Super computer has been completed

[ThomasSoerensen]

I think you will struggle to find a motherboard with room for both Multi CPU (usually only for servers) and also multi GPU (usually only for gaming rigs).
Intel have a previous generation mobo that satisfies both those requirements called SkullTrail - maybe read up on that and see if they are doing something similar for X58 socket CPUs

[Churchill]

I think you will struggle to find a motherboard with room for both Multi CPU (usually only for servers) and also multi GPU (usually only for gaming rigs).
Intel have a previous generation mobo that satisfies both those requirements called SkullTrail - maybe read up on that and see if they are doing something similar for X58 socket CPUs

Looks like I may have to forget SLI...

[ThomasSoerensen]

With a gaming mobo for 1 i7 cpu and gpu Sli you can easily run VMs - as each VM usually runs well on 1-2 cpu threads and with i7 (old) you have 8 threads and with the i7 980X you have 12 threads.

and CPU will be plenty fast enough.

[Churchill]

With a gaming mobo for 1 i7 cpu and gpu Sli you can easily run VMs - as each VM usually runs well on 1-2 cpu threads and with i7 (old) you have 8 threads and with the i7 980X you have 12 threads.

and CPU will be plenty fast enough.

Hmmm, what about AMD CPUs? or

[ThomasSoerensen]

no idea - when I researched mine Intel was the CPU leader and I built my pc around that.

Usually AMD are a lot cheaper and perform a little less.

[dude69]

I'm looking at a multi-socket board that I can populate with I7 processors as and when I can afford them - what's the current "Ultimate"...?

Xeons.

Same core as the consumer stuff but you can do more CPUs.

You need to look at the 5500 and 5600 series. These are dual-processor capable. If you want to go beyond dual-CPU you are looking at the 7500 series, which is extremely expensive.

Interesting CPUs (all LGA1366 socket Xeon chips) are:

E5504, E5506, E5507 - 4 core, 4 thread, 4MB cache, 4.8 GT/s QPI, 2 GHz, 2.13GHz or 2.26GHz - no turbo boost
E5520 - 4 core, 8 thread, 8MB cache 5.86 GT/s QPI, 2.26GHz - turbo boost
E5620 - 4 core, 8 thread, 12MB cache 5.86 GT/s QPI, 2.4GHz - turbo boost

[Churchill]

Xeons.

Same core as the consumer stuff but you can do more CPUs.

You need to look at the 5500 and 5600 series. These are dual-processor capable. If you want to go beyond dual-CPU you are looking at the 7500 series, which is extremely expensive.

Interesting CPUs (all LGA1366 socket Xeon chips) are:

E5504, E5506, E5507 - 4 core, 4 thread, 4MB cache, 4.8 GT/s QPI, 2 GHz, 2.13GHz or 2.26GHz - no turbo boost
E5520 - 4 core, 8 thread, 8MB cache 5.86 GT/s QPI, 2.26GHz - turbo boost
E5620 - 4 core, 8 thread, 12MB cache 5.86 GT/s QPI, 2.4GHz - turbo boost

Cheers Dude. Looks like Dual-Socket is about as "extreme" as I'm likely to go.

[dude69]

Cheers Dude. Looks like Dual-Socket is about as "extreme" as I'm likely to go.

There is one ray of light - the X7550. Various online retailers are preselling it at £600 (should be coming out the end of the month). I think it should cost about £2k.

Specs are 8 cores, 16-thread chip, 2GHz with 18MB of cache.

Cost is only twice as much as a 5520, and it's 8-socket capable (up to 64 cores)

Only problem is you need a LGA 1567 motherboard. I suspect these will be rather expensive. Even so, £600 is a bit of a bargain (quite possibly an error)....

[dude69]

There is one ray of light - the X7550. Various online retailers are preselling it at £600 (should be coming out the end of the month). I think it should cost about £2k.

Specs are 8 cores, 16-thread chip, 2GHz with 18MB of cache.

Cost is only twice as much as a 5520, and it's 8-socket capable (up to 64 cores)

Only problem is you need a LGA 1567 motherboard. I suspect these will be rather expensive. Even so, £600 is a bit of a bargain (quite possibly an error)....

I looked into the places selling it and I don't think it will happen at that price....

So I would go for the E5520/E5620.

And as regards motherboards, there's only one to go for:

http://www.evga.com/products/moreInf... Series Family

The EVGA Classified SR-2 - 4-way SLI, dual socket, max 48GB RAM, full overclocking support. (Coming soon...)

[ThomasSoerensen]

And as regards motherboards, there's only one to go for:

http://www.evga.com/products/moreInf... Series Family

The EVGA Classified SR-2 - 4-way SLI, dual socket, max 48GB RAM, full overclocking support. (Coming soon...)

drooooool