I have been longing for more cores as well as more memory. Anything I could do to help the workflow.
Currently running 3950x and doing CPU raytracing with Terragen which I need to do at this time. So I think upgrading to, say 3970X (and TR4 socket mobo) could in best case result maybe in 1.5 times the render speed. This would help the case as well as some V-Ray rendering that I do. (Constantly noticing that many of the GPU based renderers miss some feature that ends up being needed so CPU render being the only way to go.
Would make sense to have the renders finish overnight without having to wait more in morning.
I know 5000 series is just around the corner although might be pushed to next year at least what I am hearing. But I would rather need the machine soon.
Or is this just total madness in 2021 and I should rather invest the money into maybe a second machine that I can assign as a render node? Let that render while working on the next one with the main system, would make sense.
It really depends on the rest of your workflow. Best case would be to wait for next gen TR, even if it doesn’t improve performance much, prices for current gen will get on a down slope, assuming AMD can make enough chips of TR 5000 series.
But given your desire for an immediate solution, a 2nd machine is the next best thing. Consider the TR-Pro series (WRX mainboards) as these are aimed at high intensity workflows like yours.
Has been canceled most likely (according to internet leakers). Don’t expect new Threadrippers coming any time soon. Next likely window will be when Intel announces their new Xeon ( expected Q3-4 2022).
What’s further difficult is that according to the Akihabara shops here TR 3970X is sold out and no longer manufactured (is this true?)
TR-Pro seems interesting. How do you guys feel about the platform when comparing to ordinary TR? Is there any future proofness to it?
TR Pro 3975WX is available currently for about 3500USD which seems about in line what I expect.
But WRX mainboards are very rare and hard to find here, only Amazon selling one for about 1500 dollars which is I think is a too expensive for this (or is it?).
Guys at the shop said it maybe impossible to find WRX boards in Japan so only option would be to import by myself and pay the associated fees, which are hefty. At this stage might make sense to look at Lenovo workstations that have Threadrippers in them.
Have you considered a Epyc Rome system? You can get a lot of cores that way also.
The cpus are cheap compared to TR and the mobos are inexpensive also. I can run 3.35GHz all core loaded on the 7402P and 3.56Ghz all core on the 7443P. That is about 85-90% of the all core loaded clocks of a TR.
The memory is more expensive but not really if you don’t go for the maximum supported memory clocks because you will need RDIMM ECC memory.
I run a Rome and a Milan host. Both cost under $3000 for the cpu, mobo and 128GB of RAM. Got 24C/48T running on each.
Rome is easily available. Milan is unobtainium this year.
The best deals on Rome cpus are via eBay. I paid $1100 for my 7402P. Got the memory there too for 3200Mhz ECC RAM for $600 when the 16GB sticks were only $75. Good Samsung memory too.
The mobo is a Asrock Rack EPYCD8 I got on Amazon for $460.