Building an Affordable 16-Core, 32-Thread Xeon Monster PC

I have built a similar system for vsphere usage (single cpu e5-2687w the fastest of that generation Sandy Bridge era Xeon), but prior to installing esxi on it, I plugged in my first generation Titan GPU (has decent fp64 for rendering etc) and loaded windows instead. The 4 extra cores definitely were noticeable compared to doing the same render on my ivy bridge i7 3770k with the same titan gpu. (HPz420 workstation with 4x samsung 850 PRO ssd's in a raid 5 connected to a lsi 9260-8i sas controller with battery backup). Complete overkill: YES, Severe waste of money: Maybe. But for its intended design (home esxi lab): Works marvelously :)I unfortunately didn't get the used aftermarket discount, as I bought the CPU brand new for $2000, but again for the intended purpose. It works great!
 
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The author identifies the motherboard used as EP2C602-2T/D16,however images in this article look like EP2C602-4L/D16. Perhaps this is the source for some of the concern re source and pricing of hardware?

Perhaps you can clarify which part number is actually recommended for function, cost and availability.
 
Steve said:
We can also see looking at the power consumption figures that a single E5-2670 consumes less power than the 5960X and FX-8350. What’s more is it has twice the cores of the Core i7-6700K yet it consumes just 40% more power, not twice as much as you might expect (this is obviously due to the lower clock speeds).

Finally, I should point out that at idle the dual Xeons consumed the same amount of power as a regular desktop system using a Core i5 processor for example. At a cost of $.13 per kwh the Xeon system can’t cost over $15 more than the 5960X per month and that is assuming it sees 100% load across all 32-threads 24/7. If you are buying it for a rendering box it obviously won’t be doing that and the time you save will be incredibly valuable.
Click to expand...
It would be great if you could add idle power numbers to the article. Thanks!
 
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rlegg said:
The author identifies the motherboard used as EP2C602-2T/D16,however images in this article look like EP2C602-4L/D16. Perhaps this is the source for some of the concern re source and pricing of hardware?

Perhaps you can clarify which part number is actually recommended for function, cost and availability.
Click to expand...

No I didn't, I identified the motherboard as the EP2C602 because that is what I used.
http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=EP2C602#Specifications

Currently newegg.com is out of stock which is a shame...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157352&cm_re=EP2C602-_-13-157-352-_-Product

FYI the board I used looks nothing like the EP2C602-4L/D16 which has twice as many DIMM slots.

Goncalo Dourado said:
Does this particular Asrock server grade board have any issues running modern gaming graphics cards? Like a 390X, GTX 980 or such?
Click to expand...

No none.
 
"FYI the board I used looks nothing like the EP2C602-4L/D16 which has twice as many DIMM slots."

The board illustrated in your article HAS those extra dimm slots. The illustration is almost certainly of the EP2C602-4L/D16. Hence the possible confusion. Perhaps changing the illustration.....
https://www.techspot.com/photos/article/1155-affordable-dual-xeon-pc/#Image_09

......and the board we should look for pricing is EP2C602-2T/D16.
......which doesn't have the extra slots:
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/60...rver-motherboard-intel-c602-review/index.html

Knocking digits off the end of a part number, when describing something like this, isn't a good idea.
 
cliffordcooley said:
Maybe you should lookup that model before making that statement. The one illustrated is neither of the ones you listed.
http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=EP2C602#Specifications
Click to expand...

The general model you link to includes the following versions (from the manual):
EP2C606-4L/D16
EP2C602-4L/D16*
EP2C602/D16
EP2C606-4L
EP2C602-4L
EP2C602


It does not cover the recommended hardware EP2C602-2T/D16**, which is found at:
http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=EP2C602-2T/D16#Specifications

*illustrated in the reference article's photographs
** recommended in the article's actual text.

They do not have the same application, availability or price, which might affect reader decisions to take this article seriously.
 
cliffordcooley said:
http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=EP2C602-4L/D16#Specifications
That motherboard is not the one illustrated in the article photographs. The EP2C602 is the specific model illustrated. And not once is the EP2C602-2T/D16 mentioned in the text.
Click to expand...

