# Where are all the 12-18core Intel CPU's?



## Synetos (Mar 12, 2020)

I am really frustrated that I can't find a 10980XE, anywhere!!! 

Been loyal to Intel forever, but not if they are unwilling to release products. Sure, I could buy a 9980XE, but why? It costs much more and is a generation older.

Contemplating...and about ready to buy an AMD 3950x.

Is anyone running the AMD 3950x with Cubase/VEP? Are there any issues, specific to the AMD Cpu?


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## Cat (Mar 12, 2020)

I, too, am planning on upgrading the computer later this year. I have the same dilemma - whether to go AMD or not. I haven't heard of anybody having issues with AMD but then there are extremely fewer AMD DAW users around here than Intel DAW users. More data is needed to make such an investment (almost) risk free. I am also keeping an eye on the big turn-key DAW building companies to see if/when the offer AMD solutions.


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## Synetos (Mar 12, 2020)

I can build a 3950x for about $1200 cheaper than 9960X. I am close to just giving it a shot. I would only be out the CPU and Motherboard, which I can probably get a good share back on eBay if I sold it to go back to intel


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## Technostica (Mar 12, 2020)

I think they are hiding in embarrassment, scared of all the AMD chips that generally trounce them.


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## Cat (Mar 12, 2020)

Synetos said:


> I can build a 3950x for about $1200 cheaper than 9960X. I am close to just giving it a shot. I would only be out the CPU and Motherboard, which I can probably get a good share back on eBay if I sold it to go back to intel


If you go the AMD route please come back here and report how it works.


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## Synetos (Mar 12, 2020)

I just pulled the trigger and ordered all the parts to build an AMD Ryzen 9 3950X rig. I am tired of Intel delays and gonna try something new.

New AMD DAW Build $3590+Tax (which is 1/2 of what I had planned to spend)
-AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 3.5 GHz 16-Core Processor
-Noctua NH-D15 CHROMAX.BLACK 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler
-Asus ROG Strix X570-E Gaming ATX AM4 Motherboard
-Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 128 GB (4 x 32 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory
-Crucial MX500 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive
-Sabrent Rocket 2 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive
-Sabrent Rocket 2 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive
-Corsair HX Platinum 1200 W 80+ Platinum Certified
-EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming, 08G-P4-3080-KR, 8GB GDDR6, RGB LED
-Cooler Master MasterBox MB520 RGB ATX Mid-Tower


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## shomynik (Mar 12, 2020)

Nice! Congrats! Let us know how it drives them libraries!  

That 10980x sure does look tempting, I could totally just swap my 7820x for it and call it a day. For 1120eur in Germany, hasstle free upgrade to double the power... maaan. 
Long live AMD!


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## José Herring (Mar 12, 2020)

Synetos said:


> I just pulled the trigger and ordered all the parts to build an AMD Ryzen 9 3950X rig. I am tired of Intel delays and gonna try something new.
> 
> New AMD DAW Build $3590+Tax (which is 1/2 of what I had planned to spend)
> -AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 3.5 GHz 16-Core Processor
> ...


I've been considering a similar build for months now. Let us know how it goes. I was given confidence in AMD chips when I saw this article.









US Navy orders AMD, Nvidia-powered supercomputer with 590TB of RAM


The Cray Shasta computer is being installed as part of the Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program and will be located at the Navy DSRC...




www.techspot.com


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## Synetos (Mar 12, 2020)

Arrg! I got cold feet and cancelled the AMD and went with this PC build instead. I just feel I owe it to Intel for how they have handled my warranty stuff in the past, and I am tired of dealing with DAW issues. I know this PC will drop right into my setup and I'll be up in running in no time. 14 cores will be plenty...and I can OC it to be pretty snappy. 

