# Threads vs Clock speed for transcoding **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2017, 1:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/threads-vs-clock-speed-for-transcoding/202158 "2017-08-11T13:32:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wobblewoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/53a042/32.png) [@wobblewoo](https://forums.plex.tv/u/wobblewoo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 1:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/threads-vs-clock-speed-for-transcoding/202158/1 "2017-08-11T13:32:51Z")
So whats better for a Plex server, more threads or higher clock speed? A Xeon E5-2650 v3 @2.1Ghz 10 core/20 threads. Average CPU benchmark of 14951, single thread 1691 or An i7-7800X @3.5Ghz 6 core/12 threads. Average CPU benchmark of 14586 (so similar), single thread 2228 Might be worth mentioning that the Xeon is currently £140 vs £380 for the i7. The Xeon has 25Mb cache vs 8.25 on the i7 - not sure what effect that has. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 1:45pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/threads-vs-clock-speed-for-transcoding/202158/2 "2017-08-11T13:45:41Z")
You should be OK with either one, unless you demand transcoding of 4K HEVC videos from it. Both are above the critical single thread rating of 1350 points, which is required in the worst case of ‘BluRay rip with VC-1 video and PGS subtitles’. How the cpu will be performing when you feed them HEVC video? There is still not enough experience collected for that. My advice: avoid HEVC unless you have clients which can ‘Direct Play’ that. ---
**Author:** ![wobblewoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/53a042/32.png) [@wobblewoo](https://forums.plex.tv/u/wobblewoo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 2:00pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/threads-vs-clock-speed-for-transcoding/202158/3 "2017-08-11T14:00:19Z")
You can pick up alot of second hand Xeon chips that were 1000 dollar chips at one point. They are server grade so pretty hardy and the motherboards, typically 2011v3 have alot of extras. Does anyone have any real world experience? ---
**Author:** ![Cabel330](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@Cabel330](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Cabel330)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/threads-vs-clock-speed-for-transcoding/202158/4 "2017-08-11T14:04:42Z")
If you have a higher clock Speed does the movie start faster? ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/threads-vs-clock-speed-for-transcoding/202158/5 "2017-08-11T14:34:07Z")
> @wobblewoo said: > You can pick up alot of second hand Xeon chips that were 1000 dollar chips at one point. They are server grade so pretty hardy and the motherboards, typically 2011v3 have alot of extras. Look up those CPUs on [https://www.cpubenchmark.net/](https://www.cpubenchmark.net/) and avoid those with a ‘single thread rating’ below of 1350 points. Older Xeons perform magnificently as web or database servers, but sometimes not so magnificently as Plex transcoders. There are quite some threads on this very forum from people who thought they bought something good, only to be told that these CPUs are not so optimal for Plex. Do also take a look at the power draw of those old machines and their noise emissions. In a data center, noise is not an issue - but in your home or office… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/threads-vs-clock-speed-for-transcoding/202158/6 "2020-01-07T23:39:04Z")