Best CUDA GPU for the $$

[Christenson]

Yup:
I count 4 memory slots x 4Gig modules(max available) = 16 Gig. With that, I have a top-notch sieve machine. The 32 Gig number is from someone smoking something...

As for cooling, you might remember mentioning a non-stock CPU cooler on the last build. It didn't get installed, so it is still sitting at home, as is the extra 120 Gig hard drive, and I'm definitely thinking about a RAM cooler fan.

I'm also thinking about "dual channel" or "quad channel" memory kit.

That big mobo can afford an aftermarket cooler on the GPU, as long as newegg will also sell me the required accessory kit to attach it. Heat-pipe spreaders are the next best thing to liquid cooling! ( (grin)oh, whoops, was that an evaporatable liquid sealed inside the heat-pipe???? ;-) )

[S34960zz]

Originally Posted by Christenson

Yup:
I count 4 memory slots x 4Gig modules(max available) = 16 Gig. With that, I have a top-notch sieve machine. The 32 Gig number is from someone smoking something...

8GB memory modules are "more special" --- I enquired for my laptop and was quoted (this was Jan 2011 from the computer manufacturer, so quote reflects a cost premium for a mfg-approved/sold component; also, general RAM prices have dropped since then):
8GB DDR3 (laptop) module: $1,104.99
4GB DDR3 (laptop) module: $ 135.98

So, 8GB sticks are available, but may not be affordably available. (Plus, you're planning a desktop, which one would think would have "bigger RAM" more readily available, but user (non-server) machines with total installed RAM in the 8+ GB category are still the province of hardcore engineering and technical folks.)

[lavalamp]

I had a look around for 8 GB DDR3 modules, and found some, but they all seemed to be for servers. As such they were ECC FB-DIMMs and ran at 1333 MHz. It doesn't look like there's enough demand for them in the desktop market.

The Arctic Cooling Accelero XTREME Plus is up on Newegg but it's a bit pricey at $74.99 because there just aren't very many GPU coolers around and it's a big bit of kit. In fact there are probably more GPU water cooling blocks than there are GPU air coolers. Here's the cooler on Newegg anyway:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0XTREME%20Plus

Newegg didn't copy the whole compatability list over, but on the AC website the GTX 570 and GTX 460 cards are listed as compatible.

As an aside, I have a friend who wanted the Accelero XTREME 4870X2 for his graphics card but no-one seemed to sell it, in the end he had to order one from Germany.

Like I said though, an after market GPU cooler isn't really necessary if you don't mind some noise. You can thrash the GPU 24/7 even with a bit of an overclock, and the stock cooler can handle it, it'll just be louder. I'd recommend not getting the AC cooler at first, then decide when it's up and running if the noise is too loud. Also, taking the stock cooler off voids the warranty, so that's another thing to bear in mind.

[S34960zz]

Originally Posted by S34960zz

8GB DDR3 (laptop) module: $1,104.99
4GB DDR3 (laptop) module: $ 135.98

Clarification of quote above:
8GB DDR3 (laptop) module: 1 each * $1,104.99 = $1,104.99
4GB DDR3 (laptop) module: 2 each * $ 67.99 = $ 135.98

The laptop mfg. was proud of the 4GB memory, but not a factor of two proud.

[Christenson]

Originally Posted by lavalamp

The Arctic Cooling Accelero XTREME Plus is up on Newegg but it's a bit pricey at $74.99 because there just aren't very many GPU coolers around and it's a big bit of kit. In fact there are probably more GPU water cooling blocks than there are GPU air coolers. Here's the cooler on Newegg anyway:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0XTREME%20Plus

Newegg didn't copy the whole compatability list over, but on the AC website the GTX 570 and GTX 460 cards are listed as compatible.

I jumped on Newegg because the Arctic website made it pretty clear (as did the feedback) that there is a required accessory kit to make that fan set work with various favorite GPUs. I'll post their response. But wise advice to wait; I've also got a query into Galaxy as to two different model numbers of their GTX570 GPUs.

Corsair is also selling fan sets for the DRAM modules. $1000 is pretty extreme for the 8 Gig modules.

