What motherboard for a GPU setup?

[vlado]

Just out of interest, what was your demo setup? Motherboard and CPU?
(It might be just more simple to stick with 4GPUs per board and new hardware.)

I will check, but I'm not too happy with it - the machine is somewhat unstable with the occasional blue screens. I'm not sure if it's the drivers, or overheating, or the motherboard.

Best regards,
Vlado

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

I will check, but I'm not too happy with it - the machine is somewhat unstable with the occasional blue screens. I'm not sure if it's the drivers, or overheating, or the motherboard.

Best regards,
Vlado

With 4 GPUS u need 1.5-2k PSU supply. Maybe its PSU ?

[vlado]

It's 1500 W, should be enough...

Best regards,
Vlado

[3LP]

Hey there,

We are thinking of purchasing this config next week :



Total of $3K

If it handle it well and we can use it heavily, we're going to buy other ones for sure.

It's basically for gpu render so I know we don't need 32Gb of ram but it would be used as normal render-node at night/animations. (if we don't render final anims with GPUs )

I think it's better to go with that type of config in staid of a SR-2 or a SR-x (with old cpus and 7 gpu). It's more multi functional.

Vlado, I will post some benchmark details about gpu render on PCI 8x as soon as I can, I hope going on 8x pci doesn't affect too much the performances...


What do you think about this config guys?

Thanks

Stan

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

Heya

nice rig.

Regarding few parts

Ram is 1333mghz, for that price u should be able to easily buy 1600.

CPU is 4 core LOCKED intel, So you might as well go with cheaper socket 1155 (or something like that I cant remember it ) and I7 3700k(? cant remember exact number) Or go get i7 3930K so that u can OC/have 6 cores use it better.

Graphic cards.... well its up to you but I suggest EVGA as they have the best warranties, customer service, and u can extend warranty to 7 years if I'm not wrong for not too much extra ££. Also it will allow you to directly swap ur card for newer model once they are released under certain conditions.

Cpu Cooler... I have H80i.... I would recommend this one, it is a bit dodgy so be warn...

As to motherboard... did u find any reviews of people running that type of config?

Thanks, bye.

[3LP]

Hey Dadal,

Thanks for your reply!

Well, do you think the ram speed does a lot? I know quicker is better, but did your experience a big difference in render speed or loading scene when ram is faster? This was actually a question I was asking myself for a long time now Anyway, I updated my cart with 1600, thanks for the tip!

For the cpu, you're right, it's a locked cpu, and maybe the 3930k OC would be better. I have have the exact same config at home, OC at 4Ghtz with a H80 like you said, funny isn't? I found that it still created a lot of heat. We are designing those node primarily for the GPUs, and I think those 4 GPUs will already create a lot of heat, no?
That's why I wanted to stay cool for the cpu, play safe, have it clocked normally, have a "low end" but still water-cooled cooling system so the heat is moved directly externally.

Unfortunatly, for the GPUs, we are bounded with a company where we are having nice prices for the hardware, and they don't sell EVGA components. I wanted to go for EVGA as well :-/

For the motherboard, well, I haven't seen a lot of people using that gigabyte one, but the constructor claims that the motherboard is 4 way sli ready, don't you think?


http://www.gigabyte.com.au/products/...px?pid=4288#ov


Thanks for your advices!

Stan

[Alan Iglesias]

I'm with Dadal regarding using EVGA boards. I've own a number of different ones now and the EVGA boards have performed best, and were the most reliable so far.

-Alan

Oops...just saw your post re the fact that you cannot buy EVGA, Stan...please disregard...

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

Heya

Regarding motherboard, not sure. Unless it state it can run 4x 16pcie slot I dont trust it. Have u thought of PCIE v3.0 ?

Regarding heat... I have 4gb evga classified. It is a lot WIDER than standard GPU (very unusuall) but it goes at max to 60c or so and I never can hear it so its very silent and quiet. Not sure if all gtx 680 run this way.

Regarding GPU did I mention to w8 for titanium/7xx series as they apparently are 1.5-2.2 x faster than gtx 680? (one of 7xx = 0.9 of gtx 690 or so)

[3LP]

For the motherboard, I had a look at all the asus and all the asrock as well, and actually, if you put one or 2 GPUs the pci are at 16x. Whatever motherboard (even the X79 Extreme11 at $650), if you put more than 2 GPUs, most of the GPUs will run at 8x. It's a chipset limitation the LGA 2011 has "only 40 PCI lanes, so it's not possible to have 4*16 pci lanes, no matter what motherboard. Well, that's what I understood anyway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_2011

For the titanium/7xx, how long do we have to wait for those one? If it's more than a moth or 2, it will be the second node who will be done with those then
Are they planning to release more than 4Gb gpus? in that case I would maybe think twice.

We are based in Sydney, I just tried to find some other suppliers, and the 680 4Gb can not be found for less than $800. Components are really expensive here, so I think I will stick with the 680 4Gb from gigabyte that I've got for $480, and cross fingers :-p

Thanks for your advices guys!

Stan

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

I hear that the 7xx series is 6gb stock size. I also hear that they will be limited so there will be no 3rd party memory double(like evga classified) but if that's wrong then there might be 12gb gtx...

[alexyork]

I hear that the 7xx series is 6gb stock size. I also hear that they will be limited so there will be no 3rd party memory double(like evga classified) but if that's wrong then there might be 12gb gtx...

There's no way of knowing yet if this will be the case, but I would be VERY surprised if this will happen. Nvidia already took quite a gamble releasing a GeForce (consumer-grade) card with 6GB RAM, which will likely kill off the bottom-mid end Quadros among individual freelancers and small studios. I was surprised they did this at all!