Passmark scores & Older, cheaper Dual CPU vs Newer expensive single CPU rig.

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:huh:So I was curious how PassMark scores relate to actual real world gaming and rendering performance. I was thinking if the Passmark scores are proportional to performance in gaming and other programs like video editing and content creation then perhaps I can get better performance with cheaper parts.

For instance, You could get 2 older xenon cpus for a total of under $400 and place in a dual cpu board producing a PassMark score equal to or just a hair better than that of a single 6900K which is a $1000 chip, more than 2x the price. All other things being equal like using the same GPU such as a GTX 1080 and same amount and speed of ram (though the dual board would probably require ECC ram which maybe be a little more expensive) Would I be seeing basically almost equal performance in gaming between the two, maybe even better rendering with the dual xenon board?

Now the ram may cost a little more and the board may cost a little more so at the end of the day not sure if completed Dual slot CPU would be cheaper, same or more expensive but I am just wondering about the actual performance side. Would I get equal or better results with the older dual Xenon build than with the current 6900K single setup?

 

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Anyone know?

 

[AlienALX]

Think of passmark like you would think of Cinebench. The absolute best possible case scenario for a CPU.

Look, it really comes down to this man. Do you use cores? do you use apps that thrive on cores? Do you constantly see your CPU at 100%?

If you do then by all means grab older hardware (servers, workstations) because they offer far better bang for buck than anything new. I recently managed to bag a Xeon 2680V2 for £100 as I was lucky enough to have a X79 board to put it in. It's an 8c 16t Ivy that clocks to 3.2ghz on all 8 cores.

It's about 30% slower than a Ryzen, and about 15% slower than a stock 5960x yet it cost me £100.

I don't often use all 8 cores but I do use VMware and so on so at times I can definitely use the whole CPU. For the most part it runs 3.5ghz on 4 cores and being Ivy it's enough to get me by when I am not using the cores.

Just do bear this in mind too, though. Server hardware is heavy, ugly, uses a lot of energy and above all is terribly, terribly noisy. It usually has fans that could take your fingers off and you can't disconnect them because if you do the machine will refuse to post. So that leaves you quite limited in what you can actually buy for cheap that will work out good in the long run. As an example, X79 boards are worth a fluffing fortune now and you will pay a king's ransom to own one. Which again, puts a dent in the whole overall value thing.

Newer CPUs have massive IPC gains so when you are only using one core for example they will be far faster that two old CPUs.

So there, that's pretty much all of the Dos and Don'ts and pitfalls of older hardware.

 

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Thanks AlienALX