Possible to use XEON E5-2648 on Z220 SFF, replacing i3-2120 ?

[BenZ1225]

Greetings,

currently I have a d530 CMT running Ubuntu server 16.04. there is now an option for me to buy a retired early Z220 SFF desktop model with an i3 CPU. I also have a Xeon E5-2648 CPU I extracted from an old server.

My question is, would it possible to replace the i3 2120 CPU with the XEON E5-2648? Is the latter compatible with the motherboard?

thanks much!

Ben

[BambiBoomZ · Accepted solution]

BenZ1225,

The i3-2120 (2-core) uses the LGA1155 socket and the E5-2648L(6-core) is LGA2011, so no, these are not compatible.

When considering processors, the ark.intel.com site provides quick specification  overviews of any processor they've made. The socket, core, and thread count, the memory supported plus the power rating are all useful.  For performance comparisons, have a look at the Passmark "CPU Mega Page":

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/CPU_mega_page.html

That page is searchable , expands to show the number of cores and clock speeds, and describes the relative benchmark performance in terms of clock cycles per unit time realtive to the sisngle thread performance.

Suggestion:  For server use, if there is space for it, consider an HP z420 that support Xeon E5-v2 processors (meaning a boot block date of 2013, not 2011).  For example, the E5-2670 v2  10-core /20 thread  @ 2.5 /3.3GHz will be considerably faster than the 2648L 6-core / 12 thread @ 1.8 / 2.1GHz and could run several virtual machines . With an E5-2667 v2 8-core @ 3.3/4.0GHz, the system would have very good single thread (moderate 3D CAD, video editing, moderate gaming) and multithread performance (server, development, VM). The z420 can use 64GB of RAM, has USB 3.0 and SATAIII disk with room for 2.5 and 3.5" drives, a 5.25" external hot swap, slots for two high compute-level GPU's, an SAS controller, and  etc. and these are very reliable and quiet systems.  If the server is running continuously, there is a special all-in-one liquid cooler for the z420.  I use one in a high performance z620 and it idles an  E5-1680 v2 8-core@ 4.3GHz rated to 85C at 29-33C and has never gone over about 64C for any length of time. That kind of system in my view is more expandable, has better cooling, and is overall, a better longer term investment than a SFF.

BambiBoomZ

[BenZ1225]

Wow, what generous insights you have shared. For me, it's a fantastic lecture too. Thanks so much!

I've been quite off the top over CPUs and appropriate server selections for years. My current Linux server has been soly a nfs server. Now, I decide to move my docker lab from my dual-core i5 Lenovo T430 laptop  to a server in the basement, as keep bringing it up and down has become quite disruptive. Once migrated, I'll run webserver across a cluster of docker containers, and I anticipate the number of effective concurrent threads will play a role. Still it will be a sort of headless server as no graphic intensive gaming or video rendering will happen on it. I also want to keep power consumption down, maybe even underclock the CPU when load is low at first. It's my understanding that most SAS controllers run very hot - meaning unresonablly high power consumption. So I should stay away from such devices unless I have reached enterprise-level workload.

With your insight, I'll certainly be on the right track to get a more appropriately powered machine for my next server - most likely a Z420/620 or similar.

Again many, many thanks!

[SDH]

Here's just a few added tips:

The Z420 and Z620 come in two versions as our friend Bambi pointed out.  It is important to get the second version, with the 2013 boot block date because those can run the specific Xeon V2 processors he detailed, and you can see a list of the HP-approved processors in the later HP QuickSpecs for the workstation you choose.  Note that list will not include all previously published HP-approved processors.... just the latest list.  It is my understanding that any processor previously HP-approved in older QuickSpecs for that workstation, including the earlier boot block date version, will work.  There also are rare cases of processors that HP never officially approved that may work.  If Bambi has an example I'd trust that fully.  My example is for the Z400 version 2 in which the X5690 was never published as an approved processor and yet works in every Z400 version 2 I have installed one in.

