Building a CPU Cruncher

[Maxwell]

Bad news: My AMD2+ Quad, the first computer I ever built myself, has officially died. There are enough problems with it that I no longer wish to deal with it. It is, quite literally, dead to me.

Good news: I get to replace it. [insert moderately evil grin here]

What I want is to build a CPU cruncher. As many threads as I can possibly get in there, and for as cheaply as I can do it. I've only worked with server hardware once, and that was 4.5 years ago, and I had a lot of help. So I'm asking for advice...

I want a dual-CPU Mobo, and processors to go with them. The rest of the hardware I can handle, but I'd like some advice on where to go from here. Below are my first thoughts:

Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157350)
CPUx2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116936)

Thoughts?

[John P. Myers]

What about this:

Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128641)
CPUx2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116925)

:D

[Fire$torm]

Hey Maxwell,

Before you blow up the dishwasher, you may wish to have a chat with Zombie. His Mac Mini (?) farm is doing very well.

[Maxwell]

What about this:

Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128641)
CPUx2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116925)

:D
Note QUITE sure I can sneak that build by the wife... :p

[zombie67]

You can get a used mac-mini for ~$600, with an 8-thread mobile i7. Uses only about 75 watts. Includes Intel HD 4000, which you can run on collate. For the amount you will spend on a dual CPU set up, you could have at least 6 of these, or 48 threads. And still significantly less power. All about the size of a gallon of milk. The only down side is that you cannot add GPU cards. Not a big deal if you are really looking for just a CPU cruncher.

Regardless, you should think twice about this goal of a dual CPU machine. You will spend 2x the amount compared to TWO single chip machines. Unless space is at that much of a premium, don't do it. Intel will be shipping a 6 or 8 core desktop CPU soon. Go after that instead. IMO, of course.

[Maxwell]

Hrmm...

Y'all are bringing up good points. What about something like this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA42J1RK2812)? Refurbished, pretty cheap, and should get me 8 threads as well as the ability to shove a GPU in there, should I want to do that at some point.

[zombie67]

I can't speak to the very old xeons like that one. Someone else will have to jump in. I can say this: Newer intel chips are much more powerful, and use much less electricity.

If I could not wait for the new big-core intel desktop CPU, and I wanted a traditional tower, I would build a machine around this CPU:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116939

[Mumps]

Just be careful. Most Business class workstations have limited PS's, and not always able to get upgraded. Looks like this is 475W, but folks are claiming no upgrade is available...

http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/Workstations-z-series-xw-series/HP-Z400-Power-Supply/td-p/6021511#.U8r7wv5x2PI

[Fire$torm]

Z, one question. Can those minis run Windows natively?

[FourOh]

I'm pretty happy with my Dell T5500 with dual X5650 Xeons. I got into mine for about $620 and it can run 2 GPUs. http://www.setiusa.us/showthread.php?6444-Cruncher-Replacement-Project/page3

I'd like to see a custom build with the newest gen E5 Xeon... With dual 10 or 12 cores, that would rack up some WUprop hours pretty quick!

[zombie67]

Z, one question. Can those minis run Windows natively?

Yes. Bootcamp (http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1461).

If you go the mac mini route, be sure to get the latest gen.

[Fire$torm]

So no direct install of Windows? It's a hardware thing, yes?

[zombie67]

Eh? No, you can boot into either OS. Again, why you would want to boot win is baffling. Live in OSX, and use a VM for anything else you need.

[Fire$torm]

I am just not, in any shape form or fashion, interested in anything Apple. Sorry. Been this way since DOS 3.3.

[John P. Myers]

Instead of a Mac Mini, you could look at the Gigabyte Brix or the Zotac Zbox

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk Pro

[zombie67]

Instead of a Mac Mini, you could look at the Gigabyte Brix or the Zotac Zbox

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk Pro

Yes, those are similar alternatives, but more expensive.

[Maxwell]

After reading all this feedback, I've been torn. What should I do?

Well, fortunes smiled, and Craigslist came a-calling. For $700, I've managed to pick up two i7-950s with 6950s and 24Gb of RAM. And yes, you're reading that right. One machine, i7-950, 650W PSU, 1x6950, 24GB RAM, for $350. Except I'm buying two of them. So 16 threads, plus 2 6950s for $350. Holy crap did I luck out...

[zombie67]

Sweet find!

[Fire$torm]

Sweet!

[denim]

Hold the phone, Mac Mini farm.... Sounds fun and more stable than windows. Maxwell, willing to sell the second CL box? ;)

[Maxwell]

Hold the phone, Mac Mini farm.... Sounds fun and more stable than windows. Maxwell, willing to sell the second CL box? ;)
Hehehe... not quite. Just got them last night, and only have one up and running. The second will be more difficult, as I don't yet have a way to connect it to the internet. :/

[denim]

Hehehe... not quite. Just got them last night, and only have one up and running. The second will be more difficult, as I don't yet have a way to connect it to the internet. :/

Good find, and good luck getting the second one rolling, further confirming I will never catch you. Haha. I am giving that refurbed box the ole' stink eye. It's cheap enough to take a flyer on.

[John P. Myers]

Thermaltake released a new mini ITX case a few days ago that i think is really awesome and will probably use for my Devil's Canyon build and it's only $50. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=11-133-260

The GPU shown in the example pics is a GTX 780.