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Desktop vs Server - Pro & Cons

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EvilAlchemist

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I have noticed that some folders use Conroe desktop ( 775) based CPU others Xeon server (771).

I have seen several users say that Xeons can be found pretty cheap if you look.

What are the pros and cons of using server lvl componets vs desktop.


Cost / Preformance / Setup time / Cooling / Overclocking / Stability .. ect....


 
Some of the Xeons will run in socket 775 desktop boards and can be had for around the same price and OC the same as their desktop counterparts. Namely the Xeon 3xxx series.
 
The X3210 is a 2.13 GHz quad core Kentsfield S775 and is available in G0. If you were going to drop the multi of a Q6600 to 8 and ramp up with the FSB, this would be a good choice and is $30 or so cheaper than the normal price of a Q6600.
$237 at Newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117129&Tpk=X3210
$240.99 guaranteed G0 at ClubIT and it comes with Quake Wars which someone can send to me if they don't want it. ;) http://www.clubit.com/product_detail.cfm?itemno=CA1938012
 
A dual processor server based setup is going to cost you more. Memory is more expensive, boards are more expensive and processors are more expensive. The benefits are 8 cores in one box though. More PPD per box is about it. Other then that it's generally more expensive and you don't get to overclock (for the most part).
 
Our main house computer is a X3210 on a biostar board-This board will take the 1333 processors also :D
A couple of caveats-
1. Single channel memory on the 7000 series boards. I have built an Asus and this
Biostar and both have SC memory.
2.This Biostar STARTS the memory Voltage at 1.95 and goes up!

I was running this combo (X3210, 80gb hd, ob everything) with a FSP 300w power supply at 2.7ghz for 6 months before making it my main computer.
 
Killer[MoB];1032110498 said:
The X3210 is a 2.13 GHz quad core Kentsfield S775 and is available in G0. If you were going to drop the multi of a Q6600 to 8 and ramp up with the FSB, this would be a good choice and is $30 or so cheaper than the normal price of a Q6600.
$237 at Newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117129&Tpk=X3210
$240.99 guaranteed G0 at ClubIT and it comes with Quake Wars which someone can send to me if they don't want it. ;) http://www.clubit.com/product_detail.cfm?itemno=CA1938012
Click to expand...

You should have said something earlier. The first Q6600 I got I did that deal and gave the copy of Quake Wars to a buddy of mine. The next Q6600 I got I decided just to go with the OEM and bypass the free Quake Wars game. If you had said something earlier I probably would have gone for the retail for the game and the spare heatsink.

 
I'm running a couple of Dual Xenon board.

The major advantage of them vs 2x single Quad core boxen is the space saving.
But even then the boards tend to be EATX so theres not that much saving over 2x mATX mobo's.

Cost wise:- They are 2.5x more expensive vs 2x single Quad boxen.

Cooling:- There is a much small range of S771 heatsinks plus you need to fit two of them to the MoBo vs S775 heatsinks.

Overclocking:- Server board tend to have no overclocking options in the bios.

Stability:- Server boards are built to be stable.

Setup time:- As there is no overclocking, If things go well it could well be quicker.
Build min spec & run Memtest. Finish build. Install & patch OS. Orthos. Install/Clone VM's. Run.
If things go bad then trouble shooting can be fun.

Performance:- Approx the same PpD as 2x Quads of the same speed.
Depending on your CPU's they could well fold useing at little less power than 2x Quads do.
I recon that a pair of E6450's could get close to the 30 Points per Watt.
But unless you've money to burn, they are not realy worth it.

Luck .......... :D
 
Just an added thought to ponder. FB-DIMM memory is expensive, runs hot and is very slow. If you realy want a server mobo for what ever reason I would wait till the end of summer when the new 8-core cpu's come out and they get rid of the FB-DIMM's.
 
Tigerbiten said:
I recon that a pair of E6450's could get close to the 30 Points per Watt.
But unless you've money to burn, they are not realy worth it.
Click to expand...
Agreed, but will also add that because there's half the number of boxen, there's also half as much cable clutter and for some people such as myself where tripping over cables is not an uncommon occurrence, anything to reduce it is welcome indeed. Moreover, for those who work with apps that take advantage of SMP, they can be very useful doing other things besides folding. A big disadvantage however, is realized when the system is down for any reason. In such situations one loses the production of two processors instead of one. The single biggest advantage is the space savings.

 
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