QUOTE(hjh87 @ Mar 19 2016, 12:42 PM)
Actually I'm start to hate Dell, been asking around for quotation but only get them to reply just recently.
Any reason why you say the processor is a unwise choice?
I have look through the availability of processor offer from Dell, this is the only processor launch not long ago.
And from your second configuration it look much more reasonable compare to mine, cause Dell quoted me RM15k for the stated spec.
How is HP Workstation? Any comment on the NVidia and AMD graphic card? Which worth to invest in?
Do you really know the SRP price for the E5-1680 v3 ??? You can just go to intel ark website to find out. Blardy hell expensive because it is the top of the range E5-16xx series. Compare to the E5-2630 v3 that I went for , you need to TOP UP around RM4k to get the E5-1680 v3.
That is just processor alone, you think it's worth it for few hundred MHz ??? Most people who go for Xeon E5 workstations will only concern of core count, and not clock speed.
Ask yourself first, why did you go for a Xeon E5 workstation in the first place ???
For myself, I have few criteria to meet before going for Xeon E5 because it is too damn expensive.
1. You need more than 4 cores which Xeon E3 cannot provide.
2. Xeon E3 RAM limit is only 64GB, anything more than that, you need to go Xeon E5.
My second configuration I choose E3 1245 v5 because it is even cheaper than the consumer version of i7 6700, for Z240 workstation, I have that choice, but I have no reason to go for an i7 when a similarly spec Xeon is cheaper. That is why I spec with non-ECC RAM because I don't need it and its much cheaper, plus non ECC RAM is easier to upgrade in future, can buy from any computer shop.
AMD or Nvidia Professional cards solely depend on what you do with it . For my 2nd build, I needed 4 display output. 3 touch screen monitors using Display port and HDMI output to an LCD projector. It is meant for medical research teaching use. That is why I choose the AMD Firepro W5100 because I do not have any software that needs Nvidia's special drivers.
If you need to use CUDA programming or if you plan on running Solidworks kind of engineering applications, then by all means go Nvidia at all cost .
Why we choose Professional cards is because the drivers are certified for those special applications and it is guaranteed to run properly at optimal performance where gaming cards like GeForce and Radeons cannot make it.
AMD Firepro W5100 is just a version of Radeon R7 260X/ HD 7790 with double the memory. The driver that make all the difference. That is why people are willing to pay so much for these pro cards.
How is HP workstations ???
I had Dell workstations at my place too. I would say, Dell and HP are great competitors in the workstation segment which has quite high profit margin. Therefore there are more or less the same.