"As the cherry on top, the Asrock Rack EP2C602 server motherboard we picked up for putting this build together costs around the same amount as a high-end X99 motherboard, $280 brand new. "

This links to:
https://www.techspot.com/products/motherboards/asrock-ep2c602-2t-d16.99887/
ie EP2C602-2T/D16 - as the author has also identified in previous responses to this thread, when queried.

So where does one acquire a new EP2C602-2T/D16 for $280? This, basically is the question being raised by earlier contributors.
Of interest, always, are any photos available showing the actual hardware that was assembled and tested, as a basis for this article's contents. Worth a thousand words.
 
cliffordcooley said:
So it is the link that is incorrect then? That makes all the difference.
Click to expand...

The link points to a different model, I assume the editor did that because the model used isn't in the product finder or they simply didn't realize. Either way there should be no confusion given the board used was clearly pictures several times :S
 
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Think I want to do this for my first PC build. Have done a fair amount of messing around with Mac Pros and stuff like replace screens on MacBooks and iPads so not squeamish.
Dell t7910 dual v3 12 core / Titan X is my current box for video post work station.
But I have zero knowledge sourcing cases, cables etc to finish this parts list. Any recommendations of a complete list?
I would add 780ti, usb3 pcie, 4 X 4tb hdd, ssd boot. Etc.
Thanks!
Paul
 
Paul Provost said:
Think I want to do this for my first PC build. Have done a fair amount of messing around with Mac Pros and stuff like replace screens on MacBooks and iPads so not squeamish.
Dell t7910 dual v3 12 core / Titan X is my current box for video post work station.
But I have zero knowledge sourcing cases, cables etc to finish this parts list. Any recommendations of a complete list?
I would add 780ti, usb3 pcie, 4 X 4tb hdd, ssd boot. Etc.
Thanks!
Paul
Click to expand...
Would probably fit in any mid-tower case.... If you want more room, a full tower is good - newegg has tons..... If you want to go insane, the corsair 900 holds more than anything....
 
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Dang, great, great article! I had a $2000 budget set aside for a 6900K build this summer but now I am heavily reconsidering...

I've spent the last 24 hours searching for x79 boards non stop...That Asrock Rack board isn't available anymore on Newegg...Also do you know if that board supports the MultiCore Enhancement like desktop boards do? I'm leaning towards a single socket board for this reason.
 
Squid Surprise said:
Would probably fit in any mid-tower case.... If you want more room, a full tower is good - newegg has tons..... If you want to go insane, the corsair 900 holds more than anything....
Click to expand...
So I grab a case and that's all I need? (Other than the mobo, CPU, ram, psu and the other stuff I'm adding?)
I just need a case that will accommodate two boot drives mirrored and 4x3.5" Hdd raid.
 
Most cases come with basic cables, etc... power supplies come with some as well - often power supplies get bundled with other stuff like cases or motherboards... depending on what CPU you want, you might want to get some thermal paste as well...

Here's an example...

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...&cm_re=full_tower_case-_-11-119-160-_-Product

That's a fairly popular full tower case (Cooler Master HAF 932), note the pics near bottom that show what comes with it... newegg is even helpful enough to show you other things you'll want to add (like power supply and cooling solution)...

As a point of interest, the Corsair 900D
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...9019&cm_re=corsair_900-_-11-139-019-_-Product

Kind of crazy, twice the price, and completely unnecessary for 99% of most people - but dang does it look imposing in your computer room :)
 
Last edited:
Steve said:
The link points to a different model, I assume the editor did that because the model used isn't in the product finder or they simply didn't realize. Either way there should be no confusion given the board used was clearly pictures several times :S
Click to expand...

Well, I'm still confused about the motherboard recommendation.
Referring to the manuals, it's unlikely that they would be confused due to orientation of dimm slots, though the quantity of these is actually the same. The physical difference I was noting was the presence or absence of PCie slots. These are present in some models, but replaced with a second heatsunk feature in others.

