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I'm at a crossroad!

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Cerberus2k7

Cerberus2k7

Drifto Mexicano
​
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Location
Morris, IL
Hey all, i'm posting here because I am at a really big crossroad with my next system. I will be building a custom case so my decision will be final I hope. :p I'm not sure if I want to go SMP or single CPU. I was planning on getting an A64 3200-3500 and watercool it, but now i'm starting to wonder if getting a dual Xeon would be best. I keep going back and forth on what I want! Quick background on what this rig will be used for...

Multimedia and CG using Photoshop, Dreamweaver, AutoCAD, 3Ds Max, alittle bit of Maya mainly. I am also a gamer and I know that SMP is worse in gaming that single CPUs but is it really that much worse? I am a college student right now trying to get my AA in Architectural Design/Engineering and my BS in 3D Animation. I will most likely be selling my current rig to help with funds but I really need help making my decision to go SMP or not, and if I do, what chips/RAM/Mobo, etc...? Thanks in advance. :D
 
If you're a student, I'm going to assume your funds have a limit to them. Thus, I would go with dual socket A's (XP-M). Would be cheaper, and would be fine for many years for rendering.
Gaming wise, you might not fair quite as well, but the FPS would be acceptable.
 
I'd say 1.6 LV xeons (110 bucks)
PC-DL (160-200)
Wind tunnels (25)
20-24 and 4-8 pin PSU adapter (15)
This combo uses regular non-reg non-ECC RAM too. They're OCing very well and at the cost you can't beet it! Your PSU should handle this setup fine as well so you just need the adapters.

As far as SMP in games, it's just not multithreaded so it's like playing a game with just one CPU of the same speed.

good luck
 
Cerberus2k7 - I use much of the same programs as you do and I choose the system in my sig for the task. I have considered in the past ditching it and going the cheap LV Xeon route as ajrettke pointed out, however it would have to be a major noticable difference for me to do that. Couple of clear down siders is, no 64-bit for the future, older tech, will run hotter and or noisier.
 
ajrettke said:
I'd say 1.6 LV xeons (110 bucks)
PC-DL (160-200)
Wind tunnels (25)
20-24 and 4-8 pin PSU adapter (15)
Click to expand...
Keiron said:
Thus, I would go with dual socket A's (XP-M)
Click to expand...

my 2 cents i have a dual socket A and love it it plays half life 2 as good as my friends AMD 3000+ and i have jsut ordered the stuff for a xeon and it cost about $70 less to build than my AMD MP set up. And with the xeon you can use all you parts from your old computer and save some money that way too.
And you can pick up a pair of 1.6 LV xeons off ebay for around $100 then add shiping and the Wind tunnels for about $25 shiped.
 
I would go the 1.6LV Xeon route as well.

To be honest, an AthlonXP dual was the best bang for the buck duallie but now its all old technology. 133MHz FSBs, PC2100 RAM, AGP 4x. Yuk.

I would say getting a couple cheaper Xeons and building a rig around a reasonably new board that supports Noconas would be the best bet. Then in a year or two move to 64 bit Xeons.
 
Well, what's your spending limit?

You can get 2.8 Noconas for really cheap. Then you can get the new NCCH-DL motherboard, which isn't any more expensive than the new Fatal1ty board. They 2.8 Nocona's are 64 bit, 1mb cache, and have hyperthreading. One word: future-proof! (more so than the 1.6LV's). It will also game like a mofo, since it has high clocks, and can accept APG 8x. At the time being, it can't be beat.

-Sam
 
Spending limit is very rough right now. Pending on if I find a good job or not. :p OMG if I got a good paying job...dual Dell 2005fpws, watercooled, 2x 2.8 Xeons, 2 gigs of RAM... :drool: I think i'm gonna try to sell this rig, get a good $500-700(?) out of her then put that to the new rig. And I am going to go SMP. ^_^
 
Lots of great info in this thread...
This question is more directed at Fishy...

Q: How much will your NCCH-DL with the EMT64 Xeons run you? I'm looking at a new rig...
 
Seven said:
Lots of great info in this thread...
This question is more directed at Fishy...

Q: How much will your NCCH-DL with the EMT64 Xeons run you? I'm looking at a new rig...
Click to expand...

$250 for the board from ewiz. Newegg as also 2.8 Noconnas for $215 refurbed. Probally the best deal you will get for now.
 
Hmm...So about $750 for a mobo/CPU combo?
*starts counting pocket change*

Hopefully Newegg will have the NCCH-DL for about $225 relatively soon, but we'll see about that.
 
Sentential said:
Yuck! atleast get a dually opteron mobo bro.
Click to expand...

Im not sure how that is helping the thread, but thats ok I guess.

/me gets out the pooper scooper.

:D
 
Sentential said:
Yuck! atleast get a dually opteron mobo bro.
Click to expand...

The Xeons are probably best price:performance just now - a high end opteron system may be faster but carries a price premium.
 
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