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Passive v Active Xeon cpus?

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:56 pm
by glebe digital
Active or Passive.........what should I know about these variants of Xeon 5335 processors?

If I want to use say a Supermicro X7DB3 board, with two quad 5335s, do I need active or passive? does it matter?!?

Any light shed would be fantastic....sure don't want to buy the wrong thing. :oops:

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:29 pm
by JDHill
I assume you mean active vs. passive cooling. If that's the question, I think that you want to get want passive units only if you're using a server case with airflow engineered to make things work with those low-profile fanless passive heat sinks. As far as I know, the heat sink is the only thing different between the two.

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:36 pm
by ivox3
Confirming JD's sentiment... Yeah, ..that's all their referring to when indicating active of passive, ...that one CPU comes with a fan the other doesn't. :) That's all......

If you notice, ..the price differential is that of a heatsink and fan.

You'll want the 'active' ones .....

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:39 pm
by glebe digital
JD thanks big man............of course that's what it means!..........seems obvious now. :lol:

Now...why can't I find and 5365s for sale anywhere in the uk....... :evil:

edit: you beat me to it Chris :wink: .........was thinking though, for the extra £40 they're asking [for active] I could surely get a cheaper/better heatsink......

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:46 pm
by ivox3
Not that it helps, .....but $1315.00 per out of California.... just to give a price comparison when you do find 'em.

http://www.8anet.com/listprod.ihtml?parent=223

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:47 pm
by JDHill
No problem...you know, I didn't always know what the difference was either - and...I didn't learn it by reading...D'oh! :lol:

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:59 pm
by glebe digital
Chris, those 5355s look good at that price. 8)

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:03 am
by ivox3
Yeah ... that's where I built my 8 from ...

So, ..what's the deal, ...(I never understood it) .. Can you guys in UK/Europe not buy from America ?

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:17 am
by glebe digital
EU/US Trade war............we get the pleasure of adding about 35% import tax...........which, when I think about it, probably goes to the exchequer to fund the erm, trade war..... :roll: