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Message boards : Number crunching : Adding another GTX card to a desktop

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Dave_In_Oz
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Message 21677 - Posted: 14 Jul 2011 | 23:41:14 UTC

Hi,

I have a W7, i7 system with a GTX295 that works well. I am considering adding another GTX card and potentially upgrading my power supply.

Are their any issues mixing a GTX295 with a Fermi class card on same system?

A new card would be used exclusively for GPUGrid, whilst it would be nice to drop in a top of the range (eg 590), cost will probably be factor. Can someone tell me what cards deliver best cost performance and can coexist with a 200 series card (ie compute, power usage, cost)?

Thanks

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Message 21679 - Posted: 16 Jul 2011 | 12:44:53 UTC - in response to Message 21677.

I have a W7, i7 system with a GTX295 that works well. I am considering adding another GTX card and potentially upgrading my power supply.

You should upgrade your power supply, if the current one is under 1000W.

Are their any issues mixing a GTX295 with a Fermi class card on same system?

The current (275.33) NVidia driver supports both cards, so it's ok.
However, there could be power dissipation issues, because the GTX295 blows half of it's hot air inside the case. The GTX590's cooling works the same way. So there must be air exhaust vents in the front side of the case, especially if you choose the GTX590 as the second card.

A new card would be used exclusively for GPUGrid, whilst it would be nice to drop in a top of the range (eg 590), cost will probably be factor. Can someone tell me what cards deliver best cost performance and can coexist with a 200 series card (ie compute, power usage, cost)?

Looking at the price per GPU performance ratio, the GTX570 is the best (around the 70% of the GTX590's, and 67% of the GTX580's), it's the cheapest, but slowest card.
Looking at the running cost per GPU performance ratio, the GTX590 is the best. The second best is the GTX570, the third one is the GTX580, which is not as much faster, as more it costs to run than a GTX570.

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Message 21683 - Posted: 16 Jul 2011 | 18:41:58 UTC - in response to Message 21679.

I would also recommend the GTX570; it gives the most credit/does the most work relative to the purchase cost, and gives a relatively good return per running cost.

Avoid the CC2.1 cards (GTX560Ti, 560, 550...).

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Message 21689 - Posted: 16 Jul 2011 | 23:30:14 UTC - in response to Message 21683.

Thanks for the advice, it is much appreciated. I was leaning towards a 570, your responses have confirmed this. I have a good case with excellent airflow, plut I use TThrottle to provide some degree of failsafe in the even of things getting too hot.

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Message 21690 - Posted: 17 Jul 2011 | 11:14:13 UTC - in response to Message 21689.

Remember to use a tool such as MSI Afterburner to control the temperature through fan speed mapping.

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Message 21775 - Posted: 31 Jul 2011 | 18:35:22 UTC - in response to Message 21683.

I would also recommend the GTX570; it gives the most credit/does the most work relative to the purchase cost, and gives a relatively good return per running cost.

Avoid the CC2.1 cards (GTX560Ti, 560, 550...).


I am wondering what the problem is with the GTX560Ti GPU.

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Message 21776 - Posted: 31 Jul 2011 | 21:46:37 UTC - in response to Message 21775.

Avoid the CC2.1 cards (GTX560Ti, 560, 550...).


I am wondering what the problem is with the GTX560Ti GPU.

It's a CC2.1 card, having 48 CUDA cores per multiprocessor, and the problem is that the GPUGrid client can utilize only 2/3 of them (32, as in CC2.0 cards).

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Message 21786 - Posted: 1 Aug 2011 | 11:25:33 UTC - in response to Message 21677.

Hi,

I have a W7, i7 system with a GTX295 that works well. I am considering adding another GTX card and potentially upgrading my power supply.

Are their any issues mixing a GTX295 with a Fermi class card on same system?

A new card would be used exclusively for GPUGrid, whilst it would be nice to drop in a top of the range (eg 590), cost will probably be factor. Can someone tell me what cards deliver best cost performance and can coexist with a 200 series card (ie compute, power usage, cost)?

Thanks


The main problem with mixing different cards is you can't tell BOINC which one to use for which wu. It will also confuse it with the different time estimates for each one. Best if you keep to one type of card per machine.

I personally upgraded to the GTX570 and removed my GTX295's. You could sell them and use the money on a more modern card these days. If your power supply can cope with a GTX295 then you'll be able to swap it for a GTX570 without having to replace the power supply.
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Message boards : Number crunching : Adding another GTX card to a desktop

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