Dual Xeon X5540s?

[SuperPaperFan]

How powerful would those be on a home-use pc? Thinking about them since they're so cheap. Are there cons to it?

 

[itmoba]

Well, those are server/workstation processors and therefore aren't really meant for home-use. Is there any reason besides their cost as to why you'd want them? What's their intended purpose?

 

[bambiboom]

How powerful would those be on a home-use pc? Thinking about them since they're so cheap. Are there cons to it?

SuperPaperFan,

I think you mean:"E5540". If so, the E5540 (4-core 2.53 / 2.8, 8MB cache, hyperthreading), is a good LGA1366 CPU used in servers and workstations.

http://ark.intel.com/products/37104/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E5540-8M-Cache-2_53-GHz-5_86-GTs-Intel-QPI

And you're right, these are very good value- they cost $940 new- and now $20-40.

On Passmark, the E5540 scores an average of 4836 and is ranked No 380- not bad at all.

These are a bit in the middle ground for most use- excellent for a server, but a slightly on the slower side for modern workstation use clock speed and maximum of 1066MHz RAM. But, LGA1366 is a very good set to look at and the X5670, X5680, and X5690 (6-core @ 3.47 / 3.73GHz) are completely useful - and use 1333RAM- and new motherboards are being made today. If you need a dual Xeon system, and are going to the trouble of building, you would have a more versatile and longer use by using the upper range of clock speeds. These are still very good value- an X5680 6-core @ 3.33 /3.6GHz) that cost $1,500 new can be $150 today. An X5690- new $1,650-about $250- and on Passmark scores 9233 at No. 116. That's next to Intel Xeon E5-2637 v2 @ 3.5 /3.8GHz scoring 9237 and costing $1100.

If you don' need dual CPU's there is an efficiency in single Xeons and usually a somewhat higher clock speed and lower cost. Have a look through the useful Intel ARK site at LGA1366 CPU's.

Cheers,

BamibBoom

HP z420 (2015) > Xeon E5-1660 v2 six-core @ 3.7 / 4.0GHz > 32GB DDR3 ECC 1866 RAM > Quadro K4200 (4GB) > Intel 730 480GB (9SSDSC2BP480G4R5) > Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB> M-Audio 192 sound card > 600W PSU> Logitech z2300 > Linksys AE3000 USB WiFi > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H (2560 X 1440) > Windows 7 Professional 64 >
[ Passmark Rating = 5064 > CPU= 13989 / 2D= 819 / 3D= 4596 / Mem= 2772 / Disk= 4555] [Cinebench R15 > CPU = 1014 OpenGL= 126.59 FPS] 7.8.15

Pending upgrade: HP /LSI 9212-4i PCIe SAS /SATA HBA RAID controller, 2X Seagate Constellation ES.3 1TB (RAID 1)

With Quadro K2200:
[ Passmark Rating = 4918 > CPU= 13941 / 2D= 823 / 3D= 3463 / Mem= 2668 / Disk= 4764

2. Dell Precision T5500 (2011) > Xeon X5680 six -core @ 3.33 / 3.6GHz, 24GB DDR3 ECC 1333 > Quadro K2200 (4GB ) > Samsung 840 250GB / WD RE4 Enterprise 1TB > M-Audio 192 sound card > Linksys WMP600N PCI WiFi > 875W PSU > Windows 7 Professional 64> HP 2711x (1920 X 1080)
[ Passmark system rating = 3490 / CPU = 9178 / 2D= 685 / 3D= 3566 / Mem= 1865 / Disk= 2122] [Cinebench 15 > CPU = 772 OpenGL= 99.72 FPS] 7.8.15