[RMAC9.5]

Christenson,
If you can make yourself wait for a few weeks (I know it is hard to wait) before you pull the trigger on your purchase, you could buy a motherboard with Intel's new X58 Z68 chip set instead of the P57 chip set (which doesn't over clock very well). Also, if you wait until Computex (first week of June), you will get a chance to see benchmarks of AMD's new 8 core, 32nm Bull Dozer chip which should run about 3.4 GHz.

[Christenson]

Originally Posted by RMAC9.5

Christenson,
If you can make yourself wait for a few weeks (I know it is hard to wait) before you pull the trigger on your purchase, you could buy a motherboard with Intel's new X58 chip set instead of the P57 chip set (which doesn't over clock very well). Also, if you wait until Computex (first week of June), you will get a chance to see benchmarks of AMD's new 8 core, 32nm Bull Dozer chip which should run about 3.4 GHz.

I'm waiting a week as it is...only so much personal bandwidth available and I have a new video card coming for the Phenom II x6 system, and a small problem counting chess positions. We first started talking about this system back in February, so I may just wait... Do you think the X58 will offer more memory channels?

[lavalamp]

First of all, kinda crap that Arctic Cooling don't include any mounting kits, and therefore as it is sold, it's useless, but oh well.

Anyway, as for the next chipset, it'll be X79, X58 already came out nearly 2.5 years ago with the first i7s. With the X79 there is a rather disappointing line-up in the form of only 6 core CPUs that will be difficult (ie: impossible) to get a decent overclock on unless you pay huge money for the unlocked editions.

Here's an article published today going into more detail about the new CPUs, which will be expected Q4 this year, so in 5 to 8 months time. Honestly I'm not sure if they're worth waiting for.

[Christenson]

Originally Posted by lavalamp

First of all, kinda crap that Arctic Cooling don't include any mounting kits, and therefore as it is sold, it's useless, but oh well.

Anyway, as for the next chipset, it'll be X79, X58 already came out nearly 2.5 years ago with the first i7s. With the X79 there is a rather disappointing line-up in the form of only 6 core CPUs that will be difficult (ie: impossible) to get a decent overclock on unless you pay huge money for the unlocked editions.

Here's an article published today going into more detail about the new CPUs, which will be expected Q4 this year, so in 5 to 8 months time. Honestly I'm not sure if they're worth waiting for.

Uhhm, July 1 is going to be a *long* time to wait on this...falling under the rubric of "if you want a cheaper computer, wait till next year...but you need one now if you want any value now". Q4 is simply too long, and, if Sandy Bridge is any indication, there will be a bleeding edge "Gotcha" that means we are talking 1Q 12 before I actually want to purchase, like there was on sandy bridge. At that point, I'll probably be talking about my #3 dedicated number cruncher PC anyway, not my #2, which is what we are on now.

But I'm wondering about what makes a server-class CPU in an LGA1366 socket better than an LGA1156 Sandy Bridge CPU, in terms of computational number theoretic operations? Is this something I should consider, or does that push things to the point where I'd do better to get more, cheaper boxes?

For example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115224 (A core i7-960 Bloomfield at 3.2GHz)

[RMAC9.5]

Christenson,
I have no idea how I messed up my previous post so badly. I meant to type Z68, not X58. Here is a Maximum PC link with a few words about Z68 overclocking expectations. http://www.maximumpc.com/article/new...ching_may_11th

[lavalamp]

Originally Posted by Christenson

But I'm wondering about what makes a server-class CPU in an LGA1366 socket better than an LGA1156 Sandy Bridge CPU, in terms of computational number theoretic operations? Is this something I should consider, or does that push things to the point where I'd do better to get more, cheaper boxes?

Socket 1366 is for high end desktop CPUs, not server class CPUs. They're also smoked by the Sandy Bridge chips now anyway.

RMAC9.5, I don't see how Z68 will offer better overclocking, the CPU is either multiplier locked or it is not, and if it's locked, that's the highest you can push it. The only thing it seems to have over P67 is the ability to overclock the onboard graphics, which is an exercise in futility.

Edit: Just noticed, LGA 1156 is also for Nehalem chips, the mid and low range ones. LGA 1155 is for the mid and low range Sandy Bridge chips, and there are no high end ones out yet.