Threadripper BUILDERS thread

[IEC]

So since this is a Threadripper builders thread....

I've seen 3200 RAM recommended and used in various reviews online. Now G.Skill has a 32GB pack, (on the front page of AT), for Threadripper at 3600. Does generically faster RAM improve Threadripper performance where latency is concerned or is 3200 the ideal speed?

(I'm assuming latency is the issue. Quad channel 2400 and above should provide massive amounts of bandwidth)

I have a 32GB quad channel kit of DDR4-3200 CL14 B-die as well as a 32GB set of DDR4-3600 CL16 B-die. I'll be targeting and testing various combinations of MT/s and timings above 3200+

 

[Markfw]

I have a 32GB quad channel kit of DDR4-3200 CL14 B-die as well as a 32GB set of DDR4-3600 CL16 B-die. I'll be targeting and testing various combinations of MT/s and timings above 3200+

@Paratus. Even if you decide to go 1700x, the same applies. The Zen cores love faster tighter ram, since the cores talk to each other, and the memory at ram speed.

 

[krumme]

And where pray-tell is the sensor that gets you this reading? On the middle of the die? An average of multiple ones? On the edge? therein lies the problem.

Good argument but remember guru 3d did measure the edges and temp was lowish. Thats the data we have besides the cpu temp and it adds up.

 

[ub4ty]

I have a 32GB quad channel kit of DDR4-3200 CL14 B-die as well as a 32GB set of DDR4-3600 CL16 B-die. I'll be targeting and testing various combinations of MT/s and timings above 3200+

MUSIC TO MY EARS !!! When does the totality of your build parts get in?
Do you have 2 scoops of ram 2x16 or 4 scoops 4x8?

 

[IEC]

MUSIC TO MY EARS !!! When does the totality of your build parts get in?
Do you have 2 scoops of ram 2x16 or 4 scoops 4x8?

Supposedly August 16th, even though the parts shipped this morning... so much for 3-day shipping. If I'm unlucky, maybe August 17th. If I'm really unlucky, I might not build until the 21st.

Both the 32GB sets are in 4x8GB SR configurations.

 

[ub4ty]

Good argument but remember guru 3d did measure the edges and temp was lowish. Thats the data we have besides the cpu temp and it adds up.

Please pay attention and read the details of my comments. They measured it with a FLIR device pointed at portions of the heatspreader outside of the dies. The portion of the die in question is the portion not covered by the water channel in the AIO cooler represented by increasing levels of bad cooling as follows :
> The portion of the heatspreader above the die which is the area of the copper plate where there are no copper fins where the water flows across doing the most efficient transfer (thermal mass)
> The portion of the heatspreader above the die which is the area of the copper plate where there are raised screw holes (no metal on metal contact)
> The portion of the heatspreader above the die where there simply is no copper plate contact because these contact plates weren't designed for threadripper and their diameter isn't large enough to cover the Heatspreader surface above the dies...

@ub4ty, with all your worries related to heat conduction in metal, you seem to forget about the bottleneck which is located in the boundary layer between metal and air.

I actually didn't forget. Please lets not play games of thermal mechanics when you know exactly what my commentary is centered on and exactly how it significantly contributes to thermal inefficiencies on top of the obvious boundary layer impacting everything.

The bottleneck of these coolers will be radiator size.

The thick copper base plate of the Noctua coolers in particular will be fine. I also trust that Noctua got the shape of the bottom face right (probably needs to be plane) and made the mounting procedure as painless as possible for this socket. Both of these points are important for good thermal contact, and IME they got all this right on other sockets.

The issue with the Noctua is the heatpipes rising off the contact plate way before you get to the edge of the contact plate. Given that they stay in contact all the way to the edge of the contact plate on non threadripper models, I see nothing but thermal inefficiency with them not being in full contact on the TR models. I've contacted Noctua about this and updating the TDP #'s and haven't gotten an answer. Your commentary about the NH9/NH12 are sound. However, you should see the obvious issue that were at thermal limits with these coolers yet people are being shy about critiquing thermal inefficiencies.

I'm done with this debate. My commentary has been backed by people with the actual devices in hand who bothered themselves to do deeper analysis. Do as you will with such information. I've decided what I'm going to do.

 

[ub4ty]

Supposedly August 16th, even though the parts shipped this morning... so much for 3-day shipping. If I'm unlucky, maybe August 17th. If I'm really unlucky, I might not build until the 21st.

Both the 32GB sets are in 4x8GB SR configurations.

Excellent. Dates check out and are solid.

 

[Markfw]

Excellent. Dates check out and are solid.

All but my CPU is due to be delivered any minute (on truck for delivery) The CPU is 15 miles from my house, but Fedex won't let you pick it up from a distribution center.

I will also be doing a lot of ram testing, and HSF testing (if I could ever get one of those Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3 from a US supplier) I have 2 x 3000 8 gig and 4 x 3600 CL16 8 gig samsung bdie like IEC

 

[FiLeZz]

CPU is here, Newegg charged me for the motherboard and it ships Monday. EK waterblock ships on the 18th I'm a good week away.

 

[Paratus]

@Paratus. Even if you decide to go 1700x, the same applies. The Zen cores love faster tighter ram, since the cores talk to each other, and the memory at ram speed.

Copy that. Do we know at this point if mem speed must be reduced if all 8 banks are filled? If so I guess larger DIMMs are the way to go.

 

[Atari2600]

Yet again, you're cornered. So you mean to tell me that I should deal with my threadripper only being able to use XFR on inner cores

Given your applications won't know the difference, yes.

