Xeon Owners Club

[lyra]

quick question, what is the difference between the westmere xeons that are designated E56xx L56xx X56xx or W36xx

they are all 4 or 6 cores, 12mb cache, 2-3.5ghz, same instruction set expansions, same max ram configuration (apart from the w36xx series) so what sets these processors apart so much, if anything, that they get a different letter?

 

[dorsetknob]

the L Stands for low Voltage
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...tmere-EP.22_.2832_nm.29_Efficient_Performance

 

[lyra]

Then i guess E is economy or something cause the msrp was half of the others... What about the w36xx... Workstation perhaps? X is obviously XTREME!!! But apart from the names is there any actual use differences or stuff or is it just marketing?

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

X = Performance
E = Mainstream (rack mount)
L = Power Optimized


https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/processors/processor-numbers.html

 

[lexluthermiester]

X = Performance
E = Mainstream (rack mount)
L = Power Optimized


https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/processors/processor-numbers.html

That link is for consumer CPU's, here's the one for the Xeons; https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/processors/processor-numbers-data-center.html
Not sure why it's called "data-center".

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

That link is for consumer CPU's, here's the one for the Xeons; https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/processors/processor-numbers-data-center.html
Not sure why it's called "data-center".

thanks for fixing that, i was watching the boxing and not quite concentrating.....

 

[lyra]

got my new board. just setting up for slotting a xeon into it. its all working good. i was digging around my box of spares for my old memory sticks that i use for trouble shooting cause i know they work. and i thought, hey lets see what their XMP settings are. much to my surprise i found out they where 2000mhz sticks!!!

i also got this warning when scrolling through the settings...

should i put my faith in kingston and use those settings? they are the old Kingston hyperX T1 DDR3

 

[FireFox]

I don't like those red numbers.

 

[lyra]

Neither do i thats why i need to once again dip into the wealth of experience here. Am i gonna knacker my processor or board or memory with these? :/

 

[lexluthermiester]

Got my new board. Just setting up for slotting a Xeon into it. Its all working good. I was digging around my box of spares for my old memory sticks that I use for trouble shooting cause I know they work. And I thought, hey lets see what their XMP settings are. much to my surprise I found out they where 2000mhz sticks!!! I also got this warning when scrolling through the settings... Should I put my faith in Kingston and use those settings? They are the old Kingston HyperX T1 DDR3

Neither do I that's why I need to once again dip into the wealth of experience here. Am I gonna knacker my processor or board or memory with these? :/

If they're rated at 1.65 volts, you will be safe. However, the performance difference between 1866mhz and 2000mhz is minimal and most 2000mhz DDR3 will run at 1866mhz at 1.6volts. While the memory controllers for socket 1366 CPU's officially support 1.65 volts, it is the max rated voltage. Power surges can and do happen from time to time and could easily damage the CPU. It's best to use a voltage which can account for such. Of course, running 2000mhz RAM at 1600 will allow for tighter timings. Tight timings also improve performance as much as mhz boosts.

 

[lyra]

Do tighter timings require higher voltages too? These sticks are alread CL9 i think. Or maybe 10 ill check now

 

[FireFox]

If they're rated at 1.65 volts, you will be safe. However, the performance difference between 1866mhz and 2000mhz is minimal and most 2000mhz DDR3 will run at 1866mhz at 1.6volts. While the memory controllers for socket 1366 CPU's officially support 1.65 volts, it is the max rated voltage. Power surges can and do happen from time to time and could easily damage the CPU. It's best to use a voltage which can account for such. Of course, running 2000mhz RAM at 1600 will allow for tighter timings. Tight timings also improve performance as much as mhz boosts.

Any red number in your Bios it's not a good sign.

Do tighter timings require higher voltages too? These sticks are alread CL9 i think. Or maybe 10 ill check now

Maybe a little more VTT voltage.

