2y ago

CPU Recommendation for VM Server

Hey all!

Hope you all are doing well, I’m looking to build out my current homelab which is two mini PCs that I salvaged from my employer (one was a Intel OPS PC and the other a lenovo M93 Micro) paired with a linksys router (I forget the model)

I was looking at 1st and 2nd gen Threadripper chips (specifically 1950x and 2950x) and wanted to know what you all recommend.

I want the pcie lanes so I can pick up another graphics card (in addition to my current 1060) and some nvme cards.

4 comments

Older Xeon systems (v3, v4) give you oodles of cores, main memory channels, and PCIe lanes. Single-threaded performance isn't great, but for multi-threaded workloads they're great value for the money and power.
Compare those threadripper systems to R730, T7910, and T7810, with E5-2680 and E5-2690 processors, and see which makes sense to you and your use-case.
- The prices don’t seem to be competitive with the Epyc chips mentioned above.
  Still a nice mention as I come in contact with these every once in a while.
  Regarding the pre built systems I didnt mention I’m tight on space. Max depth of my rack is 20 inches. I can increase the height of a custom system and thats the plan.
- Hold up, I stand corrected. These prebuilts come with a nice amount of hardware alone.
  Interesting, this is going to be a tough decision
  Thanks! 🙏
  Where do you get your information?
  
  Thanks! 🙏
  Quite welcome :-)
  Where do you get your information?
  A few places:
  Intel ARK for full CPU specs
  CPUBenchmark for estimating perf and perf/watt
  eBay for figuring out modern prices -- E5-2660v3 can be had for about $15, E5-2698v4 for about $110
  Also eBay for figuring out what servers are available for cheap with a particular socket interface
  This very subreddit of course :-) y'all rock