Mainstream CPUs ate the high-end desktop, but enthusiasts hunger for more

The high-end desktop isn’t what it was once. The marketplace for totally loaded, enthusiast-class HEDT CPUs and motherboards has modified drastically over the last a number of years, stagnating in a means that has left an unaddressed hole in efficiency.

Extremely-expensive techniques utilizing platforms similar to Intel’s X99 and AMD’s Threadripper had been as soon as the stuff of goals, akin to having a Lamborghini poster in your wall. Did you need an “Excessive” 10-core CPU? Intel had you lined with the $2000 Core i7 6950X. If that wasn’t sufficient,18 cores arrived rapidly, adopted by the juggernaut AMD Threadripper CPUs packing as many as 64 cores.

The HEDT market encompassed each high-end avid gamers and workstation professionals who didn’t want server degree {hardware}, however nonetheless required superior options and critical processing energy. They’ve since all however disappeared with the rise of potent high-core mainstream CPUs from each Intel and AMD. Let’s focus on how mainstream and HEDT chips actually stack up, and the way the function set of high-end motherboards differs on these platforms.

The gradual loss of life of HEDT CPUs

Just lately, boutique workstation builder Puget Programs posted a wonderful article on this very topic. They’ve tons of gross sales information to again up their findings, displaying the stark drop-off in gross sales for each Intel Core X CPUs and AMD’s Threadripper.

Apart from cited issues with provide, similar to AMD’s Threadripper disappearing utterly in Could, the drop off actually coincides with mainstream CPU releases from each AMD and Intel that pack a robust multicore punch for a lot much less value.  

Puget Programs

The pandemic impact can also be obvious right here: With excessive demand and restricted functionality, it is smart for each Intel and AMD to give attention to the larger markets and fulfill that demand. The Xeon and Epyc server chips that often function the incubation floor for HEDT lineups (which use cut-down server CPUs) are actually huge, in-demand markets proper now, sadly leaving the earlier HEDT Core X and Threadripper lineups to wither within the present ambiance. The remainder of the eye goes in direction of the heavier adoption in Intel and AMD’s mainstream platforms.

AMD will get the credit score for beginning the strangulation of HEDT chips. With the introduction of its Ryzen sequence of CPUs 5 years in the past, the corporate started releasing ultra-high-core-count CPUs for mainstream motherboards, blossoming into actually beastly CPUs just like the Ryzen 9 3950X and Ryzen 9 5950X, each with 16 cores and 32 threads. These had been capable of problem Intel’s getting old Core i9-10980XE, an 18-core providing on Intel’s getting old X299 HEDT platform, at lower than half the value.   

In truth, minimal enhancements for X299 spelled the start of the top for Intel’s current HEDT ambitions. The Core 7980XE, 9980XE, and 10980XE had been disappointingly minimal upgrades 12 months over 12 months. They rapidly grew to become outclassed by the mainstream Ryzen platform and completely demolished by AMD’s Threadripper HEDT chips in efficiency.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG

Alas, even the mighty Threadripper has seen its usefulness wane to some extent due to highly effective mainstream CPUs. Intel’s ferocious Core i9-12900K is a extremely performant CPU in each single-core workloads similar to gaming in addition to the multithreaded workloads that had been as soon as the bread and butter of HEDT techniques. The identical could be mentioned of AMD’s Ryzen 9 5950X, which is without doubt one of the best-rounded CPUs in the marketplace.

Thus, with restricted demand and choices on HEDT platforms, most lovers jumped ship to the mainstream, together with many professionals.

Motherboards and important options on HEDT

We’ve established that mainstream CPUs have caught as much as a big a part of HEDT choices for many customers. (Although lovers with 32 cores and above are nonetheless comparatively secure—for now.) Way back to Intel’s X99, avid gamers nonetheless seen the HEDT platform as the final word gaming construct, even when it was overkill versus accessible mainstream chips such because the Core i7-7700k. This has dramatically modified, totally eradicating avid gamers from HEDT and leaving solely skilled customers with particular overhead wants.

Now we delve into the meat and potatoes of this hearty meal: HEDT motherboards and have units that they pack. Has the mainstream actually caught up with this facet of the coin, too? Nope, and that is the place the gradual loss of life of HEDT hurts probably the most.

PCIe lanes

Need to run a number of graphics playing cards, a number of SSD in a RAID array, video seize playing cards, and loads of NVMe m.2 drives? That’s the place platforms like Threadripper shine. With as much as 88 PCIe lanes accessible, Threadripper completely dwarfs the headroom for further gadgets accessible in mainstream AMD X570 and Intel Z690 platforms.

Whereas newer platforms similar to Intel’s Z690 pack cutting-edge applied sciences like DDR5 reminiscence and PCIe 5.0, for individuals who want ample expandability, Threadripper stays extremely related (with Threadripper Professional 5000 being the present cream of the crop right here, albeit solely in prebuilt Lenovo workstations.) Intel’s X299 platform additionally gives a wholesome providing of PCIE lanes. Nonetheless, it’s fallen outdated in a number of different areas—community connectivity is lower than latest requirements, and X299 stays on PCIE Gen 3.

