ET_ wants a new PC...

ET_ · 2016-01-23, 18:35

...but before that, I ask: is it safe to go for a Skylake? How troublesome will the flashing of the new BIOS be? As I buy a motherboard in Italy, the odds to get an old BIOS to update are quite high...

Or should we wait for the next generation of Intel processors?

Once this question will be answered, we'll go further with the main question.

And yes, I know
Luigi

Mark Rose · 2016-01-23, 20:03

I'm personally waiting for AMD Zen, which is due to be released late this year. It's a new architecture and it may shake things up a bit.

If I couldn't wait, I'd go with Haswell-E and take advantage of the four DDR4 memory channels.

ATH · 2016-01-23, 20:55

Depends on how much you want to spend. If you have enough money and want a really fast computer you could go for a Broadwell-E which should arrive sometimes soon. It just says 2016, so no news about precisely when, but Skylake-E will not be until 2017 at least.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...icroprocessors
If those prices are somewhat accurate $350 sounds like a pretty good deal for 6 cores, 15 MB L3 cache and quad channel DDR4.

http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=20736

You could also go for a "normal" Broadwell Core i7 5775C or Core i5 5675C:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadw...roarchitecture)

Prime95 · 2016-01-23, 22:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by ET_

...but before that, I ask: is it safe to go for a Skylake? How troublesome will the flashing of the new BIOS be?

Probably safe, but we are not sure. Intel has not given details on the Skylake bug, so we do not know for sure that current Skylake results are correct.

Skylake users are also having random freezes but these seem to happen at idle, a state GIMPS users don't run into.

I've never had a problem flashing BIOS.

Xyzzy · 2016-01-23, 23:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prime95

I've never had a problem flashing BIOS.

We ran into an issue once where the BIOS needed flashed to support the CPU we bought with the motherboard!

We ended up having to RMA the motherboard for one with a newer BIOS already "installed".

bgbeuning · 2016-01-24, 01:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by ET_

...but before that, I ask: is it safe to go for a Skylake?

My i5-6500 has had no problems.

kladner · 2016-01-24, 08:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Rose

I'm personally waiting for AMD Zen, which is due to be released late this year. It's a new architecture and it may shake things up a bit.

If I couldn't wait, I'd go with Haswell-E and take advantage of the four DDR4 memory channels.

I would love to see some real competition in the CPU market.
This article seems to be relying on a fair number of unexplained terms, but I'm still doing searches for more information. Thanks, Mark, for calling attention to it.

ET_ · 2016-01-24, 09:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATH

Depends on how much you want to spend. If you have enough money and want a really fast computer you could go for a Broadwell-E which should arrive sometimes soon. It just says 2016, so no news about precisely when, but Skylake-E will not be until 2017 at least.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...icroprocessors
If those prices are somewhat accurate $350 sounds like a pretty good deal for 6 cores, 15 MB L3 cache and quad channel DDR4.

http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=20736

You could also go for a "normal" Broadwell Core i7 5775C or Core i5 5675C:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadw...roarchitecture)

Thank you Andreas. But I heard that Intel is going todrstically shorten the life of Broadwell to enhance Skylake and future generation processors. I'd end up having again an "old generation" processor.

As for the price, the Skylake 6700X (the overclockable one) is rated $430 on Newegg site...

Finally, the AVX512 instruction set may prove very useful for GIMPS.

Still confused

ET_ · 2016-01-24, 18:47

To help people help me...

What I need is a new generation PC setup to help me with my number-crunching projects: the computer should have fast memory, at least 4 cores (more would be happily accepted), a ssd card to load Linux root partition and a 2TB fast SATA HDD for the /home partition. The processor should be as fast as possible having an air cooler (Noctua?), and 32 GB of RAM are needed. The motherboard should have a socket to correctly plug in the processor, show high performances, accept the fast RAM, share at least a 3.0 USB hub, one network card at 1GB.

I already have a new Nvidia GTX980 and a working PSU Corsair HX750, plus the SATA BD-rom.
I also plan to buy a new case like the Corsair Obsidian 450D.

Open questions:

How should I choose the RAM? DDR3? DDR4? 2 or 4 banks? What speed?
I plan to use the GTX980 for number crunching: would a video card integrarted to the mainboard be of any help letting the GTX run only on CUDA programs?
What processor for a desktop environment?
What cooler?
What ssd?
What hdd?
What did I forget?

Thank you for sharing your ideas with me

jwaltos · 2016-01-24, 19:15

Check out second hand custom builds that you can find and negotiate for.
At least 64 G memory expandable to 128. DDR3 OK, DDR4 better.
Asus P9X79 or X99-E-WS to also handle Xeon processor.
Cooling (look in the hardware thread regarding this topic)..keep your GPU cool.
Minimize your power draw, overclock everywhere possible and be creative in
approaching mini-supercomputer capability on a budget. COTS, FPGA's, expanders...
and other add-ons are to be considered for specialty computing.

