The Boston Venom Epyc offers dual 32 core AMD Epyc CPUs, but at the expense of single threaded performance, writes Greg Corke
AMD’s resurgence in the CPU sector may be characterised by its Ryzen and Threadripper processors but, when it comes to multi-threaded brute force, it’s the lesser known Epyc CPU that wins hands down. With up to 32 cores (and 64 threads) per CPU and two CPUs per machine, it promises the kind of processing power that most digital artists who use ray trace renderers can only dream of.
AMD Epyc is primarily designed for servers and datacentres. However, because of the sheer number of cores it’s also starting to make its way into workstations.
We got our hands on a pre-production version of the Boston Venom Epyc, which was configured with dual AMD Epyc 7551 CPUs. With 32 cores and 64 threads in each processor, it has massive potential for multi-threaded workflows. However, to get this kind of core density in a 180W chip, there’s a trade off in frequency and the CPU runs at a base of 2.0GHz, with an all core boost speed of 2.55GHz and a max turbo of 3.0GHz.
We first tested the machine in a workflow where it was destined to excel. And right on cue, it delivered our Luxion KeyShot render in a phenomenal 95 seconds, just a second slower than the dual Intel Xeon Gold 6154 Armari R80 workstation. It also completed the V-Ray benchmark in 21 seconds, which puts it in the top ten highest scores on the public chart.
During these short tests, we observed the CPU frequency stayed close to the ‘all core boost speed’ of 2.55GHz. But those who invest in a machine like this rarely let it go idle for long and during sustained renders the frequency dropped to 2.3GHz.
Of course, workstations also need to perform single threaded operations, which is important for general modelling and system performance.
Even with the CPU operating at 3.0GHz it came bottom in our single threaded SolidWorks IGES model export test and was notably 47% slower than the Armari R80 with two Intel Xeon Gold 6154 CPUs clocked at 3.7GHz.
Boston Venom Epyc – Product specifications
■ 2 x AMD Epyc 7551 (2.0GHz, 3.0GHz Turbo) (32 cores, 64 threads)
■ 256GB (16 x 16GB) DDR4 ECC REG 2,666MHz
■ AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (17.Q4 driver)
■ 512GB Samsung 960 Pro M.2 NVMe SSD + 240GB Intel SSD DC S3520 Series
■ Supermicro H11DSi-NT
■ 452 x 178 x 647mm / N/A
■ Microsoft Windows Server 2016
■ Standard 3 year return to base
CPU benchmarks (single threaded) – Seconds (smaller is better)
SolidWorks 2015 IGES export: 170
CPU benchmarks (multi-threaded) – Seconds (smaller is better)
Luxion KeyShot 6.1 render test: 95
V-Ray CPU rendering benchmark (CPU): 21
GPU compute benchmark – Seconds (smaller is better)
V-Ray render benchmark (GPU): 254
3D graphics benchmarks (3D CAD) – Score (bigger is better)
SPECapc for SolidWorks 2015 (shaded + edges): N/A (benchmark not compatible with OS)
SPECapc for SolidWorks 2015 (RealView + shadows): N/A (benchmark not compatible with OS)
SPECapc for SolidWorks (RealView + shadows + AO): N/A (benchmark not compatible with OS)
SPECapc for PTC Creo 3.0 (shaded + edges): N/A (benchmark not compatible with OS)
SPECapc for PTC Creo 3.0 (reflection): N/A (benchmark not compatible with OS)
3D graphics benchmarks (design viz) – Frames Per Second (FPS) (bigger is better)
LumenRT (hotel model) (FPS): 31
LumenRT (roundabout model): 15
Autodesk LIVE (Villa Enhanced model): 84
Autodesk VRED Professional (AA off): 36
Autodesk VRED Professional (AA medium): 16
Autodesk VRED Professional (AA ultra high ): 6
3D graphics benchmarks (VR) – Frames Per Second (FPS) (bigger is better)
VR Mark (Orange): 129.24
VR Mark (Blue): 22.82
VR Mark (Cyan): 63.06
Graphics performance can also be influenced by the clock speed of the CPU, but this depends on the nature of the application. 3D performance in CAD software, for example, is very much influenced by CPU frequency, so it came as no surprise that the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 delivered significantly slower performance than when the same GPU is in a workstation with a higher frequency CPU.
In our game engine viz and VR benchmarks, however, the slow-down was much less and, in some cases, there was no slow down at all. In these applications the GPU is the main bottleneck so the frequency of the CPU becomes less important.
For those who need more GPU power for real time viz, GPU rendering or GPU accelerated video editing, for example, the machine can support two double height graphics cards on its Supermicro H11DSi-NT motherboard, such as the AMD Radeon Pro WX 9100.
Considering that one of the big features of AMD’s Epyc architecture is that it has 128 PCIe lanes (compared to 48 on Intel Xeon Scalable) support for two GPUs on this system seems quite miserly. Of course, this is a moot point if your workflow won’t benefit from multiple GPUs, but theoretically you could have an Epyc workstation with six or even eight x16 PCIe graphics cards.
On to memory and, with 256GB (16 x 16GB) DDR4 Registered ECC 2,666MHz RAM, our test machine is well equipped to handle exceedingly complex viz datasets. If you do need more, the Boston Venom Epyc can actually support up to 2TB. This could be particularly relevant if using the machine to solve colossal simulation studies in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) or Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. In these memory hungry applications, the 8-channel DDR4 controller (which theoretically offers more memory bandwidth than the six channel Intel Xeon Scalable) could also offer additional benefits.
