Looking For best system configuration

HI every 1 i am looking for a dual xeon latest build budget of 4,500 to 5,000 $ and i mainly do 3d renderings software like (3ds max,vray,corona render,unreal engine)

Hi Nithin, what is your current pc.

And, compared to your current pc, how fast do you expect this new pc to render?

Currently i am using a i7 3rd gen dual core processor i am looking for fast machine suggest a nice xeon build..

What is included in this budget? Just the tower?

Hi i am planing to build this Configuration if any changes u can suggest me.

1.Intel Xeon Processor E5-2660 v4

2.Asus Workstation Board Z10PE-D8 WS C612 CS Socket 2011 v3

3.WD SATA 1Tb Black Caviar WD1003FZEX

4.Solid State Drive Samsung 850 Pro 256gb SSD

5.Cabinet Phanteks Enthoo Primo

6.Graphics Card ASUS STRIX-GTX1080-O8G-GAMING

7.Liquid CPU Cooler Corsair Hydro H80i v2

8.SMPS Modular Seasonic 1050W SS-1050XP3 Full Modular Platinum Certified

9.Crucial 32GB (2 x 16GB) ECC Registered DDR4-2400 Memory

10.Case Phanteks enthoo primo

I think the single core performance of the otherwise "good value" (for its generation) E5-2660 v4 will be underwelming for the amount spend.

I would seriously look into the possibility of building 2 systems:

A $1,200~1,500 i7-6700K based workstation with a GTX 970 or 1070, 32GB of RAM, 500 MB EVO M.2 (same performance as the sata pro).

E.g.

CPU: intel i7-6700K 4.00 GHz

Cooler: Cryorig H5

MoBo: ASUS Z170-A

GPU: ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1070 AMP!

RAM: Corsair LPX DDR4 3000 2x16GB

OS Drive: Samsung 850 EVO 500GB M.2

Case: Your choice of case

PSU: Corsair RM750x

Total ~$1,500

2x 16GB to leave room for 64 if ever, Z170-A more than enough, Zotac AMP! very nice 1070, H5 good all-around cooler if you don't go for too extreme O/C.

The above "manned" workstation will be supplemented by the workhorse 2P you were dreaming, only in this case it will be just the render slave.

The "nice" $1450 E5 2660 v4 (14*2GHz = 28GHz aggregate / $1450 = 52 $/GHz), will be substituted with the "nicer" E5 2650 v4 (12 * 2.2GHz = 26.4GHz / $1180 = 44 $/GHz)...yes, 6% slower for 20% cheaper = win. The 2650 v4 would probably be a tiny bit better WS CPU too, with intangible difference in rendering performance but with overall ~$550 savings...hard not to say "aha!".

CPUs : 2x E5-2650 v4

Mobo: ASUS Z10PA-D8

Coolers: 2x Cryorig H5

RAM: You need to go 4x or 8x Dimms. Think of each CPU as having its own RAM, like 32GB each. If you have "just" 16GB per CPU with that many cores the node will not work as fast as it could. No need for more than DDR4 2133, but you need at least 4x dimms. I would do 8*8GB = 64GB for Quad Channel.

SSD: Samsung 850 EVO - 250GB - M.2

Case: Fractal Design Define XL R2

PSU: Corsair RM750x

This should tally in the $3,500 range

Sure, you have to add some money for an extra OS licence, a GBit switch and cables and the such, but I think that overall the system will be more flexible and the performance when modelling / exporting / prepping renderings etc will be far better with the 6700K on the wheel. Also there is no need to have the node powered on when not rendering, saving some energy.

I doubt you will have issues with the "downgrade" to the 1070 over the 1080 in viewport performance, and with that many cores to your disposal, a single GPU would not be faster than DR CPU rendering. The 970 would probably be the same overall, but for that kind of total budget, you should get the 1070 for $100 more and call it a day

Dimitris,

Great setup suggestions! I also visited your site for more info on hardware. Very useful indeed.

I am in the process of sourcing pars for workstation and a render node around 6000 Euros total.

I am wandering how the E5-2650 v4 machine would compare to 4 x E5-2670 v1 dual Xeon machines (for the same price in total).

8x E5-2670 v1 | 64cores | 166.4GHz total | CB R15 score: 4x2000

Parts for the E5-2670 v1:

CPU: E5-2670 v1 x2

Mobo: Asus Z9PA-D8

Coolers: Noctua NH-U12s x2

RAM: 4x8GB | ECC | 1333MHz

The rest is the same as in your setup.

Parts used/new. Could be built close to 1000Euros each.

A 2670 v1 sys with used CPUs has by far the best price/performance ratio at the moment if you don't need the power in one box. With RAM from ebay and other coolers you can build it even cheaper than for 1000€.

edit:

Render Node 2x Xeon E5-2670 v1 (C2) 64GB (16 cores @3GHz= 48GHz)

2x Xeon E5-2760 v1 170€

ASUS Z9PA-D8 235€

2x Scythe Kotetsu 120mm 50€

8x 8GB 64GB Samsung DDR3 1333MHz ECC RAM (new, ebay) 150€

Samsung SSD 750 Evo 120GB 45€

PSU Seasonic G-Series G-650; 650W 80+ Gold 80€

Case 50€

=780€ (excl. VAT) or ~16,25€/GHz

with an IPC that is maybe 15-20% lower than the IPC of an E5-26xx V4, so normalized it should be around 20€/GHz.

or ~715€ with 32GB (~14,90€/GHz -> ~18€/GHz)

(i have build four of them myself using this config)

compared to a system with 2x E5-2650 v4 32GB (24 cores @2.5GHz= 60GHz)

2x Xeon E5-2650 v4 1960€

ASUS Z10PA-D8 280€

2x Scythe Kotetsu 120mm 50€

32GB Kingston ValueRAM DDR4-2133, CL15, reg ECC; 4x8GB 150€

Samsung SSD 750 Evo 120GB 45€

PSU Seasonic G-Series G-650; 650W 80+ Gold 80€

Case 50€

= 2615€ (43,58€/GHz)

(Broadwell cores)

(btw. it would be good to have some cinebench R15 scores of a Broadwell-E/EP 8-core @3GHz, for comparison)

numerobis,

Thanks for your hardware recommendations.

Have you run any benchmarks on your Xeon E5-2760 v1 based farm, or any tests to be able to compare them to other farm or one box solutions?

A 2670 v1 sys with used CPUs has by far the best price/performance ratio at the moment if you don't need the power in one box. With RAM from ebay and other coolers you can build it even cheaper than for 1000€.

As for render node, I don't need the all the power in one box. I have plenty of space in my office. The main goal is to achive the possible lowest render time on a 4000€ budget. Mainly Vray, experimental maxwell and corona engines.