Is there a single CPU config that is better than a dual E5-2690v2

Notice: Page may contain affiliate links for which we may earn a small commission through services like Amazon Affiliates or Skimlinks.

nk215

Active Member
Oct 6, 2015
412
143
43
49
Hi guys.

As the topic said, I am looking for a single CPU configuration that is a decent upgrade for a dual E5-2690v2 setup in both single and multi thread tasks.

What's your recommendation?

Thanks
 
  • Like
Reactions: marcoi

Bernhard Neuhauser

New Member
Aug 16, 2018
16
1
3
If single core is key: Xeon W-2155. It is probably +33% faster per core than your CPU. But it has also 10*2 cores as one of yours. As such: maybe Xeon W-2195, which has still faster single core performance but 18*2 cores?.

It will be a tough task to find a competing cpu to the Xeon W Serie. The slightly newer Xeon E 21xx has slightly better single core performance but it has a cap of 64GB RAM and it is currently available with max 6*2 cores.

Xeon SP (Silver/Gold/Platinum) are multi sockets and none of them are able to compete with Xeon W if it comes to a single socket.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gigatexal

nk215

Active Member
Oct 6, 2015
412
143
43
49
If single core is key: Xeon W-2155. It is probably +33% faster per core than your CPU. But it has also 10*2 cores as one of yours. As such: maybe Xeon W-2195, which has still faster single core performance but 18*2 cores?.

It will be a tough task to find a competing cpu to the Xeon W Serie. The slightly newer Xeon E 21xx has slightly better single core performance but it has a cap of 64GB RAM and it is currently available with max 6*2 cores.

Xeon SP (Silver/Gold/Platinum) are multi sockets and none of them are able to compete with Xeon W if it comes to a single socket.
Thank you.

Somehow I completely overlook the Xeon W series.
 

amalurk

Active Member
Dec 16, 2016
311
116
43
102
But Xeon-W is 1s only right, so W2155 is 10 cores only per system. If you want multi-thread also to compete with 2x 2690v2 which is 20 cores2x10 for 2x2690v2 then W is not competitive in multiple threads.

Since you want to beat 2x2690v2 with only 1 processcor, your only answer is scalable and even then the perf increase might not be worth it. You probably have to go Gold to get enough single thread perf to top 2690v2 and it isn't going to be by a lot. Many of the golds go to 3.7ghz. But even then, to beat the 20 cores total of your 2x2690v2s with 1 processor you have to go to Gold 6152 at 22 cores and there might not be anything better that maintains 3.7ghz single thread​
 

CookiesLikeWhoa

Active Member
Sep 7, 2016
112
26
28
35
You say single and multi threaded performance, but what exactly are we talking about? Virtualizing? Rendering? Etc?

That will help with what CPU might work better.
 

wildpig1234

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2016
2,198
443
83
49
are we taking into consideration pricing? the xeon W are like over $1000 retail... forget that.... and that's not even taking into account DDR4 pricing..

If you really consider moving to a newer single cpu system and fine with DDR4 price, then you should go with 1950X... much more reasonable pricing..... and also faster in multicore than 2x 2690 v2.... as well as significantly faster in single core....
 

Bernhard Neuhauser

New Member
Aug 16, 2018
16
1
3
as well as significantly faster in single core
Any evidence to back this claim? Most likeley 1950X is only slightly ahead. Hard to justify as an upgrade if it will not improve his current rig.

Regarding reasonable pricing: His current setup was once at 2x $2000. As such, the proposed CPUs are in a reasonable price range.

If its a homelab without a budget, the only honest answer would be: no, not a single CPU on the marked is able to replace his current setup.
But if its for a job, even the proposed gold ($3500) can be a reasonable choice.

By the way: TR has also the downside of limited RAM and lack of IPMI.
 

wildpig1234

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2016
2,198
443
83
49
Any evidence to back this claim? Most likeley 1950X is only slightly ahead. Hard to justify as an upgrade if it will not improve his current rig.

Regarding reasonable pricing: His current setup was once at 2x $2000. As such, the proposed CPUs are in a reasonable price range.

If its a homelab without a budget, the only honest answer would be: no, not a single CPU on the marked is able to replace his current setup.
But if its for a job, even the proposed gold ($3500) can be a reasonable choice.

By the way: TR has also the downside of limited RAM and lack of IPMI.
2690 v2 single core cinebench is around 105-110: 3D Fluff Maxon Cinebench 15 Score Results ... I can confirm this to be accurate myself since i have this cpu

1950X single core cinebench is around 160+. So not even close comparison. We only need to compare the single core turbo speed spec to see this even without actually running tests .... The clock speed difference is only even increased more due to better IPC in 1950X...

multicore cinebench two 2690 v2: around 2800. One 1950X: around 3050....

1950X does support more than 128GB ECC. just have to use bigger more expensive modules.......

lack of IPMI is a bit of a problem if you have to have that...
 

