Precision 390 with Quad Core CPU

Question

Looking to buy the 390 with a Quad Core CPU, is anyone running this CPU? how quiet is the CPU fan with this CPU installed?

claytonb · Answer

They are certainly alot cooler than the early LGA 775 6xx series CPU's I had in a Dim 8400 I don't want the CPU fan spinning at 100 Miles an hour when all I am doing is basic emailing.

tphillips63 · Answer

It is a very quiet system with the qx6700 and q6600 considering those CPU's are hot. I have to be within a few feet to even hear them while running.

tphillips63 · Answer

In that case you should have no problems. It also has Dell's best standard warranty of three years so enjoy it.

claytonb · Answer

The q6600 is the one I am looking at, I can not justify NZ$2000 for a qx6700

tphillips63 · Answer

It won't with the 390.
If you get the q6600 it will be even quieter than the ones I see with the qx6700 because they are hotter than the q6600.

I am sure you will be pleased with the 390. It is a great system IMO.

claytonb · Answer

I don't do gaming or anything heavy for that matter, but would like something fast and quiet so it will serve my purposes for a few years, I like the WS390 and a quad core cpu is ideal

ManyDimensions · Answer

claytonb

Just my opinion....

The WS390 is capable of so much better than a quad processor, that I would not even consider it. Unless of course you are thinking Quad Xeon.

If a good quad system is all you need then the Dimension 9200 / XPS 410 runnig a 64bit O/S and 4Gb PC2 6400 Ram is quite fast.

Message Edited by ManyDimensions on 08-22-2007 04:13 PM

claytonb · Answer

what advantages will I see with the Quad Xeon?

tphillips63 · Answer

First off you can't get the PWS 390 with a Xeon CPU at all. You would have to move up to the 490 or 690 both of which are dual socket Xeon systems and cost a lot more than the 390. What do you do with the PC? The 390 is Dell's entry level workstation and has the Intel 975x chipset and uses ECC RAM and pro graphics cards. But to answer the question no difference. The 490 and 690 use the Intel 5000 based workstation chipset and Fully Buffered DDR2 ECC which has really high latencies compared to the 975x memory access so even though most quad Xeons are on a 1333MHz FSB the difference in real performance due to RAM differences is not much comparing same amount of RAM and close to same speed CPU's and cores.

ManyDimensions · Answer

thphillips6   You are quite right, I was thinking of the 4XX series giving response to the Xeon. And yes, the 390 is the entry level 'convertible' model utilizing the Pentium, D, C2D, or Quad processors or in plain terms any LGA 755 P4 processor up to and including the quads.   It does offer some unique off the shelf features such as PS/2 and COMM ports that the Dimension and XPS do not (unless they are ordered as an option) plus it has a parallel printer port standard.   You will also find a SAS controller and an IDE interface which are not offered in the home computers.   ECC memory I agree, does not boost performance to significant levels but does offer more stability in such applications as ACAD.

claytonb · Answer

That was my next question, should I use ECC memory?

tphillips63 · Answer

It supports up to 667MHz and you can buy it with 667 so you might as well unless like you say it is too much compared to after market then just get the smallest amount.
See if you can find Axiom memory. They are less than most brands and guaranteed to work in the Dell systems.

ManyDimensions · Answer

claytonb   The WS390 supports both ECC and NON ECC DDR2 memory. The two should not be mixed.   It all depends on what memory was ordered with the original unit.

claytonb · Answer

I'll order the minimum and then buy Kingston from my supplier for half the price

claytonb · Answer

I see the system has 1066MHZ FSB, should I be getting the 533MHz memory or the 667MHz memory? Will the 667MHz drop down to 533MHz? if I was to install the highest?

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Precision 390 with Quad Core CPU

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