New workstation Build advice

[carmichael84]

Hey Y'all,

Looking for some advice / guidance on a new PC build I'm putting together for freelance animation / design work. I've been digging into Octane on my laptop with a 980m card and I think it's time to get a legit rig up and running.

Looking into a 4x 980ti Hybrid setup.This will be my first build like this, and I'm kind of nervous about my skills putting together a custom water loop, so I was looking at getting 4 hybrid cards which seem a bit easier. Is there any case that I could fit the 4 hybrid/radiator combo in though? Just realized the tubing for the hybrids is pretty short... Was looking at the Corsair 900D, but not sure the optimal way to mount them. Someone suggested maybe a cube like case like the Thermaltake Core X9.

Here's the parts list I've put together so far.

Motherboard: Asus X99-E WS
CPU: Leaning toward i7 6900k. May try and save some $$ and go for the 5930k or newer 6850x, though the 6950x 10 core is definitely tempting.
CPU cooler: Corsair H100i
RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum 64GB (8 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory
GPU: 4x 980ti (Hybrid or reference?) maybe 3 hybrid and last one reference if I can't reach / fit all the radiators...
Storage: 500GB 850evo (possibly m.2 950pro 512 if I could fit it with 4x GPUs?)
Western Digital Black 6TB 3.5" 7200RPM
Power: EVGA SuperNOVA 1600w (overkill?)
Case: Corsair 900D (looks like a nice spacious case, but definitely open to suggestions)
OS: I'm currently using Win 8.1 64 pro with decent success. Thinking about upgrading to Win10 for this build possibly...

Applications I use are C4D, Maya, After Effects, Substance Designer / Painter, Zbrush. I'm learning Houdini and obviously Octane!

Really, I greatly appreciate any advice you guys have here. Super excited to dive deep into the rabbit hole of Octane.

Thanks!

[Liketheriver]

Hi carmichael84

It's nearly the same rig I have in mind,

actually I have:
MB - Asus P8z78 deluxe
CPU - [email protected]
CPU cooler: Corsair H115i
RAM - 16gb G.SKILL RipjawsX
GPU - 2 EVGA 980ti hybrid and 1 Gigabyte 980ti waterforce (397.85 in octane benchmark)
one to come with the new motherboard, now i have all the pci populated.
CASE - Corsair air 540
PSU - 2 x 850w
The most important part in a hybrid system, for me, is where the radiators are placed, and how, I put them all in extraction and I provide fresh air from the side door, which I modified to accommodate four 140mm fans for intake.
The system performs well, the cards reach a maximum of 45 ° at full load, and is not so much noisy.

Next Updates:

MB - ASUS X99E WS (PCI x16/16/16/16 )
CPU - I think I'll go on a 5930k, 10 core are tempting, but since I use octane for rendering, I don't need a lot of cpu power and I rather prefer to have fewer cores (spending less) with a higher frequency, that many who are not fully exploited (with adobe media encoder for example, is still, in many ways, single-threaded)
RAM - DDR4 G.Skill TridentZ 2800MHz 64GB (4X16GB)
PSU - EVGA SuperNOVA titanium 1600w

[carmichael84]

Wow Liketheriver, that looks like a beast! Interesting approach for the radiators.

Seems like the most challenging part for me right now is finding the right case to fit the CPU rad + 4 Hybrids. My main concern is definitely, will the hoses for the hybrids reach the walls of the case. I was looking at the Corsair 900D case, but I don't think it'll reach considering the length of the hybrid hoses...

Obviously a custom loop would be more flexible, but I feel like the margin for user error on my part for the build is a bit higher, and I'm not really what you'd call skilled in PC builds. I may just have to man up though if I really want to do 4x gpus huh? hah

I've read the hose's are 15", but it looks like once installed you lose a few inches with the 90 degreee bend out of the card. I'm guessing it's probably more like 11-12"?

[Liketheriver]

Thanks,
when I'll install the mobo + the 4th card, I think I'll need to put two radiators in the side panel, because the last slot up-right is too much distant, and the hoses of the h115i block the road.. or maybe I'll change the case, i dunno...

For the custom loop:
if the budget allow, go for it, I think is the best way, best hoses menagement and overall look, it could be really silent and with good temperatures,and is more expandable, modifying the card to fit in one slot by removing the DVI port (goodbye warranty) allow to put like 7 card in one system...
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/ekwb-r ... 31220.html

edit: the GTX 980 Ti KINGPIN come with a sobstitutive single slot bracket, so, nothing to cut

If not, for a 4 card configuration, the AIO is the best price/performance solution.

