Dual-cpu Xeon build for gaming?

[GaiusMaxwell]

So I've finally got the target amount of money together that I wanted to use to build an awesome rig, my budget is about $5000, the $5000 budget is for the build only (I have the monitors, keyboard, mouse etc).

 

What I want to know is, with a $5000 budget, should I be looking at an intel xeon build?

 

I started to google and browse but I just don't know where to start, my main questions are:

 

1. Is a xeon build any good for high-res gaming?

2. Should I just wait for the next gen intel cpus and build a normal rig?

 

 

If you think I could get away with a xeon build it would be greatly appreciated if you could point me in the right direction (A mobo and the right CPUs would be a good start, there are like 60 different Xeons -.-).

 

EDIT: Forgot to mention I'll likely be gaming with 3x30" monitors.

Edited September 30, 2011 by Whatislove

[Muchoman1]

if you got your heart set on dual xeons, the bes dual cpu gaming mobo has to be the evga sr2.

but the effect of dual cpus is lost on gaming. i suggest wait for sandy bridge e

you can get a 6 core cpu that clocks like a boss. its better to run a single cpu for gaming and save the cash to run triple 580 3gbs for your 3x30 inch screens lol

[GaiusMaxwell]

if you got your heart set on dual xeons, the bes dual cpu gaming mobo has to be the evga sr2.

but the effect of dual cpus is lost on gaming. i suggest wait for sandy bridge e

you can get a 6 core cpu that clocks like a boss. its better to run a single cpu for gaming and save the cash to run triple 580 3gbs for your 3x30 inch screens lol

 

 

That's honestly what I assumed, more graphics cards > more CPUs.

 

I really was just thinking about how awesome it would look with 2 CPU blocks in a WC loop

Edited September 30, 2011 by Whatislove

[capthowdy575]

Would be pretty cool but you can water cool all those pretty 580's which will cut down on clutter and heat a lot. just make sure to get a nice rad plus pump.

[Stonerboy779]

I doubt any of the games you would use would ever be able to properly, if at all, utilise the dual xeon cpus. There are not many peices of software that can and the one that do use them properly are generaally advanced 3D modleing programs with high price tags to boot.

 

I am with muchoman1 wait for sb-e if the current gen i7 2600k isn't going to be enough for you.

 

Or you could fully water-cool an new tri sli 580 build with i7 2600k or 6970/6990 quad fire for your $5000 budget. That is with multiple rads and quality pumps. Also mentioning 3x 30" is silly but shall I assume 3x 1920x1080 res?

[VaporX]

It not so much that more graphics cards is greater the more CPUs but rather the way games are currently designed they do not take advanatge of a multi-CPU setup very well.

 

Is there a reason, other than the cool factor to build something with this much CPU horse power? What I mean is other than gaming what will the PC be used for?

 

If you are wanting pure gaming incredible based on your budget I put this together:

 

Thermaltake Level 10 GT White with Tough Power Grand 1200 PSU

Intel i7 2600K

Asus Maximus IV Extreme

16 Gig Kingston Hyper X DDR3 1600 w/ Hyper X Fan

2x Crucial M4 512 Gig SSDs (SATA 3)

LG Blue-Ray Multi-Drive

2x Sapphire 6990 video

 

This builds at about 4400 leaving you around $600 to figure out the water cooling system you want to use. This will easily handle gaming on the 3x30" monitors, for multimonitor AMD just does better than nVidia.

 

With a good wqater cooling setup this beast should get a really nice overclock and will kick the butt of pretty much any other PC set against it.

 

You could back down a bit on the motherboard and perhaps even reduce the size of the dual SSDs if you need to cut some cost.

[GaiusMaxwell]

I doubt any of the games you would use would ever be able to properly, if at all, utilise the dual xeon cpus. There are not many peices of software that can and the one that do use them properly are generaally advanced 3D modleing programs with high price tags to boot.

 

I am with muchoman1 wait for sb-e if the current gen i7 2600k isn't going to be enough for you.

