RenderSlaves

[claude_tnt]

Given the prices of Amd Cpu as compared to Intel's is the anyone here using Amd CPUs as renderslaves.. just for the purpose of slaves...
Comment and critis welcomed.

claude_tnt

[JohnVK]

Hi Claude,

I have exactly one AMD processor based render node in the test lab which is the AMD Phenom II 960T. I bought it to do a little test with exactly the same question in mind: would the AMD be more cost effective and still perform as well as a comparable Intel processor. And I have found the answer is a resounding YES.

Some test results of this processor (also using 3ds Max 2010). The red bars in the graphics on the page are the processor on 4 cores and 6 cores: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...ng,2627-5.html

This 960T I bought is a quad core processor but it is in actuality a 6 core processor with two cores locked. Those two extra cores are locked because AMD says they are in fact processors that didn't pass their testing phase and therefor probably has problems. But those two extra cores can easily be unlocked through one setting in the BIOS of the mainboard. When you are lucky and if those two cores function normally (which seems to be the case VERY often) you have a stable 6 core processor, which is not only as fast and at some points even faster compared to an Intel I7-920, it is also DIRT cheap! About €70 where I live.

I wish I had bought a few more of them because I somehow can't seem to get my hands on them anymore...

I have not tested any other AMD processors but I can only imagine their comparable performance would be equally well. I usually check Toms Hardware and/or other hardware oriented sites to check performance tests of processors I am interested in.

[claude_tnt]

thank for the info.... i was hoping for a little more to help me make my decision, however i'll have to wait a little longer


claude

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

Same question here tbh... I've been following amd from a while now hoping for some new release that would be 1/3 price of intel but 90% of intel speed...

[JohnVK]

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

To be honest I don't think many shops are using AMD for their production environments. I think this (amongst other reasons) might have to do with the problems in the past where Intel and AMD in a mixed environment would cause issues with differences in render results, etc. It was quite notorious and I think it may have "helped" most users to steer well clear of AMD processors...

I don't know if this is still the case with current model processors though. All I can say is that my AMD test render node didn't produce different results even combined in a single render with the other Intel processor based nodes. But that may be down to complexity or lack thereof of the test scene. In other words, it could have simply been luck.

It would definitely be great if they'd produce some cheap procs with awesome performance, like they used to in the past.

[YoyoBoy]

Here's an ever changing list of CPUs, their benchmark speeds and their prices:
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

AMDs seem super expensive to me (compared with the Intel 3770 and 3930k) -or is there something this chart isn't saying?

[JohnVK]

Some of those prices are really off tbh. Not really up to date.

But yeah, I think currently AMD has some great value for money in the lower end (especially if you tweak the processors like I did with the 960T and made it hex core) but in the high end segments AMD really has not much going for them. Too pricey indeed compared to more powerful and cheaper Intel processors. So I'd say you're probably right.

Even just glancing over that list and seeing how few AMD processors there really are compared to Intel is kind of a statement in itself... and maybe if you noticed, the lower you get in the list, the more AMD processors you will find. AMD clearly is no longer a major player in any way.

[Morne]

A while back already I saw somewhere AMD said they will not be focusing on desktop CPU's anymore, but their core focus will shift to the ARM cpu type things for mobile devices.
Can't remember where I saw that unfortunately, so dont hold me to it.

[claude_tnt]

looks like it will be a couple I7 in the near future