Display Dilemmas Superb Solid State Box-Fresh Windows
Maximum PC(Ie)
Hello Doc, I’m gearing up to build a workstation that will have dual use: 2560x1440 gaming and VR (on an Oculus Rift with three Oculus Sensors, which require USB 3.1), and for data science. I’m considering AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper and Intel’s Core i9-9900K. What are the real-world implications of the 64 PCIe lanes on Socket TR4-based motherboards versus the 24 lanes offered by the Z390 platform?
In theory, Threadripper should be far superior. I can have a 16-lane graphics card, two M.2-attached SSDs in RAID, a four-lane 10Gb/s Ethernet controller, and a four-port USB add-in card, all fed by the host processor. With a Core i9, once I drop in the graphics card and one SSD, connectivity on Intel’s chip is maxed out, and everything else needs to funnel through the chipset’s paltry four-lane DMI. How much will performance differ between the two, though? It seems like Threadripper is better suited to VR because of the connectivity required by those Oculus Sensors.
Also, is it even worth considering on-board 10Gb/s Ethernet or Thunderbolt 3 for non-X-series Intel CPUs, since everything on the motherboard has to be jammed through DMI, including the networking controller, all USB ports, and Thunderbolt 3?
–Marc Mackey
THE DOCTOR RESPONDS: Comparing the connectivity available from AMD’s highend desktop platform to Intel’s “mainstream” Z390/ Z370 chipsets definitely favors Ryzen Threadripper. It would be fairer to consider the Core X-series CPUs and their complementary X299 platform, though that combo still doesn’t offer as many PCIe lanes as AMD’s chips.
How much difference does Intel’s deficit make in practice? It depends on your workloads. Of course, gaming puts an emphasis on your graphics card and its x16 slot (or even two cards sharing 16 lanes via x8 links). VR isn’t much different. It’s a GPU-limited task with some I/O over USB in the case of Oculus’s original Rift. Either way, you aren’t held back by connectivity, and Intel’s architecture even enjoys an advantage for its ability to do more work per core, per clock cycle. Plus, the upcoming Oculus Rift S only needs one USB 3.0 port for its Insight tracking system, which employs five cameras on the headset itself.
Data analysis through GPU-accelerated algorithms is also going to fully utilize your graphics card. But that segment benefits from gobs of system memory and fast storage, too. The Doc uses a 1.6TB SSD DC P3700 on his machine-learning test bench, which ties up four lanes of PCIe 3.0. When you tack on a fast networking controller, a 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 controller, and add-in USB connectivity, it’s easy to see how the link between Intel’s host processor and Platform Controller Hub becomes a theoretical bottleneck.
Do you expect full utilization from all those devices concurrently, though? It would be rare to see a couple of high-end SSDs maxed out at the same time as an Ethernet controller, for example. In most applications, available PCIe connectivity won’t hold you back. Intel’s Core i9-9900K is generally adequate (and potentially less expensive) in those situations. But it will limit your ability to expand as you scale up horsepower for data science. Co-processors to accelerate deep learning, whether they’re GPUs, ASICs, or FPGAs, need PCIe slots. That’s going to be an issue for Intel’s Z390/Z370 chipset.
Blast from the Past
Hi Doc, Please accept all applicable accolades for an excellent magazine. I have a quick question. I’ve been
using an NEC 3090WQi monitor for years, and it was well worth the two grand I spent on it. But it’s starting to show its age (as am I). After being left on all night, the display starts showing a strange shadow pattern. If I turn it off, it works fine. Unfortunately, I have a bad habit of leaving the monitor and PC turned on, so I believe it’s time for a replacement.
Here’s the thing: I’m having a difficult time finding an equivalent 30-inch or larger monitor with a similar vertical pixel count, and I don’t want a worthless toy with a 16:9 aspect ratio when I have 16:10 now. Do you have any suggestions? I just heard about the new Alienware 55-inch OLED panel, but I think that’s a bit too large for a desktop PC. Thanks, from one doc to another.
–Robert Kleinhaus, MD
THE DOCTOR RESPONDS: Once upon a time, the Doc used a trio of 24-inch Dell 1920x1200 displays for writing, research, and gaming. As they grew older and needed to be replaced, he was dismayed by the shift to 16:9, since a loss of vertical screen space meant more scrolling through white papers and reviews spanning many thousands of words. At least there was some solace in lower prices, enabled by manufacturing efficiencies as TVs and monitor panels shared the same aspect ratio.
But based on your interest in the Alienware 55-incher, which employs a 4K OLED panel able to refresh at 120Hz, it sounds like you’re more concerned about absolute resolution than maintaining a specific aspect ratio. After all, 3840x2160 translates to 16:9, just like 2560x1440.
