Intel Xeon E3-1200 V2 Series Launch Coverage

[Patrick]

Seems like it is time for the new Intel Xeon E3-1200 V2 Series. I will be benchmarking almost all of the new models over the coming weeks but I am going to keep a quick thread open to keep track of the coverage:

Processors

• Intel Xeon E3-1200 V2 series lineup
• Intel Xeon E3-1220 V2 Benchmarks and Review
• Intel Xeon E3-1230 V2 Benchmarks and Review
• Intel Xeon E3-1240 V2 Benchmarks and Review
• Intel Xeon E3-1270 V2 Benchmarks and Review
• Intel Xeon E3-1280 V2 Benchmarks and Review

Motherboards

• Supermicro Intel Xeon E3-1200 Series lineup and BIOS upgrade instructions

Not on STH

• Dell Introduces 22nm Micro Servers based on Intel Xeon E3-1200 V2 CPUs Available 22 May 2012
• ASUS C216 P8C WS

More to come shortly, and yes, I am completely buried.

Note: Distributors are shipping today. NewEgg has these listed: see: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117286
Full Ivy Bridge Xeon E3 lineup here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...00126647 600303536&IsNodeId=1&name=Ivy Bridge

 

[bbzidane]

any idea when the C21X series chipset will be launched?
im hoping to get a new motherboard with usb 3.0 support to go along with the new e3 v2 processors.

 

[OBasel]

With supermicro boards do you get gen 3 pcie with new CPUs on c202 and c204 boards?

 

[Patrick]

First Intel Xeon E3-1230 V2 benchmarks posted on the main site and added to the first post.

 

[RimBlock]

A rather disappointing development if true, Intel S1200BTx series of boards are not BIOS upgradable for the E3-1200 v2 Xeons. A new revision of the boards, the S1200BTxR, is coming/already out which will support them (see tech specs here - pdf).

I say 'if true' as Intel are known for either not giving all the facts or hiding details depending on their marketing strategy. I have no had any v2s in hand so cannot test on my own board yet. If I do get any client orders I will do a guick confirmation test and reply here.

The Supermicro X9 series have PCIe 2.0. Presumably a BIOS update will not be changing them to PCIe 3.0 (presumably this is a fundamental chipset rather than coding difference). If the X9s can bios update then surely the S1200BTx boards should also be able to.

RB

 

[mobilenvidia]

PCIe 3 is part of the CPU, the PCIe lanes go from the CPU directly to the Expansion ports

The BIOS change is updating the CPU microcode for new CPUs (timings etc)

Intel have gotten their info wrong rather a lot lately, so this could be another.
The S1200BTxR is probably a BIOS updated version of the original board.

I'm pretty sure the V2 will work in a BIOS updated BTx

But small print, I take no responsibility if Like Intel I have it completely wrong

 

[RimBlock]

PCIe 3 is part of the CPU, the PCIe lanes go from the CPU directly to the Expansion ports

The BIOS change is updating the CPU microcode for new CPUs (timings etc)

Intel have gotten their info wrong rather a lot lately, so this could be another.
The S1200BTxR is probably a BIOS updated version of the original board.

I'm pretty sure the V2 will work in a BIOS updated BTx

But small print, I take no responsibility if Like Intel I have it completely wrong

Having had a browse through the PCIe specs on-line, it did appear that way to me which then leads me to ask why ASRock cannot change my Z68 extreme 4 PCIe 2 board to a PCIe 3 board (they released a new model and depreciated my one a few months after I bought it). This is certainly had me wondering when the BTx series boards were listed as not supporting IB E3s.

What with Intel 'apparently' disabling VT-d on the S1200KP C206 mITX board (have not personally confirmed) it seems Intel are trying to keep a tight reign on their product lines and our uses of them.

RB

 

[mobilenvidia]

From Intel document:

Intel® Channel Partner Benefits
• Offer Intel’s newest microarchitecture
• Socket longevity (Sandy Bridge2 + Ivy Bridge2)

Are we being taken for a ride ?

Someone needs to test the S1200BTLR BIOS with the BTL mobo.
Still reckon it will work. (but at own risk)

Are we just taken for a ride, Mobo manufacturer's don't make money by upgrading CPU's only.

 

[Patrick]

The X9SCx boards get PCIe 3.0 with Ivy Bridge CPUs. Remember, PCIe controllers are no longer chipset but rather embedded on the CPU die now.

 

[OBasel]

Patrick:: you fell behind updating this thread.

 

[NME]

@RimBlock: Have u tried updating the bios to the latest Bios R0035? From the release notes:"Support Platforms and Dependency: This update package is for Intel(R) Server Board S1200BTL;
Intel(R) Server Platform S1200BT family Processors supported:
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200 series
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series
Intel(R) Core(TM) Processor i3-2100 series
Microcode update versions:
CPUID Version Status
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200 series D1 stepping: 0x00000028 CPUID = 0x206a6
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200 series D2 stepping: 0x00000025 CPUID = 0x206a7
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200 series Q0 stepping: 0x00000025 CPUID = 0x206a7
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series B0 stepping: 0x0000000C CPUID = 0x306a2
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series C0 stepping: 0x00000007 CPUID = 0x306a4
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series K0 stepping: 0x00000009 CPUID = 0x306a5
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series D0 stepping: 0x00000004 CPUID = 0x306a6
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series E0 stepping: 0x0000000C CPUID = 0x306a8
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series E1 stepping: 0x0000000C CPUID = 0x206a9"

 

[Patrick]

Patrick:: you fell behind updating this thread.

