Looking for good server chassis for portable setup

[br3n4]

Hey yall,

 

I run a music event production company and I current run my lights and LED wall using a M1 MacBook. I have noticed some performance issues when running multiple programs at the same time and I am considering building a server to run both the lights and the LED screens. Some things I considered:

 

* A new MacBook might be good enough but I there are more benefits to running a Nvidia gaming GPU that I would like to take advantage of

* The mac has held up well in the dust and weather and I would like the server to work under these conditions as well

* I am already building a server rack for some of the LED hardware and speaker amps so I will already be carrying some rack mount hardware

* I am not really sure what I will do for a monitor but I don't think it will be too much trouble to move them around and setup

 

So is it crazy to build a server for this? If not what are some recommended server chassis that can fit 1 or 2 NVidia GPUs?

[joshfrog]

If you are looking for a small device you could use a Mac Studio and an external display or just use remote desktop applications to connect to the Mac Studio.

 

Or you could look for an Intel NUC Extreme i have 2 i use for game servers and other things but again would need a display.

 

[manikyath]

2 hours ago, br3n4 said:

the dust and weather

do you think this description warrants going with something fanless? there's industrial PC's that manage to squeeze a lot of performance out of fanless cooling because dusty industrial environments, but they come with a suitable pricetag as well.

 

otherwise, go with something rackmount that fits with the presumably rackmount rest of the lighting hardware.

[br3n4]

14 hours ago, manikyath said:

do you think this description warrants going with something fanless? there's industrial PC's that manage to squeeze a lot of performance out of fanless cooling because dusty industrial environments, but they come with a suitable pricetag as well.

 

otherwise, go with something rackmount that fits with the presumably rackmount rest of the lighting hardware.

I dont think there are any ways to get around fans. There are some features of the Nvidia GPUs that I want to use and pretty much all their GPUs have fans.

[br3n4]

14 hours ago, joshfrog said:

If you are looking for a small device you could use a Mac Studio and an external display or just use remote desktop applications to connect to the Mac Studio.

 

Or you could look for an Intel NUC Extreme i have 2 i use for game servers and other things but again would need a display.

 

Oh using a Mac Studio might be a good idea. I will have to look at the GPU performance for the apps I run. I still think I will be better off with 1 or 2 Nvidia GPUs plus there are features that I want to use that are only supported by Nvidia. 

[br3n4]

I ended up going with the istarusa D-200 its got a dust filter and will support a 2 slot GPU.