New PC DAW Build
-Intel Core i9-10940X Desktop Processor 14 Cores
-Noctua NH-D15 CHROMAX.BLACK 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler
-ASUS Prime X299-Deluxe II X299 Motherboard
-Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 128 GB (4 x 32 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory
-Sabrent Rocket 2 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive
-Sabrent Rocket 2 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive
-Corsair HX Platinum 1200 W 80+ Platinum Certified
-EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming, 08G-P4-3080-KR, 8GB GDDR6, RGB LED 
-Cooler Master MasterBox MB520 RGB ATX Mid-Tower


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## colony nofi (Mar 12, 2020)

Price difference?
I'm considering a 3960X threadripper... or if not the 3950X Ryzen. There'll be dawbench results on the threadripper sometime soon, and I was kinda holding out for them.
Its interesting to see the differences between the 109xx results and the 3950X results.


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## Synetos (Mar 12, 2020)

colony nofi said:


> Price difference?
> I'm considering a 3960X threadripper... or if not the 3950X Ryzen. There'll be dawbench results on the threadripper sometime soon, and I was kinda holding out for them.
> Its interesting to see the differences between the 109xx results and the 3950X



Intel build was $500 more. ~$300 CPU, ~$200 MB

I flip-flopped because I just don't want to be blazing a trail on compatibility issues. I was kinda excited to build an AMD machine, as I never had one. But...I a more interested in making music. I've lost too much time trying to get my gear setup in a way that I can be productive.


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## shomynik (Mar 13, 2020)

Synetos said:


> Intel build was $500 more. ~$300 CPU, ~$200 MB
> 
> I flip-flopped because I just don't want to be blazing a trail on compatibility issues. I was kinda excited to build an AMD machine, as I never had one. But...I a more interested in making music. I've lost too much time trying to get my gear setup in a way that I can be productive.


Totally understandable. I just went through some research and calculations and everything's pointing to AMD... at least available info of which there's not much out there for us actually. It's SUPER tempting! But, how will it perform with Cubase, for instance... just one of my concernes.

To be honest, if I was building right now, I wouldn't have guts to go for it. Although I love PC hardware, just like you I value making music and other stuff more than troubleshooting DAW systems.


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## ookami (Mar 13, 2020)

Hi Guys,

We are receiving our Ryzen 3950X Setup Today. 

After completing Installations, we will try to give You Guys Feedback on how everything works
regarding Latencies, PluginTests maybe,...

We are switching after 10 Years of Logic & Mac to a PC System with Cubase, because lately
we get the Impression that Cubase (10.5 Pro) is offering Tools & Functions which 
makes the Transition much more easy for us.

So the System will be:

AMD Ryzen 9 3950X
X570 AORUS ELITE X570
64GB 3200-16 Trident Z RGB
GTX 1650 Windforce OC 4G
Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black
Fractal D. Define R6 USB-C black
2TB M.2 SSDs

&
a 43" 4K Display 

(we saw this in an OrchestralTools Video at John Paesano's Place)

So we will keep You updated,

Cheers


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## Dunshield (Mar 13, 2020)

I am also contemplating a 3950X system. Was originally planning for a 3960X Threadripper, but that platform doesn't seem ready for DAW use just yet - maybe next gen.

RE: Intel: no availability of the 10980XE CPU, so we can't consider these. And I'm certainly not going for the older gen. The 10940X is available .. but it is at least € 200 + VAT more expensive. And then there's the Intel security breaches to keep in mind. Not that I know what this actually implicates for real world / DAW use.

Something to consider also: that new generation of Intel HEDT CPU's has a TDP of 165W - versus 105 W of the 3950X. This means a more silent and temp healthy system is possible with the latter.

So it is probably going to be AMD 3950X over here.
With a small chance still for the Intel 10940x ..

For the AMD system specifically, I am waiting on the release of 128GB memory kits, more precisely 4x 32GB @ 3600 MHz - as this gets the most out of the CPU in terms of latency for DAW use. I am avoiding the readily available 3200 MHz memory kits of 4x 32GB = 128GB.

