2x Xeon Quad CPUs + 20GB in RIMMs Vs. any Core i based machine?

[Radioguy]

Just thought I'd ask here as well...

Have an opportunity to receive (or be saddled with) an XW6600 with two E5410 Quad Xeons, and 20GB (RIMMs) on board.

I just wondered how the real-world performance would be today. I know it's Peryn-era already, but how far behind will this fall behind a Core I machine? Would even a first gen Core i3 put this to shame with even 32GB in RIMMs on board?

[axur-delmeria]

It depends on the workload. With 8 cores in all, it would run circles around any first generation Core i3 in highly parallelized tasks, even though its clock speed is only a paltry 2.33GHz.
But in single-threaded applications it will definitely lose, especially since it doesn't have any form of Turbo Boost.

In any case, the best way to find out is to run benchmarks. A favorite of mine is the built-in Benchmark tool in 7-zip.
Run it with 1, 2, 4, then finally 8 threads, and see how it compares to your other machines.

[QWERTY Andreas]

In multithreaded applications it will be around the same speed as a modern Core I5, at best.

In singlethreaded, and everything that cannot use 8 cores, it will be much much slower than anything nowadays.

EDIT: "Modern I5" means a quadcore desktop model

[axur-delmeria]

In singlethreaded, and everything that cannot use 8 cores, it will be much much slower than anything nowadays.

True. It's probably between a Core 2 Duo P8400 (2.26GHz) and P8600 (2.4GHz) found in lower-end X200 and T400 models, though the huge L2 cache might give it a bit more push.

[brchan]

I would imagine the power consumption to be pretty large as well, even if the machine is doing little work.

[axur-delmeria]

I would imagine the power consumption to be pretty large as well, even if the machine is doing little work.

Well, according to CPU-World:

Maximum power dissipation: 133.25 Watt, 108.5 Watt (sustained)
Thermal Design Power : 80 Watt

Then there's this review of an XW6600, but with a different Xeon processor. "...about 150 watts running a standard load", it says, but I reckon it can hit 300 watts at full tilt.

[Radioguy]

Thanks all. I am still on the fence a bit as for it being a keeper, but I feel more informed.

[hhhd1]

a T520 or W520 laptop with a descent quad core will outperform a dual Xeon E5410 in multi threaded apps, and will be near double the performance in single thread.

[bit_twiddler]

Performance-wise, it's not going to be great. But, if it has ECC ram then it's worth putting
into service as a server. As fast as a later laptop might be, they can't substitute for machines
with ECC like the HP that you are looking at as file servers or any kind of critical work.

You might be able to upgrade the CPU to a Xeon 55XX. I know that's true with my Dells,
and it might be true for the HP.

[RMSMajestic]

check the price of E5 2670 on feebay, you will be very surprised.
At least I was and I got my self another desktop now :/ money wasted