E5-2696 v4 22core CPU for $150 or less

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GregTaylor

New Member
Apr 14, 2021
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When I replaced a 160w 10-core E5-2687w v3 with the 150w 22-core E5-2696 v4 in my Dell 5810, I noticed temps went down substantially (80ish to mid 60s) on virtually any stress test or benchmark while performance was always better. Just a bit better in single core work but lots better most of the time. Always thought the v3 was thermally constrained in the workstation. Before I replaced it, I wondered if it could handle the 22 core heat. Turned out, it runs far cooler now, probably saving a bit on the electric bill. You'll pay more for the top-end v4s so you'd need to use them to max capacity to get your money's worth (except ...reasons.) At the lower end (TDP < 135w), the v4s are essentially free so it's a no brainer to get one rather than the similarly free v3s.
 

wildpig1234

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2016
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When I replaced a 160w 10-core E5-2687w v3 with the 150w 22-core E5-2696 v4 in my Dell 5810, I noticed temps went down substantially (80ish to mid 60s) on virtually any stress test or benchmark while performance was always better. Just a bit better in single core work but lots better most of the time. Always thought the v3 was thermally constrained in the workstation. Before I replaced it, I wondered if it could handle the 22 core heat. Turned out, it runs far cooler now, probably saving a bit on the electric bill. You'll pay more for the top-end v4s so you'd need to use them to max capacity to get your money's worth (except ...reasons.) At the lower end (TDP < 135w), the v4s are essentially free so it's a no brainer to get one rather than the similarly free v3s.
How you like your 2696 v4? i was thinking about this cpu too. Good to know it works in the dell 5810. It's an oem part so the compatibility is not as wide as the non oem regular 2699v4. The 2696 is cheaper than the 2699 by at least $40. But i think the 2696v4 will probably work in my asus Z10 MB.
 

UhClem

just another Bozo on the bus
Jun 26, 2012
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NH, USA
Another factor ("reason") with the high core-count parts is the large L3 cache. Can be a gane-changer for certain use-cases (for times when its role is a workstation w/single(or low)-thread load--and 55M >>> twice-27.5M. Capiche?
 

GregTaylor

New Member
Apr 14, 2021
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3
How you like your 2696 v4?
The 2696v4s are good fits for my Dell workstations - only a bit slower than the fastest 8-core 1680v4 on will turbo on 1-2 core workloads (4GHz.) Steppings allow the 2696v4 to run 1-2 core workloads at 3.7GHz, while it turbos all cores at 2.8. You can find v3s with 18 cores and similar speeds. They'll throttle far quicker in OEM workstations so you can't take advantage of the turbo speeds with the v3 to the extent you can with the v4.
 
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GregTaylor

New Member
Apr 14, 2021
18
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Another factor ("reason") with the high core-count parts is the large L3 cache. Can be a gane-changer for certain use-cases (for times when its role is a workstation w/single(or low)-thread load--and 55M >>> twice-27.5M. Capiche?
Most v4s will run 2400MHz memory while the v3s top out at 2133. For some odd reason, my Dells frequently revert to 1866 when 2133 sticks are installed. For bandwidth-constrained applications, those 2400MHz sticks are a 20%+ improvement.
 

nutsnax

Active Member
Nov 6, 2014
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Another idea here would be a H11DSI based server with some cheap 32-core first-gen EPYC CPU's. That might get into the Xeon v4 price range and allow upgrade to 7002 Epyc.
 

Cruzader

Well-Known Member
Jan 1, 2021
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And let's be honest, in this community, sometimes "reasons" are the only reasons you need.
I consider it a rite of passage in the steps towards homelab.
To max out specs before later getting to the "what do i actualy use" and picking spec appart again.

Not long since i removed another tb ram from my lab since its just sitting there using power.
 

chrgrose

Active Member
Jul 18, 2018
113
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I consider it a rite of passage in the steps towards homelab.
To max out specs before later getting to the "what do i actualy use" and picking spec appart again.

Not long since i removed another tb ram from my lab since its just sitting there using power.
One of the advantages of a big homelab is that, if you have nothing to do with it you can at least take out all the memory sticks and stack them around your desk and pretend you are some kind of rdimm Scarface.
 

nk215

Active Member
Oct 6, 2015
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I really like my dual E5-2696 v4 setup on a Dell 730. I just don't see the need to upgrade since I rarely get over 50% utilization unless I am converting a bunch of BR using handbrake.

After all, a 6 hr encoding job and a 10-hr encoding job are virtually the same for me since they are both overnight jobs. With the high bond rate, HYSA rate is ~5%, I like to invest my fun cash budget in MMA or short-term bonds.
 
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Cruzader

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Jan 1, 2021
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One of the advantages of a big homelab is that, if you have nothing to do with it you can at least take out all the memory sticks and stack them around your desk and pretend you are some kind of rdimm Scarface.
Just went the boring route of getting back what i paid for the ram + some profit.
Bought 4x cisco c240 m4 CTO (24sff with 10g/sas) + 8x 2680 v4 for 400€+shipping.

Printed the trays and resold them domesticly with 256gb in each at 2400€ for the 4.
Will not be reusing 2133/2400 in next nodes so no point hoarding it.

i did just pick up 160x 4tb to fill all my 12LFF boxes to sell tho, might be able to make a decent stack of those :D
 

MiniKnight

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2012
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NYC
My 2 cents: this is an OK deal for these specific CPUs, but bad value anyway.

Check this comparison between the 2696 v4 and 2680 v4; the 14 core 2680 v4 is ~10% slower in single core (thanks to the 300MHz lower single core turbo) and ~27% slower in multicore (despite having only 64% of the cores of the 2696 v4). 2680 v4s are incredibly cheap at the moment; you can get them on US eBay from either US or Chinese sellers for only 20-30 USD each.

Unless you actually need the extra performance or you just want to have more cores for...reasons, then the SKUs at, or near, the top of the pile are almost always bad value, even on older platforms like his.
I wanted to compare it mini PC's after reading that so here's the same comparison with that Beelink's CPU. It isn't fair since you're getting the GPU, AVX-512 and everything with the Beelink but ECC, more lanes, and everything with the E5 V4. It's still overlooked that modern desktop processors are like 28 core E5 Broadwell. I've switched to mostly TMM at home and I'm saving ~$80/mo in electricity now.
 

Cruzader

Well-Known Member
Jan 1, 2021
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I want more drives than the minis can offer, so multinode is my middleway to cut consumption.

Seeing apollo gen10plus 2/3gen epyc and 3gen scalable nodes popping up more and more in the 200-300$ area, that will be my new nodes soon-ish.
 

wildpig1234

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Aug 22, 2016
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guess i will save up to get both ... lol ;) The epyc 7702p performance is just really crazy though. also the 64 core/128thread in one cpu is also insane!
 

michaelsandy

New Member
May 18, 2023
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1
Melbourne
Hello, its Mike, also with a Xeon system but which isn't stable.
The board is an X99 clone and the likely source of the instability...
Its hard to find a suitable replacement board so would moving to EPYC be worthwhile here..?
Running Esxi