512 processora is what I've been led to believe. But this is entirely dependant
upon the hardware in use. Performance doea increase linearly at low core counts
(2 cores are twice as fast as 1 core, 4 cores are twice as fast as 2 cores). But
at what number of cores does performance flatten? For example, is performance at
512 cores no better than 128 cores due to things like memory access contention?
Anyone have the resources to check this out?

I could theoretically spend $37k for a 64 core machine or would $10k for a 32
core machine be better if the 64 core machine isn't actually twice as fast?

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On 5/01/2014 04:48, jhu wrote:
> I could theoretically spend $37k for a 64 core machine or would $10k for a 32
> core machine be better if the 64 core machine isn't actually twice as fast?

Even if it is twice as fast, it doesn't sound cost-effective to spend
$37k for 64 cores if you can get an equivalent system but with 32
cores for $10k, because you could get three of the 32 core ones (and
still have cash to spare) for that price. So instead of 64 cores you
then have 96.

-- Chris

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Chris Cason <del### [at] deletethistoopovrayorg> wrote:
> On 5/01/2014 04:48, jhu wrote:
> > I could theoretically spend $37k for a 64 core machine or would $10k for a 32
> > core machine be better if the 64 core machine isn't actually twice as fast?
>
> Even if it is twice as fast, it doesn't sound cost-effective to spend
> $37k for 64 cores if you can get an equivalent system but with 32
> cores for $10k, because you could get three of the 32 core ones (and
> still have cash to spare) for that price. So instead of 64 cores you
> then have 96.
>
> -- Chris

For running multiple VMs, you would be correct. For running Povray, not so much.

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Am 04.01.2014 20:36, schrieb jhu:

>> Even if it is twice as fast, it doesn't sound cost-effective to spend
>> $37k for 64 cores if you can get an equivalent system but with 32
>> cores for $10k, because you could get three of the 32 core ones (and
>> still have cash to spare) for that price. So instead of 64 cores you
>> then have 96.
>>
>> -- Chris
>
> For running multiple VMs, you would be correct. For running Povray, not so much.

We're working on that one :-)

That said, you should probably ask yourself how fast you really need 
your render results, and whether you'll be running all your renders 
strictly sequential.

For instance, if you're working on some detail and want to see it from 
three perspectives, you can just as well run those three renders in 
parallel, rather than sequentially.

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