The Doc agrees that 55-inch is too large for a typical desktop environment, where you sit a couple of feet away from the screen. So, why not consider a 4K screen in the 30 to 32-inch range? You’ll find plenty of options for less than $1,000, and a handful of professional models available between $1,000 and $2,000.
If you really must have a 2560x1600 resolution, Dell’s UP3017 is still for sale direct from the factory. NEC’s old PA302W is around in some capacity, too. However, both monitors are more expensive than a lot of really nice (and newer) 4K screens.
Upgrading a Dinosaur
Hi Doc, I need a little advice. I have an Asus M4A785TDV-EVO motherboard and an AMD Phenom II processor. I’d love to drop in a new CPU for some additional performance and, at the same time, keep all of the old components.
If this isn’t possible, I’m willing to buy a new motherboard to support a newer AMD processor if it means I can also recycle the hardware plugged into my existing system, which I built with the help of your magazine a few years ago.
–Ed
THE DOCTOR RESPONDS: The AMD 785G chipset on your M4A785TD-V launched almost 10 years ago. According to Asus, its mobo accommodates everything up to a Phenom II 1100T—the highest-end six-core model AMD made. You might be able to find a used one, but it would almost certainly cost more than you should spend on 10-year-old technology. Don’t do this.
A Socket AM3+-equipped platform would at least let you keep the same DDR3 memory, graphics card, and storage subsystem. Stepping up to a motherboard with an AMD 970 chipset and an eight-core FX-8350 CPU wouldn’t even cost very much. But again, you’d have to accept spending money on hardware introduced in 2012.
Try this on for size instead: Snag an affordable AMD B450-based motherboard, an inexpensive Ryzen 3 or Ryzen 5 processor, and at least a couple of 4GB DDR4 memory modules. Old graphics cards, SATA hard drives or SSDs, and other PCIe peripherals should carry over without a problem if you don’t plan to buy new ones. But you’ll own a modern platform with conveniences such as USB 3.1 Gen 2 and a clear upgrade path.
Cutting-Edge SSDs
Doc, I’m considering buying two Samsung 970 PROs, namely a 1TB model for data storage and the 512GB version for installing my Windows 10 operating system. But your April 2019 article on the Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB now has me reconsidering.
The benchmarks show the 512GB 970 PRO lagging behind the 1TB 970 EVO Plus 1TB, which the article explains by saying “platform differences may account for some of the delta.” Can you please elaborate?
Putting aside the Intel 905p because of its price, should I swap the two 970 PROs I’m considering for a pair of 970 EVO Pluses?
–Robert Tortorelli
THE DOCTOR RESPONDS: Go with the 970 EVO Plus. Samsung’s first SSD with 96-layer V-NAND improves upon its predecessor while maintaining the original 970 EVO’s price points. As a result, the 970 EVO Plus offers performance per dollar that’s hard to beat.
The 970 PRO does employ two-bit-per-cell NAND, which turns in better benchmark numbers than the 970 EVO Plus’s V-NAND in its native TLC mode. But Samsung gives the 970 EVO Plus a generously sized single-level cell cache, so it can sustain sequential read and write speeds that bump against the limits of a four-lane PCIe 3.0 link.
And don’t worry about the endurance of Samsung’s V-NAND. Not only is the company known for selling reliable SSDs, but it covers the entire 970 EVO Plus family with a five-year limited warranty. The 500GB model is rated for 600 terabytes written, while the 1TB version boasts a 1,200 TBW rating.
Resetting Windows 10
Hi Doc! My eight-year-old system is showing its age to the point that I want to replace it. Although everything runs well, I’m not sure how much longer it’ll last. I was thinking about giving it to a friend so that one of his enterprising kids can tinker with it.
I’m currently running Windows 10 Home and will get a fresh license with the new machine. I have no problem removing all my personal files before handing the PC over, but now that so much of Windows is tied to online accounts and web services, is there an easy way to depersonalize an installed copy of Windows 10?
It’s not worth the effort for me to format the hard drive, reinstall Windows, and load up fresh drivers, nor do I want to leave this task to my friend. So, I was hoping you knew of a relatively painless way to clean everything up. Can I set up a new admin account under the recipient’s name and use that to delete the one under mine?
Also, since so much of my personal info is tied to Google nowadays (as it covers both my PC and phone), if I uninstall Chrome, will that erase my Google profile from the system, or are there additional steps I need to take to secure non-Microsoft products and services?
–Isaac Peterson
THE DOCTOR RESPONDS: There’s no need to erase profiles or hand-pick the accounts to delete. Simply open the “Start” menu, click the “Settings” icon, and select “Updates & Security.” In the left-hand pane, click “Recovery,” and under “Reset this PC,” click “Get started.” When the new window opens, select “Remove everything” and follow the instructions to get Windows 10 back to a “factory” state.