When you’re a high-end fanatic gamer, Threadripper is now not applicable. The PCIe lanes accessible on mainstream platforms are ample for even dual-GPU setups and loads of NVME drives. Plus, gaming efficiency is inferior on Threadripper versus one thing just like the Core i9-12900K. Solely semi- and totally skilled customers profit from the additional PCIe lanes on this case.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG

Reminiscence assist

If 128GB of ram will not be sufficient, you’ll want a high-end platform to your workloads—Threadripper helps 256GB. You’ll even have entry to quad channel reminiscence, and assist for error code correction (ECC) reminiscence. As soon as once more, that is irrelevant for avid gamers, however can nonetheless show completely essential to skilled customers. These customers have been sadly neglected within the present market, and should compromise with mainstream platforms or spend extra for server-class choices.

Networking and connectivity

10Gbe and a great deal of USB ports had been as soon as the area of HEDT motherboards, however now they’re available on even mid-range choices such because the $469 Z690 Gigabyte Aorus Grasp (a mobo we adored). With current releases, you’ll additionally get sooner Wi-Fi requirements and Thunderbolt 4 on many mainstream motherboards—options which are presently absent on getting old HEDT choices.

Price

This is a significant component within the demise of the HEDT. Intel’s $2,000 6950x solely provided 10 cores, and the 32-core Ryzen Threadripper 3970X prices simply as a lot (when you could find it in inventory). Compared, AMD’s Ryzen 9 5950X could be present in right now’s marketplace for sale beneath $600 and sustain with many HEDT CPUs for a major worth financial savings. There are additionally many extra inexpensive motherboard choices accessible, serving to hold general value down.

Efficiency

To show some extent, I just lately examined Shadow of the Tomb Raider with Nvidia’s monstrous GeForce RTX 3090 Ti on two CPUs: A 24 core Threadripper chip, and the Core i9-12900K. At 1080p decision, the Threadripper CPU was capable of common solely round 153 FPS on the best settings. The Intel 12900K simply flew previous 225 FPS. After all, this isn’t an applicable GPU or CPU setup for 1080p, however I needed to show some extent: Gaming has no place in HEDT any longer.

How about in additional multi-threaded workloads? Whereas it’s true the Threadripper will win artificial benchmarks, many real-world workloads have switched loads of their focus to GPU intensive duties (take Davinci Resolve with video modifying, for instance). In case your workflow nonetheless depends closely on multithreaded CPUs, you’ll nonetheless want the facility that HEDT affords – however this too is reducing over time.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG

HEDT is just not accessible in right now’s market

After taking account of efficiency, pricing, and even advantages like PCIe lanes, one bleak reality stays: There are scarcely any HEDT choices in the stores from Intel and AMD. Like, in any respect. Intel’s X299 CPUs and motherboards are nearly unattainable to seek out, and the identical holds true for many Threadripper motherboards and CPUs. Even Puget Programs, knowledgeable techniques integrator, signifies that they will’t purchase Threadripper merchandise from distributors.

Intel and AMD apparently obtained the message. All the coolest high-end, enthusiast-level {hardware} merely is geared in direction of the a lot bigger mainstream market of X570 and Z690. This satisfies 99 p.c of customers, leaving solely the area of interest use instances that actually want the PCIe and reminiscence headroom to hunt out these venerable unicorn platforms. Pandemic provide chain woes actually put a damper on any new releases, similar to Threadripper’s supposed 5000-series DIY CPUs failing to materialize after briefly being rumored.

Don’t overlook that actually workstation and server class merchandise exist for particular use instances that may by no means get replaced by mainstream CPUs. These are the Intel Xeon and AMD Epyc lineups that present super core counts, superior reminiscence assist, and general efficiency that make sense in a extremely specialised setting, and never for the everyday high-end fanatic. These additionally pack a a lot greater worth premium for entry, leaving out most of the lovers and “prosumers” who might make use of those options. That is the place HEDT is missed probably the most.

Will the long run change? Probably. AMD’s newly introduced Ryzen 7000-series CPUs will probably show to make HEDT’s comeback even more durable. With much more options and efficiency packed into Ryzen 7000, it’s going to additional restrict those that want HEDT platforms to carry out their work.

There’s nonetheless room for HEDT, although. Even Ryzen 7000 received’t essentially reply all the wants of this more and more area of interest group. Calls for for extra sturdy PCIe lanes, reminiscence assist, and better core counts nonetheless go away some customers in a center floor. Hopefully, eventual next-generation Intel and AMD HEDT platforms can scratch these itches. Players, nonetheless, are actually squarely within the realm of mainstream choices—and that’s unlikely to vary.