Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Review: A Vehicle for Threadripper Pro
by Dr. Ian Cutress on February 16, 2021 9:30 AM ESTSystem Tests: Dual Channel vs 8-Channel
For testing the processor at full glory, head on over to our review of the AMD Threadripper Pro 3995WX, which shows all the data with respect to other CPUs when it is fully enabled with eight memory modules – we go more in depth in our testing in that review, and the results of those tests and more can be found in our benchmark database, Bench. For this review, we’re doing something slightly different.
Our review sample from Lenovo was shipped with two 16 GB modules of DDR4-3200 ECC, enabling only dual channel memory. The list price difference between a 2x16 GB arrangement and an 8x16 GB arrangement if you buy modules from the open market is $600-$1000 depending on where it is sourced. At the rates that Lenovo buys the memory, this is more likely to be nearer $200-$300. So why did Lenovo skimp on the memory for a system that is sold for nearer $20000? I have no idea. But the performance difference is so much more than the 1% price increase of filling it full of memory. This is something I want to report on, because it matters.
We’ve asked Lenovo in the past why they ship review systems with fewer memory modules than at least one module per channel. The response usually boils down to ‘that is how our customers buy them’ or ‘it doesn’t matter for benchmarks like SPECviewperf’. Of the other media who were sampled this system, we know at least two others were similarly sampled with only two memory modules, both in the US, whereas our European counterparts were shipped with all eight modules, likely down to how each region manages review samples. Luckily Kingston came in to save the day, and supplied sixteen of their 16 GB KSM32RD8/16ME DDR4-3200 RDIMMs for all of our server testing.
But we want to compare the difference between a dual channel system, and proper system performance. Rather than offer a dozen pages showing all our test results, we’ll list the separate the sections we test, and score how many benchmarks are affected by the memory difference for a given percentage, along with notable highlights.
Benchmark Results
| 8-Channel Benefits over 2-Channel | |||||
| AnandTech | # Tests in Segment |
# Tests > 103% of 2-Ch |
# Tests < 97% of 2-Ch |
Average % |
Highlight |
| Rendering | 11 | 2 | 0 | +1% | Corona, +7.5% |
| Office | 3 | 1 | 1 | +2% | Agisoft, +8% |
| Science | 9 | 6 | 1 | +53% | yCruncher MT, +212% |
| Simulation | 5 | 1 | 0 | +10% | DigiCortex, +47% |
| Encoding | 8 | 6 | 0 | +34% | 7z Encode, +135% |
| Legacy | 10 | 0 | 0 | Equal | - |
| Web | 3 | 0 | 0 | Equal | - |
| OpenSSL | 8 | 0 | 0 | Equal | - |
| SPEC2006 ST | 18 | 3 | 0 | +2% | 470.lbm, +10% |
| SPEC2017 ST | 22* | 3 | 1 | +1% | 549.fotonik3d +13% |
| SPECviewperf | 8 | 1 | 0 | +1% | Maya, +5% |
| Total | 105 | 25 | 2 | +15% | - |
| *521.wrf_r doesn't run in our suite due to WSL limitations | |||||
Overall, we’re seeing +15% uplift with the 8-channel configuration. But that’s skewed by several super high results:
- yCruncher MT: +212%
- AES: +62%
- DigiCortex: +47%
- NAMD: +39%
- 7-zip Overall: +31%
- AIBench: +29%
- WinRAR: +23%
If we move to an even tighter 1% margin, then more than 50% of our tests still fall within that +/- of 1% (55/105).
To the point of rendering programs and SPECviewperf, having eight channels of memory doesn't make a difference to performance. As we discussed in our Threadripper Pro 3995WX review, the key market for these processors is the rendering market. For most of our rendering tests, we didn’t see that much difference between 8-channel and 2-channel, with the most notable being the Corona renderer. Similarly if we look at SPECviewperf, overall results are comparable – 8-channel is +1% higher in SPECviewperf overall. This would tend to agree with Lenovo’s line of reasoning, that certain customers are more concerned about memory capacity and performance, than filling up the memory channels.
However, if the workload is encoding (+34% gain) or science (+53%) gain, then that memory upgrade is crucial to the performance of this system.
The full run-down of the side-by-side tests can be found in our benchmark database.
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GeoffreyA - Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - link
"If all PCs were like this, the world would be a brighter place."Indeed, feel the same way too. Sheer excellence for once.
pattiobear - Tuesday, March 2, 2021 - link
More engineering and thoughtful design? Sure.Proprietary/nonstandardized parts and connections? Not as much.
willis936 - Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - link
That’s a nice looking machine and is fairly priced. My only concern is the use of small, high power fans for cooling. It makes sense in rack mounted situations, but this is a large workstation with lots of free space. They should stretch their legs with larger heatsinks or water cooling.Also, in the conclusion:
“ On to that, the system also has a PCIe bracket area that is both tool-less and easy two use”
Unless this is a pun I missed, this should be “to” not “two”.
DanNeely - Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - link
the case/CPU fans look like full size ones. And while the memory fans are only 40mm, the amount of airflow needed to cool the ram should be low enough that a quiet fan should be sufficient; no need for the eleventeen zillion RPM ones to push >100W each in 1U chassis. The 46db Ian measured at load fits with quiet fans not screamers; if the ram fans were driving the noise profile I would have expected him to say something because they'd have a very different sound than bigger fans do when speeding up.andychow - Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - link
If they are offering a 42% discount on a new system, you know they are screwing you over if you ever pay retail.This is an 8 channel memory system, comes base with 1 stick? They shipped it with 2 sticks? Rather strange marketing descision.
Spunjji - Wednesday, February 17, 2021 - link
"you know they are screwing you over if you ever pay retail"That's just it - nobody ever pays the quoted prices on these things. The question is whether you get the "discount" that's for everybody or the one that's for special customers.
stevielee - Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - link
Noticed that just behind the bars of Memory is a photo of Rick Astley from his early "Never Gonna Give You Up" days. Could there be a 'hidden' review meaning about this Lenovo Thinkstation P620? As in being "Rick Rolled" if you buy into the whole kahuna?WaltC - Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - link
Nice review, Ian...;) All I can say looking at those options is a person could do much better just starting with the motherboard and putting the system together himself with his own component choices! Reducing an 8-channel capability to dual channel ROOB is a big blooper--should at least be supplying 4 channels with 4x8GB, imo. The motherboard is PCIe4, isn't it? Odd to see the NVMe's restricted to PCIe3. Leaving a boatload of performance on the table, looks like.WaltC - Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - link
Meant to say 4x16GB...8GB, even 4-channeled, really isn't even a minimum...;)TomWomack - Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - link
I am a bit wary of the 'power supply can easily be replaced' line - it is a very custom power supply, if Lenovo stop making them you're screwed, and it's much more likely that Lenovo would stop making this specific thing than that ATX power supplies become unavailable.In my experience power supplies are very much the first thing to fail, which is why I'm concerned about this - I've taken to buying second-hand dual-PSU servers and keeping one PSU aside so that I have one spare per system.