Profile the operating system(s) and software you intend to use beforehand,
a lean Arch machine?, a solid compiler and technical reference manuals are to be considered.
Above all, understand what you want to accomplish theoretically and approach it with the best
possible tools within your means...then build better tools with the equipment you have.

Them's is my suggestions.

Prime95 · 2016-01-24, 19:23

Check out my dream build thread:

http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=20795

For me, the most cost effective solution is Skylake, overclocking memory only and no GPU. I'll be going that route because I think only DDR4 can reliably and cost effectively overclock to 3000+. In Europe, where electricity is probably more expensive than the U.S., it is even more important to go with a power-efficient system.

2016-01-23, 18:35	#1
ET_ Banned "Luigi" Aug 2002 Team Italia 11323₈ Posts	ET_ wants a new PC... ...but before that, I ask: is it safe to go for a Skylake? How troublesome will the flashing of the new BIOS be? As I buy a motherboard in Italy, the odds to get an old BIOS to update are quite high... Or should we wait for the next generation of Intel processors? Once this question will be answered, we'll go further with the main question. And yes, I know Luigi

2016-01-23, 20:55	#3
ATH Einyen Dec 2003 Denmark 2×1,579 Posts	Depends on how much you want to spend. If you have enough money and want a really fast computer you could go for a Broadwell-E which should arrive sometimes soon. It just says 2016, so no news about precisely when, but Skylake-E will not be until 2017 at least. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...icroprocessors If those prices are somewhat accurate $350 sounds like a pretty good deal for 6 cores, 15 MB L3 cache and quad channel DDR4. http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=20736 You could also go for a "normal" Broadwell Core i7 5775C or Core i5 5675C: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadw...roarchitecture) Last fiddled with by ATH on 2016-01-23 at 20:59

2016-01-24, 18:47	#9
ET_ Banned "Luigi" Aug 2002 Team Italia 12D3₁₆ Posts	To help people help me... What I need is a new generation PC setup to help me with my number-crunching projects: the computer should have fast memory, at least 4 cores (more would be happily accepted), a ssd card to load Linux root partition and a 2TB fast SATA HDD for the /home partition. The processor should be as fast as possible having an air cooler (Noctua?), and 32 GB of RAM are needed. The motherboard should have a socket to correctly plug in the processor, show high performances, accept the fast RAM, share at least a 3.0 USB hub, one network card at 1GB. I already have a new Nvidia GTX980 and a working PSU Corsair HX750, plus the SATA BD-rom. I also plan to buy a new case like the Corsair Obsidian 450D. Open questions: How should I choose the RAM? DDR3? DDR4? 2 or 4 banks? What speed? I plan to use the GTX980 for number crunching: would a video card integrarted to the mainboard be of any help letting the GTX run only on CUDA programs? What processor for a desktop environment? What cooler? What ssd? What hdd? What did I forget? Thank you for sharing your ideas with me

2016-01-24, 19:15	#10
jwaltos Apr 2012 Brady 2²·97 Posts	Check out second hand custom builds that you can find and negotiate for. At least 64 G memory expandable to 128. DDR3 OK, DDR4 better. Asus P9X79 or X99-E-WS to also handle Xeon processor. Cooling (look in the hardware thread regarding this topic)..keep your GPU cool. Minimize your power draw, overclock everywhere possible and be creative in approaching mini-supercomputer capability on a budget. COTS, FPGA's, expanders... and other add-ons are to be considered for specialty computing. Profile the operating system(s) and software you intend to use beforehand, a lean Arch machine?, a solid compiler and technical reference manuals are to be considered. Above all, understand what you want to accomplish theoretically and approach it with the best possible tools within your means...then build better tools with the equipment you have. Them's is my suggestions. Last fiddled with by jwaltos on 2016-01-24 at 19:23 Reason: added stuff

2016-01-23, 20:03	#2
Mark Rose "/X\(‘-‘)/X\" Jan 2013 2·5·293 Posts	I'm personally waiting for AMD Zen, which is due to be released late this year. It's a new architecture and it may shake things up a bit. If I couldn't wait, I'd go with Haswell-E and take advantage of the four DDR4 memory channels.

2016-01-24, 19:23	#11
Prime95 P90 years forever! Aug 2002 Yeehaw, FL 19×397 Posts	Check out my dream build thread: http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=20795 For me, the most cost effective solution is Skylake, overclocking memory only and no GPU. I'll be going that route because I think only DDR4 can reliably and cost effectively overclock to 3000+. In Europe, where electricity is probably more expensive than the U.S., it is even more important to go with a power-efficient system.