re: PC Discussion - Gaming, Performance and Enthusiasts

If you are specifically looking for a mechanical keyboard, I'm not the one to ask. I use a G510.

Second monitor, I usually default to ASUS.

Regardless of platform, the most significant advantage is stability, and only if you use ECC memory, as it supports high rate of error checking, automatically protects against errors/corruption. ECC memory actually uses a separate onboard memory module dedicated to finding and correcting errors, and a Xeon's IMC supports that function. Xeons also allegedly undergo more stringent manufacturing standards and provide the utmost stability under high thermal loads -- designed to withstand intense heat for a longer period of time than regular desktop processors -- that may or may not be mostly marketing speak, though. Some server processors are designed for higher throughput at the cost of latency.

Basically, the whole server chip/ECC combo is designed with maximum reliability/stability in mind for enterprise situations, the same way enterprise drives are marketed with longer lifespans (and, in the case of HDDs, at the expense of performance). Which is perfectly reasonable for an enterprise situation. Even a few minutes of server downtime at a large company can cost an astronomical amount of money.

There's probably no reason you would need a server CPU and ECC memory in a home server unless you're conducting business in which a small amount of downtime would cost you significantly more than you paid for the hardware.

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What I am lost a little on are some of the virtualization features I read some Xeon and even the 4770/4771 offers over the 4770k.

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It's pretty much the same thing he said before. Virtualization makes my dick hard. Unless you're going to be running multiple instances simultaneously through your hyper visor(which uses a TON of ram), and also getting a ton of traffic, then you really won't get any benefit from it.

Edit to add:

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My biggest issue probably is not knowing much about the software involved to choose the right CPU with optimized features for these tasks.

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I mess around with this quite a bit. It's free and it's also enterprise grade. Virtualbox.

Also, a 4770k will be able to do just about anything you need it to do in a home environment. Having enough ram to dedicate to the different OS's is the problem. Windows Server 2012 needs at least 2gbs just to be able to function. Linux servers usually use less than half of that, but depending on how many tasks that each are going to be doing depends on how much you need.

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Also, a 4770k will be able to do just about anything you need it to do in a home environment. Having enough ram to dedicate to the different OS's is the problem. W

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Yeah no doubt, my old FX 4100 ran everything fine but did lag at times when opening more than 1 VM.

I just know the 4770/4771 has something enabled which the unlocked 4770K has disabled. Let me quickly Google but I know its something to do with visualization.

EDT: Intel does this to keep consumer grade unlocked CPUs out of server environments... so I read months ago.

These are the features from the 4770K. IDK how much this will affect me.

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vPro Technology - is a set of security and manageability capabilities built into the processor aimed at addressing four critical areas of IT security: 1) Threat management, including protection from rootkits, viruses, and malware 2) Identity and web site access point protection 3) Confidential personal and business data protection 4) Remote and local monitoring, remediation, and repair of PCs and workstations

Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) - allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Trusted Execution Technology - for safer computing is a versatile set of hardware extensions to Intel® processors and chipsets that enhance the digital office platform with security capabilities such as measured launch and protected execution. It enables an environment where applications can run within their own space, protected from all other software on the system.

Transactional Synchronization Extensions New Instructions (Intel® TSX-NI) - are a set of instructions focused on multi-threaded performance scaling. This technology helps make parallel operations more efficient via improved control of locks in software.

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Bruce, look at my edit above.

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Computer Science, but I've been playing with Virtualization for a couple years(off and on) as a hobby.

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Totally understand I love this PC Gaming hobby because you always branch out more and more.

I told you before I'm crazy knowledgeable with VB. Databases are really what gets me excited. Since the first time using Access and VB, creating complex queries fckking pumps me up. Started out with Computer Science.

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e's a System Admin for a VERY large company,

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Yeah, talked with him a few times before. Need to catch up with him.

Sort of pissed he still mingles with those peasants.

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did lag at times when opening more than 1 VM.

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This could have been due to the virtualized OS not using the GPUs drivers correctly. It's pretty normal for them to use their generic adapter drivers.

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Intel does this to keep consumer grade unlocked CPUs out of server environments...

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Yeah, I'm not surprised by this at all.

I wonder if they disabled at the hardware level, or if someone has figured out how to unlock those features.

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I told you before I'm crazy knowledgeable with VB. Databases are really what gets me excited. Since the first time using Access and VB, creating complex queries fckking pumps me up.

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I've been trying to set up remote access into Ubuntu, while it's running on top of Windows. What I'm trying to accomplish is to be able to remote into it wirelessly on my laptop and have my main PC process all the actual work. My laptop would receive everything and send back command functions but wouldn't have any load put on it at all. I just have to figure out the networking. I'm sure it's not hard but I just haven't played with it in a while.

It should be. Oh, wait. It maybe, I forgot the power flashed last night. I bet it didn't comeback up.

ETA: It's back up.

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If you are specifically looking for a mechanical keyboard, I'm not the one to ask. I use a G510.

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Yeah, I'm looking for a mechanical. From the research I've done it sounds like I'll want the cherry red switch.

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Second monitor, I usually default to ASUS.

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I'll probably get an ASUS as well, then. My monitor now is an ASUS and I've had no issues.

How about this one? LINK

The rapid doesn't have the numpad and certain games like ARMA use it, so I'd rather one like this.

Cheapest i can find is $86 at this site: LINK

ETA: Is it in stock on this site? I can't tell. It's $99 on newegg if it's not in stock here.