L5640 vs E5520 real world electric cost?

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joogle

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Hi - I am trying to decide if I run a home server with just like 2-3 users how much would the electric bill be different between a L5640 and E5520?

Would appreciate the quick reply as I bought a Supermicro machine with dual L5640 but am thinking of a DL380 G6 machine with dual E5520 instead.

Main reason I believe the DL380 G6 will be lower noise.

Thanks
 

T_Minus

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Why do you want to go from dual 6 core with lower power, to dual 4 core with higher power req?

# of "users" means 0, what are these users "doing" ?
 
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joogle

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Users aren't really doing much just going to use the app or streaming for few hours of the day.

The chasis that is with the L5640 is it appears very loud vs the one with the E one
 

T_Minus

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Personally, I'd keep the L5640. Lower power, more room to grow, and you already own it. You can swap the CPUs, which is what I'd do if you like the other chassis better. You could always quiet it down likely too, especially if it will see VERY little load. Use PWM fans, and set them to slow until the temps get to where you want them to go to 100% fan speed then it becomes loud.

If the PSU is loud and it's in a case that allows you could always swap to a quieter desktop style PSU.

Without knowing the "app" you speak of no one can really give you much more advice as we don't know if it's CPU restricted, RAM, HD/IO, or Network.
 

joogle

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The apps I want to run is Oracle Fusion.

I found a link that shows the electricity cost - it seems it will cost me $5-$10 more per year for home use if I stick with E5520.

The L5640 server i bought before the seller hasn't shipped, doesn't look like they will.

Hence, the ML350 G6 i saw the dual L5640 and the DL380 G6 has the dual E5520. Price difference between the two machines is like $300-$350.

I think I will go with the DL380 G6 and store it somewhere in the corner of my room with plant on top of it to hide it.

As this is a experimental machine that I am trying out, not sure if its worth to dish out hte extra $300-$350.

I already spent $575 on getting 96GB DDR3 1066 ram ecc.

Basically, my concerns:

a) Low noise
b) Low electricity cost
c) If my experiments don't work out, I recoup the cost or good amount.

Thanks!
 

joogle

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Let me know what you guys think, i plan on making either purchase in the next 2 hours tonight :)
 

Mr. F

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I've worked with a DL380 G6 with 2 X5560 CPUs installed. It keeps the fans under control pretty well if you're using all HP components inside, but it's still not what I'd call 'quiet' or want to be in the same room with for long periods of time. ML350 would be a better choice if you're concerned about noise, but it won't be silent either.

Like others, I would suggest a 56xx CPU over a 55xx - the price difference is nominal these days.


I think I will go with the DL380 G6 and store it somewhere in the corner of my room with plant on top of it to hide it.
Just don't water that plant :eek:
 

joogle

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Thanks Mr.F the plant is a fake tree :)

Would you then saying paying the extra $300-$350 for the ML350 instead? Thanks again for the response

I'm fine with the noise if its s loud as a desktop that I have, i understand it won't be super quiet.
 
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Mr. F

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Thanks Mr.F the plant is a fake tree :)

Would you then saying paying the extra $300-$350 for the ML350 instead? Thanks again for the response
For a home lab use I would say an extra expense is justified to go tower vs rack. How much is up to you.

Consider also that the ML350 can accept more hard drives by adding additional cages. You could add an SFF cage for your SSDs, and an LFF cage for bulk storage. It also has a comparable number of PCIe slots so you can add sas expanders, more RAID cards, etc. Maybe something like this one - the spec lookup says it has E5620 CPUs installed, but you might want to confirm since the seller doesn't specify the CPU. HP Proliant ML350 G6 Special Tower 600425 005 Server 884962788028 | eBay

Larger fans in the ML350 won't make quite as much noise as the 2U fans, though you'll still know they're on depending on how close you are.
 

joogle

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yeah i want the tower as well, one concern sticking for me is if I do the ML350 G6 and it doesn't work out as i expect with my test environment, then im stuck with a server that i would try to get rid of then....
 

T_Minus

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If sound is a concern spend $60-$200 on a 4U case, run 120mm fans and call it good. Run non-screamer HSF and you're good. No way I would drop $500 for a "tower" unless you need a LOT of the features in the tower you can't get elsewhere, even if it had the motherboard, were talking many generations ago.
 

