What is the best hardware for Indigo?

[lycium]

The ideal thing is a relatively inexpensive Quadro (for the optimised drivers) AND a dedicated GTX 570 for GPU computation.

This has added benefits:

* Doesn't mess with your screen refresh rate while rendering
* No timeout / "watchdog" timer for long running kernels
* All memory is available for CUDA / OpenCL

Stick it on a Z68 motherboard with a 4ghz i7 2600k and you're doing very well

[joeyslucky22]

The ideal thing is a relatively inexpensive Quadro (for the optimised drivers) AND a dedicated GTX 570 for GPU computation.

Will a Quadro FX 1800 suffice?

Here's what I'm looking at for 2 slave computers ATM:
http://amzn.com/w/2RB27DDIH4PK8

I'm not really too concerned about the rackmounts (I work for a data center management company so I'm sure we've got some lying around). I've never done water cooling before but I suppose that's the best way to cool an overclocked i7 2600k at 4ghz?

Does hard drive size on a slave matter all that much? I'm assuming 160GB is enough? And will a 600w power supply do the trick?

[lycium]

I would suggest:

1. Just getting a big air cooler instead of the water cooler.

2. Not using Corsair memory, I have personally had bad experiences with their memory with i7 CPUs and so have other users on this forum.

3. 600W might be a little underpowered for an overclocked i7 and a GTX 570.

[joeyslucky22]

Thanks for the help lycium!

Would you go G.Skill?

This cooler says it's for 1156 cpu's but the 2600k is a 1155. I haven't PC shopped in a long while, does that matter

Would a 700w be enough or should I go 800w to be safe?

[lycium]

G.Skill should be fine, 700W is fine (as long as it's a good one), double check on the heatsink

[joeyslucky22]

Heatsink is A-Ok! Checked Cooler Master's site and it's compatible with the 1155 socket.

One final question (for anyone really) Would I notice any kind of performance increase with a Solid State Drive opposed to just a HDD? I've never owned one but I've heard of their uber speed. I'm guessing I would on my workstation but as slave computers, would the price be worth it? There's a 30GB SSD that's about $80. How much hard drive space do I need for a node server?

[Zom-B]

Would I notice any kind of performance increase with an Solid State Drive opposed to just a HDD?

In Indigo not really, but if you install your OS on it or move cache files there you'll notice faster startup times, quicker loading and more fluid workflow but no faster rendering.

[dcm]

dont buy i5...

i7 2600k + 16 (or 24) gb ram + 1-2 TB HDD + ati 570/580 and you are fine believe me

[snorky]

My budget is around 1200 Euros

dont buy i5...

i7 2600k + 16 (or 24) gb ram + 1-2 TB HDD + ati 570/580 and you are fine believe me

tell me where you buy it at this price! x2 for me!