Amtromics,
The key features to high performance in gaming and 3D modeling is essentially the same: 1. the CPU single-thread performance - in general realtive to clock speed- and 2. the GPU's ability to place polygon and apply attributes such as textures. A game is not dissimilar to navigating a 3ds model. However, workstations in a content creation role will use GPUs with drivers that more completely render each frame for image quality, whereas consumer /gaming GPU's concentrate on high frame rates.
Workstations are, in general, focussed on these attributes and with the bonus of high reliability under long-term system stress.
Most games and all the 3D modeling programs that I know are highly single-threaded. There are some games that assign some complex entities to different cores and Windows does have some thread distribution. When modelling in Sketchup, Task Manager / Performance shows the Z420 /E5-1660 v2 having activity in six of the twelve threads. But, overall, a 4-core CPU will have a higher single-thread perofrmance than 6-core at a lower cost. a very useful list in this regard is the Passmark CPU Benchmarks CPU "Mega List" that displays the Single Thread Mark and Single Thread Value which is the reltaionship of the single thread score to the cost.
1. A search = "Xeon E5" + setting Single Thread Mark in order descending shows that the currently available Xeon E5 (1600 series V3 and V4) with the highest Single Thread Mark is the E5-1680 v4 8-core @ 3.4 /4.0Ghz with a score of 2201. An 8-core, CPU is not necessary but this acts as the reference. ($2,272)
2. The highest single Thread Mark for a currently available Xeon E5 4-core is the E5-1620 v4 @ 3.5 /3.8Ghz with a CPU mark of 10036 and single thread of 2120. ($310)
3. For i7, the i7-7700K 4-core @ 4.2 /4.5GHz is the overall top performer at a CPU Mark 12215 and Single Thread = 2251.
4. For Xeon E3"+ setting Single Thread Mark in order descending shows the Xeon E3-1285 v3 4-core @ 3.6 /4.0GHz with a CPU of 10252 and Single Thread of 2340. ($350)
For your system, consider:
- HP 3/3/3 Tower Warranty
- 32GB DDR4-2133 nECC (4x8GB) Unbuffered RAM
- Windows 10 Pro 64 - HP recommends Windows 10 Pro.
- No Graphics option (GT0 processors)
- HP USB Business Slim Keyboard
- No Microsoft Office Pre-Loaded Software
- 9.5mm Slim SuperMulti DVDRW 1st Optical Disc Drive
- Operating System Load to SATA
- HP Z240 Workstation Country Kit
- HP Z240 Tower Workstation
- HP USB Optical Mouse
- 256 GB HP Z Turbo Drive G2 TLC PCIe SSD
- HP Z240 TWR 280W 90 percent efficiency Chassis
- HP Single Unit (Tower) Packaging
- ENERGY STAR Qualified Configuration
- 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 1st Hard Drive
- Intel® Xeon® E3-1280 v5 (3.7 GHz, up to 4 GHz with Intel
$2324.32
Then add to this system, a GTX 1070, about $400-450, or GTX 1080, or GTX 1080 Ti
System 2: For greater memory bandwidth, potential to upgrade to a processor having up to 22-cores, more RAM memory
- HP Processor Air Cooling Kit
- HP Single Unit Packaging
- HP Z440 Microsoft Windows Workstation
- 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 1st Hard Drive
- HP Z440 Country Kit
- No Integrated Graphics
- Operating System Load to SATA/SAS
- HP USB Keyboard
- Slim SuperMulti DVDRW SATA 1st Optical Disc Drive
- HP 3/3/3 Warranty
- 32GB DDR4-2133 (4x8GB) Registered RAM
- HP USB Optical Mouse
- HP Z440 700W 90 Percent Efficient Chassis
- Windows 10 Pro 64 - HP recommends Windows 10 Pro.
- Intel(R) Xeon(R) E5-1630v3 3.70GHz 10MB 2133 4C CPU
- HP Z4 Fan and Front Card Guide Kit
- 256 GB HP Z Turbo Drive G2 PCIe SSD
$2,965.56 + GTX 1070 or GTX 1080 (about $600 - $700)
You didn't mention a budget, but there is always this route :
HP Z440 Workstation E5-1620v3 3.5GHz 32GB 256GB Z-Turbo DVDRW> $1,288 + GTX 1080 (about $600 - $700)
< and the better cost /performance ratio of that system can redirect the budget towards the extremely fast GTX 1080
Overll. given the variety of applications fro the proposed system, an LGA2011-3 is going to have a better long-term potential.
Cheers,
BambiBoomZ
CAD / 3D Modeling / Graphic Design:
HP z420 (2015) (Rev 3) > Xeon E5-1660 v2 (6-core @ 3.7 / 4.0GHz) / 32GB DDR3 -1866 ECC RAM / Quadro K4200 (4GB) / Samsung SM951 M.2 256GB AHCI + Intel 730 480GB (9SSDSC2BP480G4R5) + Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB> M-Audio 192 sound card > 600W PSU> > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit > Logitech z2300 2.1 speakers > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H (2560 X 1440)
[ Passmark Rating = 5581 > CPU= 14046 / 2D= 838 / 3D= 4694 / Mem= 2777 / Disk= 11559] [6.12.16]
Analysis / Simulation / Rendering:
HP z620 (2012) (Rev 3) 2X Xeon E5-2690 (8-core @ 2.9 / 3.8GHz) / 64GB DDR3-1600 ECC reg) / Quadro K2200 (4GB) + Tesla M2090 (6GB) / HP Z Turbo Drive (256GB) + Samsung 850 Evo 250GB + Seagate Constellation ES.3 (1TB) / Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium PCIe sound card / 800W / Windows 7 Professional 64-bit > Logitech z313 2.1 speakers > HP 2711x (27" 1980 X 1080)
[ Passmark System Rating= 5675 / CPU= 22625 / 2D= 815 / 3D = 3580 / Mem = 2522 / Disk = 12640 ] 9.25.16
[ Cinebench R15: OpenGL= 119.23 fps / CPU = 2209 cb / Single core 130 cb / MP Ratio 16.84x] 10.31.16