Research Computer

[kimjo625]

1) What will you be doing with this PC?
Mostly independent computer science research. (5% for gaming, perhaps)

2) What's your budget?
$7500~$10000 (only if there is a good reason to over-extend to $10000)

3) Where do you live?
New York City

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget?
# Motherboard
# EVGA GTX 580 x 4 (3072MB memory, $580 each)
# CPU
# RAM sticks
# PSU
# Case - [$510] - http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/1159/picture13krw.png
# Monitor x3 (As mentioned below)
# SSD
# Liquid Cooling System (Yes, I'm up for the hassle that it will bring. GPU & CPU waterblocks / radiators / tubings)

Here is the deal:
I need as much RAM space as possible. (Favorably 96GB or more. Believe me I will need it.)
I've been looking into server motherboards because they support 12~24 RAM slots.
There are few 8GB DDR3 (for servers, single-stick, registered, ECC (which I don't need)) sold at $175 a stick, which I'm willing to pay for. But the problem is: there are no server motherboards that support Quad-SLI that I'll need for massive calculations for a long time. (I'll be programming in CUDA.)

Then, I found this (EVGA Classified-SR2):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188070&Tpk=evga motherboard
(Thus the $500 MountainMod case mentioned above.)
Everything is perfect in this board; 12 RAM slots, 2 CPU slots, 7 PCI2.0 slots, etc.
Except the [Maximum Memory Supported], which was only 48GB.

So I'm basically stuck:
I don't want to sacrifice the 6-TFLOPS that can be generated by Quad-SLI, but I also want to avoid having only 48GB Memory.

[Revision: I found out that it is indeed possible to achieve 96GB Memory with SR2 but MHz is limited to 1333 or 1066MHz
http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?&m=355031&high=sr-2+full+dimm&mpage=1
in fact, I've also found that you can even do 196GB with 16GB single-sticks (1066MHz)]

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing?
No reusing.

6) Will you be overclocking?
Overclocking is certainly a good option since I will be using liquid cooling system.

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
# 24" LED Monitor x2 or x3 - [$500 - $750]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0&cm_re=24_led_monitor-_-24-001-440-_-Product

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Around 2011 Q3/Q4

9) What features do you need in a motherboard?
As mentioned.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license?
I'll use Linux. (with Windows 7 booting option; I'm a student, I can get academically-funded Windows 7)


Thanks a bunch for reading through.
Now, I'd appreciate some master-status responses, lol.


p.s.: I've found a similar build, and I'm liking it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWZHfizkctM
.
.
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[tonytnnt]

I didn't see that you were planning on building this until Q3/Q4 until after I was done. Why are you posting now? Most of this crap will be EOL by then. Bulldozer will be out so who knows, AMD could be a player again. Sandy Bridge Xeon dual/quad processor chips will be out or nearly out, which will outpace Westmere by a very good margin. nVidia will probably have a new GPU by then. 16GB DIMMs might be available. Intel's 700 series SSD will probably be out. Intel may release a new Skulltrail-type system. eVGA may have an updated SR2. /rant

So,

If you're buying within a month:

Are you willing to consider Geforce 590s instead?

Otherwise there's no way to get what you want. Below I've provided something that is air cooled, but meets your performance requirements. I suggest putting it far, far away from you though as it'll be loud.

Motherboard:

SuperMicro X8DTG-QF

Dual Xeon
192 GB RAM
4 PCIe x16 slots

It may need to be paired with the SuperMicro 747TQ-R1400B Chassis.

So instead, just buy: this. There are other models of that server but you'll have to do the legwork to figure that out. (Go here, scroll down to the 7046 servers with 1400W PSUs.)

Build:
$1500 - SUPERMICRO SYS-7046GT-TRF
$2360 - 4x EVGA 03G-P3-1584-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 3072MB
$2040 - 2x Intel Xeon X5650
$2100 - 4x Crucial 24GB (3 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) ECC Registered
$750 - 3x SAMSUNG BX2431
$600 - Intel 510 Series (Elm Crest) SSDSC2MH250A2K5 2.5" 250GB

Total (including shipping): $9422

You can probably get slightly faster CPUs too and still be under budget.

