Any have a computer with 8 or 10 GPU ??
Mother boards
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B8G5RJC/re ... 33deb843e8
https://www.amazon.com/ASRock-H110-Mini ... G9AY7212AK
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KQ7BG21/re ... il_0?psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074W6T178/re ... B076HDDYTL
What type of configuration need, for 19GPU?
https://www.amazon.com/B250-MINING-EXPE ... HNQ2EDAP89
Types of Super Computer
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Re: Types of Super Computer
Your CPU will distribute data to a number of GPU, but as you add more GPUs, the total data bandwidth doesn't exceed a certain number. For a few GPUs, that's not a problem since the PCIe bus is not saturated. (Check your M/B specifications if it has lots of slots.) You can install risers which split the bandwidth between multiple GPUs. For a large number of GPUs, their performance will probably decrease due to its bandwith being limited, but the throughput of more GPUs will still exceed the throughput of fewer GPUs since they're don't all need to move data at the same time.
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Re: Types of Super Computer
Those cheap Chinese motherboards are not your best bet for mass folding.
They work less than efficient.
Standard (gaming) Intel CPUs have only 16PCIE slots, with the primary slot (usually) being a 8x slot and secondary slot a 4x slot.
Once you surpass 3 GPU cards (provided the BIOS supports it), they usually fall in a lower bracket, meaning the primary slot will operate at 8x or 4x, and any additional slot will work at 4x or 1x.
You preferably don't want to run GPUs at 1x PCIE speeds, but at 4x speeds or higher, for best efficiency.
This makes that most Intel Motherboards will run up to 3 fast GPUs and the rest at a 20% slower pace for folding via PCIE 1x slot.
AMD isn't much better, though they have 20 PCIE lanes (4 more than Intel), you're still stuck with a max of 3 cards at 4x speeds or up, and the rest at 1x speeds.
The second problem you'll run into is that preferably you'll want to have one CPU core per GPU.
The only possible CPUs that have 19+ actual cores are quite expensive server CPUs, that would not fit any of the boards you mention.
When you do find such CPU, (eg: Xeon CPUs), it's quite hard to find a motherboard that will make use of all the PCIE lanes a Xeon processor offers.
The boards you're looking at, will only support up to 4 core, 8 threads or 6 core CPUs; limiting you to 6 GPUs per CPU for folding.
If you want to run 19 graphics cards from 1 computer, you'll have to look into expensive Intel Xeon processors and industrialized (hard to find, super expensive) motherboards with multiple full size PCIE slots (usually those are Dual CPU boards as well).
A cheaper option, is to stick to 3GPUs per motherboard with a quad core CPU,
Get an Intel quad core CPU with HT, or a 6 core CPU, to run 2 GPUs at full speed + 3-4 GPUs at 1x speed,
Or get an AMD 6 core CPU for running 3 GPUs at PCIE4x speed or greater, + 3 GPUs at 1x speeds.
You'll more than likely also pull more power than your wall outlet can provide.
with a 1500W PSU, the average folding rig has between 6 to 10 GPUs.
I'd say, stay away from the cheap mining boards. I mean, they'll work for about as many GPUs as your CPU has cores, but at a reduced efficiency. (~20% lower performance at 1x vs 16x speed PCIE slot)
I would recommend to invest in a good MSI, ASUS, EVGA, or even Asrock motherboard that has at least 3x PCIE 16x full sized slots on the motherboard, and use PCIE 16x ribbon cables to connect your GPU straight to the slot; rather than work with risers that operate at PCIE 1x speed.
I only use risers on PCIE 1x slots, and try to occupy as many full sized PCIE 16x slots as feasible.
They work less than efficient.
Standard (gaming) Intel CPUs have only 16PCIE slots, with the primary slot (usually) being a 8x slot and secondary slot a 4x slot.
Once you surpass 3 GPU cards (provided the BIOS supports it), they usually fall in a lower bracket, meaning the primary slot will operate at 8x or 4x, and any additional slot will work at 4x or 1x.
