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DUAL core i7 CPU’s?
Anyone explored the use of DUAL i7 CPU’s on a server mainboard or something like the Asus Z8NA-D6 dual LGA1366 mainboard for Premiere/After Effects work?
My main edit PC is a dual Xeon E5345 and I’m thinking of upgrading (yet again!) and going the lower cost i7 route.
Paul Gale
Silicon Pixel Ltd -
3 Replies
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Paul,
I’m not absolutely sure, but I believe if you’re talking about dual-processors, you’ll have to go with a new Xeon setup. The i7 chips are mostly the same as newer Xeons, but don’t have the CPU-to-CPU communications to enable use on a multi-processor system board.
But unless you are doing a lot of truly multi-threaded rendering, you might be better with the fastest single i7 chip you can find. I recently added 2 new dual-Xeon (5500) machines built on a SuperMicro 1U rack server platform, and they don’t do all that much compared to my older (2 years) dual-Xeons, UNTIL I’m doing Mental Ray rendering, which maxes out all 16 cores per machine. Then they are quick like bunnies!-Jeff
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Mmmm, the newer top end Xeon’s (W5590) are very tempting – but very expensive. Which model CPU did you go for in those workstations?
Paul Gale
Silicon Pixel Ltd -
Hi Paul,
Xeon E5520 Nehalem 2.26GHz LGA 1366 80W
US$385 each at the time.
Faster is better, of course, but there’s always a spot with Xeons where the price differential is, um, considerable. If you are rolling your own, do watch the power requirements for the Xeons; there are several power efficiencies made, you’re pwr supply/mobo will need to supply enough for the particular chips you purchase.-Jeff
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