Thomas Lechner :
You have guessed wrong, if you thought I am dreaming of Intel's latest 10 core-broadwell-E.
→ Total system cost should be about 3000EUR, give or take a few 100s, including the screen and the UPS to hold up the whole system for at least 5 minutes.
So the ridiculously priced i7-extreme is out – I am thinking about the following:
Current ideas:
→ Dual Xeon E5-2680 (used for 100EUR per CPU)
→ 2 x high performance slow spinning CPU tower coolers, like Noctua NH-U12DX or better
--> 64 GIG of RAM (is it possible to run it stable at higher than 1600MHz in this setup?)
-> something the like of Asus Z9PA-D8C as an example
→ fast SSD (PCI-E?) for the system (data is stored on external harddisks, since I need to work with different computers) or boot from Sandisk Expreme Pro in USB3.0 mode? Would that be possible, alnbeit slower?
→ Graphics card capable of 4K, 60Hz, 4:4:4 over either HDMI or DP (depending on screen)
no gaming, but the 4K desktop must be fluent, even if youtube or full hd videos are played back.
→ Some 4K- 60Hz-4:4:4 capable TV set, 44 – 48“, curved, matte, low reflection, no burn in even if the same desktop is shown for days or weeks (about EUR 1000)
→ not yet looked for a good UPS
→ high performance power supply (~500W?), running at optimized operation point efficiency-wise most of the time and that „most of the time“ is desktop in idle mode – so need high efficiency at low load (full load will be a few hours per month, so much less important).
→ mid tower or big tower, low noise, good cooling, must be able to somewhow house the strange form factor of workstation boards.
Comments / ideas are welcome..
Are there any known traps or pitfalls, what I need to avoid with such a build?
Why do the TVs tend to not have the Display port and why is there so many almost similar models of them – why is there no dedicated computer screen 45", 4K, curved / low reflection?
Thomas Lechner,
Tis kind of project will much faster, easier, and less expensive by buying a used workstation than building from individual parts. This is due to the system being already depreciated and the upgrades are mostly simple plug ins. Another significant advantage is that the drivers, instructions, troubleshooting and etc. is all in one place, the man'f. support and user /service manuals.
My current project is quite similar to your proposed one, in my example, to replace a Dell Precision T5500 that I use for analytical, simulations, and rendering. uses.
Purchased for $270:
HP z620 (Original) Xeon E5-1620 4-core @ 3.6 /3.8GHz) / 8GB (1X 8GB DDR3-1333) / AMD Firepro V5900 (2GB) / Seagate Barracuda 750GB + Samsung 500GB + WD 500GB / Windows 7 Prof'l
[ Passmark System Rating= 2408 / CPU= 8361 / 2D= 846 / 3D = 1613 / Mem =1584 / Disk = 574 ] 7.13.16
Purchased:
2X Xeon E5-2690: $320
2nd CPU riser: $150
32GB RAM: $165
Quadro K2200 from the T5500
Set of new plastic case parts: $56
Eventually: Intel 730 480GB and WD Black 1TB from HP z420
Current results::
HP z620 (Rev 2) 2X Xeon E5-2690 (8-core @ 2.9 /3.8GHz) / 40GB (4X 8GB +4X 2GB DDR3-1600) / Quadro K2200 (4GB) / Seagate Barracuda 750GB + Samsung 500GB + WD 500GB / 800W > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit >
[ Passmark System Rating= 2468 / CPU= 20083 / 2D= 731 / 3D = 3535/ Mem =2278 / Disk = 541 ] 8.1.16
BIOS: 3.88
[ Passmark System Rating= 2589 / CPU= 19671 / 2D= 728 / 3D = 3542 / Mem =2397 / Disk = 587 ] 8.2.16
In terms of overall cost, including the value of the used parts from the HP z420,, the total should be about $1,200-1,300.
Candidates for this project would include Dell Precision T5600, T7600, HP z640, z820. A recent example:
HP Z620 2x Intel Xeon E5-2620 6x 2,0GHz 16GB Nvidia Quadro NVS 300 128GB SSD > sold for EUR 779,00 oder Preisvorschlag
That would be a good way to buy as that system has 128GB of RAM and the 2nd CPU riser costs $150+. So the above system would simply exchange the E5-2620's to E5-2680's, GPU, and drives.
In the US as a new Asus Z9PA-D8C costs $335, a pair of E5-2680 (about $220) then the RAM (about $250), power supply- use an 850W or more for this project, ($150) GPU (say $450), coolers: $80, case ($120), drives say, $250, a copy of Windows $140, that will add up_ I.m guessing about $1700+- In teh EU perhaps €2500 or so plus there all the assembly, wiring, configuration to do.
Memory for a dual CPU system is said to be best with the same quantity of RAM for each processor and more important to have all the slots on the particular channel filled. In my Z620 the mainboard (8 slots) has 2X 8GB + 2X 2GB and the same for the 2nd CPU riser which has only 4 slots. that's a total of 40GG, with 20GB for each CPU. Sometime I'll replace the 2GB modules with 8GB to have 64GB.
I've had excellent results and 100% reliability with the 5 used workstations I've bought and the support from Dell and HP even though they're used is an important plus. When I need a copy of Windows for the Dell T5500, Dell sent an OEM disk free of charge and it activated automatically.
As your budget though is quite good, if you would like to spend more or have as much as possible to be new, consider:
[SuperWorkstation SYS-7037A-i (Black)
I could not immediately find the price in the EU, but the cost in the US is $720, so perhaps EUR 750- 800 or so. Geizhals DE has the LGA2011-3 version the 7038 for about €800.
The Superworkstation provides a case, motherboard, CPU coolers, and 900W power supply all of server quality.The 7047 model has an 1100W PSU. As for the used workstation, one need only add the CPU's, RAM, GPU, and drives. The only decisions are the plugin parts. Fro professional use as the main system, I would use the Superworkstation.
What programs are you using?
Cheers,
BamibBoom
Modeling:
1. HP z420 (2015) > Xeon E5-1660 v2 (6-core @ 3.7 / 4.0GHz) / 32GB DDR3 -1866 ECC RAM / Quadro K4200 (4GB) / Samsung SM951 M.2 256GB AHCI + Intel 730 480GB (9SSDSC2BP480G4R5) + Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB> M-Audio 192 sound card > 600W PSU> > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit > Logitech z2300 speakers > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H (2560 X 1440)>
[ Passmark Rating = 5581 > CPU= 14046 / 2D= 838 / 3D= 4694 / Mem= 2777 / Disk= 11559] [6.12.16]
Analysis / Simulation / Rendering:
2. 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)