Xeon E3-1260Lv5 vs E3-1230v5

[new@AT]

Hello all!

I'm looking for some advice about the right choice of my next cpu.
This is what I will do with it: day trading of stocks and futures.
And this is what the cpu will do:
- the cpu will have to work from 9 to 14 hours a day;
- Multicharts http://www.multicharts.com/, a trading software, will have to run for the same hours;
- heavy usage of JAVA (all my brokers platforms are based on JAVA);
- loading 30-40 web pages at same time and with frequent refreshes;
- nothing more (no gaming, no editing, no CAD and so on).

I'm searching for the most stability available, namely I don't want to see any blue error screen (the pc must run smoothly). So I think a good choice would be an Intel Xeon based cpu. The latter + ECC memories should give me the security I'm looking for.
Now there is the most difficult part for me: which cpu should I choose between E3-1260Lv5 (TDP = 45W) and E3-1230v5 (or the others E3 with TDP = 80W)? This is the comparison table http://ark.intel.com/compare/88175,88182

Being a noob about pc matters, I would go for the E3-1260Lv5 because:
- I think I don't need so much brute force;
- it should burn less energy than others (keep in mind that my cpu will run for about 14hrs a day... I don't want to waste money for nothing).

But I am a noob... So I ask you: how is E3-1260Lv5 more energy efficient than an E3 model with TDP=80W? And how is it less computing powerful than others?
Ultimately, if you were in my shoes what would you choose?

Thanks in advance for the preciuos replies. Bye!

 

[VirtualLarry]

I'm searching for the most stability available, namely I don't want to see any blue error screen

Then avoid Skylake. It still seems to have issues, from iGPU constant crashes, to hard-freeze problems.

Anyone know of a fix yet for the HD520 crashing issue in Win10? I have a Dell Inspiron 11 w/ Skylake i3 (HD 520 graphics) and no matter which Intel driver I try from October to the latest, I get constant crashing (display driver stopped responding and has successfully recovered). Sometimes the crashing happens every few seconds non-stop until I just turn the laptop off and back on, but as soon as it turns on, it starts crashing again.

I've already tried wiping the hard drive with DBAN and fresh installing Windows 10. I've tried installing a new hard drive and have tested the RAM with memtest+ and HCI memtest for at least 24 hours each.

I'm surprised no one here has yet talked about the issues people are facing with their new Skylake-S builds (might not be limited to S, but those are the ones people are checking in with so far).

I, and many others who've recently built 6700K/6600K (and non K as well) systems have been experiencing this strange complete system freeze when idle. When it happens, the only resolution is to hard power off the machine, resetting does not work. It can happen anywhere from a few minutes after leaving the computer, to several days. There's a long thread [0] over at Tom's that I've been participating in over the last couple months, but no one's been able to get to the bottom of it. This post in particular [1] sums it up pretty well.

I'm having the issue as well, it freezes for me about once per week on average, sometimes it goes longer, other times it'll freeze two days in a row. I've RMA'ed the motherboard, changed PSU, changed RAM, tried default 2133MHz for RAM, latest BIOS (even beta ones), pretty much everything you could think of. Nothing makes any difference whatsoever.

It's seemingly affecting builds using all manufacturers of motherboards, as well as all RAM manufacturers, so all signs are pointing to either a chipset problem or Skylake uArch problem. Some have even replaced their CPU's only to have the problem show up again.

In addition to these freezes, the guys over at the Prime95 forums are tracking a bug with AVX that causes the workers to fail with a hardware error [2]. They have instructions on how to reproduce if you want to try. I've been able to repro the hardware error myself.

The Prime95 issue and freezing issue are probably unrelated, but who knows, they very well could be. In any case, there seem to be some real unsettling issues with this new platform. Hopefully they can be resolved by BIOS/microcode updates, but so far that hasn't been the case.

What really irks me is that no one is stepping up to confirm anything, not Intel and not the mobo manufacturers. Probably because they are afraid of financial repercussions, but it's highly annoying when your early adopters spend so much money on your gear and then have to troubleshoot very serious and very annoying problems on their own.

[0] http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2830772/skylake-build-randomly-freezing-crashing.html
[1] http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/i...ndomly-freezing-crashing/page-6.html#17247740
[2] http://mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=20714

 

[ShintaiDK]

It depends on your load. They will both idle at the same usage. One will use 80W to perform the task faster, other will use 45W and be slower. So if you have a high regular load that isn't a problem, the 45W will be cheaper in TCO. Else get the 80W if you want faster response.

