Dell Precision T7400?

[Maboo]

My Evga 680i mobo is dying and I am looking for a new rig. I have read the specs of the Dell Precision T7400 and like what Ive read. I do have a few questions regarding the T7400.

Would the T7400 make a good gaming platform? I plan to stuff my 8800 GTX in it, and would like to use my current 8GB (4x2GB) ram sticks in it as well. I think the T7400 can use NECC memory... anyone confirm?

Also I know the T7400 can not do Nvidia GeForce SLI with the 2xPCIe 16x slots, but that is fine because I have a triple monitor setup anyways.

Anyone have a Dell Precision T7400 that they use for gaming?

 

[ND40oz]

I used to game occasionally on my 690, which is the older 5000X chipset version. You're fine gaming on it, but it's a waste of money if you're primarily just going to be gaming. Probably want to wait a few weeks until the gainestown systems are announced though, the T7400 should be going EOL shortly.

 

[Maboo]

I am primarly a developer and would be using Visual Studio & SQL Server mostly. But I do like to play my games

 

[Ronco]

The T7400 is an excellent machine. It will be EOL very shortly, and the dual-nehalem based 7500 will be the replacement. Expect it to cost a tad more for similar specs due to the CPU switchover.

The Precision range and the HP xw's - especially after the Woodcrest switchover back in '06 - have always been my benchmark between 'stable' and STABLE.

Not all Xeon-based machines are created equal though: The Mac Pro for example can't deal with the same loading / environment than the HP/Dell can since in terms of thermal bracketing and real-life expansion possibility it's a home computer at heart - and nor can many consumer PC's and homebuilds from people who think they know better.

The T7400's form the bulk of the desktops I use at work and at home. I have an XPS 730H2C plus an i7 rig I built for gaming, but it is perfectly possible to game on a Precision - in fact, we're doing real-time visualisation stuff with Crossfire'd ATI boards on some Precisions with an app based on the Unreal engine.

The T7500 offers something in addition to the current model - they'll come with SLI enabled, and the new mobo also addresses some of the throughput issues of the precious 5000 series boards. It should be a good'un this year.

And get a GTX280 at least if you're going to use a machine of this calibre.

 

[engiNURD]

You might want to move this to the Computers and Gadgets forum.

 

[nitrobass24]

Well I wouldn't do it. I had a 690 as my main rig, and I still have my t7400. Although they are awesome systems, they just aren't for gaming. If you have some other purpose for it it is a solid platform.

Couple reasons:
1) It will be EOL shortly
2) It will only work with FB-DIMMS, you necc will not work it is very picky.
3) The xeons at least the cheaper ones don't have very high clock speeds and although you have 8 cores it really hampers the gaming ability and limits your video card from performing at its best during intensive gaming
4) No overclocking
5) Run extremely HOT, I mean touch the back of the case and you might burn your hand. Not kidding, add some hot video cards and those fans will go full force and you won't be able to hear your speakers.

All that said it is a great stable box and I love mine, but it is not for gaming.

 

[Ronco]

5) = BS. I doubt you own one.

 

[ND40oz]

5) = BS. I doubt you own one.

He's not BSing on the 690, mine runs full bore 24/7 crunching and it gets hot, especially with dual FX 4500s in there as well. Not sure on the T7400 but I doubt it runs much cooler, especially since I have 5160s and not quads in my 690.

 

[nitrobass24]

5) = BS. I doubt you own one.

Why do you doubt that?
Why dont you look at threads that I have started, i wouldnt ask questions about systems I dont own for just shits and giggles.

On a side note the 690 and the 7400 are the same system except the use a newer revision of the mobo with the 5400 seaburg chipset. all it really allows for is the Harpertown Processors that use the 45nm process.

So if you wanted to use the Clovertown xeons, you could grab a 690 and save a little money, if you feel the need or just want to get 8 cores.

 

[ND40oz]

Why do you doubt that?
Why dont you look at threads that I have started, i wouldnt ask questions about systems I dont own for just shits and giggles.

On a side note the 690 and the 7400 are the same system except the use a newer revision of the mobo with the 5400 seaburg chipset. all it really allows for is the Harpertown Processors that use the 45nm process.

So if you wanted to use the Clovertown xeons, you could grab a 690 and save a little money, if you feel the need or just want to get 8 cores.

1 thing, early 690s won't run clovertowns...ask me how I know

 

[Ronco]

He's not BSing on the 690, mine runs full bore 24/7 crunching and it gets hot, especially with dual FX 4500s in there as well. Not sure on the T7400 but I doubt it runs much cooler, especially since I have 5160s and not quads in my 690.

Who was talking about the 690?

Any system can be expected to get warm-hot with full hit 24/7

However in regular use the 7400 runs cool.

 

[ND40oz]

Who was talking about the 690?

Any system can be expected to get warm-hot with full hit 24/7

However in regular use the 7400 runs cool.

Well, considering the 690 and T7400 basically use the exact same chassis as well as very similar hardware, it's a fairly good comparison.

And considering there are plenty of us running systems 24/7 that dissipate more heat and do it much more quietly, it's a not a stretch to say it's on the louder/hotter side.

But back to the hole point of this thread, you probably don't want to buy a seaburg based system when the gainestown ones are being released this week.

