Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

  1. #1
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    24
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    I'm building a new system, mostly for running engineering structural analyses (finite element analysis, which basically involves sparse matrix solution) the odd bit of Matlab, etc.

    It was going to be an i7-950 and I actually bought a lot of the parts pre-VAT rise, but they're still new and in their boxes. Looking at benchmarks for newly released SB 2600k, it looks to wipe the floor with the i7-950 on a lot of things, though I don't know what benchmarks relate to what I'll be using it for?

    It's a ~£600 system, and changing to SB will cost me ~£75. Worth it if it doubles the performance in the applications I use, but probably not worth it if the performance difference is marginal.

    Anyone able to tell me which benchmarks are relevant, and whether it's worth the upgrade?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Moosing about! CAT-THE-FIFTH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Not here
    Posts
    32,039
    Thanks
    3,910
    Thanked
    5,224 times in 4,015 posts
    • CAT-THE-FIFTH's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Less E-PEEN
      • CPU:
      • Massive E-PEEN
      • Memory:
      • RGB E-PEEN
      • Storage:
      • Not in any order
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVEN BIGGER E-PEEN
      • PSU:
      • OVERSIZED
      • Case:
      • UNDERSIZED
      • Operating System:
      • DOS 6.22
      • Monitor(s):
      • NOT USUALLY ON....WHEN I POST
      • Internet:
      • FUNCTIONAL

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    I would get the Core i7 2600 unless you want to overclock. TBH,for important work related stuff I would not overclock a CPU anyway.

    You can get an H67 motherboard too as these tend to be cheaper than P67 motherboards and you can use Quick Sync too unless you get a dedicated graphics card.

  3. #3
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    31,023
    Thanks
    1,870
    Thanked
    3,381 times in 2,718 posts
    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    I can't really help on the benchmarks front, but I would still expect the i7 2600 to be faster in pretty much everything. The only reason to stick with the i7 950 isn't actually the chip, but the motherboard, if you anticipate utilising peripherals that have high bandwidth requirements (accelerator cards, SSD etc.), or if you have >16GB ram requirements.

  4. #4
    Pork & Beans Powerup Phage's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    6,260
    Thanks
    1,618
    Thanked
    608 times in 518 posts
    • Phage's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Crosshair VIII
      • CPU:
      • 3800x
      • Memory:
      • 16Gb @ 3600Mhz
      • Storage:
      • Samsung 960 512Gb + 2Tb Samsung 860
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA 1080ti
      • PSU:
      • BeQuiet 850w
      • Case:
      • Fractal Define 7
      • Operating System:
      • W10 64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Iiyama GB3461WQSU-B1

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    Looking at this bechmarking
    http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.ph...&limitstart=13
    The SB is faster in just about every measure.
    Society's to blame,
    Or possibly Atari.

  5. #5
    DDY
    DDY is offline
    Senior Member DDY's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    2,838
    Thanks
    184
    Thanked
    624 times in 432 posts
    • DDY's system
      • Motherboard:
      • ASRock Z390M Pro 4
      • CPU:
      • i5 9600k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB (2x16GB) 3600MHz
      • Storage:
      • Adata SX8200 NVME 1TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • RX 5700
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic Focus Gold 550W
      • Operating System:
      • Win 7 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell U2715H

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    Whether the software is SMP capable or not I suspect the higher clocked 2600k would take the lead or at least be as fast as the 950.

    I recall some FEA packages are specifically licensed restricting the use of SMP to a number of threads (e.g. I think the student version of Ansys only makes use of 1 core), if such restrictions are in place the 2600k would certainly be faster.

    However, if the FEA package you have is fully SMP capable then the 1366 platform may make some sense, this way you may upgrade to a 6 core.

  6. #6
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    24
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    Many thanks for the replies.

    Although the FEA software is capable of running multithreaded, I don't foresee un upgrade to 6 core if I go with an X58 platform - the 980X is more than I'm spending for the entire system and I doubt it wil be dropping to anywhere near current 950 prices!

