Do I need a Xeon/Quadro?

[xMisterJayx]

I'm in a situation where I need guidance on a WhiteBox build. I'm studying to become a network engineer and I want to build a computer to use for work. It will mainly be used for looking at diagrams of network layouts, getting onto terminal to test networks/help setup networks remotely, and surfing the internet.

[GloriousPain]

I'm in a situation where I need guidance on a WhiteBox build. I'm studying to become a network engineer and I want to build a computer to use for work. It will mainly be used for looking at diagrams of network layouts, getting onto terminal to test networks/help setup networks remotely, and surfing the internet.

No I don't particularly think you need a Xeon and Quadro... Most of those tasks could be done with a normal computer unless I'm mistaken...

[dragoon20005]

nope i don't think you need Xeons and Quadros to do the job

 

even a basic PC can do terminal connections

[elecxonica]

Quadro - Hell no

Xeon - Probably not.

[Real_PhillBert]

As everyone has been saying so far, no. You certainly do not need a Quadro, and really shouldn't even need a Xeon. Network engineers don't do much that is super demanding on a CPU or a GPU.

[ForsakenLive]

I don't see where those applications demand such high horsepower.

The Quadro/Firepro won't help at all, and the Xeon doesn't offer much either.

If you want a PC that is solid and stable as a rock, you can get an E3 Xeon (which are cheaper than i7s at similar performance), a workstation motherboard that will support whatever crazy expansion card you throw at it, and proper cooling.

[dragoon20005]

a basic laptop will do the job nicely

 

you don't see network engineers carry a desktop to house to house to diagnose networking issues

[Akolyte]

Nah you dont, all that stuff can be done with a computer using standard stuff,   a Geforce Card and an intel i7 would be more than enough I would think.   Unless you need special server features like ECC memory or you need more than 4 cores an 8 threads an i7 would be fine.  I guess you could also go for an AMD FX series processor too, but they are kind of old now, and dont have certain features that the modern intel processing units do. 

[Sheldon_King]

Nah you dont, all that stuff can be done with a computer using standard stuff,   a Geforce Card and an intel i7 would be more than enough I would think.   Unless you need special server features like ECC memory or you need more than 4 cores an 8 threads an i7 would be fine.  I guess you could also go for an AMD FX series processor too, but they are kind of old now, and dont have certain features that the modern intel processing units do. 

Actually in this case, a Xeon is a logical choice over an i7. The Xeon E3 line (with the exception of the 1220/1225) is nothing more than an i7 with EEC support and with teh ones ending in 0 (1240) no iGPU, but at a lower price from the i7. 

[xMisterJayx]

Actually in this case, a Xeon is a logical choice over an i7. The Xeon E3 line (with the exception of the 1220/1225) is nothing more than an i7 with EEC support and with teh ones ending in 0 (1240) no iGPU, but at a lower price from the i7. 

 

 

Nah you dont, all that stuff can be done with a computer using standard stuff,   a Geforce Card and an intel i7 would be more than enough I would think.   Unless you need special server features like ECC memory or you need more than 4 cores an 8 threads an i7 would be fine.  I guess you could also go for an AMD FX series processor too, but they are kind of old now, and dont have certain features that the modern intel processing units do. 

 

 

a basic laptop will do the job nicely

 

you don't see network engineers carry a desktop to house to house to diagnose networking issues

 

 

I don't see where those applications demand such high horsepower.

The Quadro/Firepro won't help at all, and the Xeon doesn't offer much either.

If you want a PC that is solid and stable as a rock, you can get an E3 Xeon (which are cheaper than i7s at similar performance), a workstation motherboard that will support whatever crazy expansion card you throw at it, and proper cooling.

 

 

As everyone has been saying so far, no. You certainly do not need a Quadro, and really shouldn't even need a Xeon. Network engineers don't do much that is super demanding on a CPU or a GPU.

 

 

Quadro - Hell no

Xeon - Probably not.

