Thinking of upgrading a cruncher. Best @ 3930k priceline ?

[Markfw]

So I am bored recovering from open heart surgery. Thinking of updating my 920 to a 3930k + asrock exteme7 + 16 gig of gskill 1833 for $1000 total. So is there a better F@H cruncher for this money ? I will play some games, but everything I play is great on my 920 anyway.

 

[blckgrffn]

Wow, now, that sounds pretty tasty. Only thing better I could think of is the new 8 core Xeon for that socket, that'll have 16 threads... if you get the 3930k up to a good clock speed (4+Ghz?) that should cover your throughput disparity, but the new Xeon should be good for -bigadv (for now...)

What does the point situation look like for -bigadv? (looking for users like TA to chime in here )

You might also be able to build a dual socket Interlagos for close to that money and that will likely fold better, but will be crap for games...

Hope your recovery is going well Take it easy, man!

 

[Markfw]

It only needs 8 threads, not 12 or even 16 for bigadv (or did that change)

Also, the chepeast of those cpu's is $1100, Right ? That a long way from $600, and its only 2 ghz and locked, where the 3960 can hit 4.5 easy (it appears)

 

[blckgrffn]

It only needs 8 threads, not 12 or even 16 for bigadv (or did that change)

Also, the chepeast of those cpu's is $1100, Right ? That a long way from $600, and its only 2 ghz and locked, where the 3960 can hit 4.5 easy (it appears)

Yeah, I believe that it is going to change (if it hasn't already, it was supposed to) I no longer have the assets to test that out, though.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819113036 2x Interlagos

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819117272 Big Boy Xeon, but yeah, locked down (no OC), 8 cores @ 3.1Ghz.

 

[ZipSpeed]

I support any initiative that brings moar cores to the TeAm! I've toyed with the idea of getting a 3930.

Now that we know the current batch of E5 Xeons have locked BCLK and multipliers, the SR-X platform has literally become less interesting overnight. Now my eyes are back on the SR-2.

 

[blckgrffn]

I support any initiative that brings moar cores to the TeAm! I've toyed with the idea of getting a 3930.

Now that we know the current batch of E5 Xeons have locked BCLK and multipliers, the SR-X platform has literally become less interesting overnight. Now my eyes are back on the SR-2.

Yeah, but it is still going to be ~50Ghz at the end of the day though, and one is going to be way more effecient and have all the tasty, updated ISA's. I hear what you are saying, though. Too bad that they didn't leave even ~4 multiplier levels available.

$4k for two of them though, that's pretty hard to swallow...

If you could pick up two of the 2Ghz ones and OC - then we'd be talking

 

[somethingsketchy]

From what I've been browsing other forums, for (supposedly...) $3k you can pick up an used 4P Opteron motherboard and processors that would get you a very good amount of cores/threads to throw your weight around. I'm tempted to build one on Newegg and see if the card will be good enough

 

[ZipSpeed]

Yeah, but it is still going to be ~50Ghz at the end of the day though, and one is going to be way more effecient and have all the tasty, updated ISA's. I hear what you are saying, though. Too bad that they didn't leave even ~4 multiplier levels available.

$4k for two of them though, that's pretty hard to swallow...

If you could pick up two of the 2Ghz ones and OC - then we'd be talking

Indeed, for $2k, I can build a SR-2 rig with dual E5645! That said, even with an overclock on the aforementioned rig, dual E5-2687W at stock would pwn it right, left, up, down and in the bum.

From what I've been browsing other forums, for (supposedly...) $3k you can pick up an used 4P Opteron motherboard and processors that would get you a very good amount of cores/threads to throw your weight around. I'm tempted to build one on Newegg and see if the card will be good enough

For the price, those 16-core Interlagos chips are tempting. But if had a choice and more money, I would probably chose the 12-core Magny Cours that way each core get its own FPU.

 

[Markfw]

Guys, $1000 is the budget here..... Please, opinions in that range. Thats for cpu,motherboard and memory.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

So I am bored recovering from open heart surgery. Thinking of updating my 920 to a 3930k + asrock exteme7 + 16 gig of gskill 1833 for $1000 total. So is there a better F@H cruncher for this money ? I will play some games, but everything I play is great on my 920 anyway.

$1000?

That setup definitely looks like a good choice, but you should go for lower-end RAM since it makes too small of a difference in PPD. This is about maximizing performance/watt and PPD/dollar, after all.

I regularly get 40K PPD with my 2600K at 4.3GHz when running 7*** projects, but take into account folding@home is extremely good at finding instability in your system. In everything else, my 2600K is stable at 1.26V. For folding@home, I need 1.30V.

