What's the BEST dual system?

[bluediamond]

I am planning on building a dual processor system in the next few months, it will be used for heavy graphic/video editing and other processor/graphic intensive programs. What will be the best setup that I can build for $5,000 to $10,000. Basically I want to know what would be your "dream" dual setup if cost wasn't a factor.

[Absolute Zero]

if you want to use windows, dual opterons is the best way to go. i don't know how expesive dual Itaniums would be, they are faster, but no one writes software that suports those extensions. so the fastest system would be itaniums, but the best usable system would be the dual opterons, especially with their new on die integrated memory controller. you no longer have to split the memory bandwith when you run two processors. i think its at 6.4 gb/s. for each processor. that's sweet.

[bluediamond]

What about the motherboard & memory? I would like to have 4 GB of memory (max with xp).

[mamisano]

I am a die-hard AMD fan, but I think for your situation especially video editing, Dual Xeons might be the way to go.

[mamisano]

Originally posted by bluediamond
What about the motherboard & memory? I would like to have 4 GB of memory (max with xp).

If you go with Opteron, then you can install more than 4GB, but you would need to run Windows XP-64 to access all of it. It is currently only available in Beta form...

[bluediamond]

I can run win 2003 server and have more memory. I really don't want to run the beta xp 64. I don't think I am going to need more than 4 gb though.

What is the best AMD mobo for dual?
What is the best Intel mobo for dual?

[Xtc4u]

If you want a stable Opteron board go with the Tyan Thunder K8W. Otherwise I'd say the MSI Master2 far and the Iwill DK8X.

[Absolute Zero]

the opterons in benchmarks by themselves beat galatin xeons in almost every benchmark one on one (losing in video editing). but, when using two or more processors, the opterons take a very big lead in every benchmark. if you're going to dually, go with opteron. when 64 bit rolls around, you'll have an incredible performance increase.

[Absolute Zero]

don't forget to fold for 32 with your monster pc.

[diehrd]

With that budget go quad ..... Might as well just leap into the next century if you have that much cash to spend. Not sure if ther eis a Quad AMD board but there should be one soon i think..

[Absolute Zero]

i've read three benchmarks that talk about the performance of four opterons on one board - that's where you get the most benefit because of the memory controller. i don't, however, know where to get one.

[Audioaficionado]

Originally posted by bluediamond
I can run win 2003 server and have more memory. I really don't want to run the beta xp 64. I don't think I am going to need more than 4 gb though.

What is the best AMD mobo for dual?
What is the best Intel mobo for dual?

There are no best dual mobos. It depends on what you are using it for.

Server: what is its main function? What is it serving up?

Workstation: Video, graphics, 3-D modeling, etc.

If you want bang for the buck Xeon workstation/local file server, get the Asus PC-DL.

I'm not as familure with the Opteron dual platforms. Server won't need the AGP slot. Workstation most certainly will.

[bluediamond]

This system will be for a workstation, mainly for graphics and video editing. What about memory with this setup, anything special?

[SimGuy]

AFAIK, both Xeon's and Opteron's need Registered memory, but it doesn't need to be ECC.

However, with that budget, you might as well go with ECC for optimal data integrity.

[DaveB]

Originally posted by SimGuy
AFAIK, both Xeon's and Opteron's need Registered memory, but it doesn't need to be ECC.

However, with that budget, you might as well go with ECC for optimal data integrity.
Only Opterons require Reg/ECC. My dual Xeons are running on an Asus PC-DL with unbuffered non-ECC PC4000.

[bluediamond]

Here is what I am looking at building:

CPU: Opteron Model 246 (2.0 GHz) x2
Motherboard: Tyan AMD-8000 Chipset Server Mobo Model "Thunder K8W (S2885ANRF)"
Memory: 4 GB Reg/ECC Corsair PC3200 1GB x 4
HD: 74 GB 10,000 RPM SATA Raptor's
Optical: CD-RW & DVD-RW

Let me know what you think, chages, additions, etc.

[MRD]

Opteron 248 is better, if you really want the best.
Or even the 848... same clock speed, but you can use it in a 4 or 8 processor system later.

[2los]

For video editing using uncompressed raw data, I seriously suggest LSI 320-2x pci-x 64/133 128mb cache with 2x18 or 36GB 15k u320 raid0 sys , 2x146GB 15k u320 raid0 data 9GB 10k for swapfile . And just add more drives to increase drive space and speed...scrap the raptors.