TType85

Active Member
Dec 22, 2014
630
193
43
Garden Grove, CA
  • Like
Reactions: cactus

wildpig1234

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2016
2,198
443
83
49
unless there is real need, i would wait for the upgrade...lol... DDR4 is still too much. and we could wait for 2950X to come down even more...
 

Bernhard Neuhauser

New Member
Aug 16, 2018
16
1
3
1950X does support more than 128GB ECC. just have to use bigger more expensive modules.......
There is just this small issue: such bigger ECC modules are currently not available.

The problem is, that the TR plattform supports only UDIMMs. Bigger modules are (L)RDIMM. I doubt that waiting till bigger UDIMMs are produced would be a reasonable option. As such: yes, in theory a TR could use up to 1TB memory (not sure if i remember this correctly, i think thats the limit of the TR memory controller). But in practice your current biggest modules are 16GB ECC UDIMMs and as such a total of 128GB ECC.

Your cinebench values have the same problem. If you are running cinebench, you are correct and the TR will be faster. But if you are running other things, performance comparison will be different. In case of PassMark (different synthetic workload), the 1950x has only ~5% faster single core performance.

As TType85 has pointed out, the 2950x is maybe little bit more of interest: PassMark - CPU Comparison AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X vs Intel Xeon E5-2690 v2
 

wildpig1234

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2016
2,198
443
83
49
Depend on how much more the OP willing to spend to get faster single AND multicore speed, but at the current price point of two 2690 v2 cpu for $400, he doesn't have much options beside 1950X for anything around $500-600 on ebay ... is 2950X worth it at $900?
 

TType85

Active Member
Dec 22, 2014
630
193
43
Garden Grove, CA
Depend on how much more the OP willing to spend to get faster single AND multicore speed, but at the current price point of two 2690 v2 cpu for $400, he doesn't have much options beside 1950X for anything around $500-600 on ebay ... is 2950X worth it at $900?
The problem is the 2011 (for V1/V2) socket is dead is getting harder to find good boards for. CPU's and RAM are cheap though. 16GB ECC UDimms that seem to work great with Threadripper are about $200/ea (ouch).

I just moved from a E5-2667 V2 with 64GB of 1600mzh ECC RDIMMS to a 1950X with 32GB of 2933mhz non-ecc dimms.

Using CPU-Z benchmark:
1950X running a Windows 10 VM with 8c/8t vs E5-2667 V2 running bare metal with 8c/16t
1950X single core is around 10-12% faster
E5-2667 V2 all core is around 15% faster BUT it has 16 threads instead of 8.

Playing WoW which is very single core dependent I get 25-30% better frame rates on the 1950X VM than the E5-2667 v2 bare metal. I am sure the better IPC helps, but the faster RAM does too. The 1950X is not overclocked yet.

I think it all depends on the OP's use case. For me I am consolidating a few machines and while the E5-2667 V2 worked, the more modern architecture works better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: abq

nk215

Active Member
Oct 6, 2015
412
143
43
49
Hi guys,

After thinking about this some more. It doesn't make sens to move from a dual 2690v2 to a 1950x or the 2950x or W-2195. They are mostly a lateral move with less than 10% performance increase.

I'll sit tight with what I have and will add a dual 2696v2 (just bought - see the deal) as supplement when I really need additional computing power.

It seems DDR3 system can have an extra 4-5 years of service life left for me.

EDIT: I just read TType85 response and 25-30% better frame rate seems very convincing. I have some more thinking to do.

My use is mostly general VMs, video encoding. I need at least 128GB of memory and that's the biggest issue with DDR4 upgrade.
 
Last edited:

wildpig1234

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2016
2,198
443
83
49
The problem is the 2011 (for V1/V2) socket is dead is getting harder to find good boards for. CPU's and RAM are cheap though. 16GB ECC UDimms that seem to work great with Threadripper are about $200/ea (ouch).

I just moved from a E5-2667 V2 with 64GB of 1600mzh ECC RDIMMS to a 1950X with 32GB of 2933mhz non-ecc dimms.

Using CPU-Z benchmark:
1950X running a Windows 10 VM with 8c/8t vs E5-2667 V2 running bare metal with 8c/16t
1950X single core is around 10-12% faster
E5-2667 V2 all core is around 15% faster BUT it has 16 threads instead of 8.

Playing WoW which is very single core dependent I get 25-30% better frame rates on the 1950X VM than the E5-2667 v2 bare metal. I am sure the better IPC helps, but the faster RAM does too. The 1950X is not overclocked yet.

I think it all depends on the OP's use case. For me I am consolidating a few machines and while the E5-2667 V2 worked, the more modern architecture works better.

2011 v2 boards are not cheap at all. you can definitely get a x399 board for cheaper than a dual cpu 2011 v2 board which is what you have to have to get anywhere close to a single x399 TR cpu multithread performance...

just bought a asus p9x79 ws mb myself..... e5 v2 still providing endless cheap entertainment....lol... newer cpu and ddr4 need to come down way more to make it worthwhile to move away from dual 2011 v2.

When ddr4 price really comes down then that would be the end of life for 2011 v2....