NetWise

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Thanks Mr.F the plant is a fake tree :)

Would you then saying paying the extra $300-$350 for the ML350 instead? Thanks again for the response

I'm fine with the noise if its s loud as a desktop that I have, i understand it won't be super quiet.
There's next to no way I'd believe these would get close to desktop level noise without significant tinkering. I like my home lab, but one thing it is NOT, is quiet, by any means.
 

chinesestunna

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Thanks Mr.F the plant is a fake tree :)

Would you then saying paying the extra $300-$350 for the ML350 instead? Thanks again for the response

I'm fine with the noise if its s loud as a desktop that I have, i understand it won't be super quiet.
Depends on how loud your desktop is, we have no baseline for comparison so hard to say. My personal experience mirrors others here, basically go DIY tower if noise is a big concern, you'll have more control over aspects of how things are designed.
You can install bigger aftermarket coolers and really cut down on CPU fan noise that way
 

NetWise

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Totally agree there. I picked up an... X8DTN I think and a pair of X5650's and stuck them in a full tower supporting E-ATX, and it's very quiet. But the HP units in question... they're not going to be. It makes me snicker a little at the Kijiji guy who bought a server off me and as he was leaving told me he was going to run it under his bed in his bedroom. He called me two days later asking if there was anything he could do. I said "put it in another room!".

I just want to make sure the OP is getting that. Modding the existing ML or DL might make it quietER, but it won't make it quiet. It's still an enterprise grade server after all.
 
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chinesestunna

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@joogle I know this is a continuation of your other thread https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/can-i-mix-and-match-memory-in-x8dtu-f.4884/ where it went from memory discussion into build cost vs. noise/performance etc.
I feel like the questions been rehashed quite a bit and here are some general guidelines, of course everything still depends on if you can score a deal or not:
  1. Prioritize Low Noise and Flexibility - build your own but prepare to spend more $.
  2. Prioritize cost and performance - buy decommissioned Dell/HP/whatever, but be prepared for noise, ideally run this in another room
Good luck
 
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Mr. F

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yeah i want the tower as well, one concern sticking for me is if I do the ML350 G6 and it doesn't work out as i expect with my test environment, then im stuck with a server that i would try to get rid of then....
Based on what you are saying, you are likely not going to be happy with any decommissioned enterprise grade server. I commented on the ML350 G6 because you seemed to have already chosen it as an option and it fit the CPUs this discussion is based on.

If not a DIY build as others are recommending to you, then how about some cloud servers? Cheap or free depending on where you run them, no hardware or power to worry about.
 

joogle

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Thanks guys - I appreciate the input, yeah the DIY option is still kind of there, the one seller where I bought the Supermicro has basically abandoned communication and I am trying to get my money back.

The DL380 G6 based on some youtube videos I saw people mention is pretty quiet, only person using this machine will be myself for doing some application configurations, etc., so it won't be in heavy load.

The ML350 G6 it appears possibly is quieter than the DL380G6

I've built a desktop before so am open to that idea, i think the area were I struggle is what parts to buy. Thank you earlier for mentioning motherboard X8DTN , it has plenty of DIMM slots, and it appears I could possibly fit it in a tower server, would then just regular stock intel heat sinks plus some fans in the server be sufficient?

Right now I am trying to get a refund from a seller who's been giving me a hassle.

I've already purchased 96GB PC3-10600R ram already

Thanks again!
 
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TType85

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If you do DIY it, make sure you have good airflow over the chipset heatsink, they get REALLY HOT. Also, watch what Supermicro boards you get, they have standard ATX/E-ATX and proprietary 13x13 boards that need a supermicro case.
 

chinesestunna

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If you do DIY it, make sure you have good airflow over the chipset heatsink, they get REALLY HOT. Also, watch what Supermicro boards you get, they have standard ATX/E-ATX and proprietary 13x13 boards that need a supermicro case.
That's so true, my chip set heatsink hit 80s on the bench while chip itself was in 90s. That's why enthusiasts motherboards either have very beefy passive or active cooling on their x58 boards
 
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joogle

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ugh - I'll see - right now im trying to get a refund for the Supermicro i purchased.

I may explore the DIY again or just try to get a DL380 or ML350 G6 and deal with it somehow.