Recommended computer workstation vendors?

September 3, 2009 3:14 PM

I'm looking for recommended vendors for high performance computing workstations. I need a workstation with 32 GB or more of RAM for image analysis; my computational needs are more modest, but a couple decently fast cores would be nice (my application parallelizes well). I'd like to spend around $5k if possible, but could go up a little if necessary. I'd prefer not to build a system.
posted by pombe to computers & internet (9 comments total)

Silicon Mechanics mostly does server stuff, but this is pretty much into that territory, and their prices are excellent.
posted by odinsdream at 3:17 PM on September 3

If it was me, I would buy this:

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/en/WF05a/12454-12454-296719-307907-296721-3718645.html

Well, actually, I'd buy this, but I'm a hardware geek. I don't know what the lineage of the HP workstations is, but I know for sure that the Proliants (except the cheapest ones) are solid pieces of computing goodness, and designed for (and supported for) a wider variety of operating systems than standard desktops.
posted by gjc at 3:26 PM on September 3

Dell.
posted by Rendus at 3:31 PM on September 3

So HP memory is probably going to cost you around 3-4k depending on the model. You're pretty much looking at an ML or a Z800 from them. You'll probably have to go dual processor, quick configuration indicated it's going to be around 6-7k for a dual quad core box with 32gb of ram and pretty much nothing fancy in the way of hard drives.

If you can find an alternate vendor who will stand by things I suggest going with them, but the HP gear is rock solid if support becomes an issue and overall build quality on the higher end stuff.
posted by iamabot at 3:53 PM on September 3

I would go Dell also, but that's all I run at home.

You can get a Power Edge T410 with 2 2.5 GHz Quad core CPU's and 32 GB's of RAM for $4,000. That's 8 4 GB sticks of memory. The price really jumps up when you order the 8 GB sticks.

For the same system with 48 GB of RAM, $7,500. And they system max of 64 GB, is just over $9,000.

I'd personally go for the 32, knowing that you will have a big expense of upgrading later, if you ever need to at all.

Mind you, I didn't change anything else, so HDD's can add up too.
posted by Climber at 3:57 PM on September 3

My first thought was HP as well, but I was hoping to find something cheaper. I can configure a server from Silicon Mechanics for a lot less than the HP workstation but I'd like something in a desktop format with a decent graphics card and that doesn't sound like a rocket about to take off.
posted by pombe at 4:07 PM on September 3

Puget Systems has a pretty solid reputation for quality and customer service, and one of their specialties is supposed to be making quiet-running machines. It doesn't look like you can build out a computer with that much RAM in the configurator on their website, but I know they definitely take custom orders for more exotic workstations like what you're talking about.

No idea how their pricing runs towards that end of the market, though.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 5:17 PM on September 3

I'd like to spend around $5k if possible

Oh man. I know you said you'd prefer not to build, but you could kill with that much. For five-large I would get:

2 x Intel Xeon X5550 Nehalem @2.66GHz - $2,000
1 x Dual LGA 1366 Intel 5520 Server Motherboard - $475
72 GB DDR3 ECC Registered SDRAM - $2250

And look, I even left you a couple hundred for the case. :)

If you can get by with just one CPU, the Quad-Core i7 Extreme Ed. @3.33GHz plus half as much RAM and you cut the price in half.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 6:59 PM on September 3

Just configured an MTower 2P64X Workstation at XI.

2x Xeon 5520 with 48GB of RAM and top shelf motherboard for $3616. Add bigger hard drive / better GPU / faster CPUs to taste.


You could probably set up something that suits you at Boxx, also.
posted by doowod at 10:43 PM on September 3