Out of Pod Experience

I'd like to gather some hard facts about this matter, I'm looking to build a new PC and I'm having a lot of trouble deciding what CPU to use, as obviously review sites don't use EVE as a benchmark and I'd like to make the new build EVE-centric.

So.

Intel Core i5 and i7 users, and AMD FX-series users!
1. What is your CPU and is it overclocked? (Example: Intel Core i5 2500K)
2. What is your % CPU use from EVE while flying in space? (Example: 4-5%, with 6% peaks)

You can use My computer -> Properties to find (1), and Task Manager to find (2).

This also serves as a hardware brag thread.

That's very nice. Thankyou for the insight. I currently run EVE on a 5 year old PC so I know exactly how low the requirements are.

However my new build must be capable of smoothly running at least 50 clients in a single or dual screen ISBoxer configuration.

50 ships on a grid are already a noteworthy amount, so most affordable CPUs would surely struggle with that many clients... and I have a feeling that if you're ever getting into a fight with a noticeable amount of other ships, not even the best single CPU on the market might be able to make it a smooth experience (heck, for a huge fleet combat, even a single instance could prove to be too much for most CPUs, let alone 50 instances).
I hope you also plan on getting the very least 32, preferably 64 GB of RAM on that baby with that many clients.

There's also the issue of video RAM - even with mediocre client resolution and all graphic details set to minimum, you're probably going to need at least 4GB (and preferably 6+GB) of video RAM (possibly across multiple video cards) unless you want to degrade performance a lot further by forcing your system to start sharing regular RAM (which is much slower) for video purposes.

You might want to consider getting multiple cheaper machines and running equal smaller numbers of clients on each instead of a single uber-powerful (and insanely expensive) machine which runs them all.

P.S. You'd be better off asking this on the EVE ISBoxer forums.
Or sift through the archive.
For instance, http://isboxer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3680

If you are going to quadbox or more, I HIGHLY suggest no overclocking, perhaps even underclocking something with 16-32 cores to make sure your computer's heat levels keep ALL cores running.

A good cooling system should be number 1 priority, A HEAPING amount of RAM 2nd priority, As many cores as you can stuff 3rd priority.

Dual Graphics, ATi (the ones that are known to be capable of running at-least 6 screens/monitors/TV's each)

6 clients 6 monitors @ 1920x1080
amd fx 8120 black edition--the 3.2Ghz 8 core one
dual Radeon HD 7970s in crossfire (the 6x Eyefinity ones) AMD overdrive high settings (mild power bump, some clock)
my graphics settings are mid-range and interval is immediate
the "active" client will sit between 225 and 250 frames, with drops into the low 100s at warp-ins and session changes etc
the remaining clients will idle between 60 and 70 frames.

framerate differences between AA high or off are low--even in CQ, it's 10 frames

the biggest impact seems to be shadows and textures, but I would rather have frame rates than intricate ship details. I usually keep AA off, just because I'm not looking so closely at the ships.

not much variation in frame rate, maybe 10 per client:
AA high in CQ low 30s
AA off in CQ high 30s
AA high in Space (close) 225/70
AA high in Space (far) 250/70
AA off in Space (close) 200/70
AA off in Space (far) 220/65
(download images for full res)

EVE uses about 1GB of RAM per client, resource monitor tells me the CPUs are all running at 100% for both interval immediate and interval one. Interval one keeps the frames close to 60, but I'd rather let the graphics card off the leash, so to speak.

with my rig price point as proof that I don't skimp on $ for performance, I want to say that I would go Intel if I had to do it again, but I don't have any performance issues that make me want to make the switch. with the exception of the video cards, the reason for going AMD was... I picked the parts from what was available and on sale at Fry's and I wanted to do it all in one visit. the cards were ordered online.

however: I don't do fleet engagements--the most I ever see is jita, and the performance is fine there, too. I don't know how my setup would handle omg half of eve shooting at one another.

screenshots

//oh, one other consideration: I'm using a CyberPower 1350 PFCLCD ... it's one of their "Pure Sine Wave" series backups, which is a "true" sine wave UPS (versus simulated sine wave), and basically just a more stable AC current to your power supply, which helps take the load off power supplies that use Active PFC when your residential power drops or fluctuates (and it does).

apparently it gets so bad that although my other appliances don't notice a thing, the backup will switch to battery occasionally to keep the AC steady. makes me happy.

i use a Corsair AX850 power supply.

there is a usb interface for the UPS, and my desktop shows a battery indicator like a laptop's, and it has power options that allow it to behave like one (a laptop).

//did I just kill another thread? I should add this post to my bios (character bio... s)

o7 Kara Books have I told you how hot you are (this week)

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/CbYr <-I would not go cheaper than this. video cards are your wiggle room, you could also not go with OS drives in RAID 0 (that part was just to feel special ) sound card is optional, too, of course

about multiple clients: i've never had to overlap clients--it's always been one per monitor.

going from 1->3->5 clients is a month to two months of normalization minimum. as in, you'll forget to turn on modules and lock targets/move etc.

I sat at 3 clients for a few years, and when I jumped to 5 I had to drop corp after just 2 wormhole ops because it was too much--even with the nub clients as simple cloaky gate scouts. 6 months later, awareness is back to normal.

TL;DR: it takes a bit of getting used to.

****. is that what this was?

oh well. i like the post in my bio. saves time for the next troll rite?

Well I think it's pretty simple maths that if 1 client is using 5% of my CPU, that 50 clients will use 250% of my CPU and therefore my computer will explode and that CPU is not suitable.

Thats not for EVE. I am confident that 50 accounts would be more than feasible with an i7 3930K, 64GB memory, and two 560Tis in SLI. I have done the math and testing.

But if I can get away with less expense then it's of course better.

Define medium scale. I intend to be the majority of people on grid :D