 

[nitrobass24]

1 thing, early 690s won't run clovertowns...ask me how I know

Say what?
Did a BIOS update not fix that?

 

[ND40oz]

Say what?
Did a BIOS update not fix that?

Nope, rev A00 of the board only supports dempsey and woodcrest, you need the MY171 version of the board.

 

[nitrobass24]

Interesting, did not know that.

 

[criticallistenphile]

Why do you doubt that?
Why dont you look at threads that I have started, i wouldnt ask questions about systems I dont own for just shits and giggles.

On a side note the 690 and the 7400 are the same system except the use a newer revision of the mobo with the 5400 seaburg chipset. all it really allows for is the Harpertown Processors that use the 45nm process.

So if you wanted to use the Clovertown xeons, you could grab a 690 and save a little money, if you feel the need or just want to get 8 cores.

I appreciate good information as much as anyone, but when someone states that two things are the same but fail to mention the exceptions, it's a bit annoying.

Pursuant to that statement, the following differences are evident between the Precision 690 and the Precision T7400.

1. The cases are the same dimensions, and so are the motherboards, but because the I/O panels are riveted into the case, the T7400 motherboard will not fit in a 690 case nor visa-versa as their I/O's are different.

2. The 690 has one PCIx16 slot, while the T7400 has 2

3. The 690 does not have a modular power supply, while the T7400 does.

4. The 690 does not have the power connections to sufficiently drive a 6 and 8 pin video card, while the T7400 does.

5. The 690 uses a different front I/O panel than the T7400. They are the same dimensions, but the 690 does not have the proper connectivity to even plug into the T7400 board in order to power it on.

6. I'm sure there are more that I have not noticed, however, having successfully installed a T7400 motherboard into a 690 case on the information that they were "the same" and one motherboard could directly replace another, I felt that I would save someone the grief. I did it, but it involved cutting out the rear I/O panel, replacing the front I/O panel with the proper part for the T7400 and figuring out how to power my video card with the inadequate number of circuits and wires on the 690 power supply. Beyond that I installed 2 3.2ghz quad core 1600mhz xeon processors, water cooled them, the vid card, and the northbridge and it is my everything computer. I game on it at 2560x1600 and it has ZERO problems doing that. Below are the specs.

16gb Memory
2 3.2ghz Xeon Processors at 1600mhz bus
Samsung 256gb SSD Sata3 (using raid card)
2 TB mechanical drive Sata3 (using raid card)
nVidia GTX 490 watercooled
MORA3 Radiator mounted to the side
4 250mm fans cooling.

Very quite. Plenty fast. It's now 2012 and I still don't see a reason to upgrade. Win Performance index of 7.7

Not the fastest, bestest in the world, but it is quiet (with watercooling only - otherwise a hairdryer), stable, and faster than I need, besides the fact that I can run VM Workstation on it and have several Virtual Machines running while gaming with no problems.

The T7400 is awesome. Not the best, but awesome. Whoever said you can't game on it, hasn't tried to.

Cheers.

 

[ND40oz]

I appreciate good information as much as anyone, but when someone states that two things are the same but fail to mention the exceptions, it's a bit annoying.

Pursuant to that statement, the following differences are evident between the Precision 690 and the Precision T7400.

1. The cases are the same dimensions, and so are the motherboards, but because the I/O panels are riveted into the case, the T7400 motherboard will not fit in a 690 case nor visa-versa as their I/O's are different.

2. The 690 has one PCIx16 slot, while the T7400 has 2

3. The 690 does not have a modular power supply, while the T7400 does.

4. The 690 does not have the power connections to sufficiently drive a 6 and 8 pin video card, while the T7400 does.

5. The 690 uses a different front I/O panel than the T7400. They are the same dimensions, but the 690 does not have the proper connectivity to even plug into the T7400 board in order to power it on.

6. I'm sure there are more that I have not noticed, however, having successfully installed a T7400 motherboard into a 690 case on the information that they were "the same" and one motherboard could directly replace another, I felt that I would save someone the grief. I did it, but it involved cutting out the rear I/O panel, replacing the front I/O panel with the proper part for the T7400 and figuring out how to power my video card with the inadequate number of circuits and wires on the 690 power supply. Beyond that I installed 2 3.2ghz quad core 1600mhz xeon processors, water cooled them, the vid card, and the northbridge and it is my everything computer. I game on it at 2560x1600 and it has ZERO problems doing that. Below are the specs.

16gb Memory
2 3.2ghz Xeon Processors at 1600mhz bus
Samsung 256gb SSD Sata3 (using raid card)
2 TB mechanical drive Sata3 (using raid card)
nVidia GTX 490 watercooled
MORA3 Radiator mounted to the side
4 250mm fans cooling.

Very quite. Plenty fast. It's now 2012 and I still don't see a reason to upgrade. Win Performance index of 7.7

Not the fastest, bestest in the world, but it is quiet (with watercooling only - otherwise a hairdryer), stable, and faster than I need, besides the fact that I can run VM Workstation on it and have several Virtual Machines running while gaming with no problems.

The T7400 is awesome. Not the best, but awesome. Whoever said you can't game on it, hasn't tried to.

Cheers.

Necrothread huh?

2.) The 690 does have dual PCIe x16 slots with dual 6 pin connectors if you bought the right config, it also has 16 FB-Dimm slots.