Dell PowerEdge R710 for video rendering?

[Obi-Wahn]

Hi!

So I'm starting with a video project for my diploma which would contain C4D, Premiere Pro and CAD renders.

I've got an older PC which I game with and can render all of these but then my system is pretty much locked up.

I also checked for a new (near) state of the art system, but pricing foiled my plan. The system I've calculated would be around 3000 EUR (I'm from central europe btw).

 

So I thought about an older, used server, dual xeons for cheap where I'd stab if possible like a 980ti or 1050 in it.

 

I found a lead for a DELL PowerEdge R710 which would have 2 x Intel XEON X5675 @ 3.07 GHz 6 Core, 48 Gb RAM ECC 800 MHz, redundant PSU and fans for about 300 Euro.

 

Since I haven't layed hands on a server ever before (closest encounter was to see them through tempred glass ) I'd like to get some input about my idea.

 

In perspective, my current system would render a simple cut 1080p video from a 1080p source in about 35 - 40 minutes. Thats a 22 minute video.

Time isn't that critical for me, but It'd definitely help if this system I've found would be as fast if not faster (hope dies last) as my main rig.

 

Another kind of monkey wrench would be that this would - as I would guess from the picture - a 2U blade. I don't have a server rack, so I'd have to run it without if I couldn't stab it into a random pc tower case.

 

I'd appreciate any input or recommodations.

My budget would be about 650 - 700 EUR (Server and GPU)

[Crunchy Dragon]

That would probably work. You don't technically need a server cabinet to run a server PC, you could just throw it on a desk or something. I'd go for it.

[ihatemufflers88]

Although you could just plop it on a desk or something, you will have a hell of a time getting a GPU in there. I would recommend, looking for a Poweredge T410/T610/T710 as you will be able to much easier get a GPU in there, and it is already a tower, with the same CPU support. I've been dealing w/ 11th gen dell servers for awhile and am currently running two T410s in my house.

Feel free to PM if you have other questions. 

[leadeater]

If you're GPU rendering have a look at single socket newer servers that use LGA2011, they use less power and would actually give you faster render times if you got something like an E5-2667 ir E5-2687W.

[Jarsky]

an i7 3770K OC'd will render just as fast as 2 X56xx CPU's. Let alone a 4790K or newer. Theres also E5-2670's (8C/16T) CPU's for a really good price which will smash all of them if you can find a decent price LGA2011 board. 

[NelizMastr]

With the current 2011 board prices, getting a decommissioned server would be cheaper. The E5v1 chips and compatible servers are now being phased out by companies that have a faster lifecycle policy, so supply will rise and is rising.

[Pittu2752]

On 11/27/2017 at 3:12 AM, ihatemufflers88 said:

Although you could just plop it on a desk or something, you will have a hell of a time getting a GPU in there. I would recommend, looking for a Poweredge T410/T610/T710 as you will be able to much easier get a GPU in there, and it is already a tower, with the same CPU support. I've been dealing w/ 11th gen dell servers for awhile and am currently running two T410s in my house.

Feel free to PM if you have other questions. 

Hey, I know it’s an old discussion. I saw that you said to put a gpu inside a T710... I got some questions:

1- how did you mount it? The fans would be spitting air against the case normally, did you mount the gpu vertically?

2- how did you manage to power the gpu, since there are no cables to use inside the T710?