 

 

nope i don't think you need Xeons and Quadros to do the job

 

even a basic PC can do terminal connections

 

 

No I don't particularly think you need a Xeon and Quadro... Most of those tasks could be done with a normal computer unless I'm mistaken...

 

 

Then if it's okay with you guys can you clarify for me when a Xeon and/or a Quadro would be absolutely necessary?

[dragoon20005]

Then if it's okay with you guys can you clarify for me when a Xeon and/or a Quadro would be absolutely necessary?

if you are rendering 3D graphics like Transformer 4

[Real_PhillBert]

Then if it's okay with you guys can you clarify for me when a Xeon and/or a Quadro would be absolutely necessary?

 

Whenever you have extremely large scale mathematical analysis. Large scale FEA or CFD, are good examples from the engineering realm. Atmospheric analysis and prediction are more examples.

 

But to be honest you pretty much never "need" a Xeon or Quadro, but they offer some advantages that people working in industry are willing to pay the price premium for.

[ForsakenLive]

Then if it's okay with you guys can you clarify for me when a Xeon and/or a Quadro would be absolutely necessary?

Linus has videos on this, but basically, there are several types of Xeons, they are Server/Workstation CPUs made to work 24/7, support ECC memory, and don't fail. Some of their models, while a lot more expensive, offer multiple cores and threads, more that you can ever find on a consumer CPU. If a extremely high CPU parallel workload must be processed, the Xeons can make it a lot faster. They are not good for single threaded applications, and are a waste of money on regular user tasks.

The Quadro/Firepro cards are GPUs that have workstation features and validations required for some programs, and on mid/higher tier models are used for they very high compute performance, massive render acceleration and crunching through algorithms.

Unless you know you need this workstation hardware, you don't need it. 

[xMisterJayx]

Linus has videos on this, but basically, there are several types of Xeons, they are Server/Workstation CPUs made to work 24/7, support ECC memory, and don't fail. Some of their models, while a lot more expensive, offer multiple cores and threads, more that you can ever find on a consumer CPU. If a extremely high CPU parallel workload must be processed, the Xeons can make it a lot faster. They are not good for single threaded applications, and are a waste of money on regular user tasks.

The Quadro/Firepro cards are GPUs that have workstation features and validations required for some programs, and on mid/higher tier models are used for they very high compute performance, massive render acceleration and crunching through algorithms.

Unless you know you need this workstation hardware, you don't need it. 

 

So would something like editing photos be a good use for a FirePro?

 

and 

 

Would an Economics major need a Xeon to crunch numbers or just stick with a normal CPU?

[Real_PhillBert]

So would something like editing photos be a good use for a FirePro?

 

and 

 

Would an Economics major need a Xeon to crunch numbers or just stick with a normal CPU?

 

FirePro's could certainly be used for editing photos, but depending on how intensive your workload, you would likely be better suited for a consumer level GPU.

 

And no economic majors I have ever known needed anything more potent than mid level consumer CPU's. That type of math is just not that demanding on the CPU, at least not the stuff you will do in a course of study at a university. 

[Akolyte]

Actually in this case, a Xeon is a logical choice over an i7. The Xeon E3 line (with the exception of the 1220/1225) is nothing more than an i7 with EEC support and with teh ones ending in 0 (1240) no iGPU, but at a lower price from the i7. 

I guess it would.  I'm not a professional when it comes to processors and their specifications.  So, thanks for pointing that out

[Yoinkerman]

Unless your computer is literally paying your bills *right now*, a student doesn't need a super high end computer for school.  You can probably get away with a dual core i3 and no video card.

 

If you want to play new games and stuff, sure, get something better, but I don't think that kind of schooling needs anything fancy.

[ForsakenLive]

So would something like editing photos be a good use for a FirePro?

 

and 

 

Would an Economics major need a Xeon to crunch numbers or just stick with a normal CPU?

 

For pictures GPU acceleration is there, but editing high res pictures is a CPU task, one of the most used softwares is Adobe Lightroom that is pretty much a single thread application, unless you need to edit and create very detailed realistic light particle effects on a picture, this type of hardware is not needed at all.

