Powerful graphics build required

MiksZvirbulis · July 24, 2015

Hi!

I work with custom built computers and surprisingly, a new request came today with a (ultra)high-end specification, which I would appreciate some help with.

Right, to start of, there is no budget specified and no limit on the price, however... I do not want ( need ) the specification to have more than what I have planned. This list is as follows:

- 32GB ( 4 x 8GB ) of DDR4 RAM ( Stock speed )

- Intel I7-5820K ( Stock speed ) ( I do not think that a higher processor is required due to the usage planned for this build - see below )

Now, the user is a professional gambler. He has multiple ( 8+ ) monitors running different streams of sports and other entertainment that you can gamble for. There can be no delays as we know that gambling is all about timing ( and luck? ). Therefore, the graphics has to be high and without stutter ( Do not tell me, everything is possible! ). At the moment, the user is running 4 way NVIDIA GTX 580, Intel I7-5820k and running the machine with the PC case's side panel removed ( due to the cramped up cards with no space in-between ). The user looks for advance in cuda cores, so of course - cuda supported graphics cards are required. Side story - user has tried replacing the 4 way set-up with a SINGLE GTX 980 Ti and has seen a 50% increase in the performance. However, he thinks that the cuda's can be programmed to give even better performance and essentially - 4 way GTX 980 Ti with increasing the available cuda cores.

To continue my requirements - 4 way GTX 980 Ti's and the specification above. What I would like to found out?

- What advantage would the user have by having a 4 way GPU set-up in regards to the usage of cuda cores ( multiplied? ). (2816 cuda cores per GPU - ref: NVIDIA.COM)

- What motherboard would best suit a 4 way set-up without braking the front panel cables on the bottom of the motherboard ( 4 < ? - PCI-E Slots? ) AND allow having more space between the graphics cards for efficient cooling?

- What case would best suit this 4 way set-up? More specifically, best for cooling the cards ( no bloody window! ).

- Would Tesla / Quadro series be a sufficient option ( running a single card )? ( I have no understanding of Tesla series, please bare with my knowledge )

As I do not understand a lot about cuda cores and how they benefit the user for this usage - I would appreciate some help from the community. Nothing overkill like the upcoming video with the 4 way set-up ( came out today on Vessel ). I am looking for something that will allow the user to specifically use hardware for the use of his needs. Of course, avoiding bottlenecks.

This is based in the United Kingdom, I would find the best place to look for hardware here: http://scan.co.uk

Any help would be appreciated and apologies in advance if I have not mentioned something that I should have, I am a new member yet a big fan and a regular viewer.

For more efficient and quicker communication, Skype me here: miksrolands

Many thanks.

Misanthrope · July 24, 2015

Well I'm no expert on this but AFAIK, Cuda applications don't really run into scaling issues so you can use 4 cards and get 4x performance. Not sure how this applies to live video fees for gambling exactly but well there's that. Doesn't needs like he needs double precision or error correction memory though so the quadros are mighthaps overkill.

Other than that I'd normally suggest water for that many cards but seeing how this needs to be extremely reliable maybe just really nice but really loud fans for air cooling. But if you think you can get water blocks on the GPU and a really reliable water pump then water will be better.

Case should be something like that Corsair behemoth or maybe a large caselabs one specially if you're doing air for cooling and not water.

JustChilliing · July 24, 2015

For 4 cards in SLI, the only way I think you can get them all cooled well is to smack some extremely high RPM fans forcing air between them, or getting a water cooled version/water cool it yourself. Liquid will run the cards cooler, and the water blocks reduce the footprint - but it's more to go wrong and it's not a simply fix if it does. I'm not sure any motherboards currently allow ANY space between cards - not even X99 boards, or upcoming Z170 boards, especially with reference coolers.

If your client doesn't care about the sound the thing makes, you could put some nasty fans in to make some warp-speed airflow, 3000+ RPM fans make hell of a sound but move air no problem. I think OC3D on youtube had 4-way SLI with a 3000RPM fan forcing air between cards. It is VERY loud, mounted on a flexible stand lying on the sides of the cards on a open test bench. His room would get very hot.

Graphically, as you probably know, you'll meet diminishing returns when you reach the third card, let alone the fourth. I have no idea what running 8+ screens at once is like, but I imagine 4 980 Ti's will manage. You've got a 4.8x in Cuda over the 580, per card!

I'm afraid I don't know what Tesla cards are used for, and I've seen Quaddro cards used for high-calculation number crunching, CAD and so forth. Tesla look extremely powerful, but I don't know what good they'd be for your purpose!

DarkBlade2117 · July 24, 2015

I think some reference design cards would help since they'd be blowing heat out of the case.

skylane · July 24, 2015

What is your client using CUDA for? I don't know of a single gambling platform that allows for API client-end programming. What performance benchmark was he seeing a 50% increase? How did he connect 8+ monitors with a single GTX 980ti? What is the resolution of his 8+ screens? What is his IP connection type and speed?

Telsa has no video output thus would not work with the application you have in mind.