[Maxer]

I'm about to get a new system (AMD Opteron 275 dual processor dual core) and I'm wondering how Maxwell is going to respond to it? From the tests I've seen 3D Studio Max really takes advantage of the dual core and it would be nice if Maxwell did the same. Since this is going to be a 4 CPU system does that mean that one Maxwell license is now going to be totally used by one dual core dual processor system?

http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content ... e%5Ftest=1

[Mihai]

I guess since 2 x dualcore processors = 4 cpu's then 1 license will be totally used, yes.

Although you're throwing your money away really...the dualcores are much too expensive now. For the cost of just 1 275 you can almost build yourself an entire dual xeon rig! A 3.2ghz 800fsb xeon is 300usd. A 275 is 1300.....
There is no way 2 275's are faster than 4 xeons...I'd say with 4 xeons you will be about 1.3-1.5 faster than 2 275.

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[Maxer]

According to the benchmark tests from the web site I posted a Dual AMD 275 system is 33% faster than a dual Xeon 3.2 GHz system. The AMD is also running at 2.2 GHz which creates much less heat and uses less power, not that we care about such things.

[Mihai]

Oh, not a 4 cpu mb, those are insanely expensive. But I think NL will solve those crucial coop rendering issues before release, or at least provide patches. At least I don't know how people like daros for example can do coop renderings, oneshot also, while others have no luck at all...

Maxer, I still think you're throwing away your money. Also because AMD dualcores should soon drop a lot in price when they open their new factory. I don't care at all what kind of cpu I have, I only care about best price vs performance ratio. So if I had a choice between 4 xeons or two dualcores, I'd get the fastest system, 4 xeons.

[Maxer]

Mihai, can you give me an idea of how much a 4x Xeon system costs, I've never seen one? Also aren't the Xeon systems still 32 bit.

Actually I just checked to see how much a dual Xeon system was with the same specks as the AMD.

AMD: $5800
Xeon: $5400

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[Mihai]

Maxer, I don't mean getting one 4x system, but two dual Xeon systems.

Adam T posted a while ago he was getting a dual Xeon complete system for around 1500 if I remember correctly. He said that if you buy most of the parts from the same site, they usually have discounts. I think he was using Newegg.

Also I wouldn't be too concerned with 32/64 bit for the near future. If you've got 2GB of ram in the system you will be fine as almost every decent renderer out there has an offload mechanism. Like Maxwell's hd option for example. Speed wise it's not a great leap, not even a small step.....for mankind, but a little hop for.......eh fhak it

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[Maxer]

I get what you’re saying but the system I'm buying is my main work station, I don't want just any old dual processor setup. If coop rendering was working it might be an option if all I was using was Maxwell, but I use other render engines and I've already got 5 dual processor render nodes for them. For me it's worth the extra money to get a 20% or 30% increase in speed plus hopefully and additional increase once 64 bit is implemented. Honestly right now 2 dual Xeon machines won't do me any good, I need all that power in one computer.

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[Maxer]

I can't beleave that's even real!

[Maxer]

Ok guy's I don't understand where your getting the idea that I'm throwing away my money.

I've done a comparison between the fastest dual Intel machine and the fastest dual core AMD machine, and the cost is virtually identical. Here are the specks and prices. Not to mention that the AMD out performs the Intel by 25% when using applications that are set up to take advantage of multiprocessor systems. Someone explain to me how getting 25% more speed is a bad investment, especially when your keeping the computer for 3 years.

Intel:
Dual Xeon DP 3.6GHz, 2MB Cache, 800MHz FSB
3 GB DDR2-400 ECC
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
74 GB 10,000 RPC SATA
$5840

AMD:
Dual Opteron 275
3 GB DDR-400 ECC
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
74 GB 10,000 RPC SATA
$5900

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[Mihai]

Well, a couple of points Maxer, first where did you get that quote for the dual Xeon? It is extremely overpriced.

Look at pricewatch, even the most expensive Xeon is 615, less than half of a 275.

Also you can get instead a couple of 800fsb 3.2 Xeons for only 300 each, only a minor speed decrease, but:

Going after Adams pricelist of about 2000, you can get three dual Xeon systems for the price of that AMD system Even if you just get two dual Xeon systems, you will have overall faster rendering and for about 2 grand less.....

Second point is, for your workstation, you shouldn't even be interested in processor speed. For your workstation only the graphics card and the harddrives matter, so you can work as fast as possible. Get 2 Raptors in Raid 0 and you will see a MUCH better improvement in overall workflow because of the very fast hd access times, than if you just get fast processors. If you work with large files than hd access is crucial, and the cpu's won't help you there.