To look like the photos in the article, the motherboard would have to have had one of the following part numbers:
EP2C606-4L/D16
EP2C602-4L/D16
EP2C602/D16
EP2C606-4L
EP2C602-4L
EP2C602
...according to the diagrams in the manuals.

The others swim in the following list from the other manual:
EP2C602-2T2OS6/D16
EP2C602-2TS6/D16
EP2C602-2L+2OS6/D16
EP2C602-2L+OS6/D16
EP2C602-2OS6/D16
EP2C602-2T2O/D16
EP2C602-2T/D16
EP2C602-2O/D16
EP2C602-O/D16
EP2C602-2L+O/D16
EP2C602-2L+/D16
EP2C602-S6/D16

If anyone can suggest a board that is available and that might be used to take advantage of the reduced processor cost, I'd be happy to hear of it. From benchmarks published elsewhere, I would expect it could replace the three machines currently maintained here to run over-elaborate simulations, though these humbler machines were simple commodities at $75 each, refurbished.
 
rlegg said:
Well, I'm still confused about the motherboard recommendation.
Referring to the manuals, it's unlikely that they would be confused due to orientation of dimm slots, though the quantity of these is actually the same. The physical difference I was noting was the presence or absence of PCie slots. These are present in some models, but replaced with a second heatsunk feature in others.

To look like the photos in the article, the motherboard would have to have had one of the following part numbers:
EP2C606-4L/D16
EP2C602-4L/D16
EP2C602/D16
EP2C606-4L
EP2C602-4L
EP2C602
...according to the diagrams in the manuals.

The others swim in the following list from the other manual:
EP2C602-2T2OS6/D16
EP2C602-2TS6/D16
EP2C602-2L+2OS6/D16
EP2C602-2L+OS6/D16
EP2C602-2OS6/D16
EP2C602-2T2O/D16
EP2C602-2T/D16
EP2C602-2O/D16
EP2C602-O/D16
EP2C602-2L+O/D16
EP2C602-2L+/D16
EP2C602-S6/D16

If anyone can suggest a board that is available and that might be used to take advantage of the reduced processor cost, I'd be happy to hear of it. From benchmarks published elsewhere, I would expect it could replace the three machines currently maintained here to run over-elaborate simulations, though these humbler machines were simple commodities at $75 each, refurbished.
Click to expand...

Not sure I am following or understand where the confusion is coming from. I even linked you to the exact board in my first post, here it is again and as you can see there are just eight DIMM slots in total, not 16 like the other boards that end in 16.

http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=EP2C602#Specifications

Here are some boards you can buy...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...4R&cm_re=lga2011_dual-_-13-182-944R-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...8R&cm_re=lga2011_dual-_-13-182-938R-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...967&cm_re=lga2011_dual-_-13-182-967-_-Product

http://www.amazon.com/Supermicro-X9...TF8&qid=1460280448&sr=1-21&keywords=LGA2011+R

http://www.amazon.com/Supermicro-DD...TF8&qid=1460280448&sr=1-22&keywords=LGA2011+R

http://www.amazon.com/Supermicro-X9...TF8&qid=1460280448&sr=1-20&keywords=LGA2011+R
 
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Steve said:
Not sure I am following or understand where the confusion is coming from. I even linked you to the exact board in my first post, here it is again and as you can see there are just eight DIMM slots in total, not 16 like the other boards that end in 16.

http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=EP2C602#Specifications

Here are some boards you can buy...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...4R&cm_re=lga2011_dual-_-13-182-944R-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...8R&cm_re=lga2011_dual-_-13-182-938R-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...967&cm_re=lga2011_dual-_-13-182-967-_-Product

http://www.amazon.com/Supermicro-X9...TF8&qid=1460280448&sr=1-21&keywords=LGA2011+R

http://www.amazon.com/Supermicro-DD...TF8&qid=1460280448&sr=1-22&keywords=LGA2011+R

http://www.amazon.com/Supermicro-X9...TF8&qid=1460280448&sr=1-20&keywords=LGA2011+R
Click to expand...

How about the memory I listed on my previous post? Would it work?
 
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