Processor Choice: E5-2660v2 or E5-2689

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sth2100

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Feb 22, 2022
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If you had to pick between these two processors (E5-2660v2 or E5-2689), which one would you likely go with and why? I'm currently leaning toward the 2660v2, but the benchmarks I've seen online seem to be about even.

Planning to use it in a Proxmox server running several linux instances including a Truenas Scale server.
 

nabsltd

Active Member
Jan 26, 2022
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For virtualization, I'd go with the newer E5-2660v2 - 2 more cores are better than a higher frequency
It depends on your workload. I have 2011 sockets and run E5-2650 v2, but have purchased E5-2667 v2 as an upgrade, because single-thread performance is where I'm hitting the wall.

That said the E5-2689 "v1" is only a tiny bit better (less than 5%) single threaded that the E5-2660 v2, so the extra cores are definitely a win.
 
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sth2100

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Feb 22, 2022
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Google shows no v1 2689. are you sure it's the correct model number?
I believe they were considered v0 not v1. If I remember correctly, there is a 2689v0 and a 2689v4. I am not willing to splurge on the v4. :)
 

sth2100

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Feb 22, 2022
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Thanks for the comments, I had come to roughly the same conclusion based on the single threaded perf vs the extra cores which is why I'm leaning toward the v2 model.

I don't have any knowledge of how much better v2 was over the v0 line in regard to virtualization. I have played with both of these CPUs now in two different servers and I cannot tell much difference, but have not run any of my own benchmarks. Guess I need to in order to get a definitive answer. I will say that the 2689 screams compared to most other 2600v0 model Xeons.
 

TRACKER

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Jan 14, 2019
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for E5-2689 max turbo is pretty high, compared to max turbo (per core) for 2660v2.

Maximum turbo frequency3600 MHz
It is true 2660v2 has 2 more cores, but max turbo for all cores is 2.6GHz (10x2.6GHz).
Also base clock of 2660v2 is 2.2GHz, which is bit low (i use 2660v2 in my main pc on daily basis).
You can check what is max turbo for all cores for 2689, i cannot find it right now.

P.S. found it here

E5-2689 has 2.6+0.7 turbo on all cores -> 8 x 3.3GHz max turbo = 26.4GHz
Compared to E5-2660v2 -> 10 x 2.6GHz max turbo = 26GHz

Power wise 2689 has 115W vs 95W for 2660v2.

So, if power consumption is not a problem, i would go with higher base/turbo clocked CPU :)
 
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nabsltd

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Jan 26, 2022
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So, if power consumption is not a problem, i would go with higher base/turbo clocked CPU
You can't really compare clock speeds between different generations of CPUs. The v2 has more instructions per second, so that the 3.0GHz on the E5-2560 v2 is only 5% slower on actual single-thread workloads than the 3.6GHz of the E5-2689. Comparing clock speed, we get a difference of 17%. So, you only "suffer" with 5% slower single thread and get 6-7% more overall total performance with the E5-2560 v2.
 
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TRACKER

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Jan 14, 2019
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I've spent lot of time in the past and tested that claim and actually difference is bigger than just 5%.
That is valid especially between SB and IB because IB is just shrink of SB (32nm -> 22nm), basically the same microarchitecture (remember tick tock :))
 

MichalPL

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Feb 10, 2019
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The are almost the same (almost same single thread and multicore), my choice will be 2660v2, but 2689 is bit faster in a sigle core.

But 2687v2 or 2667v2 (still have 6 of them;) ) - they are "amazing" 4.0GHz boost and multicore performance almost like 12core variants.

Ofcourse 1680 v2 or 1650 v2 are better when you can overclock it (up to ~4.8 all core).
 

MichalPL

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Feb 10, 2019
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for E5-2689 max turbo is pretty high, compared to max turbo (per core) for 2660v2.

Maximum turbo frequency3600 MHz
It is true 2660v2 has 2 more cores, but max turbo for all cores is 2.6GHz (10x2.6GHz).
Also base clock of 2660v2 is 2.2GHz, which is bit low (i use 2660v2 in my main pc on daily basis).
You can check what is max turbo for all cores for 2689, i cannot find it right now.

P.S. found it here

E5-2689 has 2.6+0.7 turbo on all cores -> 8 x 3.3GHz max turbo = 26.4GHz
Compared to E5-2660v2 -> 10 x 2.6GHz max turbo = 26GHz

Power wise 2689 has 115W vs 95W for 2660v2.

So, if power consumption is not a problem, i would go with higher base/turbo clocked CPU :)
We have tested them few yeras ago and only good model from "v0/v1" who was performed like v2 was 1620 (4core).

1620 and 1620v2 at the same clock was almost identical.

Up to 4 cores you can guess the CPU speed based on the frequency.

But... 1650 vs 1650v2... big (10%) difference (at the same clock).

Same with the v2 and v4 they are quite similar but up to ~10..12cores.

If not Ryzen5000 and 12gen, still the "winner" is 1660v3 - easy to overclock to 5.0GHz and still "ok" as a workstation.
 

sth2100

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Feb 22, 2022
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What 2600v2 cpu would you recommend that would have the best of both worlds? (clock and cores)

I believe the 2689v0 was always unique due to it's turbo configuration, it would run most of it's cores at a very aggressive pace if I remember correctly. Is there anything similar on the v2 platform?