 

Or you could fully water-cool an new tri sli 580 build with i7 2600k or 6970/6990 quad fire for your $5000 budget. That is with multiple rads and quality pumps. Also mentioning 3x 30" is silly but shall I assume 3x 1920x1080 res?

 

It would be 7680x1600 in surroundvision.

 

An individual one would be 2560x1600.

 

I'm thinking I'm just going to wait for sb-e and do a full WC loop.

[GaiusMaxwell]

It not so much that more graphics cards is greater the more CPUs but rather the way games are currently designed they do not take advanatge of a multi-CPU setup very well.

 

Is there a reason, other than the cool factor to build something with this much CPU horse power? What I mean is other than gaming what will the PC be used for?

 

If you are wanting pure gaming incredible based on your budget I put this together:

 

Thermaltake Level 10 GT White with Tough Power Grand 1200 PSU

Intel i7 2600K

Asus Maximus IV Extreme

16 Gig Kingston Hyper X DDR3 1600 w/ Hyper X Fan

2x Crucial M4 512 Gig SSDs (SATA 3)

LG Blue-Ray Multi-Drive

2x Sapphire 6990 video

 

This builds at about 4400 leaving you around $600 to figure out the water cooling system you want to use. This will easily handle gaming on the 3x30" monitors, for multimonitor AMD just does better than nVidia.

 

With a good wqater cooling setup this beast should get a really nice overclock and will kick the butt of pretty much any other PC set against it.

 

You could back down a bit on the motherboard and perhaps even reduce the size of the dual SSDs if you need to cut some cost.

 

 

I had a build similiar to that in mind, except no ATI/AMD cards, I won't use AMD products, call it fanboyism (It sort of is) but the build I land on will be intel + Nvidia.

 

At this stage I'm definatly thinking wait for sb-e, get a 2-3 gtx 580s or quad sli 590s (Depending on what fits my budget) and water cooling the whole lot.

 

I also want the build to be in a Red NZXT Phantom case, I'd switch out the blue LED fans for red ones and use really bright white tubing for the loop, but I don't know exactly how big the phantom is.

 

Edit: Just browsing cases and found this:

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_547&products_id=12853

 

That is so drool worthy... but looks a tad small.

Edited September 30, 2011 by Whatislove

[Stonerboy779]

I had a build similiar to that in mind, except no ATI/AMD cards, I won't use AMD products, call it fanboyism (It sort of is) but the build I land on will be intel + Nvidia.

 

At this stage I'm definatly thinking wait for sb-e, get a 2-3 gtx 580s or quad sli 590s (Depending on what fits my budget) and water cooling the whole lot.

 

I also want the build to be in a Red NZXT Phantom case, I'd switch out the blue LED fans for red ones and use really bright white tubing for the loop, but I don't know exactly how big the phantom is.

The way I see it is you could get internal 360 and 240 rads. A 360 across the top with a push pull config going and with a little modification of the HDD rack, the second rad the 240 down the bottom in push pull also.

I would bore open the bottom intakes, doing this to increase airflow so it is completely open to the fan, no restrictions increasing cooling greatly. The large sections of mesh on the case should do a good job with venting air.

Some high quality fans that operate well at low db (yate loons or some such) on some high flow, low air restriction, rads. To get the fastest flow of water and air, pulling down temps quickly and effectively.

 

And yes I have considered this case for a new water-cooled build, but think I might be going the Fractal Design Titanium XL instead.

[Coors]

I haven't looked at every 30" monitor there is...but mine has bezels that are about 1" thick all around. I'd want nothing to do with three monitor gaming like that personally. Just one 30" is already sexy.

[Waco]

I had a build similiar to that in mind, except no ATI/AMD cards, I won't use AMD products, call it fanboyism (It sort of is) but the build I land on will be intel + Nvidia.

Why won't you consider AMD parts?

[GaiusMaxwell]

Why won't you consider AMD parts?

 

I've had bad experiences with them in the past and I've been an intel/nvidia fanboy for a couple of years now, I am fine with spending a little more to get equal or better performance with nvidia over AMD.

 

I can't explain it much more than that, I just simply don't like AMD products