Mine at 9 - 9 - 9 - 24 needs at least 1.30V VTT while at higher timing needs 1.20V VTT

 

[lexluthermiester]

Do tighter timings require higher voltages too? These sticks are alread CL9 i think. Or maybe 10 ill check now

Not really. If your RAM is rated for 9-9-9-25 at 2000mhz+1.65volts, they "should" be able to handle 8-8-8-22 at 1866+1.6volts or 7-7-7-20 at 1600+1.55. These are just examples and actual performance will need testing. However, the BIOS should list the XMP profiles on the memory settings tab, or you can look at them in CPU-Z.

Any red number in your Bios it's not a good sign.

It depends on the ratings. If it's rated for 1.65 the memory controller can handle it. It's just borderline. More than 1.65volts WILL damage a memory controller.

Here's an article from Anand that gives some useful info; https://www.anandtech.com/show/2658/7

 

[lyra]

The memory sticks are rated for 1.65. I think ill take your advice though and go for something like 1866 and 1.6 and tighten the timings down a knotch

Ill probably have to go back to my 1600mhz sticks anyway because i only have 6 gbs of the stuff. Ill have to keep my eyes out for another 3 sticks of this

 

[lexluthermiester]

The memory sticks are rated for 1.65. I think ill take your advice though and go for something like 1866 and 1.6 and tighten the timings down a knotch

I updated that post to include a link from an article that was helpful some years ago.

My personal setup has a set of 1.6volt 2133mhz sticks rated at 9-9-9-28. I have them running at 1.5volts, 1600mhz at 5-5-5-17. At those timings, the bandwidth is actually faster than the 2133mhz speeds. Your mileage may vary and to find the sweet-spot you have to experiment and tinker, but then that can be fun too.

 

[lyra]

Blimy those timings are incredible haha

 

[FilipM]

What are you doing with QPi/DRAM core voltage on 1.7V?? You know that is the CPU VTT yea?

 

[lexluthermiester]

What are you doing with QPi/DRAM core voltage on 1.7V?? You know that is the CPU VTT yea?

Yeah just saw that. That needs to be dropped down at or below 1.3volts. That is WAY to high!

 

[FireFox]

Yeah just saw that. That needs to be dropped down at or below 1.3volts. That is WAY to high!

And that's what i was talking about but you didn't get it

 

[Zyll Goliat]

And that's what i was talking about but you didn't get it

Yep....Totally...well memory at 1,65V it´s not a big deal but QPi/DRAM core voltage on 1.7V it´s real DANGER!!!

 

[lyra]

Oh shit okay. That was just the number it automatically did on the xmp. Good job i have only booted with my i7 920 so far then. Ill get that sorted out. What would be the max for that setting and how much should i tweak it in terms of getting stability?

 

[Zyll Goliat]

Oh shit okay. That was just the number it automatically did on the xmp. Good job i have only booted with my i7 920 so far then. Ill get that sorted out. What would be the max for that setting and how much should i tweak it in terms of getting stability?

Well...it´s depend also how far you gonna push your NB Frequency...I recently bump both....now I keeping my QPI at 1,231V......also Some ppl. claim that is good to keep the same (or close)values for QPI and your CPU Voltage.....

 

[FilipM]

Max 1.35 for daily. Intel spec sheet for Westmere is 1.4V, but the internets like that at 1.35 max.

There is no conection between that and the Vcore, as many people think. QPi voltage is the voltage ypu put through your memory controller. That is dependant on:

RAM quantity
RAM timings
RAM speed
Uncore (nb) frequency
RTL values

 

[FireFox]

also Some ppl. claim that is good to keep the same (or close)values for QPI and your CPU Voltage.....

They claim that but it wouldn't makes sense because if i need Vcore 1.48V for 4.7GHz and VTT for daily max is 1.35V what do you think it would happen if i increase VTT to 1.45V/1.48V?

 

[Regeneration]

You don't have to keep any ratio between QPI (VTT) and vcore. VTT is more related to DDR voltage.

And I'd keep it 1.30v for long term use, or 1.35v for short term use.