HP Z8

[awa]

Hi!
I´m looking for a new PC. What´s your thoughts about the config below? How does the Xeon W9 compare to the threadripper´s?


HP Z8 TWR Base Unit G5 1450W 200V/10A Fury RCTO

Intel Xeon W9-3495X 56C 350W CPU
256GB(8x32GB) DDR5 4800 DIMM ECC REG Mem
NVIDIA RTX A4000 16GB 4DP GFX
ZTrb 2TB PCIe 2280 OPAL2 TLC M.2 SSD

Regard´s
August

[Juraj]

Here is big review for all you might ask:

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/intel-xeon-w-3400-content-creation-review/#CPU_Rendering_Cinebench

Pugetsystem is smaller OEM integrator which can build you both Intel and AMD workstation. From big 4, probably only Lenovo has both as well, while HP and IBM are probably Xeon only.

In short:
- Threadripper is still faster in multi-threaded workflow, and even consumes less power.
- Xeon SPR is faster in single-core, makes for smoother workflow experience, BUT, for some reason, single-thread working in Adobe applications will be still faster on AMD. This is surprisingly mysterious.
- Xeon has PCI 5.0 and DDR 5.0. Since both platforms cost the same when you buy them from OEM (as opposed to building yourself), I consider Intel to be the better option, today. If Threadripper 7xxxx (pro or non-pro) comes out next few months...well, that will make the AMD clear winner once again.

Ultimately, perhaps look who gives you the best price from OEM integrators. Both machines will be very capable, so I would try to get a good deal. Remember, with integrators like Lenovo or Dell, you can call them on telephone like in 1990 and ask for discount and actually get it, it's bizare. Ignore the website pricing. Never buy special warranty they will try to automatically give you, Dell is super funny with this in particular.

Disclaimer: I am sponsored in some way by Intel, but I've been self-building PC for like 15 years, and advising people on this forum for decade. I have no special interest to promote one option over other, I don't get affiliations :- ) Just some free PCs.

[awa]

Thanx Juraj!

The company I work for only use HP as vendor, so I guess it will be Xeon then. But good to read that Intel is catching up in performance on AMD.

My machine now have 2x Xeon Gold 6226R, so the performance hit should be radical, or?

Regard´s
August

[Juraj]

Yes you will double both your rendering performance and the single-task work speed.

Make sure to use high-performance, or ultimate performance power-mode in Windows. For Xeons it makes very big difference.

[awa]

Hi
finally I got the HP computer after a long wait. But I´m having big problems to make it run with Windows 11. Either with a clean instal or with our company's image-file.

It´s running but slow as hell...

What about you Juraj? Are you on W10 or W11?

Regard´s
August

[maru]

A shot in the dark, but maybe worth trying: OS slowdown such as "file copying takes much more time than it should" could mean outdated drivers, especially the chipset driver. Make sure that you have all Windows Updates installed and manually install the newest driver available for your chipset from your CPU manufacturer's website (Intel or AMD).

[Juraj]

I am on Windows 11 everywhere except few render farm servers. I highly suggest to use only W11 from now on for any modern platform.

I also suggest clean install. Chipset drivers are for motherboard functions, and Windows should install generic ones by default.

PC being extremely slow is issue I haven't had in years, outside of occasions that would lead to kernel issues/blue-screen and that was related to dying SSD (I had a lot of Sabrent and Corsairs SSD die on me in last 2 years, super disappointed with them, from now on only using WD SN850X or Samsung 980/990Pro with updated firmware).

After installing Windows11, run the "Update" section in Windows settings, including the Optional section, that will try to install your drivers automatically.
Run Benchmarks and check temperatures using HWinfo or HWmonitor. Check SSD using CrystalMark tool. You can rum MemTest to see if memory is functioning correctly.
There are lot of things to try.

But if you bought HP, you might as well ask them to sort it. That's like the main benefit of using these brands :- )

[fh3d]

Is Bitlocker running in software or in hardware? An HP install should have hardware encryption on since your drive supports it but you never know. A Generic W11 install seems to default to software encryption. Windows updates have also been messing with SSD performance so updating or un-updating might be a solution depending upon where MS is in the fix it or break it cycle.

[Juraj]

Indeed what fh3d says, what Microsoft is doing to SSD performance is rather perfidious, better check. But I don't think that would make PC super slow.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-software-bitlocker-slows-performance

I do suggest to use Rufus tool to customize Windows 11 installer, it takes 1 minute to do so. For example I use it to bypass online login, makes every installation much faster, esp. laptops in middle of nowhere.
I also don't use encryption on my home workstation, but I do use hardware one on laptops.