# Can the intel xeon be used for gaming?



## vieya

Can the intel xeon be used for gaming? Since it's supposed to be good in rendering video edits and stuff. Or am I just way off here?


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## salvage-this

you can use them but if you are building a gaming machine I would get one of the more regular desktop processors.


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## OverClocker

Yes it can be used for gaming but not ideal. The RAM that comes along with the mobo will be more expensive and slower for gaming. I suggest going with a quad core.


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## linkin

Depends on what kind of Xeon. If it's a server chip, then most likely not. However if it's a Xeon that's used in X58 boards it's basically the same as an i7


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## TrainTrackHack

Xeons are server chips. You get more in the way of reliability (hence servers/professional workstations tend to use them), but as far as performance goes, they're (usually) identical to their desktop counterparts.

Yes, you can use them for gaming, but unless you plan on running several games simultaneously 24/7 for several years non-stop and these games are somehow critical to your job/business/whatever, it's simply not worth the extra cost.


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## spynoodle

Most Xeons are just server/workstation versions of their desktop counterparts with two major differences:
1. Particular features for multi-processor configurations (not multi-core, multi-physical processor)
2. More stability. For example, a 2.4GHz Nehalem Xeon might use the same grade of silicon as a 3GHz i7. It only really matters for overclocking.

Some Xeons use different sockets than Intel's desktop lineup, but these are usually specifically meant for multi-processor server configurations, since their compatible motherboards don't have the same feature set as a usual desktop motherboard (eg. limited graphics upgradeability and 12 RAM slots.)


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## bomberboysk

spynoodle said:


> Most Xeons are just server/workstation versions of their desktop counterparts with two major differences:
> 1. Particular features for multi-processor configurations (not multi-core, multi-physical processor)
> 2. *More stability. For example, a 2.4GHz Nehalem Xeon might use the same grade of silicon as a 3GHz i7. It only really matters for overclocking.*
> 
> Some Xeons use different sockets than Intel's desktop lineup, but these are usually specifically meant for multi-processor server configurations, since their compatible motherboards don't have the same feature set as a usual desktop motherboard (eg. limited graphics upgradeability and 12 RAM slots.)



There aren't different "grades" of silicon used to make chips. A 2.4Ghz and 3Ghz nehalem processor are identical, they are just binned as to which cpu will run at _Ghz within ___TDP at ___ voltage.

Generally, Xeons will be binned for lower voltages to decrease TDP.


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## spynoodle

bomberboysk said:


> There aren't different "grades" of silicon used to make chips. A 2.4Ghz and 3Ghz nehalem processor are identical, they are just binned as to which cpu will run at _Ghz within ___TDP at ___ voltage.
> 
> Generally, Xeons will be binned for lower voltages to decrease TDP.


I guess I kinda worded that wrong.  I meant to say that they're the same grade when it comes to how high they can be clocked. It'c not the silicon that's better, it's just how it came out in production.


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## danthrax

Maximum PC used two Xeon x5680's overclocked to 4Ghz for their "Dream Machine 2010".

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/home/dream_machine_2010


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