3way SLI Folding Machine?

[Kenji the Uke]

folding at home doesn't require them to be sli'ed.

just plug them in without the sli bridge and it will use each one as a separate gpu... that way you will get 100 percent of every card

Th-that would work? Owo That would be prefered to have them all in one case, so That would be awesome.

[ThatOneRussian]

Very slightly. 3: Its an AIO, which could be upgraded to a custom one later, but i dont wanna stress it out too much before then.

that will stress the psu because its only barely above the power that the pc will use. Id get this https://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220p21200x1

you cant see the psu in the h440 anyway and the case is black 

[astranger200]

Th-that would work? Owo That would be prefered to have them all in one case, so That would be awesome.

yep, works fine...

a lot of the people on here even have several different gpus running in one pc.

@Whaler_99 can back me up

[Kenji the Uke]

that will stress the psu because its only barely above the power that the pc will use. Id get this https://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220p21200x1

you cant see the psu in the h440 anyway and the case is black 

Yeah, good point.. I hear its good to have quite a bit of room when it comes to that. Will it be enough or should I just jump right to a 1500w and have room for the watercooling after a while? I dont really know how much wattage a loop takes up.

[Kenji the Uke]

yep, works fine...

a lot of the people on here even have several different gpus running in one pc.

@Whaler_99 can back me up

So then.. I could make it 4way but instead, the 4th GPU could be like a 390x so I could do the projects on Boinc that are optimized for AMD?

[ThatOneRussian]

Yeah, good point.. I hear its good to have quite a bit of room when it comes to that. Will it be enough or should I just jump right to a 1500w and have room for the watercooling after a while? I dont really know how much wattage a loop takes up.

it would be worth it if youre spending that much money. maybe this https://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cp9020057na or this https://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-220t21600x1 but thats way over budget. the evga 1200watt p2 should be enough. the pump on a water loop doesnt use up that much wattage

[Kenji the Uke]

Hmm. 3: Alright. I'll go for the EVGA, since the Graphics cards are the same 3: Could look nice.

[ThatOneRussian]

Hmm. 3: Alright. I'll go for the EVGA, since the Graphics cards are the same 3: Could look nice.

I can see you doing this

[Kenji the Uke]

Thats actually the video that inspired this whole project.

[ThatOneRussian]

Thats actually the video that inspired this whole project.

good luck with that

[Kenji the Uke]

3: I'll need all the luck in the world.

[astranger200]

So then.. I could make it 4way but instead, the 4th GPU could be like a 390x so I could do the projects on Boinc that are optimized for AMD?

yep, so long as your power supply and mobo are fine

[Kenji the Uke]

3: They should be~ =w= This is becoming quite an epic build for making the world better.

[Imakuni]

Okay, first up: I didn't read the entire topic. Seemed like there as a lot of crap in there, so I just skipped it all.

 

Next, clarification: Folding / Boinc does NOT make use of crossfire / SLI in any way, shape or form. In fact, as far as I know, gaming is the only applicaiton that benefits from it, everything else just doesn't care.

 

Finnally, you need to decide on your priorities. Do you want a folding only machine? Do you want it mixed for Boinc / Boinc exclusive? And which Boinc projects are you talking about? I'm asking that because depending on the answer, we'd have to invest more / less on RAM and CPU, as well as change which GPUs we are going to use in the build.

 

I'll wait OP's reponse before moving further.

[Imakuni]

Btw, before I forget. Assuming you want mainly a folding only machine, you get this build (lacks the case, you can pick one you like) twice. Yup, that's right, you build 2 identical computers:

• It allows you to confortably put in 4 980ti, as well as letting them breath better due to 2 different cases.
• The CPU is almost irrelevant in a folding machine, it's all about the GPUs. With that said, I went for an i3 4130T simply because of the very low TDP.
• Mobo... well, at the current date, we are unsure if we need PCIe 8x or not for nvidia folding. It is believed that you'd be fine with 4x, but there's also some reports suggesting otherwise. So I went with an SLI mobo, just because of the 8x compatibility. Better be safe than sorry....
• That SSD was chosen for being one of the lowest power consumption SSDs out there; when running 24/7, every tiny bit helps. You could change it for the 850 EVO: it's a bit more expensive, but has a bigger warranty. Or, you could also pay 20$ extra and get the 250gb BX100, but that space is going to be completely useless for folding. But if you'd like to eventually use those PCs to store some games, hey, that's an option as well...
• Oh yeah, also, why no HD: it has higher power consumption, makes noise, and it's less reliable. Not to mention that whenever you need to restart the PC, SSD is just going to crush the thing in terms of speed. And ofc, you don't need space. Sure, you can add HDs for storing your files (movies, recordings, etc...), but that's more of an afterthought..
• PSU, Platinum, nuff said. You'll be good with the wattage, don't worry.
• For the RAM, you get this kit and split the stick between the 2 builds. Both capacity and speeds are irrelevant for the sake of folding, so this 2x4 kit should be all you need.
• Pick a pretty case! The build is all light blue / black, so you can get a windows panel, if you want. Or not, that's really your preference!

And remember, this is a FOLDING ONLY machine. If you also want to help with boinc, we'll have to tweak that. And I'll gladly do it, but I need more info (see post above) to do that.

[TheRandomness]

3: They should be~ =w= This is becoming quite an epic build for making the world better.

