12 core 2.66 VS 12 core 2.93 $1200?

[famousshots]

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone can answer this question or if it is too early to tell.
We have a production company that is ready to expand to the new 12 core machines and since we are investing so much into one of these machines we are wondering if the difference between the 2.66 and the 2.93 is worth the $1200 difference. We are doing video editing and sound editing for commercials and movies and rendering time is killing us. We are using FC, Logic and Adobe, we were looking for any resource we can go to find some info and we found this forum. Thanks for any responses that we get.

Two 2.66GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon “Westmere” (12 cores)
VS
Two 2.93GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon “Westmere” (12 cores)

 

[Hellhammer]

A raw, mathematical difference is ~10%. It's about the same difference in GeekBench. If you need the fastest rendering speed, then even 10% matters. In 10-hour render it's already an hour.

 

[handsome pete]

I think it also depends on what type of machines you are coming from. What are you guys working on now?

 

[Fiete5401]

If you look at the 64-bit Geekbench scores and put them into relation with the Apple Store prices of these MPs. You can see that the 2.93 dodeca will cost you 25% more than the 2.66 dodeca but you only get 9% more performance. Not worth it in my eyes. The 2.66 dodeca has the best value of all 2010 MPs. Even better than the 3.33 hex. But keep in mind that it clearly depends on the programs you are using. If you have no application that can make use of all these cores than there's no need to buy more than six cores.

 

[milo]

Logic's performance is bad on the six core, worse than the old quad. Personally, I wouldn't buy a 6 or 12 core to run Logic until they release a new version of the app that works on these machines.

 

[glassbathroom]

If you look at the 64-bit Geekbench scores and put them into relation with the Apple Store prices of these MPs. You can see that the 2.93 dodeca will cost you 25% more than the 2.66 dodeca but you only get 9% more performance. Not worth it in my eyes. The 2.66 dodeca has the best value of all 2010 MPs. Even better than the 3.33 hex. But keep in mind that it clearly depends on the programs you are using. If you have no application that can make use of all these cores than there's no need to buy more than six cores.

I think there is a great deal of sense in this post. Some will still want the extra 9% and for them it will be worth the 25%, but I think the 12-core sweet spot is probably the 2.66 (if you have to balance cost and performance).

 

[Hellhammer]

I think there is a great deal of sense in this post. Some will still want the extra 9% and for them it will be worth the 25%, but I think the 12-core sweet spot is probably the 2.66 (if you have to balance cost and performance).

Plus you can always upgrade the CPUs, to up to two 3.33GHz 6-cores (likely 3.46GHz in future). It's usually even cheaper than from Apple

 

[Transporteur]

Boy I'd like to swap my 2.26GHz with some decent 6 cores-

Time for someone to crack the firmware of the 2009 machines.

 

[Octobot]

Single-core performance with the mod is what entices me.. Best of both worlds.