Message-ID: <5064ABA1.7030507@boreham.org>
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:40:17 -0600
From: David Boreham <david_list@boreham.org>
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To: pgsql-performance@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: hardware advice
References: <5064A4DC.5090304@turnkey.bz>
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On 9/27/2012 1:11 PM, M. D. wrote:
>
> I want to buy a new server, and am contemplating a Dell R710 or the 
> newer R720.  The R710 has the x5600 series CPU, while the R720 has the 
> newer E5-2600 series CPU.

For this the best data I've found (excepting actually running tests on 
the physical hardware) is to use the SpecIntRate2006 numbers, which can 
be found for both machines on the spec.org web site.

I think the newer CPU is the clear winner with a specintrate performance 
of 589 vs 432.
It also has a significantly larger cache. Comparing single-threaded 
performance, the older CPU is slightly faster (50 vs 48). That wouldn't 
be a big enough difference to make me pick it.

The Sandy Bridge-based machine will likely use less power.

http://www.spec.org/cpu2006/results/res2012q2/cpu2006-20120604-22697.html

http://www.spec.org/cpu2006/results/res2012q1/cpu2006-20111219-19272.html

To find more results use this page : 
http://www.spec.org/cgi-bin/osgresults?conf=cpu2006;op=form
(enter R710 or R720 in the "system" field).