• Competitor rules

    Please remember that any mention of competitors, hinting at competitors or offering to provide details of competitors will result in an account suspension. The full rules can be found under the 'Terms and Rules' link in the bottom right corner of your screen. Just don't mention competitors in any way, shape or form and you'll be OK.

Got my 8-core machine today :)

OrphanBoy

OrphanBoy

OrphanBoy

Associate
Joined
16 Jan 2005
Posts
641
Location
Laaaandan
Bit of a brag here, but I got set up with my new work machine today :)
This is great since it took me nearly four years to shift my 2xP4s (3.6GHz Xeon Noconas) and I really hated its quad-core replacement which I've had for a year (Xeon equiv of a Q9650), so deffo good stuff.

So, in the box:
- 2x E5530 (80W 2.4GHz 4-Core i7 derivative), 8 cores, 16 threads
- 12GB DDR3
- GTX 275

Just compiling code alone seems be over twice as fast as the Q9650. To be fair it could be because the ultra-restrictive virus checker has been toned down a bit...
I'll post some Cinebench numbers tomorrow - any other tests people would like me to run? It can't be too game-sy: it is a work machine after all! I might stick Vantage on it if I get the time.
 
So what are you going to be using this dual CPU monster rig for? Also do you need to use a particular version of Windows when ruining dual CPU motherboards?
 
I think dual socket boards are supported fine by regular Windows - my dual Xeons just ran XP Pro before. This new machine seems to be just using normal Win 7 Enterprise.

And I'll be programming on this thing. Entering text doesn't take a lot of juice by compiling thousands of source files does! The RAM is gonna be the best bit - normally I use a RAM disk to improve the performance of compiling and linking but I could never allocate enough with 32-bit Windows. This should free it up somewhat! God it's great when you don't have to pay ;)
 
I've just noticed that in the task manager there are now more options.
- per core graph
- all cores total usage graph
- per socket graphs! NUMA...
 
Senture said:
Doesn't show this on Server 2008 R2 O_o
Click to expand...
All add some screenies later. Do you have a dual CPU machine?
Just run a Cinebench R10 and per thread it's 1.5x slower than my [email protected] yet 25% faster when all 8 cores are going :)
I've not yet actually got my hands on it (remote desktop) so I've not been able to turn on HT yet. Looking forward to some 16 thread fun.
 
We turned the HT on with two of our run machines here which do choice modelling and it made them around 15% quicker, they are very nice chips.
 
Ah I just got my hands on the machine - break into the BIOS (my god it takes AGES to POST...minutes?) and stick on the HT. I can now compile the same code in just 57 seconds! That's pretty impressive coming from a Q9650 which can do the same job in 2:30.
Time for some Cinebench.
taskmanager.png
 
Last edited:
Are you able to overclock your system at all?

Also, can you give full details of your system (excluding monitor) and the sort of cost involved.

Thanks
 
I have a dual CPU system at work too but it doesn't like to overclock too much. But then again, do you really need it? And I also had to overclock it on the fly (Mac comp with XP dual boot). The only intensive thing my work PC gets used for these days is surrounding myself with monitors and watching thudercats in surround vision! I have 3 20" monitors in each comp and I work on 2 PC's. My boss will never see this thread.
 
Superficial said:
home premium upwards supports 2 physical cores
Click to expand...



sorry this confused the hell out of me, only 2 cores what about 4 cores and the upcoming 6 cores? are u telling me u need a diff version of win 7 for that?

i have home premium btw and a dual core, im really hoping i dont have to get win 7 ultimate just do get the most out of a 6 core cpu for gaming
 
ah thanks jokester extremely fast reply :)

i thought so as i had a google and everything was telling me that for the average joe who just uses windows for multicore gaming windows 7 home premium was all i would need and professional would be a waste of money.

wiki lists home premium as supporting 2 physical cpu's with unlimited amount of cores and 16GB of ram.

does it really support unlimited cores though? it's a bit off topic but do u think there is a limit and does hyperthreading have any effect on this also? or would it not matter how many cores with HT it had?

im planning on one of those 6 core intels with hyperthreading and would hate to have windows hold me back in any way, even 1% would **** me off :D

so if you could 110% confirm that using win 7 premium will in no way hold me back no matter how many cores i have in a single cpu even with hyperthreading!
 
Last edited:
sunama said:
Are you able to overclock your system at all?
Click to expand...
I didn't see any options in the BIOS...maybe they have a tool for doing it? Seems unlikely though :(

Also, can you give full details of your system (excluding monitor) and the sort of cost involved.
Click to expand...
No idea how much the machine cost. I was told that the GPU only cost £160 though - where can I get a GTX 275 for £160?? The CPUs are quoted at ~$500 each though.

So the spec:
- HP Z800, check out the web page (base machine is listed at ~£2100)
- 2 x E5530 (1366LGA 45nm, 2.4GHz, 4 core/8 thread)
- HP motherboard (CPU-Z says it's got an Intel 5520 as the chipset and ICH10R as the southbridge)
- 6 sticks of 2GB Samsung PC3-10700
- GTX 275
- average SATA hard disk-ness
- the case is fantastic + inside it's got lots of lush-looking aluminum sections like in a Mac Pro, very quiet

Love it.
 
Windows license is per socket, so as already said you can run a twin socket motherboard with Windows 7 Home Premium or better. The number of cores per socket is purely limited to what is availalbe. I believe the highest density processor at the moment is a 12 core server chip from AMD, so currently the maximum number of physical cores would be 24 cores, with a dual amd rig.

Unlimited is right.. BUT no cpu exists which has unlimited cores :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom