Intel Xeon E3 1230V2 Build Opinions

deltablues

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Mar 23, 2013
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Hello, I would like to know what you think of this build that I made. I`ll be using this for some gaming(Hitman Absolution, Batman Arckham City, LA Noire), and multitasking, for example: having a game open while surfing the web(I usually have about 100 tabs open-don`t ask :D-) with the torrents running and watching a blu ray film, or watching hd movies on the web. Also I always have open some music applications that aren`t very demanding. I would like to be able to do this without the CPU usage to go too high. Ok so here is the build:
CPU: Intel Xeon e3 1230v2
Mobo: AsRock B75 Pro3M
GPU: Saphire HD 7770 1 gb ddr5
hard disk:Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB SATA3 7200rpm 16MB
Psu: OCZ CoreXStream 500W
Optical drive: LG GH24NS95
Case: Cougar solution(does it have good airflow, do you any other recommendations in the same price range?
RAM: Corsair Value 8GB Kit 2x4GB DDR3 1600MHz CL11 cmv8gx3m2a1600c11(the ram doesnt have a radiator do I need one?)
Thank you in advance!

 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator
Unless scalable applications are going to be used, there is ZERO, repeat ZERO reason to purchase a Xeon for any use that's not a server environment. Stick with an i5-3470 or an i7-3770. You won't come out ahead purchasing a Xeon.

What is your max budget? I think I would go with something completely different.
 

deltablues

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Mar 23, 2013
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My budget is about 650-700 bucks but I live in Romania and here things are more expensive. I can`t afford a i7 3770 and an 7770. Also I don`t want to go as low as the i5 3470. I heard a lot ofgood things about the xeon for example that it is an i7 3770 without the igpu. I would like to know why you don`t recommend it.
Thanks for your reply.
 
I would completely disagree with g-unit. People need to realize that xeons are not just for servers. There really is no difference in performance and they are not always more expensive. The e3 are actually much better value than the i series. Tom's IB e3 review didn't compare vs the i series but you can see the comparison in the SB review. With the e3 1230v2 being only $35 more for hyperthreading vs the i5 3470, the value cannot be beat even vs the 3770 if you are not going to oc. The programs you are using aren't going to be affected so it won't make a difference but that is a different argument. It wouldn't be worth it to go with a higher cpu.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


Yeah I'm in a small minority here in regards to the Xeon, but you don't really need hyperthreading for an every day usage machine. For web browsing even my laptop can have open 50 tabs at a time. Not that I'd want to but I can't see why you'd need more than that.
 

deltablues

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Mar 23, 2013
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I also want my system to be somewhat future-proofed. By that I want it to run the games and applications in 3-4 years on medium or low settungs if needed. I`m not an avid gamer nor I use heavy threaded applications but who knows maybe in the future I would like to get into movie editing.

 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


There really isn't such a thing as future proofing. There's always going to be better hardware coming down the pike at some point so you just have to buy now and accept what you have. If you want to use threaded applications later on better would be to invest in the i7. The thing is the software is always going to be four or five years behind the hardware. If you look up Moore's Law that explains why.
 

fmm14

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Jun 13, 2013
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fmm14

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Jun 13, 2013
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Hello my friend from Romania. I don't know who the person who is bashing the XEON is talking about. Must be a hater. They are full of mumbo jumbo. Scalable what?, how about the fact that this CPU also supports Hyper Threading. You have every reason to choose the XEON E3-1230 v2!. I just built a system as follows. Asus P8B75-V (the PCIe 3.0 version), Intel Xeon E3-1230 v2, Rosewill RCX-SC1U 70mm 2 Ball All Copper CPU Cooler, Team Vulcan 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3 SDRAM 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model TXD332G1600HC9QC-V, PC Power & Cooling 600 watt power supply, Diamond Multimedia 6450PE31G AMD ATI Radeon HD 6450 1 GB GDDR3 Video Card, WD 300GB 10k RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb_s 3.5inch (Enterprise Class) HDD w WD IcePack HS, Sony Optiarc (5280S-CB-PLUS) High Speed SATA DVD RW Burner. Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. This beast I have created rips through stuff like wheat on rye!. My only bottleneck is the GPU. I will Hopefully be upgrading to a GeForce GTX 770 or Radeon HD 7870. I will also be changing out the HSF CPU Cooler because I am not pleased with the cooling performance of the Rosewill HSF. I will be adding more hard drives after complete system burn-in. I didn't include a case because I am still deciding if I will put this in my 19" server rack or use a standard case. My WEI scores are as follows CPU 7.7, RAM 7.7, Gaming GPU 6.2, HDD 5.9. GPU 4.7. Please see the following for help in deciding for parts http://pcpartpicker.com/ and the following for reference http://www.game-debate.com/cpu/index.php?pid=1005&pid2=931&compare=xeon-e3-1230-v2-vs-core-i5-3470-quad-3-2ghz I hope it helps when deciding to build your system. V/r Francisco
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


