HP Z820 Workstation and E5-16×× processor???

[Foinix]

Hi,

I know at Z820 support a double processor E5-26×× series. But is it possible to put in a E5-16xx series like a single processor on CPU-0 slott?

[iMaxx]

No, only the E5-26xx class CPU's listed here will work.

[Foinix]

So, where is the difference if E5-16xx series function well in HP Z420 and Z620 ?

HP Z820 have a same Intel C602 Chipset

[iMaxx]

The system wasn't designed with the 16xx in mind so there was never any testing with them. They may even be BIOS locked to only accept what is supported.

You can try it, i'd be interested in seeing the results. 🙂

Edit: grammar.

[MtothaJ · Accepted solution]

---

@Foinix wrote:
Hi,

I know at Z820 support a double processor E5-26×× series. But is it possible to put in a E5-16xx series like a single processor on CPU-0 slott?

---

There is no real reason why it would not work - provided ofc you use just one E5-16xx CPU in the CPU-0 socket and that if that CPU is a v2 the boot block of your machine is the later 2013 date one. That said you are unlikely to get any real confirmation of this here, since such a config would be very much uncommon.

It might be worth having a look on Passmark, Geekbench etc. for any signs of such submissions. There is some rationale for such a setup, in theory, a single socket E5-1660 v2 or 1680v2 could offer improved performance over a dual E5-2xxx system, especially in applciations where single thread performance is of importance (and even more so if using Intel XTU to boost performance).

If you find any submissions or get around to testing it in practise let us know.

[DGroves]

the only possible thing preventing this series cpu from working is if the z820 bios does not have the nessary microcode strings for the  E5-16xx series cpu's other than that is see no other issues assuming you have the v2 motherboard with the later bootblock and the latest bios installed (3.9x)

[SDH]

Some HP workstations can run Xeon processors that were never officially listed by HP in any generation of their QuickSpecs as certified by HP for running them.  For example, I've experimented with the Z400 later boot block date version with 6 memory slots instead of the 4 slots you'll find in the v1 generation of the Z400.  My Z400 v2 workstations all can run a X5690 or one of either of the fastest hexacore or fastest quadcore processors that HP certified for the Z600 version 2 (X5675 or X5672, respectively).  The Z800 version 2 has that same X5690 on its official list of approved processors, but I have found no definite reference to someone in this forum getting 1 or 2 of those running in a version 2 Z600.  It can get tricky......

So, sometimes you just need to try it...... sometimes "not supported" means "we never tested that, and we sure don't want to try all the possible combinations" and sometimes it means "no, it won't work".

The OP did not specify the generation of E5-16xx of interest..... the newer Intel v2 generation or the older v1 generation that usually does not have a v identifier (E5-1620 versus E5-1620 v2).  His or her workstation only needs the later boot block date if the OP wants to run the later v2 processor.  

To the OP..... you can't add a second processor later if you use a E5-16xx as your first, if that was your plan.  Those only have one QPI link built in, and thus cannot be added to by a second processor.  That takes an approved Z800 processor that has 2 QPI links, and the two need to be matched of course.  If you have an earlier v1 Z800 then you need to look up which of those has 2 QPI links, and same idea for if you have a later v2 Z800.... you need to see which processors for that version which have two QPI links.

[MtothaJ]

Just to bring some information on this topic I had a look on Geekbench and found a couple of submissions of Z820 running E5-16xx CPU's e.g.

Z820 with E5-1620: http://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/1463650

So it would be safe to conclude that E5-16xx on the Z820 work fine, subject to the usual boot block date stipulations for the V2 CPU's.

[SDH]

I know MtothaJ knows this, but for others in the future.....

I looked up the entry he found and it refers to an "E5-1620" Sandy Bridge processor, which is the older type of these processors.

An "E5-1620" is not an "E5-1620 v2" (which has the Ivy Bridge code name).  The Sandy Bridge processors have an older processor design and very few of us would want to run the older type processor if we had the newer v2 type of Z820 workstation.

An "E5-1620" can run on a version 1 Z820 or a version 2 Z820, but an "E5-1620 v2" can only run on a version 2 Z820 (with the later 2013 boot block date in BIOS).

And, I believe the OP knows that either the E5-1620 or the E5-1620 v2 cannot run in the Z820 with a second processor.  Matching 2-QPI link processors are needed in each of the 2 sockets to pull that off. 

[BambiBoomZ]

Foinix,

There appears to be a difference between the HP tested/approved list of processors and what will actually work.

Probably, HP thought that the typical buyer of the z820 would be using two processors. However, on Passmark Performance Test baselines, of the 334 z820's tested,  there are 54 tested using a single CPU. Of these, 4 systems are using E5-1600 series. The models used are:  E5-1603 (5010), E5-1607 v2 (6977), E5-1660 (12592), E5-1660 (12593). The numbers in the parentheses are the Passmark CPU scores.

The E5-1603 and E5-1607 V2 are a bit of a surprise as those are quite the low end of Xeon E5's- 4-core and neither is hyperthreading. I bought an E5-1607 v2 two months ago (10.17) for only $11 for a z420 but that only runs a streaming / television / Web system.  However, the E5-1660 6-core @ 3.3 /3.9GHz is a really good one.  I have another z420 and that uses the E5-1660 v2 6-core @ 3.7/4.0 GHz.  If your z820 supports E5-V2, I highly recommend the E5-1660 v2 for 3D modeling. Other good choices would be E5-1650 V2 6C@3.5/3.9GHz and the E5-1680 v2 8C @ 3.0 / 3.8GHz .  In my z620, the 1680 v2 is overclocked to 4.3GHz and Forum poster Brian1965 runs it at an amazing 4.7GHz. The E5-1650 v2 may be overclocked as well and our friend MtothaJ has done that. Going very far with overclocking though will need liquid cooling and there is, as you may know, a special z820 liquid cooler.

There are advantages to running a single CPU as certain programs, e.g. Adobe CS/CC can't use a dual processor, the efficiency of multi-threading of many graphics programs peaks at 5-6 cores, and the single-thread performance of a single processor is better at the same clock speed.

Keep in mind that if you do choose an E5-1600, it will have to be replaced if a 2nd CPU becomes desirable, so you might look into the faster 4 and 6-core E5-2600's as a hedge against a future upgrade. It's not terribly important,  but an E5-2600 might make resale a bit easier as well.

BambiBoomZ