Yea, I know. Been working pretty much 5AM-6:30AM then 8AM to 7PM then 8PM to midnight for the last few weeks. Been very rough. Will get back to this shortly.

 

[mobilenvidia]

X9SPU-F

First Supermicro Intel C216 motherboard, but its a propriety board.

 

[john4200]

X9SPU-F

First Supermicro Intel C216 motherboard, but its a propriety board.

For those uptight, stiff older matron types, presumably.

 

[Patrick]

U usually means UIO so odds are this is for 1U/ 2U enclosures. UIO basically lets you use a card more or less on the plane of the motherboard.

Updated links for the Xeon E3-1240 V2 and Xeon E3-1270 V2. Xeon E3-1220 V2 will be up tomorrow.

 

[RimBlock]

@RimBlock: Have u tried updating the bios to the latest Bios R0035? From the release notes:"Support Platforms and Dependency: This update package is for Intel(R) Server Board S1200BTL;
Intel(R) Server Platform S1200BT family Processors supported:
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200 series
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series
Intel(R) Core(TM) Processor i3-2100 series
Microcode update versions:
CPUID Version Status
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200 series D1 stepping: 0x00000028 CPUID = 0x206a6
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200 series D2 stepping: 0x00000025 CPUID = 0x206a7
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200 series Q0 stepping: 0x00000025 CPUID = 0x206a7
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series B0 stepping: 0x0000000C CPUID = 0x306a2
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series C0 stepping: 0x00000007 CPUID = 0x306a4
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series K0 stepping: 0x00000009 CPUID = 0x306a5
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series D0 stepping: 0x00000004 CPUID = 0x306a6
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series E0 stepping: 0x0000000C CPUID = 0x306a8
Intel(R) Xeon processor E3-1200V2 series E1 stepping: 0x0000000C CPUID = 0x206a9"

Thanks for that. I will have a look when I get a chance. Have to shut down all my VMs and some are doing important things like keeping the kids happy by streaming Scooby Doo (with Batman and Robin no less.... Kapow).

Of course I then Have to get a v2 E3 as well but a couple of new server builds may be coming my way soon so I may get the chance there.

Cheers
RB

 

[b0bb]

Hello,
First time poster here. I would like to thank the forum for the useful information in setting up my server.

I am quite interested in the Ivy Bridge E3 Xeons.
Ran into the article below and I am not quite sure what to make of it.
The older Sandy Bridge Xeons have the heat spreader soldered onto the die. Intel switched to TIM for Ivy Bridge.
This has not been widely reported, it first appeared in AkibaPC in Japan and Softpedia picked up.

Comments appreciated
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Intel-s-Xeon-E3-Processors-Plagued-by-the-Same-Cheap-TIM-281551.shtml

 

[Patrick]

Hello,
First time poster here. I would like to thank the forum for the useful information in setting up my server.

I am quite interested in the Ivy Bridge E3 Xeons.
Ran into the article below and I am not quite sure what to make of it.
The older Sandy Bridge Xeons have the heat spreader soldered onto the die. Intel switched to TIM for Ivy Bridge.
This has not been widely reported, it first appeared in AkibaPC in Japan and Softpedia picked up.

Pretty much a non-story. Not sure of anyone who actually thought that Ivy Bridge Xeons used a different TIM solution than the desktop parts, (save those sites.) You cannot overclock the Ivy Bridge Xeons and stock coolers or passive coolers have no issue with the chips at stock speeds. The big limit, and why the TIM issue became such a hot topic is that the Core i5-3570K and Core i7-3770K could not overclock as high as their Sandy Bridge counterparts.

It is common knowledge that the Intel Xeon E3 series, like the Xeon 3400 series before it, is basically the exact same manufactured part as you would find on the desktop side. Intel simply enables features like VT-d and ECC support on the Xeon parts.

 

[RimBlock]

Just to expand a bit on the ECC support part...

ECC support is chipset controlled (well and motherboard as it requires more traces to the mem sockets). Server chipsets (ie. C202/4/6) support and desktop chipsets (B75, H77, Z77 etc) do not.

The difference is that the Xeon processors are set to work with the server chipsets where as most desktop parts (apart from the i3, G6xx etc) are not. So an i5 will not work on a C204 chiset board so cannot support ECC ram but an i3 or E3 does work on a C204 chipset board and does work with ECC ram (as can a G620. I have tried all three).

ECC ram did, however, used to be controlled by the CPUs themselves in previous generations.

RB

 

[b0bb]

Thanks for the responses