And good choice on the 4GB of memory :D

[Burning Phoenix]

If you want the best the Dual Xeons pretty much would be the best choice especially since you mentioned it were to be used for video and graphical uses.
http://techreport.com/reviews/2003q3/workstation/index.x?pg=8
Newegg.com retail prices
opteron 240 $213
Xeon 2.66 $278


http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20030422/opteron-23.html
opteron 244 $462
xeon 2.8 $341
xeon 3.0 $475


http://www.aceshardware.com/read.jsp?id=60000284
Opteron 248 $890
opteron 848 $1469


http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1402705,00.asp

[emboss]

You can play with your dream quad setup at
http://12.36.126.21/SpecialShopping/ColfaxStoreFront/IECSTMZRFW.asp?SID=624

Downside is that quad 842's with 4GB ram + 2x174gb 10k SCSI will hit you for close to $12k ...

[PYROMANIAC]

my bad

edit: if you end up getting the k8w, i would not go with sata, if you really want raid get some 15k seagate ultra320 drives and a 64 bit scsi controller, you will be much more satisfied with that. or you could go with their fibre drives.

[Audioaficionado]

Those Raptors will run right with the 15K SCSI drives in single user applications. Unless you're running a server, serious high power multitasking or industrial non i86 CPUs, SCSI isn't any better.

There's a review (http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200401/20040126WD740GD_1.html) that shows this posted a short while ago.

[Stupid Boy]

Originally posted by bluediamond
Here is what I am looking at building:

CPU: Opteron Model 246 (2.0 GHz) x2
Motherboard: Tyan AMD-8000 Chipset Server Mobo Model "Thunder K8W (S2885ANRF)"
Memory: 4 GB Reg/ECC Corsair PC3200 1GB x 4
HD: 74 GB 10,000 RPM SATA Raptor's
Optical: CD-RW & DVD-RW

Let me know what you think, chages, additions, etc.

RAID5 might be nice.

[Dukemurmur]

I was wondering about dual mobile Bartons? They would be cheap but how would they compare to a dual opteron setup. I'm making a dual setup and was wondering.

[zachj]

I'd say it simply depends on what you do and what you need, as well as if you like to upgrade. Opterons tend to perform similarly to Bartons . . . they beat Intel where XPs beat Intel, and lose where XPs lost to Intel. Buying an Opteron for video encoding is silly, for example. On the other hand, memory performance is much improved, you get SSE2, and you have an upgrade path. So, unless you need absolute cheap, I'd say it's a toss up. Very highly clocked XP mobiles in dual will probably beat an Opteron in some benchmarks, but will also lose in some, can't run 64-bit or SSE2, and are completely outdated. It's just a matter of choice.

Z

[Arkaine23]

Something kind of like these-

http://overclockix.octeams.com/farm/opterons.jpg

8GB ram (fits up to 16)
2x Opteron 244's

These motherboards are the critical server variety and have no AGP slot, but there are similar are models that do have AGP.

[Dukemurmur]

Ok, i want to make a dual setup with Mobile barton's is there any board that is locked as i want a high oc ( i will be using RBX's with chilled water). So if i can get a pci/agp locked board i'm hopping around 2.8-2.9 ghz maybe more if i'm lucky. Will this beat an opteron 244 system? If it will and if i can get a locked board will be my deciding factors between the 2.

[Arkaine23]

There is no PCI/AGP lock for MPX chipsets, so the max FSB you can get is around 150, depending on your parts. If you want a high OC with Tbreds/Bartons, you have to pin mod for a very high multiplyer.

An opteron duallie will spank an MPX duallie in the memory bandwidth dept.

[Dukemurmur]

I'm not in need of a large mem bandwidth this will be a solidworks/normal/folding/gamming machine so huge bandwidth i really dont need. Can u pin mod the chip to run at 200fsb so that the mobo thinks that and thus reads the chip as such and sets it to that divider then oc it from there?? Then lower or raise the multi acordinly? I'm not at all very familure with the working of SMP i know how they work just not what u can and can't do. I have heard of the nothing above 150 fsb though.

[Arkaine23]

There's no dividers bigger than 1/4 on the MPX boards, so you can't run 200 FSB.

I have seen a few rare ones that get up to 160's or even 170's FSB, using very few PCI components, nvidia graphics, and SCSI hard drives to avoid most issues with PCI/AGP.

Better bet is to try for 17x150 using a socket mod.