You preferably don't want to run GPUs at 1x PCIE speeds, but at 4x speeds or higher, for best efficiency.
This makes that most Intel Motherboards will run up to 3 fast GPUs and the rest at a 20% slower pace for folding via PCIE 1x slot.
AMD isn't much better, though they have 20 PCIE lanes (4 more than Intel), you're still stuck with a max of 3 cards at 4x speeds or up, and the rest at 1x speeds.
The second problem you'll run into is that preferably you'll want to have one CPU core per GPU.
The only possible CPUs that have 19+ actual cores are quite expensive server CPUs, that would not fit any of the boards you mention.
When you do find such CPU, (eg: Xeon CPUs), it's quite hard to find a motherboard that will make use of all the PCIE lanes a Xeon processor offers.
The boards you're looking at, will only support up to 4 core, 8 threads or 6 core CPUs; limiting you to 6 GPUs per CPU for folding.
If you want to run 19 graphics cards from 1 computer, you'll have to look into expensive Intel Xeon processors and industrialized (hard to find, super expensive) motherboards with multiple full size PCIE slots (usually those are Dual CPU boards as well).
A cheaper option, is to stick to 3GPUs per motherboard with a quad core CPU,
Get an Intel quad core CPU with HT, or a 6 core CPU, to run 2 GPUs at full speed + 3-4 GPUs at 1x speed,
Or get an AMD 6 core CPU for running 3 GPUs at PCIE4x speed or greater, + 3 GPUs at 1x speeds.
You'll more than likely also pull more power than your wall outlet can provide.
with a 1500W PSU, the average folding rig has between 6 to 10 GPUs.
I'd say, stay away from the cheap mining boards. I mean, they'll work for about as many GPUs as your CPU has cores, but at a reduced efficiency. (~20% lower performance at 1x vs 16x speed PCIE slot)
I would recommend to invest in a good MSI, ASUS, EVGA, or even Asrock motherboard that has at least 3x PCIE 16x full sized slots on the motherboard, and use PCIE 16x ribbon cables to connect your GPU straight to the slot; rather than work with risers that operate at PCIE 1x speed.
I only use risers on PCIE 1x slots, and try to occupy as many full sized PCIE 16x slots as feasible.
-
foldy
- Posts: 2061
- Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2012 3:43 pm
- Hardware configuration: Folding@Home Client 7.6.13 (1 GPU slots)
Windows 7 64bit
Intel Core i5 2500k@4Ghz
Nvidia gtx 1080ti driver 441
Re: Types of Super Computer
You need to run Linux instead of Windows for better pcie throuput and PCIe 2.0 x4 is the minimum to not get bottleneck with fast GPUs and one CPU core per GPU to feed it.
There are mainboards for more expensive AMD X399 or Intel X299 chipset which CPUs have 40+ pcie lanes so it is enough for 5 pcie slots at x8. Some mainboards also have pcie switch chip for better pcie usage but these mainboards are expensive like $500 and CPU $500 too.
Gigabyte X399 DESIGNARE EX 4 fast pcie slots + 1 slow pcie with Ryzen Threadripper 1900X 8 core
ASUS WS-X299-SAGE at 7 fast pcie slots with Core i7-9800X 8 core
Some older and cheaper generation intel X99 with 6 core CPU 40+ lanes and 4 GPUs works too.
There are mainboards for more expensive AMD X399 or Intel X299 chipset which CPUs have 40+ pcie lanes so it is enough for 5 pcie slots at x8. Some mainboards also have pcie switch chip for better pcie usage but these mainboards are expensive like $500 and CPU $500 too.
Gigabyte X399 DESIGNARE EX 4 fast pcie slots + 1 slow pcie with Ryzen Threadripper 1900X 8 core
ASUS WS-X299-SAGE at 7 fast pcie slots with Core i7-9800X 8 core
Some older and cheaper generation intel X99 with 6 core CPU 40+ lanes and 4 GPUs works too.