    It looks like SB is the better way to go for me, as I don't need the extra PCI-e bandwidth of the X58 platform (only running a single graphics card), and the dual channel memory of SB doesn't seem to have reduced the memory bandwidth compared to the X58.

    I'd better get on the phone then...

    - Stuart

  7. #7
    Moosing about! CAT-THE-FIFTH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Not here
    Posts
    32,039
    Thanks
    3,910
    Thanked
    5,224 times in 4,015 posts
    • CAT-THE-FIFTH's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Less E-PEEN
      • CPU:
      • Massive E-PEEN
      • Memory:
      • RGB E-PEEN
      • Storage:
      • Not in any order
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVEN BIGGER E-PEEN
      • PSU:
      • OVERSIZED
      • Case:
      • UNDERSIZED
      • Operating System:
      • DOS 6.22
      • Monitor(s):
      • NOT USUALLY ON....WHEN I POST
      • Internet:
      • FUNCTIONAL

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    Are you overclocking?? If not get the cheaper Core i7 2600 and not the 2600K.

  8. #8
    Formerly known as Andehh Andeh13's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Northampton
    Posts
    3,354
    Thanks
    855
    Thanked
    258 times in 153 posts
    • Andeh13's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte GA-P35
      • CPU:
      • Intel Q6600
      • Memory:
      • 4gb Corsair XMS2 800mhz
      • Storage:
      • 1 x 250gb Western Digital AAKS, 2 x 500gb Western Digital AAKS, 1TB WD Caviar Green
      • Graphics card(s):
      • BFG Geforce 8800GTS 512mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Antec 900
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung 24" & Sony 17"
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 10mb... hate them!

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    ooooh, I smell dodgy industry leading software napped from lads in the engineering rooms! . What programs are you using? I hammered my PC with Hypermesh & Catia on a regular basis!

    edit: and this post is about staying on topic & what an off topic post may look like! Stay alert folks, these friendly community warnings don't come around very often!

  9. #9
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    24
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    Abaqus, and it is a local install that connects to the University license server via PuTTy (and you need a university login to access). Matlab too (same remote access to license server setup).

    I happen to know the Abaqus rep personally and I think he would be mighty peeved if I was running a dodgy copy.

    But back on topic - what do you think the Sb vs Bloomfield performance will be like on these packages?

    - Stuart

  10. #10
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    24
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    Closest I can get to answering my own question...

    http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid...e=expert&pid=9

    ...showing SB 2600 is quite a bit faster at solving a CFD problem. Mathematically this should be reasonably similar to FEA.

  11. #11
    fold fold fold!
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    511
    Thanks
    25
    Thanked
    32 times in 25 posts
    • shbris's system
      • CPU:
      • 1600x
      • Memory:
      • 16GB
      • Storage:
      • various ssd's
      • Graphics card(s):
      • gtx 1060 6gb
      • Case:
      • mini itx
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Internet:
      • 100/10

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    from what i understand, 2nd generation core products are clock for clock a huge improvement over gen 1 products, with added bonus of being more 'futureproof' and more power efficient
    definitely worth it

  12. #12
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    24
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    Yes, decided to go for the 2600k SB build.

  13. #13
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    156
    Thanks
    27
    Thanked
    19 times in 18 posts
    • PC4Free's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus M4A89GTD/PRO
      • CPU:
      • AMD Phenom II 1090T
      • Memory:
      • 2x2gb Crucial Ballistix Tracer (blue)
      • Storage:
      • Crucial C300 64gb - Samsung F3 500Gb
      • PSU:
      • HuntKey X7 900W
      • Case:
      • Fractal Design Define XL
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 Profesional

    Re: i7 950 or SB 2600k Platform for FEA and other scientific calculations

    Put up some pics when your done
    PC4Free
    I never finish anyt

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •