Will a Graphics Card Improve the compute performance of my Server/Workstation

[Captain Kalabraxo]

Hello,

 

I am in the process of researching and ordering the Hardware for a Game Hosting server workstation build for the many servers I will be running and the videos , coding and photo-shopping I will be doing. Upon looking at the hardware I want to buy I forgot that I needed to buy a graphics card but then stopped myself for a second and started to think about if I will need a GPU in my system. Will I need a GPU in my Game Hosting/Workstation build? If I don't need one would it be a good component to have and which one should I get if I do need one? 

[WoodenMarker]

A graphics card can help if you're doing more than just simple edits in Photoshop. 

[manikyath]

this is a tough decision, because a graphics card will prove to be useful for more advanced editing, but the question is "is it worth to buy a GPU over getting better CPU/RAM?"

 

maybe go for a lower end GPU, and push most of the cost of your system towards a very solid CPU, and plenty of RAM and storage.

 

EDIT: also look into virtualization, because it might be worth it virtualizing your workloads here.

[Captain Kalabraxo]

this is a tough decision, because a graphics card will prove to be useful for more advanced editing, but the question is "is it worth to buy a GPU over getting better CPU/RAM?"

 

maybe go for a lower end GPU, and push most of the cost of your system towards a very solid CPU, and plenty of RAM and storage.

 

EDIT: also look into virtualization, because it might be worth it virtualizing your workloads here.

I was asking myself the same question, this I went with my dad to his job and they gave me a Duel Sock LGA 1366 Mobo capable of allowing 96GB of DDR3 1333Mhz, then they have my 2 X5660 Xeon 6 core 12 thread 2.8 GHz Cpus as well as 16 4x4 GB of ECC Registered DDR3 1333Mhz, old gear but hell it will run fast!

[manikyath]

I was asking myself the same question, this I went with my dad to his job and they gave me a Duel Sock LGA 1366 Mobo capable of allowing 96GB of DDR3 1333Mhz, then they have my 2 X5660 Xeon 6 core 12 thread 2.8 GHz Cpus as well as 16 4x4 GB of ECC Registered DDR3 1333Mhz, old gear but hell it will run fast!

my dad's job only gets me pentium 4's with clogged heatsinks -.- (not jelly at all, i swear)

/s

if you already have that hardware, it may be a good start, as buying something new in that range... is gonna cost a few...

 

i'm actually thinking if a 750Ti would be a good pick for a GPU, its a semi decent card, at one hell of a bargain.

i -personally- prefer nvidia over AMD for power users, because they seem to have a tad more advanced features.

 

i'm also doubting if your workload would warrant the cost of a higher end gpu. (i'm leaving the professional cards out of question for now, but that may be an option too)

[Captain Kalabraxo]

my dad's job only gets me pentium 4's with clogged heatsinks -.- (not jelly at all, i swear)

/s

if you already have that hardware, it may be a good start, as buying something new in that range... is gonna cost a few...

 

i'm actually thinking if a 750Ti would be a good pick for a GPU, its a semi decent card, at one hell of a bargain.

i -personally- prefer nvidia over AMD for power users, because they seem to have a tad more advanced features.

 

i'm also doubting if your workload would warrant the cost of a higher end gpu. (i'm leaving the professional cards out of question for now, but that may be an option too)

 

You and me both, AMD Cards are alright but Nvidia just has more advanced and useful features. I was thinking about seeing if I could "Borrow a Nvidia Quadro K2000 2GB GDDR5" but originally I thought getting a 960 or 760/770 but 750ti may be a wise choice. Do any of you Techy's know if the 750ti is good for rendering 1080P videos? or even 750P?

[manikyath]

You and me both, AMD Cards are alright but Nvidia just has more advanced and useful features. I was thinking about seeing if I could "Borrow a Nvidia Quadro K2000 2GB GDDR5" but originally I thought getting a 960 or 760/770 but 750ti may be a wise choice. Do any of you Techy's know if the 750ti is good for rendering 1080P videos? or even 750P?

the thing about rendering is: you can do it on whatever hardware you want, and the more you pay, the faster the rendering will go.

 

one of my "relics" is an amd athlon 64 (single core) with 1GB DDR1, and it's been used for rendering until about a year or 2 ago, there never were complaints.

(other than things going painfully slow)

[Captain Kalabraxo]

the thing about rendering is: you can do it on whatever hardware you want, and the more you pay, the faster the rendering will go.

 

one of my "relics" is an amd athlon 64 (single core) with 1GB DDR1, and it's been used for rendering until about a year or 2 ago, there never were complaints.

(other than things going painfully slow)

 

Painfully slow won't cut to, I need it to be rendered in under 5-6 hours.

[EllieThePurpleFuzzy]

Wouldn't something like an Nvidia tesla card prove to be very good for compute performance?.

[manikyath]

Painfully slow won't cut to, I need it to be rendered in under 5-6 hours.

i cant really give you exact performance numbers here tho, i'm not very deep into rendering, and it all depends on so many factors that its pretty hard to figure out.

[Captain Kalabraxo]

Wouldn't something like an Nvidia tesla card prove to be very good for compute performance?.

 

So do you think me getting a Tesdla or Quadro would be a good idea?

[WoodenMarker]

So do you think me getting a Tesdla or Quadro would be a good idea?

Unless you need 10-bit color, no.