For your reference, these guys from Munich had buildt a nice system in a Anidees AI8B Big Tower: http://www.fuchsundvogel.de/blog/2016-0 ... orkstation
with 4 Gigabyte Waterforce, the hoses management is good, though they seem a little too tense, but with the Hybrid should be better, as they have longer ones (you can see from my system the comparison between the two), with this case there should be no problems, if you're lucky to find four hybrid at a good price (now they are in super discount) I would go that way, have the performance of a 1070 (a little more watching the fp32 score), and cost a bit less (and is AIO), the only defect is 6gb of ram VS 8.

(sorry for poor writing, my english is a little rusted...)

[carmichael84]

Thanks for that link! Appreciate the help on this. I'm pretty in the dark as far as custom building a PC. Learning bit by bit.

That's looking pretty similar to what I'm trying to do. I'll have to look into that case.

Removing all the drive cages isn't ideal, but I could probably make a dual SSD setup work. Looks like I'd still have some room to mount the CPU radiator to the top.

hmmmmm...

This Thermaltake X9 is looking like it might be pretty good.
http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/products- ... C_00002562

My other thought was to just run 3x hybrids and slot in a reference 980ti in the bottom slot. Decisions, decisions...

[adamrg7]

make sure the cpu can support more than 3 video cards. The i7 i purchased first didnt support it. Im in a hurry ill try and repost with specs. just a quick heads up.
cheers


btw.. i wish I could have 7 or 8 gpus in my system. Which brings up debate, if i swap my gtx 780s for titan z, which has 2 gpus each, will it not support it because im pretty sure this cpu can only support 5 gpus.
bbl

[carmichael84]

adamrg7, which i7 did you have trouble with? I'm looking at the 6900k which has 40 pci lanes so it should work, but interested in what you had issues with.

As an update, I popped into Microcenter today to check out cases. After gaining the attention of a few sales associates talking about a 4 GPU build, we took a look at a few cases. Leaning toward the Corsair 780t which looks like it might fit my mess of radiators I'm trying to cram in there. Probably 2 in the front, one on the back, CPU cooler on top and possibly the 4th GPU rad on top or bottom. I know I can fit 3 hybrid's in there, but the 4th is the challenge. I may even just put a reference card in the bottom slot as the 4th GPU. Maybe hold out to see how the 1080 performs. It was pretty fun watching those dudes get all riled up over such a monster build. Think they were more excited than I am about it... I'm sure it'll be a nice commission for someone

Also found 2 980ti Hybrids there for about $430, so all in all a pretty good day.

[Liketheriver]

@carmichael84

Ugly as hell, but super customizable, it could be the one!

@adamrg7,

the whole scenario is a little tricky, some combination of cpu/mb allow 4 gpu, or even 7, other stop to 3 gpu

Generally oldest cpu like mine 2600k can handle max 3gpu in 1x8-2x4 because they have only 16 pci lanes and at the time tere was no 4 gpu mobo (for what i remember).

With the coming of 3rd gen with pci-e 3.0 some 4xGPU mobo started to appear, like the P8z77-WS, but for a quad-SLI configuration it was necessary a 40 pci lanes CPU like the i7-3770k.

Now we have:

28 lane CPU (like i7-5820k) that allow for 3waySLI - maybe it can handle 4 card not in SLI @ x8x8x8x4 on some motherboard, but i have no data on this.
40 lane CPU (like i7-5930k and biggers) that allow for 4waySLI at full x16 on motherboards with dedicated chips like Asus X99-E WS.

The spec on the X99-E WS say it can support x16/x8/x8/x8/x8/x8/x8, so, if it works it need seven single slot GPU with custom water cooling (EK sell a 7gpu connector http://hwbot.org/newsflash/3407_ekwb_la ... c_terminal

or 7 riser cable like this and a massive case http://www.lian-li.com/en/dt_portfolio/pw-pcie38-1/ but i think, in this case, the watercooled solution is the best.

it could help if someone wo had already done a rig like this could share some advice, i have seen some 7x 980ti benchmark, so, someone have done it...

[Liketheriver]

@carmichael84

430$ each? nice catch!

For the case i prefer the ugly Core X9, the 780t is nice but maybe is a little compressed, in theX9 the motherboard lay down and you can stack all the radiators on the top without problems in cable management...

[prehabitat]

I'd definately go for the best M.2/pcie storage you can...

Not even worth considering SATA these days.