If you want to use an SR2 then figure in a case, motherboard, and a really good PSU. I'm not sure if an Antec High Current 1200 or Corsair AX1200 will work on an SR2 board or not, but that's what I would consider. If you'd like to see a single processor system similar to this (liquid cooled, quad GTX 580s) check this out.

 

[Dangman]

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Around 2011 Q3/Q4

Yeah as tonytnnt kind of pointed out, you're basically wasting your time doing all this research now as the core components (CPU + mobo + RAM + GPU) will be severely outdated or out of stock by then. As such, there's no guarantee that SR-2 mobo will still be in stock by the time you buy. In fact the setup that you're liking from that youtube video is already outdated and no longer a good buy.

So wait till you're about 2-3 weeks away from buying the parts for that computer and then ask for advice here in this subforum again. That way you'll have up-to-date worthwhile advice for hardware.

 

[kimjo625]

I didn't see that you were planning on building this until Q3/Q4 until after I was done. Why are you posting now? Most of this crap will be EOL by then. Bulldozer will be out so who knows, AMD could be a player again. Sandy Bridge Xeon dual/quad processor chips will be out or nearly out, which will outpace Westmere by a very good margin. nVidia will probably have a new GPU by then. 16GB DIMMs might be available. Intel's 700 series SSD will probably be out. Intel may release a new Skulltrail-type system. eVGA may have an updated SR2. /rant

So,

If you're buying within a month:

Are you willing to consider Geforce 590s instead?

Otherwise there's no way to get what you want. Below I've provided something that is air cooled, but meets your performance requirements. I suggest putting it far, far away from you though as it'll be loud.

Motherboard:

SuperMicro X8DTG-QF

Dual Xeon
192 GB RAM
4 PCIe x16 slots

It may need to be paired with the SuperMicro 747TQ-R1400B Chassis.

So instead, just buy: this. There are other models of that server but you'll have to do the legwork to figure that out. (Go here, scroll down to the 7046 servers with 1400W PSUs.)

Build:
$1500 - SUPERMICRO SYS-7046GT-TRF
$2360 - 4x EVGA 03G-P3-1584-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 3072MB
$2040 - 2x Intel Xeon X5650
$2100 - 4x Crucial 24GB (3 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) ECC Registered
$750 - 3x SAMSUNG BX2431
$600 - Intel 510 Series (Elm Crest) SSDSC2MH250A2K5 2.5" 250GB

Total (including shipping): $9422

You can probably get slightly faster CPUs too and still be under budget.

If you want to use an SR2 then figure in a case, motherboard, and a really good PSU. I'm not sure if an Antec High Current 1200 or Corsair AX1200 will work on an SR2 board or not, but that's what I would consider. If you'd like to see a single processor system similar to this (liquid cooled, quad GTX 580s) check this out.

Thanks for the reply.
Yea, I should've waited but it is the case that I'm going to build it over the summer most likely.

Anyway, EVGA Classified-SR2 forum says I can stack the memory up to 192GB.

16GB single-stick is around $420~$440 these days,
If I went for the full-build,
MOBO: $580 - EVGA Classified-SR2
CPU: $3400 - Xeon Westmere 3.46GHz 6-core [$1700 x 2]
RAM: $5000 ~$5300 - Crucial 16GB DIMM single-stick (1066MHz) [$440 x12]
GPU: $2360 - GTX580 (3GB Memory) [$580 x 4]
PSU: $500 - AX1200 Corsair [$250 x 2]
SSD: $250 - 128GB Standard
CASE: $500 - MountainMod Ascention
MONITOR: $400 - 27" LED Monitor
LIQUID COOLING SYSTEM: $1000

The total would be: $14290 !! (Darn RAM cost)

More modest build would be:
MOBO: $580 - EVGA Classified-SR2
CPU: $1700 - Xeon Westmere 3.46GHz 6-core
RAM: $2640 - Crucial 16GB DIMM single-stick (1066MHz) [$440 x6]
GPU: $2360 - GTX580 (3GB Memory) [$580 x 4]
PSU: $500 - AX1200 Corsair [$250 x 2]
SSD: $250 - 128GB Standard
CASE: $500 - MountainMod Ascention
MONITOR: $400 - 27" LED Monitor
LIQUID COOLING SYSTEM: $1000

The total would be: $9950
(I can gradually buy more 16GB RAM sticks as time goes by,
moving from 96GB to 192GB)

Anyway, what are pros of Supermicro motherboards that you suggested?

