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Best PPD/$ ratio

N

nitrobass24

[H]ard|DCer of the Month - December 2009
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Ok So i have been folding on my cpus and what not but I want to get into GPU folding.

Couple of questions:
1. If I get a 9800GX2 will the prog scale across both cores? I read somewhere that you cannot use sli with the folding prog, and I know this board uses sli just on the PCB.

2. I was thinking about making a rack mount folding box with 4 gpu's in it...particularly 4x 9800gx2's but then someone said...
1) With 4x 9800gx2, you'll want to run 8 gpu2 clients (since each card has 2 GPU)
2) Price performance-wise, an 8800gs/9600gs with shaders overclocked to 1728mhz will yield about 5000 ppd, and you can get those cards for $50 (refurbed from ebay evga store) or for $50 after rebate from Tigerdirect right now. I think each core of the 9800gx2 will do about 6000ppd, but gx2 costs $300 (or $150 per core, 20% more ppd for 3x the money!). Better bang for the buck with 8800gs/9600gso, even if you have to buy two motherboards.
3) It may also cost less to have two computers with 4 gpus in each, since a 600-750w PSU can handle that. It will be more expensive to put 4x9800gx2 in one box given the PSU requriements of that setup.

So with 4x9800gx2 ==> about 50,000 ppd, $1200 on GPUs
With 8x8800gs ==> about 40,000 ppd, $400 on GPUs + extra PSU/CPU/Motherboard, which ain't gonna cost $800.
Click to expand...

Now before I build my folding box(es) I want to get a better understanding of gpu folding and multi gpu folding so I am going to start on my Workstation with just one or two GPU's

Should I get some 8800gs/9600gso and OC them or should I grab a 9800GX2?
 
9600GSO are great if you have plenty of PCIe slots and want to go budget.

9800GX2 are great if you only have so many PCIe slots and you want to keep the boxen count down.

I upgraded the wife, HTPC, and the neighbors computer (computer also supplied by me) to a 8800GS/9600GS0.

Then I built the Origami Master (my 3 9800GX2 boxen)

 
nitrobass24 said:
1. If I get a 9800GX2 will the prog scale across both cores? I read somewhere that you cannot use sli with the folding prog, and I know this board uses sli just on the PCB.
Click to expand...

You can disable SLI with the GX2 and run one instance of the GPU client on each of the cores.
 
Kendrack has come good advice.

The choice you make needs to be based on your own circumstances. For the most flexibility consider a motherboard like the MSI K9A2, it gives you 4 slots. Given the current possible evolution of protein complexity I personally decided to go on the low end and go with 9600GSOs as my GPU of choice.
 
First of all your info is misleading.

gx2 core 1 PPD = 4700-5000 (stock clock of course). So that'd be on par with a 88GS stock aswell.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GX2 box:
CPU: some dual core - $50
Ram: 1gb - $20
mobo: MSI K9A2 - $130
VGA: 4x 9800gx2 - $800
PSU: your choice - $200
TOTAL:$1200
PPD: 40k
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
88GS box:
CPU: some dual core - $50
Ram: 1gb - $20
mobo: MSI K9A2 - $130
VGA: 4x 8800GS - $200
PSU: $60
TOTAL:$460
PPD: 20k
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once you multiply twice the cost of the GS system, it's clear that you'll get better bang for buck there. HOWEVER - If I added the cost of HDD + case, the GS box would need two of everything, hence bringing the cost closer. You should have your own cheap/small HDDs anyway, and running case less:D

ROC
 
Ok well then in that case I'm going to go budget.

Should I get some 9600gso or some 8800gs? What are the differences as far as Folding is concerned....I dont Game
 
I would honestly like to get a 9800GX2 or two and I probably will in the near future :confused:. The main thing holding me back (besides money :rolleyes:) is a capable PSU and a top of the line multi PCIe slot mobo:(. I have three budget cards ATM, a PNY 8800GT (NewEgg special and a heat monster), a eVGA 8800GS (NewEgg special) and a eVGA "double slot" 9600GSO (Ebay special, huge, but "cool city") The 9600GS runs on a Zippy EMACS 600w PSU and the 8800GT runs on a TT 430w PSU and the 9600GSO runs on a "el cheapo" 650w PSU (another Ebay special). Yeah, I know better than using a "el cheapo" PSU, but it was advertized having a single +12v 28a rail. (these are PSU's I already had, so they fit right in with my limited budget ;) I get about 12000PpD's, which is cool with me. :D

I would like to get a PSU like the 750 Seasonic or a 700w OCZ Gamestream or any 700w or better "top of the line" PSU, but I haven't got the funds right now :(

For the immediate future if you haven't got a suitable PSU (those GX2's are too expenive to fry without having an adequate PSU) I'd just go with a couple of 8800GS's, a couple of "single slot" 9600GSO' or if you've got good cooling, a couple of the dreaded 8800GT's (only kiddin, PNY makes a beautiful kooking card) :D

The above is only my hundred and 42 cents worth of inflated USD money (about $0.02 cents worth in gold backed currency)

Folding and WCGing for the CURE

 
Raz1r said:
Hey do you guys think a K9A2 with 4 9600GSOs is a viable folding platform?

I've been wanting to put together a foldboxen but I want to get something with a good upgradeability and cost-effectiveness.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is a very viable platform. Good for around 20k PPD. This board has also been confirmed to support 4 9800GX2s.
 
Just as a curiosity, how will the new Quadro FX 5800 perform? Its only 3.5 grand.
 
Raz1r said:
What kind of CPU should I match with it? I was thinking a 45w Brisbane core, how much RAM do I need?

And how many watts would 4 GSOs draw?
Click to expand...

4 GPU clients or less = single core
5 or more = dual core

1gb Ram is enugh

4 GS0 draws 400watt
 
brycejones said:
About the same as a 280GTX. It is the same basic GPU only more memory and different drivers.
Click to expand...

The difference between the two is the Quadro is super fast at drawing 3d / 3d + time models, but it sucks at shading. Does folding require shading, or something else the Quadro does not provide?
 
Get more than 1gb. DDR2-800 is plenty of speed and 4gb is like $40 nowadays.

I agree with the 9600GSO/8800GS system. I paid twice as much for a 8800GT than my 9600GSO for an extra 500-600 PPD....not worth the extra cost.

I still don't think GPU2 can fully utilize all of the shaders on the higher end cards. 96 shaders can do 5k PPD easy but 240 does not do 2.5x more PPD.
 
mmonnin said:
I still don't think GPU2 can fully utilize all of the shaders on the higher end cards. 96 shaders can do 5k PPD easy but 240 does not do 2.5x more PPD.
Click to expand...

With the small protiens we are folding now, that is correct.
When the bigger protiens get re-released then the more shaders you have, the less the card will slow down.

Luck ........... :D
 
Would 4670s be a terrible investment? Say I have an extra 4x pci-e slot.. 4670 can be powered from just the slot.
 
I only wish the ATI client didn't consume so much CPU compared to the NVIDIA client. :(

 
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