DH Review: Intel Skulltrail Platform

**Mousey** · Feb 11, 2008, 07:57 PM

So Z i'm confused, does this board take both 775 AND 771 CPUs?
Because i haven't seen any 771 CPU's anywhere, not even Xeons :/

Zardon · Feb 11, 2008, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mousey

So Z i'm confused, does this board take both 775 AND 771 CPUs?
Because i haven't seen any 771 CPU's anywhere, not even Xeons :/

771 cpus Mousey - they are Xeon-style LGA771 processor sockets. you can fit 775 mounting kits as the spacing around the socket is the same.

**Mousey** · Feb 11, 2008, 08:30 PM

Aaah i get you, thanks for clearing that up

**dj_stick** · Feb 11, 2008, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brutusmaximus

When do you get it? is it a prebuilt or you are building it yourself? What Xeon's are those? 5345's ? (might be wrong).

first prebuilt i've had in years (mac pro)
don't want to thread-jack though: thread

brutusmaximus · Feb 11, 2008, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

first prebuilt i've had in years (mac pro)
don't want to thread-jack though: thread

Ah right, I was going to ask you to post how they overclocked as I was curious, but as its a mac, no hope. shame.

Falstaff · Feb 12, 2008, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Zardon listed the estimated cost on the conclusion page. probably around 4-5k for a full system I think.

yeah I know, but if this is the first of the uber super computers available commercially then I wonder if there could be anything competively priced. But then anyone who buys this outright wants bling anyway I suppose, either way this is a "Ferrari" system in Top Gear terms if that analogy holds up. I would just like to have one in the basement for pleasure at home in the states when I go back to visit. I have read several other reviews besides this one and there are no detractors, other than complaints about over engineering but I see this as not just a "one off" for enthusiasts you understand but way of things to come. Or I am overly optomistic. I showed this revew to my Polish friends and they are scrambling to build their own I suppose. I read a review some time ago about the Intel 8-core Xeon X5365 V8 and thought it was a fluke, how wrong I was.

Zardon · Feb 12, 2008, 09:38 AM

Companies like Intel really want to show just how technologically advanced they are. The V8 was their showing last year, and people asked why you couldnt overclock it via the reference intel motherboard and they wanted to redress that. Hence Skulltrail.

A very small percentage of computer users would even contemplate this as it costs a lot of money but you will always get the 0.5 percent who must have the best setup.

all we need now is for AMD to answer all these releases with comparible systems.

Falstaff · Feb 12, 2008, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zardon

Companies like Intel really want to show just how technologically advanced they are. The V8 was their showing last year, and people asked why you couldnt overclock it via reference the intel motherboard and they wanted to redress that. Hence Skulltrail.

A very small percentage of computer users would even contemplate this as it costs a lot of money but you will always get the 0.5 percent who must have the best setup.

all we need now is for AMD to answer all these releases with comparible systems.

I just bought two Apples for my son and daughter for their needs and that was a pretty penny, not to mention a car for my daughter. I am looking at anything that enters the market to compete with Intel from AMD but the mind just boggles, it would have to be a revelation in microarchitecture and offer a considerable improvement before I would look at it. I wonder how close we are coming to the machines that developed animation say for PIXAR movies, etc. When I finally retire I want a machine that will run animation without choking on pixels..LOL This seems to be a step in the right direction for consumers.

Zardon · Feb 12, 2008, 06:07 PM

companies like Pixar would use racks of computers, rendering stations to handle their work. Although if you look at the rendering and encoding performance of the skulltrail it is pretty mindblogging. The good thing is, even if you dont have apps that support 8 cores, you can get those that support 4, so you can run two instances of the application and do two tasks simultaneously.

Or you could run one of the tasks which would utilise 4 cores, then work normally on it on other things and let the rendering/encoding run in the background.

Someone asked me in email today if I really felt the cost was justified for me. I wouldn't hestitate to say yes, however for the sole purpose of gaming, its overkill, right now. - get a quad core. That said, its a nice gaming machine with the capability of doing quite a lot more if you wish on a professional level !

Falstaff · Feb 12, 2008, 08:55 PM

Then of course you would run a motorcycle on nitro and never blink as well I'd wager, as for me I will putter along in the number one lane in my Audi and dream of more horsey's under the hood. LOL
I cant wait for Intels new interation of their technology with an even better edge on the industry. As private companies enter space with their own resuable vehicles so to do I want to see a machine with steller performance available to the blingsters.
oh....btw....more reviews like this one please, it was a delight to read.

brutusmaximus · Feb 13, 2008, 07:08 PM

I heard rumors today that these processors will cost 1.5k each......... thats insane.

Falstaff · Feb 13, 2008, 07:36 PM

naw...that sound about right...for the first few months..

I can recall in the dim past when technology like this cost a great deal more

brutusmaximus · Feb 13, 2008, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

naw...that sound about right...for the first few months..

I can recall in the dim past when technology like this cost a great deal more

which technology "like this" are you specifically referring to?

Judas · Feb 13, 2008, 08:20 PM

Like a tandy 1000 costing 8 grand at launch (or there abouts)

back in the good ol days..

i recall the most powerful Intel P3 that was available, was a little over 1600 bucks here..... i crapped when i saw that.... 1ghz i think....

Then again the qx9850 at launch (i beleive) were in the 1.1k region... just for a CPU

gaud i paid 850 for a AMD x2 4400+ shortly after they launched lol.