With a 3930K, given its exponential scaling as you add cores and clock speed, I think you'd be getting around 80K or even higher in the 7**** projects at the same clock speed.

 

[Markfw]

I only get 14k ppd on my 2600k@4.0 ghz, its the biggest piece of crap. I hope the 3930k doesn't do this to me. Is it because they are all running XP ? Instead of Win 7 ? I get 10k on my 920 (right now a 7500 unit), and I got 22k on the current unit for my 950 (a 7500 unit).

And what are 560ti 1 gig mem 880 mhz cards getting for ppd now ?

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

What about buying two used Opteron 6128s on eBay for $150 each and getting a dual-CPU G34 motherboard like an ASUS KGPE-D16 or a similar option from Tyan or Supermicro for $400? It can use normal, unbuffered RAM and you can go with 1GB or 2GB sticks of 1333MHz to maximize price/performance.

With a setup like this you'd be at under $1000 while getting around 80K PPD and lower power consumption than an overclocked 3930K because system power consumption would only be ~300W. Another option, if you want better future-proofing, is to get the same motherboard and a single Opteron 6174 and upgrade to two later. You'd be able to get 24 cores later, and they're clocked at 2.2GHz instead of the 2GHz in the 6128. Versus the 16-core (2x6128) setup I just mentioned you should be looking at around 120K PPD, but if you need the highest return now and aren't gonna invest more into it in the future my recommendation would be to go with the 6128s.

If I'm honest, you're better off getting used 61xx Opterons for folding@home. Their performance/watt in it is excellent, and they can be had cheaply.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

I only get 14k ppd on my 2600k@4.0 ghz, its the biggest piece of crap. I hope the 3930k doesn't do this to me. Is it because they are all running XP ? Instead of Win 7 ? I get 10k on my 920 (right now a 7500 unit), and I got 22k on the current unit for my 950 (a 7500 unit).

And what are 560ti 1 gig mem 880 mhz cards getting for ppd now ?

Wow, that's pretty bad.

If you want to avoid bad WUs more, you need a system capable of running -bigadv. Right now that means you need 16 threads at least, and a system capable of completing in the set deadline. Your cheapest ticket to that is the Opteron system I mentioned earlier. Two Opteron 6128s can be had for $300 total and a good dual-socket G34 motherboard can be had for $400-450. With that you'd be looking at getting 80K PPD out of the 16 cores and a power consumption of ~300W. With the CPU+motherboard you're at 3/4 of your budget; you can use the remaining $250 for eight DIMMs and an additional power supply if you need one.

 

[DooKey]

For $1000 a 3930K is probably the best way to go for max PPD folding. I run my 3930K at 4.8ghz and get 139K ppd on 6904 wu. On 6901 I get 102K ppd. This is running linux in a vm (virtual box).

 

[blckgrffn]

For $1000 a 3930K is probably the best way to go for max PPD folding. I run my 3930K at 4.8ghz and get 139K ppd on 6904 wu. On 6901 I get 102K ppd. This is running linux in a vm (virtual box).

Wow. Very nice. I was thinking perhaps for $1k 2x2600k rigs might be the way to go, but I guess not...

Buy a nice cooler, Mark

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/cohyseh1expe.html

Not really the best, but pretty darn solid, especially with a couple of nicer fans. IDC has a nice review of it and a high end Noctuna somewhere in the cases and cooling subforum.

$80 is the best price I have found for it so far... I think you'd have to spend nearly $300 to go full WC w/quality components.

If you are aiming @ 4.8Ghz+ on SB-E, though, I think you are going to have to load for bear as far as heat output is concerned!

DooKey, how are you chilling that beast?

 

[DooKey]

Wow. Very nice. I was thinking perhaps for $1k 2x2600k rigs might be the way to go, but I guess not...

Buy a nice cooler, Mark

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/cohyseh1expe.html

Not really the best, but pretty darn solid, especially with a couple of nicer fans. IDC has a nice review of it and a high end Noctuna somewhere in the cases and cooling subforum.

$80 is the best price I have found for it so far... I think you'd have to spend nearly $300 to go full WC w/quality components.

If you are aiming @ 4.8Ghz+ on SB-E, though, I think you are going to have to load for bear as far as heat output is concerned!

DooKey, how are you chilling that beast?

