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Dual Xeon or Dual Opteron ???

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#1

Hello everyone,

I just wondering which system is the best for zbrush. After reading some Faq it’s clear that multi cpu system is better and that the amount of memory is important. I know that opteron system is super fast when it’s about memory benchmark. In the other hand pure 3d software rendering seems to be faster on xeon’s, so I really don’t what to do :). We are planning to build 3 or 4 systems meanly for zbrush and other 3d softwares and the purpose is hires game character creation (with normal maps)

tks for your help.

#2

I realy have no Idea , I have never benchmarked Zbrush on such systems…

Opteron, it is possible to have more memory overall…

Xeon is made just for dual processors, they play well together by design…

Opteron has Hyper transoprt…

Xeon has only 32 bit capabilitys…

opteron has 64 bit, and 32 bit capabilitys…, suposidly they have NO bottleneck useing the DDR ram :slight_smile:

Personaly I am getting the dual opteron system…

Perhaps someone in the comunity has both and can do a benchmark test for us :slight_smile:

#3

thks Polaris30 for your reply.

you’re right, you can put more memory in a opteron system, but the actual version of zbrush is limited to 4gigs anyway.

Moreover I’m really not sure if you can render 4gigs of polygons in realtime with an actual dual xeon/opteron system.

I don’t know how the inside zbrush benchmark is revelant. I guess it gives a good idea, but I would prefer an overall advice in an everyday work, like how many polys you can render and work on.

#4

doesn’t matter if you get a terrabyte of ram, windows limits the size of the process space for programs to 4GB, so I think this would be a limiting factor to memory usage.

#5

well here are a couple of more pieces of worthless trivia, to help pass the time 'till the smart guy gets here…

Xenon systems you can purchase chips with higher MHZ …

AMD claims that MHZ dose not always equal speed… they claim that they don’t take up any system ram to speak of, and that there is no bottle neck like on intel systems when dealing with DDR ram …( I am really not sure if they where saying in 32bit,64bit, or both modes) so if this is the case possibly Opteron is superior as to how much of your 4GB can you actually use…you might “Get more bang for your buck” from Opteron as far as your system ram is concerned…

This is why I would like to see a benchmark type of test done with a dual Xenon and a dual Opteron with same MHZ,and 4GB maxed out ram, to see who comes out first…

Thanks for bringing this topic up… I am really interested in the same knowledge you seek. :smiley: :+1:

#6

well looks like I’ve create this topic in the wrond section, sorry for that !

It’s a fact dual opteron give a better memory system, most of benchmark put this thing in evidence … but again fast memory is not enough, you also need the power to render the data. Lot of pure 3d rendering (max 5, cinema 4d) put dual xeons way ahead, even with low memory bus speed(thks to the multitreahing).

Finally I’m not sure comparing same cpu speed between amd and intel will make sence. Just take 2 models in the same range price …

#7

Indeed
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Finally I’m not sure comparing same cpu speed between AMD and Intel will make since. Just take 2 models in the same range price … <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

this is why I chose Opteron over Intel, Check this out :slight_smile:

Opteron: http://www.micronux.com/catalog/product.php?products_id=157

I really like the windows optional feature on this system :)…

Plus is Linux ready , Linux has a few 64 bit applications, and a 64 bit OS…

There is a 64-bit version of windows, My impression on it was this :
“Pffffft!”
Very little hardware support, and a very stripped down version of windows…I did not find any 64-bit applications to run on it either.

The Linux 64bit distros are supposed to be top notch. I have yet to witness this… but people are very happy about it.

My new system will be here soon, I will post my findings :slight_smile: I am going with fedora core 2 64bit OS!!! windows XP 32-bit and windows -64 in a very small partition

#8

okey let me know when you get it :wink:

I’ve just order this :

Thermaltake Xaser VA3000BNA - Tsunami
Thermaltake Silent PurePower 480W
Iwill DH800 motherboard
PC 3500 DDR - 2048 MB Kit - 433MHz
2 Intel Pentium IV Xeon 2,8Ghz/533Mhz FSB 1MB Cache

Normally I should post easily with the fsb at 800 mhz (and xeons at 3.2 or so).

Can’t wait :slight_smile:

#9

we got a buncha dual xeons@ 3ghz with ( only ) 2gb ram and a quadro fx 3000. lets just say im not at all complaining :slight_smile:

2.5 million polygons and im still painting really nicely. ( just did a buncha testing today, and im really happy with the results so far )

ontop of that i get a 30% boost when i turn on multithreading in Zbrush :smiley:

the only complaint is the crappy samsung dvdrom we ended up getting :(.

#10

So I must change my Zx 81 ? :smiley:
Pilou

#11

Polaris Dream system 1986

#12


Oric 1 :sunglasses: 1983 :roll_eyes:
28 cm(W) x 17.8 cm (D) x 1.5 (H) cm / 848 g
Very funny computer : features :+1:
Pilou

#13

Yep, still use the above machines… :wink:

Hope you are all well.

*8

#14

> Thanks for your feedback ambient-whisper

#15

Has anybody got any recommendations for a good (minimum) setup for 3D work?
I’m at the stage where I’m thinking of buying a new PC to replace my creaking 1.2 Ghz Athlon, and dual processors seem very tempting (apart from the huge price).
Should I stick with the cheaper single processor systems (i.e. is it viable to do so?), or should I go the whole hog and shell out a fortune for a dual processor monster?

#16

I am getting my Dual Opteron delivered today :D…

My only regret is that there are very few 64bit 3D apps out there…

as of now ALl I know of that is going to use 64bit is Mozilla, and unreal tournament 2004 (supports LINUX and 64bit and dual processors WOOT!!!)… My main OS is also 64bit, (Fedora Core 2 x86-64bit :)…

mainly for doing rendering, but I plan on installing Zbrush on it too, and try multi threading sculpting, and rendering :slight_smile: …

Wish there was a Linux version Of Z2, that would realy be sweet… I realy dont like windows XP that much… IF Z2 was in Linux I would be a realy happy camper right now… perhaps in future they will allow a WINE port…

I also plan on doing CINEPAINT, this is 32bit but uses dual processors …

sorry to stray off topic, But I have been waiting for this day a LONG time :smiley: :+1:…

I think Pixologic suggests INTEL products… for safest bet I would say go with intel if I was you… I am just willing to gamble to get a taste of 64Bit applications :slight_smile:

#17

Polaris30,

Which Opteron do you have? 24(?). I’m trying to decide between a Dual Opteron 242 and a Dual Xeon 2.8 (all with 2 gig ram). I’m glad that your doing some of the footwork getting Linux 64 apps up and running. I’m following your posts. I’ll decide on my system in the next couple days.

#18

btw. not sure if you are aware of this. :wink: but if you have 2 gigs on your system ( dual cpu ) … you actually have 1 gig per processor. so if you run applications/processes that dont know how to use boht processors… its like having only one gig of ram. :slight_smile:

#19

Thanks for the heads up about the ram, ambient-whisper. Do you know which apps I need to worry about? I mainly use Max, Maya, Z2, Photoshop, and Combustion. Since I’m getting gig chips, I believe that I’ll still have a couple of slots to upgrade to 4 gigs if I want to later. That sounds like a massively greedy amount :eek:

#20

Thanks for that advice about memory.
Only a few of my apps can use multiprocessors, so I will have to get 3 or 4 gigs…