Falstaff · Feb 17, 2008, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brutusmaximus

which technology "like this" are you specifically referring to?

new mobos and processors generally speaking. When we wanted good machines for our bench and our lab we paid through the nose for a local vender to build what we need and a service agreement, it took alot of salesman ship to convince our commanding officer that it was a good idea. In less that two years the technology was replaced with something else, etc.
The server alone was what killed us and the early graphics cards to run the training simulations. They were all "one off" but similiar to the configuration of the Top Gun center in Fallon Nevada now. We would have killed to get a machine like the one Zardon just reviewed or even the V8 equivalent of last year. Now that I have the money to get what I want I for some reason want to wait for the AMD challenge and see what that does to the market.
What do you think?

Zardon · Feb 17, 2008, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

Now that I have the money to get what I want I for some reason want to wait for the AMD challenge and see what that does to the market.
What do you think?

I honestly don't think AMD will have anything in the near future to challenge Skulltrail.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Feb 17, 2008, 05:16 PM

sweete platform but OMG @ the power requirements

sdman · Feb 19, 2008, 11:40 AM

Hey guys new around here. This is a great article. More thorough than the other reviews I have been reading about this platform. There is one huge downfall :

Quote:

FB-DIMM is dead, RDDR3 is new king

FB-DIMM development stops, Registered ECC DDR3 is the way forward

By Theo Valich: Wednesday, 26 September 2007, 4:17 PM

EVEN THOUGH SKULLTRAIL is yet to surface, FB-DIMM development has drawn to a close. We have talked to several Dramurai and developers of server memories, and they had told us that FB-DIMM is as dead as a turkey preparing for Thanksgiving Dinner.

This has me worried if I where think about dropping $5,000 into a system and knowing fb-dimm is drawing to a close. I would much rather wait on a system that I could replace my old ram if it where to die on me. Which lately has been happening to quite a few folks. Or am I not interpreting this correctly? One hell of a article and rig though!

mike2h · Feb 19, 2008, 07:50 PM

intel should really be looking at xdr ram - if they arent already. would be perfect ro this platform.

Zardon · Feb 29, 2008, 12:33 PM

Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

Scan have stock. £1,021 per cpu (around $2,000) and £387 for the motherboard ($780).

cough.

mike2h · Feb 29, 2008, 05:04 PM

i think that is bend over & cough

Feb 11, 2008, 07:57 PM	#31
Mousey Synth's Long Lost Bro Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Web Design Hell Posts: 7,189 Rep Power: 245 System Specs	So Z i'm confused, does this board take both 775 AND 771 CPUs? Because i haven't seen any 771 CPU's anywhere, not even Xeons :/ __________________

Feb 11, 2008, 08:30 PM	#33
Mousey Synth's Long Lost Bro Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Web Design Hell Posts: 7,189 Rep Power: 245 System Specs	Aaah i get you, thanks for clearing that up __________________

Feb 12, 2008, 08:55 PM	#40
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Then of course you would run a motorcycle on nitro and never blink as well I'd wager, as for me I will putter along in the number one lane in my Audi and dream of more horsey's under the hood. LOL I cant wait for Intels new interation of their technology with an even better edge on the industry. As private companies enter space with their own resuable vehicles so to do I want to see a machine with steller performance available to the blingsters. oh....btw....more reviews like this one please, it was a delight to read. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Feb 13, 2008, 07:08 PM	#41
brutusmaximus DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 520 Rep Power: 76	I heard rumors today that these processors will cost 1.5k each......... thats insane. __________________

Feb 13, 2008, 07:36 PM	#42
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	naw...that sound about right...for the first few months.. I can recall in the dim past when technology like this cost a great deal more __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Feb 12, 2008, 09:38 AM	Thread Starter #37
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	Companies like Intel really want to show just how technologically advanced they are. The V8 was their showing last year, and people asked why you couldnt overclock it via the reference intel motherboard and they wanted to redress that. Hence Skulltrail. A very small percentage of computer users would even contemplate this as it costs a lot of money but you will always get the 0.5 percent who must have the best setup. all we need now is for AMD to answer all these releases with comparible systems.

Feb 12, 2008, 06:07 PM	Thread Starter #39
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	companies like Pixar would use racks of computers, rendering stations to handle their work. Although if you look at the rendering and encoding performance of the skulltrail it is pretty mindblogging. The good thing is, even if you dont have apps that support 8 cores, you can get those that support 4, so you can run two instances of the application and do two tasks simultaneously. Or you could run one of the tasks which would utilise 4 cores, then work normally on it on other things and let the rendering/encoding run in the background. Someone asked me in email today if I really felt the cost was justified for me. I wouldn't hestitate to say yes, however for the sole purpose of gaming, its overkill, right now. - get a quad core. That said, its a nice gaming machine with the capability of doing quite a lot more if you wish on a professional level !

Feb 17, 2008, 05:16 PM	#47
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	sweete platform but OMG @ the power requirements __________________

Feb 19, 2008, 07:50 PM	#49
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 91 System Specs	intel should really be looking at xdr ram - if they arent already. would be perfect ro this platform. __________________

Feb 29, 2008, 12:33 PM	Thread Starter #50
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK Scan have stock. £1,021 per cpu (around $2,000) and £387 for the motherboard ($780). cough.

Feb 29, 2008, 05:04 PM	#51
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 91 System Specs	i think that is bend over & cough __________________