Custom Workstation Build Need Help Please!

[Knuckles2002]

Hello All,

I am looking to build a custom workstation for my business. I have a budget of around $6,000. I doing research on parts, components and configurations and could use help from the pros!

What I need it for:
I use 3DS Max, After Effects, Photoshop, Dreamweaver Sony Vega, Office and other things as well. I am a graphic designer, programmer, 3d modeler and I work on videos and audio to.

I need something VERY fast and powerful specially for rendering Max and After Effects based on my budget. I also need to be able to run 4 monitors off it to.

The components I have been looking at are:

Motherboard:
EVGA Classified SR-2
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/ite...

Xeon Processers:
Not sure for this one I would like to try and get something that would be compatible with the i7 extreme per chip. I plan to add two of them.

Graphics Card:
2 or 3 Nvidia Quadro 4000 in SLI config.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/ite...

Memory
Tossed on whether to go with ECC or NON. Not sure if error correct make a big difference in this type of build. Let me know what you think? But I am planning to shot for at least 32gb plus.

Drives:
2 x 256gb SSD setup in a Raid 0. And a 3Tb Sata III Hard Drive for storage.

I will also be adding a cooling system to help it run cool.

QUESTIONS:
1. What are your thoughts is LGA 1366 a good socket board is there something better?
2. What about the CPU what would consider to be equivalent to an Extreme i7?
3. Is it more important to put more money on the graphics card or CPU for this type of work? (I heard that the video card is more important for rendering then the CPU. Is that right?)
4. Is it possible to have two i7's on a board and would that be better for this type of setup?

I am waiting to hear what you have to say. Thank you so much for your help and expertise!!

Frank G.

[RickyTick]

I think you should be looking at LGA 2011.

[Knuckles2002]

I think you should be looking at LGA 2011.

@RickyTick, thank you for your help. Why do you suggest the 2011 over the 1366? Also do you know of a board that is compatible to the Evga SR-2? I like a lot of the features and functionality it has.

I looked at the two build suggestions and both seem to be built around the i core series or more for gaming then for workstations. What thought is the more cores (2 x Xeon processors) the faster rendering and better overall performance the computer will give me. Is that correct? Do you recommend Xeon's or i series based on what I am going to be doing in my description above?

At the end of the day what I am really after is pure filthy speed and power. So when I render 3ds max or after effects I want this desktop to handle it with ease. Thanks again!

[zburns]

Note: This thread moved from alternate new Thread location started by Knuckles2002. Thread moved so that it fit in with the sequence and context of the original thread!!

Knuckles2002
Junior Member
Join Date
Apr 2013
Posts
3
FirePro (CrossFire) or Quadro (SLI) ?
Hello All,

I am looking to build a new Workstation for work doing graphic design, 3ds max, Cinma 3d, after effects, Photoshop, Fireworks, Dreamweaver, Flash and Outlook and a few others. I am tossed between which cards are better and what direction is best to go with. These are the cards I'm looking at now. I am going to be either buying 2 or 3 of these cards and setting them up as either crossfire or sli depending on your opinions/suggestions. If you have experience with the above applications and could help make suggestions please do.

I will be running 4 - 24inch monitors off this computer as well.

I haven't picked out my motherboard yet but was looking at the EVGA Classified SR-2 which supports both crossfire and SLI: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...254&CatId=4068

BTW: I don't do gaming at all this is for work only!!

Video Cards:

Quadro 5000 x 1 Card
PNY VCQ5000-PB QUADRO 5000 Workstation Graphics Card - 2.5GB GDDR5, PCI-Express 2.0, DVI, (2) Display Port, 352 Cores
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...161&CatId=3599

Quadro K5000 x 1 Card
PNY VCQK5000-PB NVIDIA Quadro K5000 4GB256-bit PCI Express 2.0 x 16 HDCP Ready Workstation video card
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...715&CatId=3585

Quadro 4000 x 3 Cards SLI
PNY VCQ4000-PB Quadro 4000 Workstation Graphics Card - 2GB GDDR5, PCI-Express 2.0, DVI, Dual Display Port, 64x RG-FSAA
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...90818&CatId=28

FirePro W8000 x 2 Cards Crossfire
AMD FirePro W8000 100-505633 Video Card - 4GB, GDDR5, PCI-Express 3.0(x16), 4x DisplayPort, DirectX 11, AMD Eyefinity, CrossFireX, Dual-Slot
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...522&CatId=7387

FirePro V7900 x 3 Cards Crossfire
AMD ATI FirePro V7900 SDI - Graphics card - FirePro V7900 - 2 GB GDDR5 - PCI Express 2.1 x16 - 4 x DisplayPort
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...66643&CatId=28

FirePro W7000 x 3 Cards Crossfire
AMD FirePro W7000 100-505634 Video Card - 4GB, GDDR5, PCI-Express 3.0(x16), 4x DisplayPort, DirectX 11, AMD Eyefinity, CrossFireX, Single-Slot
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...521&CatId=7387

I am trying to stay somewhere in the $2 to $2,500 range total. In addition what is more important when it comes to 3ds rendering and graphic design the Video Card(s) or the CPU? What are your thoughts on these cards? Do you have any better suggestions to get max performance and speed for rendering and doing graphic design work?

Thanks,
Frank G
Last edited by Knuckles2002; 04-09-2013 at 03:06 PM.

[zburns]

What are you presently using as a workstation or desktop?

Also, it would be helpful to know what cpu and video card you are presently using!
-----------------
You have split your dialogue into two separate threads, and, they need to be one thread that shows the entire 'picture', meaning all components. I can move your other Thread on multiple cards in SLI to this thread. I view both your Threads as 'complicated' from multiple viewpoints, and they should be dealt with one step at a time.

For example, if you build your own computer which includes obviously picking out and buying components, you have to, or should, do the assembly one operating step at a time. By this I mean that if the build is complicated, for example, by multiple SLI configuration, you do the initial assembly with one video card only and then check out and get used to the operation with one video card, then you move on to, two cards in SLI, and then three in SLI (assuming you go that far). A problem arises in doing the assembly this way in that you want all video cards to be identical from a component viewpoint, or you want the assurance from the video card manufacturer, that if you purchase video cards over a period of time that the two cards in SLI will work together, or three cards in SLI will work together even when purchased some months apart.

Any proposed build should be run by Adobe also, if for no other reason than to hear their comments on the proposed build.

I would also suggest you look at what a 'workstation custom builder' supplies in the way of components for a 'photoshop build' (give them your specs and/or requirements). In fact, if you have never built a computer before, I would recommend that you take a look at purchasing a custom built workstation with the components you really want, or a compromise between your ideas and the 'workstation builder', specifications, etc..

You could specify your component choices to a 'workstation builder', listen to his 'logical comments', go back and forth with the workstation builder until you are satisfied from a 'specification viewpoint' and a future addition upgrade viewpoint.
Last edited by zburns; Today at 11:20 AM.