Good to know.

I wonder if Intel does this purposefully to confuse people. :thumbsdown:

Their naming scheme is too whack.

 

[Arachnotronic]

BTW, Sandy Bridge EX does not/will not exist. The die used in the Xeon E7 series is Westmere EX. Sandy Bridge EP can support up to 4S.

In older roadmaps, SNB-EP 4S was called SNB-EX, but now is just SNB-EP 4S. Also, yes, SNB-E *is* SNB-EP, but it has a lot of functionality fused off (QPI links, cache), so I consider it "different".

 

[Edrick]

Also, yes, SNB-E *is* SNB-EP, but it has a lot of functionality fused off (QPI links, cache), so I consider it "different".

Well, the same die will be used for 8C and 6C Xeon parts as well as the SB-E desktop parts. And depending on sku, some cache, cores, QPI links will be fused off. That does not change the fact that they are the same die and the memory/cache subsystem will function the same. Yes you can consider them different from one point of view, but for the sake of this discussion, they are the same.

 

[IntelUser2000]

In older roadmaps, SNB-EP 4S was called SNB-EX, but now is just SNB-EP 4S. Also, yes, SNB-E *is* SNB-EP, but it has a lot of functionality fused off (QPI links, cache), so I consider it "different".

Basically yes. Like how desktop chips are really TDP up-scaled versions of mobile chips. Recycling is common for chips.

I thought the EX chips used a different socket, so how would we have a SB-E successor in the EX line?

Right now, they don't call it that. But in the future, EP basically turns to "EX2" and "EX1" is the regular high-end EX. I actually like to think as EP = 2P workstation and EX2 = 4P workstation/server, with EX1 = 4P and above for datacenters.

 

[Arachnotronic]

So...anybody got the data for me?

EDIT: Thanks, BrightCandle for the 3930K data! I'm going to assume the 3960x works...pretty much the same...but if anybody's got the data for that too, I'd be curious. But yeah, looks like I have what I want!

Now, any of you brave souls going to buy a Xeon E5 2687W? It'll drop right into your X79 boards!

 

[Edrick]

But yeah, looks like I have what I want!

Just do it man!

 

[IntelUser2000]

Xeon E5 is supposed to launch Tuesday.