You seem to like that face. I like it too owo if you wanted two separate systems you could go with something like an Enthoo mini XL or whatever it's called to have dual systems in an atx mid tower :3

[Kenji the Uke]

Okay, first up: I didn't read the entire topic. Seemed like there as a lot of crap in there, so I just skipped it all.

 

Next, clarification: Folding / Boinc does NOT make use of crossfire / SLI in any way, shape or form. In fact, as far as I know, gaming is the only applicaiton that benefits from it, everything else just doesn't care.

 

Finnally, you need to decide on your priorities. Do you want a folding only machine? Do you want it mixed for Boinc / Boinc exclusive? And which Boinc projects are you talking about? I'm asking that because depending on the answer, we'd have to invest more / less on RAM and CPU, as well as change which GPUs we are going to use in the build.

 

I'll wait OP's reponse before moving further.

I honestly wanna be able to do both, depending on how I feel. Is there a way to optimize for both in one PC? Surely the more demanding one will also work for the lesser one?

[Kenji the Uke]

You see to like that face. I like it too owo if you wanted two separate systems you could go with something like an Enthoo mini XL or whatever it's called to have dual systems in an atx mid tower :3

.W.; I love to use faces. owo It adds somethin' to the sentences. I could do dat.. .w. I do enjoy that case alot..

[Imakuni]

I honestly wanna be able to do both, depending on how I feel. Is there a way to optimize for both in one PC? Surely the more demanding one will also work for the lesser one?

Well, it heavly depends on which Boinc projects you feel like helping.

 

For exemple, if you want to help WCG, a 5960x (or a multicore Xeon) is the way to go. However, if you were to help with Primegrid's CPU tasks, the memory bottleneck.would be so severe that you'd be forced to get a 4channel 3200mhz DDR4 kit (instead of a single stick 1x4 2133mhz cheapo RAM). In fact, it would be so bad that when running the 5960x, you'd have to run less tasks than the numbers of cores available, as it saturates the l3 cache and ram bandwidth....

 

Speaking of PrimeGrid, if you want to be part in the Genefer subproject, you want AMD cards, not Nvidia. Yup, that's right: from the recent Beta on the new apps that are aboiut to be released, an r9 280x with the current app is just as fast as a 980ti with the new app! And the r9 280x only eats a tiny bit of a CPU core, whereas a 980ti eats an entire one. Holly GFlops! For the Sieve subprojects, though, the 980ti is a lot better, though.

 

And those are just some examples as to how vast Boinc is. While it is possible to make an all around build, knowing the subprojects of your preference will help us make the most out of your hard earned cash.

[givingtnt]

@Kenji the Uke

what do you mean the Hale V2 isnt that great of a psu. Get this http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=220-P2-1200-X1

instead

its actually a beter idea to look a seasonic powersupplies. these are the real guys

[Kenji the Uke]

So then it would make sense to get a 4channel set of Ram, and as well as throwing in an AMD GPU? owo'

[Imakuni]

So then it would make sense to get a 4channel set of Ram, and as well as throwing in an AMD GPU? owo'

Well, given that you want an all around build, here's my suggestion. I devided to add in my personal touch and try making it look pretty, which can be seen by the yellow accents on the 980ti and the RAM "matching" with the orange Fury and the orange accents on the mobo.

If you would prefer, you can also change the mobo to MSI's all black, or the black & yellow M9. Or we could scrap it all and go full red, that's an option too. Perhaps even go full rainbow "functionality above looks"!

You are the boss, tell us what you want, and we'll do our best to please you!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5960X 3.0GHz 8-Core Processor ($999.99 @ SuperBiiz)

CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 106.1 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($119.99 @ B&H)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-UD3P (rev. 1.0) ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($173.99 @ Newegg)

Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($174.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: Crucial BX100 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($61.99 @ Amazon)

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($706.98 @ Newegg)

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($706.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 1000W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($158.99 @ NCIX US)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 OEM (64-bit) ($86.89 @ OutletPC)

Other: Sapphire R9 Fury Tri-X ($555.00)

Total: $3745.79

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-08 13:20 EDT-0400

[Egad]

I would vote against the water cooler on a 24/7 rig.  The integrated pumps don't always see the lifespan that a separate pump gets.  

 

I'd look at a larger heat sink where the fan won't have to run as much or else something like a fanless heat sink and then just arrange it so a separate case mounted exhaust or top fan pulls air over it.  The AOI pumps are generally speaking configured to run at a constant rate, with some room to speed up if needed, so you're always chipping away at their remaining life.  Whereas fans can be turned off, running at lower speeds, etc.  

A nice full loop would also be a option if silence is important.  Adds price and the issue of loop maintenance, but the the stand alone pumps seem to have more life in them.  

[TheRandomness]

I would vote against the water cooler on a 24/7 rig.  The integrated pumps don't always see the lifespan that a separate pump gets.  

 

I'd look at a larger heat sink where the fan won't have to run as much or else something like a fanless heat sink and then just arrange it so a separate case mounted exhaust or top fan pulls air over it.  The AOI pumps are generally speaking configured to run at a constant rate, with some room to speed up if needed, so you're always chipping away at their remaining life.  Whereas fans can be turned off, running at lower speeds, etc.  

A nice full loop would also be a option if silence is important.  Adds price and the issue of loop maintenance, but the the stand alone pumps seem to have more life in them.  

He could go with a NH-D15 instead of an AIO, apparently they're comparable to some 120mm AIOs.

[Kenji the Uke]

Hm.. I could go with a tower cooler 3: That is very much an option.. I love what you put with the PCP list, I just might use that actually.