Processor thoughts

[goobee]

For heat consideration, I need to decide on a single machine to run 24/7 during warmer weather. Choices are between a dual AMD Opty 248 or Intel Pentium D 915?

This is for a pure cruncher( ie: no other funtion). Which would you run for best results?

A more expensive solution is to replace both with one Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Core 2 Duo... By far more efficient than both, if if I had to choose one, I'd go with the Opty. Also, you could consider underclocking for the warmer climate times for heat & temp considerations.

 

[goobee]

I had heard that the core 2 Duo was pretty good at crunching. That is why I was considering maybe replacing both boxes with one.

Are the Core 2 Quad not as good? Specs show they run @ 105w which seems a bit high given what the Core 2 Duo are.

 

[Amaroque]

Core 2's are great CPU's.

If it's for crunching only, each processor is more or less efficient than the other depending on which project your crunching. For example, the X2 is ~17 % more efficient than the C2D crunching DPAD.

Edit: Don't get a P4 under any circumstances.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Well, if a Core 2 Quad is possible, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt. And the wattage per core is still pretty damn good. But a C2D puts you right in the same price range... Do you already have the mobo for the Opty & P-D? Or are you looking at a whole new setup? If I was to build a new machine just for crunching, I probably would go with an Opty due to the lower price and decent performance. If I was building a good cruncher to do solid work for a while... Then it gets more complicated.

 

[goobee]

My entire fleet consists of mostly Optys running F@H

Box 1 2 x 285

Box 2 2 x 270

Box 3 2 x 250

Box 4 2 x 248

Lone Pentium D 915

With summer coming up, I want to only run 1 box. Box 1 and 2 are definitely out, they make way too much heat.

That's why I was considering just going with a single cpu, Pentium D or a new Quad core set up. Frys has a sale for $499 for a board and boxed CPU, I would just have to buy ram for it.

 

[Amaroque]

Check this site out. From the graph, it shows C2D being the fastest, the P4 being the slowest, and the X2 in the middle. 'with regards to folding only'

http://fahinfo.org/index.php?Graphs=true

 

[goobee]

Nice, lemme play with this for a while. Thanks.

 

[goobee]

Just got home with my new Q6600 combo + 2gbs ram.

I wonder if I should use this combo for my main box instead of the dual Opty 285's? I can't seem to find any Opteron vs. Core 2 Quad benches.

I did find a Core 2 Quad vs. FX-70 article and the Core 2 Quad seems to be pretty impressive.

http://www.hothardware.com/articles/AMD...dFX_Platform__FX70_Series_Processors1/

 

[stevty2889]

Originally posted by: goobee
Just got home with my new Q6600 combo + 2gbs ram.

I wonder if I should use this combo for my main box instead of the dual Opty 285's? I can't seem to find any Opteron vs. Core 2 Quad benches.

I did find a Core 2 Quad vs. FX-70 article and the Core 2 Quad seems to be pretty impressive.

http://www.hothardware.com/articles/AMD...dFX_Platform__FX70_Series_Processors1/

Yeah, the Core 2 Quad makes a nice folding box, my E6600 was already faster than the X2, and the quad of course destroys it.

 

[goobee]

Looks like I'll sell my Tyan s2892 dual Opteron mobo to help offset the cost on the new combo. Not sure anyone here would be interested in a server board with 2 Opty cpus and some ram. Maybe fleabay?

 

[Amaroque]

That is still a very powerful system (the optys). Why sell it? Just swap the crappy P4 system out, and be done with it.

 

[GLeeM]

Originally posted by: Amaroque
That is still a very powerful system (the optys). Why sell it? Just swap the crappy P4 system out, and be done with it.

Or save it for when the weather cools down

 

[goobee]

Mostly because I can probably get $300 to $400 for the Opty setup which will consist of the Tyan mobo, 2 x Opty 248 + HSFs and a couple gigs of ram. I would be hard press to get $50 bux for the Pentium D combo.