Once again, you are trying to make something out of nothing.


You would have a point about the memory controller location and higher clocked RAM (I wouldn't regard running high speed RAM as overclocking) - but given the existing reviews have used 3200 MHz (any 3600?) without issues....

 

[Markfw]

Copy that. Do we know at this point if mem speed must be reduced if all 8 banks are filled? If so I guess larger DIMMs are the way to go.

I don't think we know for sure, but I think based on previous results, odds are good that mem speed will be reduced. Did you also see the NUMA and UMA options ? and the gaming mode ? there are now way more variables to this animal (TR)

 

[Paratus]

I don't think we know for sure, but I think based on previous results, odds are good that mem speed will be reduced. Did you also see the NUMA and UMA options ? and the gaming mode ? there are now way more variables to this animal (TR)

I did. It looks like in the short run legacy and and a lot of current software is going to require fine tuning of threads and memory access.

I do think that with AMD throwing down more cores, (and competitive ones!), at every price point dragging Intel with them will mean future software will be more highly threaded and UMA/NUMA aware. Until then.....

For me right now I just want to setup a spreadsheet with what hardware I would need so I can compare ballpark costs vs benefits of the various systems. (plus I'm jealous of you guys getting to play on the bleeding edge)

 

[urvile]

Seems I am actually waiting on the MSI motherboard, I have now been told they should have it in stock monday. So hopefully I will get the lot next week. woot!

 

[TahoeDust]

Come on guys! Where are the build pics!?!? Did no one go snag a setup from Microcenter?

 

[Markfw]

I have a couple. All done, except NO CPU (maybe tomorrow, going to try and pickup from the Fedex dist center)

Edit: I can't pick it up, it must be delivered to my house. Monday... (dang it !!!!)

 

[dnavas]

Edit: I can't pick it up, it must be delivered to my house. Monday... (dang it !!!!)

I feel for you -- I had a recording gig on a weekend where my brand new 4k camera was sitting in a distribution warehouse on Friday :grr:

What case(s) are y'all using? I've got about 3 ODDs (one of them isn't really an ODD, but it's equipment that fits into such a slot), but I haven't found a satisfying compact case with good cooling, low noise, and with 3 ODDs.... It's been awhile since I had to look, but my very old Solo isn't built for sufficient airflow (the 1800X is already cooking in there). Everything with ODDs seems to come with a crazy number of HDD bays which I basically won't need at all.

 

[Markfw]

I feel for you -- I had a recording gig on a weekend where my brand new 4k camera was sitting in a distribution warehouse on Friday :grr:

What case(s) are y'all using? I've got about 3 ODDs (one of them isn't really an ODD, but it's equipment that fits into such a slot), but I haven't found a satisfying compact case with good cooling, low noise, and with 3 ODDs.... It's been awhile since I had to look, but my very old Solo isn't built for sufficient airflow (the 1800X is already cooking in there). Everything with ODDs seems to come with a crazy number of HDD bays which I basically won't need at all.

Well, I really don't know. Its a Lian-Li and its EATX so I have all the room in the world. I chose this existing case, since it had a built in 240 rad setup, and I altered it to fit a 360. It has push-pull setup, and it kind of looks like crap, but I may end up with a high end air cooler, or just push, not pull. For now its functional.

And by the way, all the system specs are in post number ONE ! (except the case)

Edit: the case is
LIAN LI PC-A75

 

[Kenmitch]

Sucks about cpu being sandbagged till Monday. Guess you could kill some time doing cable management.

Looking forward to end user reviews.

 

[Markfw]

Sucks about cpu being sandbagged till Monday. Guess you could kill some time doing cable management.

Looking forward to end user reviews.

Nope, because I have to take the cards out I need room to put the CPU in, and the nvme. This was just a little tease, since TahoeDust wanted pictures. So, only after its all done, can I do that. Actually I hope I have enough room as it is, with the rad and fans there. I would hate to have to remove the motherboard altogether.

 

[ub4ty]

Copy that. Do we know at this point if mem speed must be reduced if all 8 banks are filled? If so I guess larger DIMMs are the way to go.

I saw a number of reviewers with 8 banks filled. Not sure if they bothered to disclose any issues they had in such a config (*sigh.. the state of the review scene). Anywho, hopefully someone here drops ~$700 on ram so we can find this out so we can start probing memory limitations

 

[Markfw]

I saw a number of reviewers with 8 banks filled. Not sure if they bothered to disclose any issues they had in such a config (*sigh.. the state of the review scene). Anywho, hopefully someone here drops ~$700 on ram so we can find this out so we can start probing memory limitations

Well, after $3500 on this build, kind of maxed out for the moment

 

[dnavas]

And by the way, all the system specs are in post number ONE ! (except the case)

Yeah, I've been waiting for someone to ask about the case as it wasn't there 🙂
The closest I've come is Nanoxia Deep Silence (3? 5?) or maybe the Fractal Design Define XL. But most of the cases I've looked at are max duo-ODDs (like your LIAN LI PC-A75).

 

[ub4ty]

I have a couple. All done, except NO CPU (maybe tomorrow, going to try and pickup from the Fedex dist center)

So much mass hanging off that mobo. Your case is YUGE !!!
Black/red/white... The only true color combo.
Liking it so far Mark
DAT AX1200 .. Srs business

Edit: I can't pick it up, it must be delivered to my house. Monday... (dang it !!!!)

Weekend build snag

 

[FiLeZz]

m.2 1tb evo installed on old system. Ready to move to new system.