I'm running a swiftech setup. Apogee XT block and a 2x 120mm fan radiator. Keeps temps in the 70s.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

For $1000 a 3930K is probably the best way to go for max PPD folding. I run my 3930K at 4.8ghz and get 139K ppd on 6904 wu. On 6901 I get 102K ppd. This is running linux in a vm (virtual box).

You can't run -bigadv on 3930Ks because they have 12 threads and not the required minimum, which is 16.

That is, unless Stanford didn't actually change anything.

Also, remember that Sandy Bridge-E isn't very efficient when overclocked.

 

[Markfw]

I have a megahalems cooler, so covered there. As far as the older opterons, and getting more cores, for PPD only, thats great, but I was also looking at newer tech. With this, I would pop in an 8 or 10 core later if I wanted, and cheap.

Do you think I could get 100k ppd in win XP based on that post from Dookey ? Can I run linux vm in a virtial box in XP 32 ?

And PSU is Corsair AX 1200

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

I have a megahalems cooler, so covered there. As far as the older opterons, and getting more cores, for PPD only, thats great, but I was also looking at newer tech. With this, I would pop in an 8 or 10 core later if I wanted, and cheap.

Do you think I could get 100k ppd in win XP based on that post from Dookey ?

Well, you could do the same with an Opteron. Remember the 6128 is an 8-core, and the 6174 is a 12-core. You could go with the 12-core now and upgrade to 24 cores in the future.

Remember that 100K PPD with a 3930K shouldn't be possible now that they can't run -bigadv, while the comparably priced Opteron setup will yield lower power consumption and similar performance. When it comes to folding@home, core scaling is exponential and not lineal. If you want higher performance, like I said earlier, you can get a 6174 now for $400 and get another one down the road. If you want the same performance with Xeons as what you can get with Opterons in folding@home be prepared to pay twice or more. With anything from Intel that's not a Xeon you'll be stuck with a single CPU, and even if the top IB-E is an 8-core you have to remember that it'll be $1000 on launch. Also, IB-E will not have 10-cores.

I love Intel, too, but they're just not that good for dedicated folding@home machines. Most price-focused folding farms run on Opterons, and for good reason. 4x Opteron 6174s exceed 350K PPD.

 

[Markfw]

Here is the problem:

"I love Intel, too, but they're just not that good for dedicated folding@home machines."

This box is the farthest thing I have from dedicated. It is my "everything primary" box. Only the 2 950's are dedicated folders.

 

[DooKey]

You can't run -bigadv on 3930Ks because they have 12 threads and not the required minimum, which is 16.

That is, unless Stanford didn't actually change anything.

Also, remember that Sandy Bridge-E isn't very efficient when overclocked.

Hmmmmm, you better tell that to my box. I'm running -bigadv right now as I type this. They have to get rid of all the old units so -bigadv will still run on 12 threads.

If you mean isn't very efficient power wise you'd be correct. Crunching wise it's a beast at 4.8ghz.

 

[Markfw]

Hmmmmm, you better tell that to my box. I'm running -bigadv right now as I type this. They have to get rid of all the old units so -bigadv will still run on 12 threads.

If you mean isn't very efficient power wise you'd be correct. Crunching wise it's a beast at 4.8ghz.

OK, I never saw an answer to this. Can I run a VM linux when I am booted XP 32 bit ? Not sure how that might work.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Here is the problem:

"I love Intel, too, but they're just not that good for dedicated folding@home machines."

This box is the farthest thing I have from dedicated. It is my "everything primary" box. Only the 2 950's are dedicated folders.

You never clarified or mentioned this in the OP.

If that's the case, go for the 3930K now and get cheaper RAM because 1866MHz will do nothing for you either in normal programs or folding@home.

 

[DooKey]

If you go 4p Opteron the board alone will set you back over $600. Also, $400 6174s are rare......$500 each is a more realistic price. So let's see, 600+ 2000+ cost of 4 HSFs, 16 sticks of RAM. Plan on spending $3000 if you want a 4p rig with 6174s. A more cost effective approach would be to buy 4 6128s for a total of $500 and the board for $600 plus HSFs and RAM. Could probably do that for around $1400 and get 300-350K PPD if you OC the CPUs on a Supermicro board. That would be pretty efficient PPD/Watt.

 

[DooKey]

OK, I never saw an answer to this. Can I run a VM linux when I am booted XP 32 bit ? Not sure how that might work.

Virtual box will run in windows XP and I believe the VM can run a 64bit flavor of Linux. What I'm not sure about is if all the RAM will be visible to the VM since the host OS is 32bit. You need to have 4gb or so of RAM available to the VM to run -bigadv.