 

[Dangman]

Thanks for the reply.
Yea, I should've waited but it is the case that I'm going to build it over the summer most likely.

And? You're still doing all this research too early.

 

[Jon55]

Please hold off on buying anything yet. Danny and tonytnnt aren't just making blanket statements when they say wait till 2-3 weeks before you build. Parts come and go everyday, and new deals happen all the time. You're just shooting yourself in the foot by buying any earlier than a couple weeks away from when you really want to have it built (yes, that includes this summer as you stated in your last post).

That said, this really looks to be a kick-ass build. Can't wait to see the final machine. Please, if you can, post pictures of the computer-porn goodness.

 

[kimjo625]

And? You're still doing all this research too early.

You got a point.

I suppose it is my personality than anything;
I tend to plan earlier and know the market better,
keeping up with the updates until I buy anything.

I've already learned a lot.
My only wish was to increase my general judgment skill in hardwares, which I don't know much about.
It is often efficient to learn from people that already have good exposure, such as people in this forum.

 

[Aslund]

A bit off-topic:
What the hell are you going to use the computer for with that insane spec.
I am myself a master student at the University of Southern Denmark and our Vision department, which works with the newest cutting edge algorithms and have several EU founded projects do not have equipment near that scale.

 

[Dangman]

My only wish was to increase my general judgment skill in hardwares, which I don't know much about.
It is often efficient to learn from people that already have good exposure, such as people in this forum.

I'm sorry, I don't understand: What do you mean by " general judgment skill in hardwares"?

 

[kimjo625]

A bit off-topic:
What the hell are you going to use the computer for with that insane spec.
I am myself a master student at the University of Southern Denmark and our Vision department, which works with the newest cutting edge algorithms and have several EU founded projects do not have equipment near that scale.

Artificial neural network.
I'll be mostly coding/testing models based on recent neurobiology finds in human/animal brain. That is why it is absolutely necessary to maximize the RAM and TFLOPS.
(there are around 100 billion neurons in a human brain, each running more than thousands of key internal chemical processes in parallel. I will have to reduce the internal processes down to a mathematical system with low calculation yet has similar functionality.)

I'm a junior, currently majoring in applied mathematics & computer science & neuroscience, who happened to have some money saved up since the tuition is totally funded.

Most importantly, I'm bored and irritated at slow development of humanity.
And I see a limitless potential in computers.

(I suppose I've said enough to answer to your question and more.)

 

[kimjo625]

I'm sorry, I don't understand: What do you mean by " general judgment skill in hardwares"?

Specifications described on any product is useless without understanding what they really mean in terms of the final build.

By seeing how you—that is you: the experienced members of forum—build the computer, explaining why each and every component is selected because its specs are harmonious to those of other components, I can learn the core logic why you are choosing certain products with certain specs, thus learning what those specs really mean in light of various given tasks.

The result is a highly educated consumer, which I'm striving to become, aided by your extensive exposure in hardwares.
That way, I don't just get the fish provided by you; I learn how to fish, which is often more powerful.

 

[Dangman]

Ahh I see now. Quite the goal there.

Well if you really want to learn, just stick around this forum for a month or two. I can guarantee you that you'll see why we recommend certain parts for a certain situation/user within that timeframe. Hell I was gone from this forum and didn't check up on hardware news for a month. It took a mere week for me to get caught up once I browsed through this subforum

 

[tonytnnt]

Ahh I see now. Quite the goal there.

Well if you really want to learn, just stick around this forum for a month or two. I can guarantee you that you'll see why we recommend certain parts for a certain situation/user within that timeframe. Hell I was gone from this forum and didn't check up on hardware news for a month. It took a mere week for me to get caught up once I browsed through this subforum

Yeah, hardware news is like a never ending marathon if you want to stay current, but it's pretty easy to figure out what the good hardware is. Keep reading Gen Hardware and also read up on reviews too. HardOCP is great for real world tests (rather than benchmarks) and OC situations, Anandtech goes into the nitty gritty geek stuff, and I've found TechPowerUp to have tested almost everything under the sun. They also provide power draw info for video cards. But their performance figures are mostly benchmarks or Apples to Apples comparisons rather than real world gameplay, which is why HardOCP still carries the most weight for me.

Also, I don't know if this is an option, but have you considered a cluster?