 

[Freewolf]

Originally posted by: goobee
Mostly because I can probably get $300 to $400 for the Opty setup which will consist of the Tyan mobo, 2 x Opty 248 + HSFs and a couple gigs of ram. I would be hard press to get $50 bux for the Pentium D combo.

Oh I don't know about that Dan. I might would give you fifty bucks for it.

 

[goobee]

Hey Jim long time no see. How's the weather on your side of the coast?

I'll probably keep crunching with the Pentium D for the time being. My duallie are the ones "heating up the house". The Pentium D pretty much sits there and doesn't output too much heat.

My old team seems to have bit the dust, I may start a team at my place. You're welcome to toss a box or 2 on if it happens.

 

[Freewolf]

When did tnt bite the dust? I haven't been around there (or your place either) in a while now.
I'm not spending much time in front of a computer these days.

 

[goobee]

Not exactly sure what happened. One day the forum just went down. No one has heard from Weaz.

More information here:

http://goobee.org/bbs2/viewtopic.php?t=...8&sid=20772ff9bd5d1905b94d745068930977

 

[Amaroque]

Originally posted by: Freewolf

Originally posted by: goobee
Mostly because I can probably get $300 to $400 for the Opty setup which will consist of the Tyan mobo, 2 x Opty 248 + HSFs and a couple gigs of ram. I would be hard press to get $50 bux for the Pentium D combo.

Oh I don't know about that Dan. I might would give you fifty bucks for it.

I out bid you, I'll give $55... That's 10% more.

 

[petrusbroder]

Originally posted by: goobee
Mostly because I can probably get $300 to $400 for the Opty setup which will consist of the Tyan mobo, 2 x Opty 248 + HSFs and a couple gigs of ram. I would be hard press to get $50 bux for the Pentium D combo.

What kind of PSU does this kind of combo need?
If it is an ATX-style of PSU of 450 W or less I have one...
What size is the Mobo? Full ATX? I may have a case for it ...
What kind of slots? PCI (what type???), AGP?

Please send some info - preferrably a link, I may be interested to upgrade one of my slower crunchers ... and 300 - 400 USD is in the right ballpark.

 

[goobee]

petrusbroader,

This is a full server board, Tyan Thunder s2892, extended ATX that requires an EPS power supply. No AGP but for video, you can use either the on-board VGA or slap a PCIe video card in.

Here's a link to the board: http://www.tyan.com/archive/products/html/thunderk8se.html

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: goobee
petrusbroader,

This is a full server board, Tyan Thunder s2892, extended ATX that requires an EPS power supply. No AGP but for video, you can use either the on-board VGA or slap a PCIe video card in.

Here's a link to the board: http://www.tyan.com/archive/products/html/thunderk8se.html

Sexy board! Makes me want to get my dually out of the closet and get it running. Damned if it ran without making so much heat though. I do miss that machine.

 

[Wolfsraider]

ah dually goodness but ugh at the heat, although optys run a tad cooler than 2.8 xeons lol

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: Wolfsraider
ah dually goodness but ugh at the heat, although optys run a tad cooler than 2.8 xeons lol

Yep. Although if we build a house (we have been talking about buying / building), I'm going to build an air-conditioned closet for the server. It's going to be awesome. And the office is going to have dual AC vents.

When we build a house, ya'll will see a post in DC, "OT: Pimp my House for Crunching!!!". hehehehehehehehe.

 

[petrusbroder]

Originally posted by: goobee
petrusbroader,

This is a full server board, Tyan Thunder s2892, extended ATX that requires an EPS power supply. No AGP but for video, you can use either the on-board VGA or slap a PCIe video card in.

Here's a link to the board: http://www.tyan.com/archive/products/html/thunderk8se.html

Thanks for the info! The on-board VGA is just great, the two GB-ports too ... I have a GByte-LAN at home - considering that we have 6 teenagers and a mediaserver (P-4 computer which serves as a NAS (3 x 500GByte HDD and 9 DVD-units) I have a fill size server case and I have seen that my local computer store has a 460 W EPS12V PSU for a very reasonable price...
YGPM!