This is what I'm planning:

- AMD 3950X
- Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra
- 64GB = 4 x 16GB G.Skill Ripjaws GVKC 3600MHz = cheapest here // or wait for 128GB 3600 kits
- Noctua NH-D15 // or the NH-D15-S version (probably the -S version)
- RX 5700 AMD VGA by powercolor Red Devil // or the MSI version
- 1000GB NVME M.2 system drive: Samsung 970 pro
- 2000GB NVME M.2 samples drive: Samsung 970 evo plus // or MP510 or 660p or Rocket
- Be Quiet! 900 - maybe rev.2 // or Fractal Define 7 // or Obsidian 750D ..
- Corsair RM1000X psu (I already have this one)

For a case I want to make sure that it will fit a larger mobo as this system will probably be upgraded to a next gen Threadripper with E-ATX or XL-ATX mobo.

Over at Gearslutz there are reports of successful 3950X systems.
And the latest test by Pete from Scan speaks for itself .. 3950X to the win ==> taking availability and price point into account.

Also, with so many people buying into AMD, support is inevitable. And issues are bound to be well documented by this new and wide user base.

Just my 2c


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## Technostica (Mar 13, 2020)

Dunshield said:


> For the AMD system specifically, I am waiting on the release of 128GB memory kits, more precisely 4x 32GB @ 3600 MHz - as this gets the most out of the CPU in terms of latency for DAW use. I am avoiding the readily available 3200 MHz memory kits of 4x 32GB = 128GB.


The Corsair kit CMW128GX4M4D3600C18 is already available.
Failing that, buy two 64GB (2x32GB) kits.


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## Dunshield (Mar 13, 2020)

Technostica said:


> The Corsair kit CMW128GX4M4D3600C18 is already available.
> Failing that, buy two 64GB (2x32GB) kits.



Oh very cool! Thanks for the heads up.

EDIT: not sure though if the 3600MHz C18 timing makes it perform equally compromised to 3200MHz at C16 .. I really need to educate myself on this.


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## PGorniak (Aug 19, 2020)

Hi Guys! Also considering AMD build and I found this thread. How is yours PCs running with AMD after these few months? Any thoughts on Cubase?


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## ookami (Aug 19, 2020)

PGorniak said:


> Hi Guys! Also considering AMD build and I found this thread. How is yours PCs running with AMD after these few months? Any thoughts on Cubase?


Hi PGorniak,
Just Yesterday while working on our new GameMusic Demo (300+Tracks;Kontakt/Serum/Play,..noVEP)
with my Friend, I said to him; " that I am so deeply satisfied with the Computer and that nearly every Day on which I am working on it, I am thinking excactly this.
That I can't believe how fast, stable & responsive, the System runs."

It is a build from Alternate these guys did a hell of a Job, I run an Audient i44 on 256 buffer
with hundreds of tracks. You have such small latency that You can play the Instruments and 
Sections like hardware instruments, even in a huge project, with processing on.

When loading a heavy VST You see that there is a loading time, but always in the range 
were You are satisfied how quick it had opened and You never come to the Point were YOu are asking Yourself if the Computer crashed X )

We run Cubase 10.5 Pro (switched after 10Years of LogicProX/9) on the Ryzen 3950X 64gb 3200mhz ram
2x 1gb super fast 4.5gb/s drives with a geforce 1650x card, on Windows 10 Professional

So Yes love it so far ..... a lot


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## Synetos (Aug 19, 2020)

I didnt end up building the AMD rig, or the new Intel rig. Instead, I came across a used 7980XE system and I am quite happy with it, even just running at the 2.6 base clock rate. I could swap the CPU for a 9980XE and move the base clock up to 3.0, but so far, I haven't felt the need. I am holding out for the next generation of AMD...if Intel doesnt up it's game. 

Glad to hear it is running good for ookami. I had read some issues with running VEP. Since I am running VEP at the moment, I probably wouldnt want to chance it just yet.


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## PGorniak (Aug 20, 2020)

Ookami, Synteos thank you that you shared your experiences. I havn't decided yet. I know that AMD is at least that efficent as Intel but it's main tool in the studio so there is no time for mistakes. I feel like I'm playing roulette here


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