First Dually Build - Need Input

[racebanner]

Looking to build my first dually (Quad Core Xeons) using E5420's. Can some recommend a good Supermicro EATX board, I need at least 1 16x PCIe slot, although a SLI capable board would be fine also.

Is there any advantage in a NUMA board compared to boards with shared memory banks.

This will not be for any specific use besides Folding@Home but would like to build a fairly current system.

All recommendations or directions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[rflcptr]

This does 2 PCI-E 16x (not SLI, but why would you SLI for F@H, anyway?). This does 1 PCI-E 16x and 1 PCI-E 8x, but is $140 less expensive.

 

[racebanner]

SLI isnt a real need but rather an "if it was available" type deal. But I would like the ability to run dual vid cards to take advantage of their processing power for folding.

Is there any advantage in the 5500 series procs compared to the 5400 series

 

[PigLover]

SLI isnt a real need but rather an "if it was available" type deal. But I would like the ability to run dual vid cards to take advantage of their processing power for folding.

Is there any advantage in the 5500 series procs compared to the 5400 series

There are huge advantages to the 5500s over the 5400s...

DDR3 memory technology on the 5500s vs FB-DIMM on the 5400s (cost savings, speed advantage)
Integrated memory controller (same as i7 series) on the 5500s (significant gain in memory latency and performance)
Nehalem architecture on the 5500s (faster clock for clock)
Turbo mode on the 5500s
Hyperthreading on some 5500s (a version that actually works, not the old P4 version)
Clock for clock the 5500 will always be lower power, less heat (and the 5520 chipset is also lower power).

Need I go on?

The biggest downside of the 5500s? Overall cost. Cock for clock, you can always save money with the 5400s. Of course there is a reason for this - last years car model costs less too.

 

[spectrumbx]

The E5504 is a splendid value @ $229 (retail): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117187

Two of these chips idle at @ ~65 watts total system power consumption (http://www.spec.org/power_ssj2008/results/).

I would not bother with anything else from Intel outside of a 55xx series.

 

[nitrobass24]

Whats your budget?

First off you definately want a 5500 build its light years faster, and for F@H will generate about twice the PPD that a 5400 series will.

Tell me how much you want to spent and i can whip you a nice dually.

 

[racebanner]

Sounds like the 5500 series is the way to go (memory).

This build doesn't have a hard budget, but have expected mobo, ram and 2 procs to run me in the $1500 area.

I have the rest of the hardware already, Case, Vid, PSU (Corsair HX1000w), HDD's. Once I get it up and running I may entertain some form of raid card (mostly as a learning experience, but dont see that as a real need for a folding box?)

Great input, thanks