Unless that economics major is dealing with all the accountancy records of a big international company, a consumer CPU is enough, and the guys at economy don't deal with accountancy anyway.

 

For many workstations you can use all consumer components and be rocking in performance, those guys that don't mind paying extra can purchase workstation parts just to make it extremely stable and to eliminate possible mistakes and failure.

[xMisterJayx]

For pictures GPU acceleration is there, but editing high res pictures is a CPU task, one of the most used softwares is Adobe Lightroom that is pretty much a single thread application, unless you need to edit and create very detailed realistic light particle effects on a picture, this type of hardware is not needed at all.

Unless that economics major is dealing with all the accountancy records of a big international company, a consumer CPU is enough, and the guys at economy don't deal with accountancy anyway.

 

For many workstations you can use all consumer components and be rocking in performance, those guys that don't mind paying extra can purchase workstation parts just to make it extremely stable and to eliminate possible mistakes and failure.

 

 

Unless your computer is literally paying your bills *right now*, a student doesn't need a super high end computer for school.  You can probably get away with a dual core i3 and no video card.

 

If you want to play new games and stuff, sure, get something better, but I don't think that kind of schooling needs anything fancy.

 

 

FirePro's could certainly be used for editing photos, but depending on how intensive your workload, you would likely be better suited for a consumer level GPU.

 

And no economic majors I have ever known needed anything more potent than mid level consumer CPU's. That type of math is just not that demanding on the CPU, at least not the stuff you will do in a course of study at a university. 

 

Alright thank you guys. I think I have the information I need.

[GloriousPain]

Then if it's okay with you guys can you clarify for me when a Xeon and/or a Quadro would be absolutely necessary?

Xeons are for servers- Bank servers for going through thousands and thousands of accounts quickly and without error. Being used consistently and constantly.... Where the tiniest of down time costs more than the price difference between a Highend Xeon and i7 or an Error can have similar effects

Quadro(or FirePro for AMD WS grade GPUs) are for Workstation use- Heavy video editing (Like Edzel I believe uses a Quadro) can get some benefits from it but it's mostly for large scale 3D design work like in  AVATAR the movie(with blue people) or TV shows(Many anime or Even the Cartoon I remember from my childhood CodeLyoko) or CAD designs can benefit heavily from it cause you F up a CAD blueprint while working for NASA and you may just doom some astronaughts, Heavy photo editing also can use them eg for Magazines where every pixels gotta be 100% and color accurate as Quadros have 10(and I believe some even have 12) bit color accuracy where most Geforce cards have 6 and 8... And Radeon cards have 8 and 10 (Most FirePros have 12 iirc) For getting things very accurate color wise, and keeping track of high megapixels,  

For the most part they aren't even gonna be in the same machines... I can't think of any reason a Server would need a Quadro (most servers don't have graphics of anysort and just are used Via Remote Desktop Control) Photo editing wouldn't need a Xeon, Other than 3D design and heavy heavy video editting, I can't think of a scenario that'd require the two....

But if you wanna piss away money at an expensive computer just get an i7 4970k and a Titan Z... 

[dragoon20005]

simple answer

 

 

this movie is rendered by Lucas Flims ILM

 

they use Xeons and Quadros

 

 

 

and do your work need to do stuffs like these?

 

no?

 

then you don't need Xeons and Quadros

[natelliot123]

a pentium chip would do the job though i would prefer laptop

[-iSynthesis]

Xeon - Maybe one of the lga 115X ones

Quadro/firepro - Hell no

[-iSynthesis]

Then if it's okay with you guys can you clarify for me when a Xeon and/or a Quadro would be absolutely necessary?

3D Rendering, CAD work where you need the quadro/firepro drivers.

[infamous_last]

OP doesn't need a powerful system for what he needs.

An SSD, plentiful RAM and i7 or low end Xeon will be a great system.

If you insist on a workstation card, entry level FirePro/Quadro is all you need.