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Feb 4, 2024 · Intel Xeon: Xeon processors are generally more affordable than NVIDIA GPUs, especially for entry-level and mid-range systems. NVIDIA GPU: GPUs can be significantly more expensive than Xeon processors, particularly for high-end models with large numbers of CUDA cores and high memory bandwidth. 5. Suitability for Different Applications:
Jul 15, 2009 · Even a cheap video card like an hd5450 just for the purposes of getting video to the screen is going to run around $30. You're still looking at the 1231v3 ($223) + hd5450 ($30) = $273. Compared to an i5 4590 at $180 with the graphics chips built into it and capable of inserting the cpu into that h97 motherboard and plugging the monitor directly into the motherboard.
- There are sites that test the power consumption at the wall based on various configurations. Some use integrated graphics, others use a dedicated g...
- the extremely popular 1231v3 does not have an igpu. xeons are just binned i7s that meet a certain criteria for core temps and vcore. though still a...
- Thanks for all the help! Here is my final build for those interested: PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant CPU: Intel Core i5-4690...
- As for the concern of the hyperthreading usage by Plex: https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/39729/transcoding-questions In short: it's expected to be...
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By Josh Covington
last updated 3 March 2022
Workstation workloads require powerful processors but which one to choose from the blue team?
(Image credit: Intel)
Since the launch of the Xeon brand in the late 1990’s, Intel has touted that family of processors as the optimal choice for most professional applications, be it in mobile workstations, in traditional workstation PCs or video editing PCs.
Overclocking – Unlocked i5, i7, and i9 processors are designed to be overclocked, meaning they can run at higher clock speeds than what they’re qualified for, assuming the right voltage and BIOS settings (and cooling and paste). This equates to free power and more value, a feature that Xeons do not have and can thus translate to faster professional renders in many cases, especially where frequency is a key spec.
GHz per dollar – For pure Gigahertz speed for the money, the LGA2011 (X299) and 1200 (Z590) Core models come out on top every time, making them the best value for single threaded and lightly threaded applications. For example, an 8-core i7-11700k which runs at 3.6/5.0GHz retails for around $400. The comparable Xeon running at that clock speed will cost about $100 more. For pro users with single threaded or lightly threaded software, this increases value tremendously.
What about Pentium?
Those who might be tempted to buy a Pentium processor because of perceived savings should reconsider their decisions. The most powerful Pentium CPU released to date, the G6605, is still far, far slower than any 10th generation Intel Core i3 processors which, by default, come with four cores and eight threads (as opposed to four threads and two cores for the Pentium model).
L3 cache – CPU caches are like small batches of memory that the processor keeps close by to speed up certain applications. Most Xeon processors have 15-30MB and as much as 50MB+ of L3 cache depending on the model, close to double their i7 counterparts. This extra cache is one reason why Xeons are often so much faster at high demand professional applications than Core.
Support for ECC RAM – Error Checking and Correction (ECC) RAM detects and corrects most common data corruption before it occurs, eliminating the cause of many system crashes and translating to more stable overall performance. Only Xeon processors fully support ECC RAM. To me, this is the single most important feature that Xeon offers over Core since ECC is especially important with higher RAM densities and with higher demand use cases where RAM failures are both more common and more devastating when they do occur. How this changes in the future with the release of DDR5’s standard on die ECC remains to be seen, but early reports are that Xeon will still be required for full ECC DDR5 support.
RAM Density – For professionals working in applications that require very large quantities of Memory, Xeon may be not only the best, but the only option. Intel Core currently maxes out at 256GB of 8-channel DDR4 but Scalable Xeon and the new Xeon W-3300 support up to 4TB (that is, assuming you can find 256GB modules to fill all 16 DIMMs) making them ideal as web hosting servers.
More cores, multi-CPU options – For heavily threaded applications that will benefit from as many CPU cores as possible (think Machine Learning or Computational Fluid Dynamics among others), Xeon is what you need. For example, the latest Xeon Scalable processors max out at 40 cores/80 threads – and as the name suggests, can be scaled to multiple sockets. In contrast, even the i9-10980XE, the most heavily threaded Core processor currently, has just 18 cores.
So, which is best for you? That answer depends on what specific professional applications you’ll be using your new PC for and the price point at which you feel most comfortable. If your workflow consists of 4K video, 3D rendering, or VFX in applications like AVID, Premiere Pro, Blender, Ansys, or Houdini where the benefits of ECC RAM, more cache, and possible dual CPUs with a multitude of cores are advantageous, I heartily recommend Xeon.
It’s really the only choice at that tier, and will reap rewards in the way of reduced render times and overall productivity. But, if your usage is more mainstream to moderate or you primarily use more single threaded applications like Revit or AutoCAD, Intel Core offers much better value and may even perform better in those specific cases. The key is to know what you do, what you need, and to not let yourself be oversold on hardware that won’t make you more productive.
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- Josh Covington
- The price. Xeon processors tend to be more expensive than core ones with a few notable exceptions though. The lower-speed Xeon E3 are as affordable as some Core i5 processors which make them attractive options for some niche markets (for example mobile workstations).
- The motherboard. Xeon motherboards are usually more expensive than their core counterparts. This is particularly true if you are looking for dual-socket models that take only Xeon CPUs (E5 and above) and can support more than 128GB memory.
- The graphics. Historically, Xeon processors haven't put a lot of emphasis on integrated graphics. That's because as server or workstation CPUs, they're expected to rely on external video resources.
- The memory support. All Xeon E3 series and almost all Core CPUs support up to 64GB. Skylake-based Core i7 Extreme Edition models go up to 128GB and the rest of the Xeon family supports more than 1TB of memory.
Jun 5, 2022 · The Intel Xeon Platinum Processor, or simply the Intel Xeon, is a specialized processor that was made to ensure optimal performance from servers. An ideal server balances two qualities, the Throughput or TPT – which is the capacity it can provide – and the Per Core Performance or PCP – which tells you how quickly it performs necessary tasks.
Sep 6, 2022 · Xeon is the branding for Intel's workstation and server chips. Unlike Intel's Core CPU lineup, which is meant mostly for the consumer range, Xeon is a catch-all brand that encompasses everything meant for heavier work, business, servers, and even embedded systems. Basically, everything that's not aimed at the average user is fit on the Xeon ...
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What is Intel Xeon 6?
1 day ago · Intel® Xeon® 6 processors meet your diverse power, performance, and efficiency requirements. Efficient-cores (E-cores) deliver high core density and exceptional performance per watt, while Performance-cores (P-cores) excel at the widest range of workloads with great performance for AI and HPC. Read the product brief.