Boston Venom Epyc – Workstation by name …
With the kind of computational power you’d typically expect to find in a server, you might not be surprised to learn that the Boston Venom Epyc essentially is one. Based on the Supermicro AS-4023S-TRT server chassis the machine can be both tower or 4U rack mounted. It also comes with many server grade features such as a 1,280W Redundant (1+1) PSU (so if one unit fails it keeps going), integrated IPMI 2.0 for remote management, and dual 10G LAN ports. The machine even came configured with Windows Server 2016, which we are told is popular with film studios, but was incompatible with some of our 3D CAD benchmarks.
Another server grade feature includes the 8 hot-swap 3.5” SATA3 drive bays (optional SAS 12Gb and U.2 NVMe) that are easily accessible from the front of the heavy-duty chassis, one of which housed a 240GB Intel SSD. Operating System and applications, however, were loaded on a 512GB Samsung 960 Pro NVMe SSD, populating the only M.2 slot on the motherboard.
There is a downside to the machine’s server heritage and that is the Boston Venom Epyc is also very noisy. Fans run at a high RPM even when idle. However, Boston did say it is looking to use lower dB fans in the production version.
Conclusion
If you are a digital artist with an extremely demanding rendering workflow, having this level of multi-threaded performance allows you to completely change the way you work. It can mean more iterations, higher-quality results or simply getting your renders back quicker.
This is all fine if you have this resource in a server, as multi-threaded performance is the only thing you care about. However, in a workstation you have to accept it will impact performance in single threaded workflows. While the Boston Venom Epyc felt responsive in use, general system performance will be slower than most workstations and you will always wait longer for results from single threaded calculations.
AMD does have some other Epyc CPUs at different price points, such as the AMD Epyc 7601 (32 cores, 2.2GHz base and 3.2GHz Turbo) or the AMD Epyc 7451 (24 cores, 2.3GHz base and 3.2GHz Turbo). But when it comes to design viz on the desktop, it will be hard to beat an Intel Xeon Gold workstation. The Intel Xeon Gold 6154, for example, not only delivers similar rendering speeds, but with a better balance of cores and frequency, superior performance in single threaded workflows.
It could be a different story when it comes to simulation. With 32 cores and bundles of high-bandwidth 8-channel memory, you may see a benefit when running multiple FEA or CFD calculations on a single machine. And with Intel Xeon Scalable only going up to 28 cores and chips costing over $10,000 the Boston Venom Epyc can’t be beaten on price per core.
This article is part of a DEVELOP3D CAD/Viz/VR workstation special report. To read articles and reviews in this report click on the links below.
Choosing a workstation for design and engineering is no longer straightforward
How to future proof your workstation to support new and emerging product development workflows
Desktop Workstation Buyer’s Guide
Essential advice for those looking to buy a workstation for product development
Lenovo ThinkStation P320 Tiny
In a world of shrinking workstations, Lenovo’s ThinkStation P320 Tiny in the smallest yet
Fujitsu Celsius W570POWER+
This compact workstation delivers the goods for 3D CAD, game engine viz and VR
Boxx Apexx S3
The overclocked six core ‘Coffee Lake Core i7 CPU makes this CAD workstation fly
Workstation Specialists WS-1160A
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AMD Radeon Vega GPUs
What does AMD’s Vega GPU architecture bring to CAD, VR, viz and GPU rendering?
Scan 3XS WI6000 Viz
An overclocked 18-core Intel Core i9-7980XE CPU makes this a phenomenally fast workstation for CAD and design viz
Armari Magnetar R80 (Pre Production Unit)
This dual Intel Xeon Gold workstation delivers the goods in single and multi-threaded workflows
Iceotope EdgeStation
‘Total liquid cooling’ makes this specialist machine ideal for harsh and dusty environments
Mobile workstation buyer’s guide
A rundown of the things to look out when buying a professional 3D laptop
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 16
Wacom’s legendary pen technology is embedded in a pro 3D tablet
HP ZBook x2 G4 (Pre-Production Unit)
This detachable 2-in-1 combines Wacom pen technology with a Quadro GPU for 3D CAD
PNY PrevailPro P4000
This slimline 15-inch mobile workstation breaks all the rules by putting a powerful ‘VR Ready’ GPU at its heart
Fujitsu Celsius H970
This 17.3-inch mobile workstation offers incredible power for demanding VR and viz but there are some downsides
Dell Precision 7720
With powerful processors, impressive cooling, good serviceability and excellent build quality, this 17″ mobile workstation is hard to beat
Samsung Portable SSD T5
This portable drive offers fast, secure solid-state storage in a sleek package
Download a PDF of the 36-page workstation special report, complete with charts
2 x AMD Epyc 7551 (2.0GHz, 3.0GHz Turbo) (32 cores, 64 threads)
256GB (16 x 16GB) DDR4 ECC REG 2,666MHz
AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (17.Q4 driver)
Supermicro H11DSi-NT
512GB Samsung 960 Pro M.2 NVMe SSD + 240GB Intel SSD DC S3520 Series
Standard 3 year return to base
boston.co.uk
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