I have 15 years experience building systems, I would like to think I know what I'm talking about. I would never use a Xeon and 32GB of RAM for a gaming rig. Scalable applications would be like CAD, rendering applications, custom Photoshop plug ins, data programming and analysis, things like that. It's not really meant to handle gaming. It isn't built for that purpose, despite what Tech Power Up tells you. I would use it for a server or a high end workstation, but I would never use it for a gaming rig. I would pay more money for a high end GPU. Games just don't make use of the extra threads and cores offered by a Xeon over an i5.
 

fmm14

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Jun 13, 2013
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10,510


 

fmm14

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Jun 13, 2013
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I have 19 years experience in building, installing and deploying computer systems. Backed with 23 years of military service / experience. I do not know everything but... I do know a little something as yourself. Yes sometimes computing hardware is designed for one purpose but can be beautifully implemented to perform totally different applications. As an respectful example you say tomato, I say tomatoh. I can assure you that I did extensive research for a project prior to performing my build, and the end results are breathtaking. Now going back to our builders original questions / concerns. Please note that he did also specify Multi-Tasking not just gaming. Based on his build and his budget. He doesn't need radiators for his memory. I would recommend the following. As per his motherboard specifications http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/B75%20Pro3/?cat=Specifications I would max out the RAM to 32GB (best bang for his buck), Example http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226315&SortField=3&SummaryType=0&PageSize=10&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&IsFeedbackTab=true#scrollFullInfo. Then I would upgrade the PSU. Then I would upgrade the GPU, Example http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129229 As far as the Case goes http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?category_id=19&product_id=3067 http://www.outletpc.com/tr6248-coolermaster-elite-431-plus-mid-tower-pc-case-atx.html You mentioned Tech Power Up but I never even mentioned them in my first response. I also note the fact of many people building all around systems + for gaming using the XEON E3-12xx v2 series. Thank You
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


Well I'm personally not questioning anyone's build experience but I definitely know that opinions on what should go into a build vary greatly on this board. I mentioned Tech Power Up because most people point to their charts as absolute fact even though there's a lot of bias and misinformation that goes into those. And that's where a lot of information about CPUs and GPUs gets misconstrued and taken out of context. But personally I'm in the minority when I wouldn't use a Xeon for any purpose but a server or high end workstation. For the most part you don't really need anything more than an i3/i5/i7/FX for that purpose. I build a lot of CAD workstations and I've never had the need for a Xeon or AMD Opteron. My server uses a dual Xeon setup but that's about as far as I would go. I wouldn't call myself a hater since I recommend Intel over AMD just about 9 times out of 10.
 
You don't really make sense when you say you wouldn't go above an i3/i5/i7/fx when there are xeons/opterons that are equivalent to and even below i3/i5/i7/fx. These are all just brandings.



Imo this is a good enough reason to spend $35 more just for ht.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


That's true - there's Xeons on a lot of different levels. But the thing with going with a Xeon - and this is why I'm against it for gaming - is that you lose the onboard video. If something goes wrong with your GPU, you're SOL.

But if you're just starting out video editing (ie Youtube videos) it doesn't take a lot of processing power to be able to edit videos for Youtube consumption. Hell, most smart phones can do that.
 
I think xeon 1230V2 and new 1230V3 are really good and cheap choice for gaming build if you do not want to overclock. You end up saving some money with cheaper motherboard and chepar cpu cooler or you can use original cooler because xeon runs cooler than any 3470 or 3770 .
And why do you not want a i7 if price is same with i5? I sure want i7 if it is in my price range.
If GPU do not work then just put in one old video card and wait new one. You can buy one cheap video card for a 20$ to use if you need. http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/video-card/#sort=a5
PSU is one thing where you can save new builds do not need 620w PSU because they do take about 200-250w out of wall so 450w good gold label PSU is fine. I do not understand this gunit
He tells you to buy too big psu and some crap bronze label because if you want to go sli or cf. that is future proof thinking.
If you do that it is like trowing money to waste basket. All you do is burning money and only one is making benefit is the electric company. Because you psu is not working optimal efficiency level.

Maybe he thinks that xeon is too cheap and too fast for that money? I do not know what he thinks
But we have build several xeon builds in other forums and the work really well.
Now is coming new xeon 1230V3 CPU to LGA 1150 build. In Germany the sell that CPU right now.
Have sold about a week. http://www.mindfactory.de/product_info.php/info/p856397_Intel-Xeon-E3-1230v3-4x-3-30GHz-So-1150-BOX.html

https://www.hardwareversand.de/Socket+1150+%28XEON%29/78093/Intel+Xeon+E3-1230v3+Box%2C+LGA1150.article

too bad that these stores provide goods to ROMANIA
But you sure can ask them to open delivery there. If you have luck all in Romania can in future order from there. Tell also that you stores are much more expensive.

This other good shop. http://www.alternate.de/html/highlights/Hardware/2/253/?tk=7&lk=7
Not so cheap but they deliver fast.

And in the end Intel xeon 1230V2 do have much better value than 3770 or 3470
More performance and save money. That is key thing here. For budget build really good choice.
Remember you save in motherboard too because you do not need overclock able motherboard.
And in PSU because you do not need so BIG PSU because you do not overclock. That is lots of saving here in the end. And all you lose is IGPU! Really benefits are so much more than what you lose.
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Xeon+E3-1230+V2+%40+3.30GHz