Dell Precision T5500 for streaming and editing

[Polski_tytan]

Hello, I am in the workings og getting my hands on a T5500, and from what I have read, it seems pretty beastly even to todays standards.

Specs are as follows,
Cpu- Dual Quad Core Xeon E5530 2.4ghz
Ram-16 gigs
Gpu- ATI Firepro V7760
64 gig SSD for OS
500 HDD for data (yes I plan on expanding)

I realize that the gpu only allows for 720p but would that hinder me from editing videos in 1080? I am planning on upgrading the gpu as well so no throat jumping. It's been a while.

I plan on using it as a streaming/recording and editing station as I am currently just a console gamer running an XBone through an ElGato HD60.

Any advice on this would be helpful!

Thanks!

 

[bambiboom]

Hello, I am in the workings og getting my hands on a T5500, and from what I have read, it seems pretty beastly even to todays standards.

Specs are as follows,
Cpu- Dual Quad Core Xeon E5530 2.4ghz
Ram-16 gigs
Gpu- ATI Firepro V7760
64 gig SSD for OS
500 HDD for data (yes I plan on expanding)

I realize that the gpu only allows for 720p but would that hinder me from editing videos in 1080? I am planning on upgrading the gpu as well so no throat jumping. It's been a while.

I plan on using it as a streaming/recording and editing station as I am currently just a console gamer running an XBone through an ElGato HD60.

Any advice on this would be helpful!

Thanks!

Polski-tytan,

The Dell Precision T5500 should work quite well for your use. They are designed to run with complete reliability for long, continuous running, have 875W power supplies, and impressive potential to run at near current high-end standards.

The T5500 has a very high potential and over time, besides the 4K-capable GPU:

0. Upgrade the BIOS and chipset driver to the latest issued.

1. Change the CPU heatsinks from the cast all aluminum ones to the Steel with Copper pipes ones. This to keep the CPU cooler over very long video editing sessions

2. Conider buying a used GTX970 (recommend MSI as they are said to be quieter) for 4K capability. Do this in a couple of months as the used prices will be dropping as enthusiasts change the 970 for the new GTX 1070.

If you need very accurate color, then consider a Quadro K2200 or K4200 4GB GPU as they can run 10-bit color plus a 10 bit color correcting monitor.

3. Add a Samsung 850 Evo large enough to have the OS./Programs and the active working files on it.

4. Add a PERC H310 SAS .SATA RAID controller to change the disk system from 3GB's to 6GB.s. I bought two of these used on Ebay Us for $60 and the other recently for $32. the first changed the T5500 disk score f2om 1940 to 2649 and the second will be going into an upgraded T3500

4. Change the CPU to 2X X5670 6-core @ 2.93 / 3.33Ghz.

E5530 4-core @ 2.4 /2.66Ghz Passmark CPU mark =4621 Pair= 7761/ Single-threaded performance is 1096
X5670 6-core @ 2.93/ 3.33Ghz CPU mark = 8901 Pair=12745 / Single-threaded= 1343

On Ebay US a pair of X5670's sold for only $138 on 4 July 2016

5. Change the RAM to 24GB or 48GB of DDR3-1333 ECC registered. The E5530 uses a maximum of 1066. the 1066 is not terrible of course, but if you are adding RAM, always buy 1333 and it will run at 1066 until the CPU is changed. Remember that the X58 chipset for LGA1366 is triple channel and the RAM slots are in sets of three so add 3 of the same modules according to the layout sequence in the manual.

The T5500 is a great system and LGA1366 Xeons are a fantastic series to use today.

Cheers,

BambiBoom

PS> Purchased for $171 Februrary 2015:

Dell Precision T5500 (2011) (Original): Xeon E5620 quad core @ 2.4 / 2.6 GHz > 6GB DDR3 ECC Reg 1333 > Quadro FX 580 (512MB) > Dell PERC 6/i SAS /SATA controller > Seagate Cheetah 15K 146GB and 300GB > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
[ Passmark system rating = 1479 / CPU = 4067 / 2D= 520 / 3D= 311 / Mem= 1473 / Disk= 1208]

Upgrades 2.15. to 12.15, about $900:

Dell Precision T5500 (2011) (Revised) > 2X Xeon X5680 (6-core @ 3.33 / 3.6GHz), 48GB DDR3 1333 ECC Reg. > Quadro K2200 (4GB ) > PERC H310 / Samsung 840 250GB / WD RE4 Enterprise 1TB > M-Audio 192 sound card > Logitech z313 > 875W PSU > Windows 7 Professional 64> HP 2711x (27", 1920 X 1080)
[ Passmark system rating = 3844 > CPU = 15047 / 2D= 662 / 3D= 3550 / Mem= 1785 / Disk= 2649] (12.30.15)

Purchased for $53 12.15:

Precision T3500 (2011) (Original) Xeon W3530 4-core @ 2.8 /3.06GHz > 4GB (2X 2GB) DDR3-1333 ECC > GeForce 9800 GT (1GB)> WD Black 500GB
[[Passmark system rating = 1963, CPU = 4482 / 2D= 609 / 3D=805 / Mem= 1409 / Disk=1048]

After upgrades, about $300:

Dell Precision T3500 (2011) (Rev 2) Xeon X5677 4-core @ 3.46 / 3.73GHz > 12GB (6X 2GB) DDR3-1333 ECC > Quadro 4000 (2GB) > PERC 6/i + Seagate 300GB 15K SAS ST3300657SS + WD Black 500GB > 525W PSU> Windows 7 Professional 64-bit > 2X Dell 19" LCD
[Passmark system rating = 2751> CPU = 7236 / 2D= 658 / 3D=2020 / Mem= 1875 / Disk=1221]

Both the the Xeon X5680 and X5677 are good alternate choices for the T5500- higher clock speeds.