 

[new@AT]

Then avoid Skylake. It still seems to have issues, from iGPU constant crashes, to hard-freeze problems.

Thanks for the reply!
The Xeons in my list come out without GPU...
Hmm maybe should I go for the previous version v4?

It depends on your load. They will both idle at the same usage. One will use 80W to perform the task faster, other will use 45W and be slower. So if you have a high regular load that isn't a problem, the 45W will be cheaper in TCO. Else get the 80W if you want faster response.

Thanks for the reply!

I think an example can help you: in this moment I have loaded my default configuration. I'm working on a machine that it based on a i7 920 @ 2.67GHz (a 7 years old cpu) with 6GB of RAM.
I get a peak (@ about 40-50%) in the usage of cpu when I start the programs or when I change the security and the software has to recalculate all the parameters.
But once I have chosen the stock or the future I want to trade the usage of the cpu relax @ 2-3%.
Instead my pc has to sustain a quite heavy usage of RAM... in this moment is at about 70-80% of the 6GB available but this is a story I know ()

So do you think a cpu with a lower TDP can fit with my usage?

 

[ShintaiDK]

v5 is fine. The 45W sounds fine looking at your current usage. Its quite faster than the i7 920.

 

[Burpo]

Upgrade if you want, but for your purposes, just drop a Xeon X5675 into your computer & add 12Gb of ram. It will be less taxing on the 6 core cpu and noticeably faster. Do those 2 things and your reliable workhorse has a few good yrs left.

 

[Headfoot]

I wouldnt bother with ECC ram at all, especially if you're already using an overclocked non-ecc processor and noticing no issues. ECC is just going to add cost, and overclocking already increases the chance of failure dramatically more so than ECC vs non ECC ram would, and even then, a properly tested overclock can be very reliable.

I agree with Burpo, just drop in a 6 core CPU compatible with your socket.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I wouldnt bother with ECC ram at all, especially if you're already using an overclocked non-ecc processor and noticing no issues. ECC is just going to add cost, and overclocking already increases the chance of failure dramatically more so than ECC vs non ECC ram would, and even then, a properly tested overclock can be very reliable.

You do not OC a production/critical system. Period. No ifs, buts or maybes. You just don't.

 

[PliotronX]

You do not OC a production/critical system. Period. No ifs, buts or maybes. You just don't.

I agree, but Headfoot was pointing out that ECC vs non-ECC amounts to a hill of beans in the scale of OC vs stock regarding reliability. Not necessarily saying that nothing is wrong with OC if reliability is a concern.

 

[zir_blazer]

- In Skylake generation, you NEED a Motherboard with a C series Chipset to use a Xeon E3 V5. Since you want to use ECC RAM, its the perfect combo anyways.
- If you do not use a Xeon with IGP (Anything whose fourth number ends in 5, like E3-1245V5), you will need either a discrete Video Card, or a Motherboard which has IPMI support for remote management, since IPMI at least adds a very basic GPU for video output.
- If you DO use a Xeon with IGP, you need the C236 Chipset since C232 doesn't allow to use the IGP.
- The low power Xeon is TDP capped, will consume less power, but also have lower performance in Full Load scenarios. In Idle, they should be roughly the same since all the power saving features kicks in. I personally wouldn't choose the low power Xeon, since they have lower Multipliers.
- Xeons E3 works with either Unbuffered or Unbuffered with ECC RAM (I suppose either DDR3 and DDR4, depending Motherboard). They DO NOT work with Registered/Buffered or Buffered with ECC. You want Unbuffered with ECC DDR4. Keep that in mind when choosing RAM.

 

[PliotronX]

- Xeons E3 works with either Unbuffered or Unbuffered with ECC RAM (I suppose either DDR3 and DDR4, depending Motherboard). They DO NOT work with Registered/Buffered or Buffered with ECC. You want Unbuffered with ECC DDR4. Keep that in mind when choosing RAM.

Since when do Xeons not accept RDIMMs?

 

[zir_blazer]

Since when do Xeons not accept RDIMMs?

That's the very first mistake. Xeons E3 DO NOT USE REGISTERED DIMMs. They never did at all.
There were some rumours that Skylake Xeons E3 V5 would introduce RDIMM support. So far, it seems that they're still UDIMM since I never hear about them again.

