Which is the better system? Tyan K8WE vs.

[fishquail]

Which is the better System based on the Motherboard and processor capabilities. This is for high end video editing.

Motherboard: ASUS P5W DH DELUXE
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775
RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel
GPU: NVIDIA Quadro FX 560
Systme Drive: WD RAPTOR X 150g
RAID DRIVE (for video editing) : 4x 500g Western Digital AAAKS in RAID 0 Array

VS.>

Motherboard: Tyan Thunder K8WE (S2895)
CPU: 2x AMD OPTERON 270s. (dual core)
RAM: 2GB ECC Corsair
GPU: NVIDIA Quadro FX 560
System Drive: RAPTOR X 150g
RAID: (for video editing) 4x 500g Western Digital AAAKS in RAID 0 Array

 

[chunkymonster]

Two different animals. You can't really compare a server motherboard with two server chips to an enthusiast level motherboard and processor. Let alone the fact that you are comparing old gen to new gen components, ie; 90nm to 65nm process, ECC DDR to non-ECC DDR2, server grade to enthusiast grade.

If you can pick up both opty's and K8WE for <$400, it might be worth considering, but if purchasing new, for the money and performance, the Q6600 with DDR2 would be the better purchase.

 

[fishquail]

Thats what im wondering. I cant find any Opteron vs. Intel core 2 CPU charts to compare the benchmarks.

So are you saying the newer Intel Q6600 would handle video better than the 1 year earlier Opteron System?

 

[chunkymonster]

Don't me wrong, both the opty and Q6600 would handle AV editing very well. But depending on the price, the Q6600 would be better in the long run. I'm not surprised that there is no comparison chart between the two, so with that said I can only offer my experience and impressions.

I am currently running dual opty signle core 256's @ 3GHz on a Supermicro H8DCE mobo as my gamer/workstation. I can edit AV without any issues as the optys chew thru whatever I throw at them, but I do see some memory bandwidth limitations (additional waiting time to encode) by having only DDR-400 memory; as opposed to DDR2-800 with the Q6600 platform.

Aside from memory bandwidth, because of the fab difference between the opty @ 90nm and the Q6600 @ 65nm, the Q6600 is much more efficient (performs better) at crunching the data and encoding than the opty's. We are *only* talking a matter of 2-3 minutes time difference between opty's and the Q6600, which may or may not seem like a lot to some. But if you are doing AV editing for a living or are editing gigs of movies, then the Q6600 is a better performing option. If time is not hugely important and if you can get the opty's and K8WE for dirt cheap, <$400 total for the procs and mobo, then the opty's will perform admirably. And again, if you are buying new equipment and not used or can't get the opty's and mobo for cheap, the Q6600 with DDR2 is a much better way to go.

As an aside, I'm looking to build another machine summer '08 to replace the above mentioned gamer/workstation, and if I had to decide today what to buy, it would be an X38 chipset mobo (possibly X48) with DDR3. That may something for you to consider as well, it will cost more than a mobo with a P35 chipset or an nVidia 680i chipset, a Q6600, and DDR2, but it is certain to last me another 3 years (2010?) before I'll feel the need to upgrade the mobo, proc, and memory again (nehalem sounds yummy!).

 

[fishquail]

Thanks Chunkymonster,

I think you right. Both of those motherbaords are getting old. I was trying to save money so i was looking at what my frineds computers from a year and two years ago are running. The motherboard is the main spec im having trouble picking out right now. I am trying to save money not buying the Latest and greatest as it seems to me to be overpriced, and The latest stuff always falls in price dramatically in 6 months.

Perhaps I should just start a new thread on asking what motherboard for my specific needs as this has become off topic. Look for my new post.