Earliest Z420 QuickSpecs:  https://www.levnapc.cz/ProductsFiles/hp-workstation-Z420-technicke-specifikace.pdf

Probably last Z420 QSs:  http://www.dectrader.com/docs/set06/492963/c04111468.html

Note that the earlier versions of the QuickSpecs will show only the V1 processors, and the late QuickSpecs show almost only V2 processors.  In the middle of the Z420 run there was a transition time when the mix of V1 and V2 processors was near even.  You'd generally want to choose a V2 processor that has its max memory speed running at 1866 MHz, and to also use 1866 RAM to match.  For the Z420 that would be ECC unbuffered, and also that for the Z620 or ECC buffered.  You can find 2GB and 4GB sizes of these HP sticks used on eBay for very reasonable prices if you are willing to hunt.  A favorite HP engineer's advice is to fill all slots with identical RAM for best memory performance.  For our software 8 x 4GB sticks is well more than enough.

Second point is that the Z420 and Z620 motherboards are near identical.  The Z620 case and motherboard allow you to run two processors but require what I call a mini-motherboard ("riser") to be attached to the main motherboard, and those qre quite expensive.  The dual processors need to have 2 QPI links each, and be matched.  However, many of us run our Z620 workstations with only 1 processor and without the second processor riser.  Many of the HP-approved processors for the Z620 are identical to those approved for the Z420.  Thus, buying a used version 2 Z420 and used HP-approved V2 processor and 1866 used RAM off eBay can allow a knowledgable person like you to build up a very nice workstation/server for low cost.

In our situation here the bean counters at some of the sites we cover had the wisdom to be attracted by the nice shiny Z620 case, but cheaped out on the single processors and memory. Hence, the Z420 version 2 boxes I build here for us personally far outperform those, for far less cost.  My parts were bought used, but they still keep running and running and running.....

[BenZ1225]

Hi SDH,

thanks so much for sharing the extra rich knowledge. Without your input I was almost certain to take a Z420 of v1 on eBay. Now I'll wait for a v2. Yes, while researching Z620, I noticed even the second bank of 4 RAM necessitates the presence of a 2nd CPU, otherwise 32GB is the max RAM size. But this is not the case in Z420, which supports 64GB RAM straight. It seems my stage of usage is far from justifying a Z620 with 2 CPUs and likely at least 260 Watt of heat dissipation from CPUs alone. I plan to underclock the system to reduce power consumption.

Hurrah!  Thanks to the knowledge you all shared, I got this one below, this CPU has the lowest TDP in the spec, only 95-Watt. I'm excited now. Will report back when I get it up and running, with whatever I can to reduce power consumption. Even an Z220's E3 has TDP of 77 Watt. Now, as Bambi suggested, I'll have a far more powerful server and much more meaningful investment.

HP Z420 Workstation 8-Core 2.60GHz E5-2650 v2 32GB

[SDH]

Happy to help.  I'm pretty compulsive on following the HP directions on things like RAM.  Back with the Z400/Z600 the version 1 of those workstations had HP specifications that memory was to be both ECC and unbuffered.  Then came the version 2 of each.  For the Z400 memory was still ECC unbuffereed, and for the Z600 version 2 it became either ECC unbuffered or ECC buffered.  The fastest processors for these workstations would support memory running at a full speed of 1333.

With the version 1 Z420 and Z620 the memory for both was ECC, and the Z420 used ECC unbuffered while the Z620 used ECC unbuffered or ECC buffered.  The fastest speed for those two workstations at version 1 was 1666.

Along came the Z420/Z620 version 2.  Again HP specifies both to get ECC memory, and only ECC unbuffered for the Z420.  The Z620 also is ECC and and either ECC unbuffered or ECC buffered.  Now, with version 2 of each of these workstations the fastest memory speed can be 1866 (assuming the processor also is rated to that).  If 1866 memory is run with a 1600 processor the memory will downshift to 1600 without issue.

I can purchase what I need as used HP 4GB sticks off eBay inexpensively so I don't use non-HP brands.  I'll be dogmatic.... memory and processors don't wear out for all practical purposes.

By the way I'm sure you're too low on what the Z620 with only 1 processor can run in terms of memory.  It is at least as much as the Z420, and I think higher.  I don't purchase 8 or 16GB sticks, so I don't have details on those, but others here surely have put lots more into a single processor Z620 than that.  My recall is that officially the Z420 supports up to 8GB sticks.  There are multiple posts in the forum here about running different types of memory in these workstations and that is fine for experimenters.  For our enterprise needs we just stick with HP specs on memory.