 

[rchunter]

Since when do Xeons not accept RDIMMs?

I think you need to step up to E5 to support registered memory. nevermind....zir blazer ninjad me..

 

[new@AT]

Upgrade if you want, but for your purposes, just drop a Xeon X5675 into your computer & add 12Gb of ram. It will be less taxing on the 6 core cpu and noticeably faster. Do those 2 things and your reliable workhorse has a few good yrs left.

I wouldnt bother with ECC ram at all, especially if you're already using an overclocked non-ecc processor and noticing no issues. ECC is just going to add cost, and overclocking already increases the chance of failure dramatically more so than ECC vs non ECC ram would, and even then, a properly tested overclock can be very reliable.

I agree with Burpo, just drop in a 6 core CPU compatible with your socket.

Thanks for you reply!

It's a brand new built. The cpu in the example is the one in the bother's pc

 

[new@AT]

v5 is fine. The 45W sounds fine looking at your current usage. Its quite faster than the i7 920.

Thanks a lot for your opinion. Much appreciated

 

[new@AT]

- In Skylake generation, you NEED a Motherboard with a C series Chipset to use a Xeon E3 V5. Since you want to use ECC RAM, its the perfect combo anyways.

I know

- If you do not use a Xeon with IGP (Anything whose fourth number ends in 5, like E3-1245V5), you will need either a discrete Video Card, or a Motherboard which has IPMI support for remote management, since IPMI at least adds a very basic GPU for video output.

I think I will go for a discrete video card.

- If you DO use a Xeon with IGP, you need the C236 Chipset since C232 doesn't allow to use the IGP.

I will keep in mind

- The low power Xeon is TDP capped, will consume less power, but also have lower performance in Full Load scenarios. In Idle, they should be roughly the same since all the power saving features kicks in. I personally wouldn't choose the low power Xeon, since they have lower Multipliers.

Also ShintaiDK pointed out the same thing.
As I reported in the previous example the cpu relaxs once I set up the security I want to trade. But the trading software should run the automated trading system and it has to launch the signal to buy or to sell to the broker's platform. So the pc never sleeps during the day trading.

- Xeons E3 works with either Unbuffered or Unbuffered with ECC RAM (I suppose either DDR3 and DDR4, depending Motherboard). They DO NOT work with Registered/Buffered or Buffered with ECC. You want Unbuffered with ECC DDR4. Keep that in mind when choosing RAM.

Thanks for ur detailed reply. Very much appreciated

 

[PliotronX]

I think you need to step up to E5 to support registered memory. nevermind....zir blazer ninjad me..

That must be a fairly new development (read: neutering). This is what lack of competition does :hmm:

 

[Magic Carpet]

No solder and now no registered ecc memory support. Why bother at all with Skylake E3.

 

[escrow4]

None of the above. Get a 4790 non K and stick it in an H97 board with 32GB of DDR3 and an aftermarket heatsink. Problem solved.

 

[new@AT]

None of the above. Get a 4790 non K and stick it in an H97 board with 32GB of DDR3 and an aftermarket heatsink. Problem solved.

Thanks for ur reply.
Why do u prefer a "consumer" solution instead of a workstation-class cpu?
Xeon + (unbuffered) ECC ram should give me a more stable built.

 

[rchunter]

That must be a fairly new development (read: neutering). This is what lack of competition does :hmm:

Afaik it's always been that way. E3 has never supported registered memory.

 

[rchunter]

If it was me i'd choose a Haswell e3 xeon + unbuffered ecc. Skylake e3 boards are still pretty scarce right now. If you want to wait a bit you should be able to get a better selection they are still too new and not even fully out on the market yet..

 

[new@AT]

If it was me i'd choose a Haswell e3 xeon + unbuffered ecc. Skylake e3 boards are still pretty scarce right now. If you want to wait a bit you should be able to get a better selection they are still too new and not even fully out on the market yet..

Yep. I think I will wait a bit to build up my next pc because I want to see if some manufacture will show some new 34" 21:9 monitor at CES.

 

[crashtech]

If it was me i'd choose a Haswell e3 xeon + unbuffered ecc. Skylake e3 boards are still pretty scarce right now. If you want to wait a bit you should be able to get a better selection they are still too new and not even fully out on the market yet..

Maybe that's why the v5 CPUs are readily available, because a good selection of motherboards is not.