So you have a Precision T3600, Huh? Why not use it as a gaming computer? The Precision T3600 is a single socket CPU DDR3 based Xeon workstation. The T3600 supports up to 64GB DDR3 1600Mhz Memory and 2 x Internal SATA Hard Drives. It is important to note that the Precision T3600 has 2 different power supply options, 425W and 635W. You’ll want to make sure your system has a 635W Power Supply before you get serious about gaming with it. Let us show you how you can build an effective Precision T3600 Gaming PC.
Where to buy?
If you haven’t already acquired a Precision T3600 we’d recommend checking out a company called PcSite. They sell the T3600’s cheap and they provide fast shipping . You can click on this link and it’ll bring you directly to there T3600 Page: Precision T3600 Link. You can also try to snag them cheap on Ebay. However, Ebay can be a bit of a gamble because you never know what you are going to get.
The goal is to purchase the T3600 with a good processor and memory already installed and then you can source the graphics cards, hard drives, and other optional components from other sources.
What Processor should I get?
High Clock speed cpu’s are the way to go.
Recommended Processors:
Xeon QC E5-1620 3.6Ghz 10MB Processor | 3.8 Max Turbo Frequency (SR0LC)
Xeon QC E5-2643 3.33Ghz 10MB 8GTs Processor | 3.5Ghz Max Turbo Frequency (SR0L7)
Xeon 6C E5-1650 3.2Ghz 12MB Processor | 3.8Ghz Max Turbo Frequency (SR0KZ)
Xeon 6C E5-2667 2.90Ghz 15MB 8GTs Processor | 3.5Ghz Max Turbo Frequency (SR0KP)
Xeon 8C E5-2687W 3.1Ghz 20MB 8GTs Processor | 3.8 Max Turbo Frequency (SR0KG)
How much Memory should I get?
The base line should be a minimum of 16GB of memory. However, 24GB to 32GB would be ideal.
Memory PNs:
4GB 2Rx8 ECC 12800R DDR3 Module
4GB 1Rx8 ECC 12800R PC3L DDR3 Module
8GB 2Rx4 ECC 12800R PC3L DDR3 Module
8GB 2Rx4 ECC 12800R DDR3 Module
8GB 1Rx4 ECC 12800R PC3L DDR3 Module
16GB 2Rx4 ECC 12800R DDR3 Module
16GB 2Rx4 ECC 12800R PC3L DDR3 Module
Recommended Memory configurations:
4 x 4GB PC12800R ECC Reg Modules (16GB)
6 x 4GB PC12800R ECC Reg Modules (24GB)
4 x 8GB PC12800R ECC Reg Modules (32GB)
6 x 8GB PC12800R ECC Reg Modules (48GB)
It’s very important to use 12800R modules because they will run at the max speed supported by the system board and processor.
What Hard Drive should I get?
Ideally you would want to have a Solid State Drive as your boot device as well an NVME.2 SSD to store your game libraries/large programs on. If you are limited on budget you could go with a small SSD for your boot device and a larger capacity 7.2K SATA drive to hold your larger files/programs/games.
Recommended SSD Drives:
Any SSD from 240GB up to 1TB
Recommended large Capacity SATA Drives:
1TB HDD to 4TB HDD
*NVME.2 Drives cannot be used as a boot device with this model workstation*
NVME.2 PCIe Adapter (You need this if you plan to install an NVME.2 Drive in to this system):
NVME.2 SSD Adapter
What Graphics Card should I get?
This is where it gets a little tricky. The precision T3600 supports a 425W or 635W Power Supply. Make sure your system has a 635W Power Supply before you upgrade your graphics card. We do not recommend running an SLI in the Precision T3600 because it does not have sufficient power to support it.
Recommended Graphics Cards:
NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB Graphics Card
NVIDIA GTX 1070 8GB Graphics Card
NVIDIA GTX 1070 TI 8GB Graphics Card
NVIDIA GTX 1080 8GB Graphics Card
What type of Monitor should I get?
Ideally it would be nice to get a monitor with a 144Hz or 244hz refresh rate or better monitor. However, it really depends on the games you play. If you play first person shooter games a 144hz or 240Hz or better monitor is a must. If you play other games that do not require quick response time then a 60hz monitor should work fine.
Recap:
Using the criteria above you can build a good, great, or even borderline spectacular gaming system using a Precision T3600 Workstation.
Sample Configuration:
Precision T3600 Workstation
Xeon QC E5-2643 3.3Ghz 10MB 8GTs
16GB PC12800R ECC Reg (4 x 4GB)
Samsung 256GB 6GBPS SSD + Seagate 2TB SATA 7.2K 6GBPS HDD
GTX1060 w/6GB Graphics Card
1 x 10/100/1000 Network Port
635W Power Supply
DVD-RW
10 Pro 64Bit
We have tested this system with games like Dota 2, CS Go, PubG, and The Division. The frames can range from 60FPS to 200FPS depending on the game and settings that you choose. The system was tested using a 144Hz 27″ Acer Monitor.
