Wanna give me a ~$400 folding build?

[klear]

I just sold the guts to my E5200, GTX260 machine for $400 and I'd like to rebuild another dedicated folder. I haven't had to build an entire system on a budget for folding yet, so I think it would be nice to see what you guys come up with! I am a bit flexible on the price.

I need everything but the case and I have a copy of vista 32...

Thanks!

[Adak]

If it's just for folding, I'd strongly recommend going native Linux (Ubuntu 9.04). It's absolutely free, and I wrote a *terrific* sticky on how to install it and SMP folding. Linux SMP folding is just so much sweeter than Windows (unless you use NotFred's).

You can also fold with your GPU in Ubuntu 9.04, if you get one, later.

cpu: quad 9450 (iirc from ChasR's post on this about 2 months ago), was the best cpu bang for the buck, but look for sales that bundle the cpu + mobo, as well. Even if it's an i7 920, if it's cheap enough. No dual core's, however.

RAM: 2GB ddr2 - nothing fancy or especially fast. An i7 runs fine with ddr2, btw.

HD: whatever, cheapest SATA, and on sale

mobo: Biostar or AES is usually cheapest. Look for a bundled deal with your cpu. You want 2 slots for future GPU's (2.0). On board video is fine for now, or cheap video card.
I'm partial to Gigabyte for these, but as always, check for sales - and don't forget any brick and mortar places near.

keyboard & mouse: whatever logitech models are on sale. Corded is less $$$, and laser mouse is just worth it. May not be needed for a dedicated folder.

Monitor - not needed.

Optical drive - borrow one from another rig for any software install you need to do.

PSU - I'm partial to the Corsair's in the 650 - 850 Watt range, depending on your total system and future intentions.

The PSU and the case, are what I'm most particular about. The PSU because your system can be ruined by a poor one, and the case, because it *should* be such a long term investment. IMO, a good case should last you for 50 years, easily. I've moved away from the "get any OK case", to "get a very good case, straightaway". You'll go through lots of mobo's and cpu's, etc. - but one very good case, should last a lifetime with a bit of luck.

I don't want to quote any prices, because they're always changing. The main idea is to look for what you need, that is also *on sale*, atm. Exact model numbers just don't matter for an inexpensive dedicated folder.

[klear]

oh ok... I imagine that is a sticky somewhere? sorry for the useless thread!

[dark bishop]

there arent any i7 motherboards with ddr2 last i checked.

you can get an AMD Phenom2 940 + motherboard combo deal on newegg for about 250$ all the i7 920 + motherboard combos i see are going for about 500+

with my 940 @ 3.4, two NotFred clients, and a gpu2 im getting 12k ppd. 5k from cpu alone.

[Adak]

there arent any i7 motherboards with ddr2 last i checked.

you can get an AMD Phenom2 940 + motherboard combo deal on newegg for about 250$ all the i7 920 + motherboard combos i see are going for about 500+



All i7 mobo's can work with ddr2, is what I've read. If they have 3 channel ddr, then they must support using 2 of them. (I'm using ddr3 in my i7 simply because I didn't know about this, at that time). Performance is degraded about 3%, depending on the benchmark.

Microcenter is one such store which had a great sale on the i7 + mobo, back in May. The thread is far from useless, but any specific source to buy it from or hard price, will be obsolete when the next good sale comes along.

I'd avoid AMD quad's at this time, for dedicated folders. With their current cpu's they just aren't the best folders for your buck. Whatever your choice of cpu, make sure it supports virtualization.

[Gomeler]

All i7 mobo's can work with ddr2, is what I've read. If they have 3 channel ddr, then they must support using 2 of them. (I'm using ddr3 in my i7 simply because I didn't know about this, at that time). Performance is degraded about 3%, depending on the benchmark.

Microcenter is one such store which had a great sale on the i7 + mobo, back in May. The thread is far from useless, but any specific source to buy it from or hard price, will be obsolete when the next good sale comes along.

I'd avoid AMD quad's at this time, for dedicated folders. With their current cpu's they just aren't the best folders for your buck. Whatever your choice of cpu, make sure it supports virtualization.

Core i7 does not have a DDR2 memory controller. It has a triple channel DDR3 memory controller that can operate with 1, 2 or 3 channels open. AM3 Phenom II chips have a DDR2/DDR3 memory controller which accepts one functioning memory type. so an AM3 chip can be used with DDR2 or DDR3, depending on the board. Just thought I'd clarify, perhaps you had your chips jumbled.

[Adak]

So the i7 needs ddr3, even if you choose to only use 1 or 2 channels of it?

Edit: Yes. ddr3 has a different key, etc.

That doesn't sound right. Why require ddr3 RAM and then allow it to use just 1 or 2 channels of it?

[dark bishop]

everything ive read points to, i7 use triple channel ddr3.

[jonspd]

just get a 775 quad and run 2 nice gpu's thats at least 10-14K

I have no choice atm. I really want a i7 but slow and steady I guess they say wins the race :D Got the ram 3 sets of ddr3 now it's the board still looking lastly will be the cpu. I kinda low on funds so as the money comes so do new toys...

[David]

So the i7 needs ddr3, even if you choose to only use 1 or 2 channels of it?

That doesn't sound right. Why require ddr3 RAM and then allow it to use just 1 or 2 channels of it?

DDR3 and dual/triple channel are different things.

DDR, DDR2, DDR3 are memory technologies.
dual, triple channel features (typically a few % performance gain) are the ability to access two or three sticks of RAM at the same time.

[Adak]

@Klear: This is what I was talking about:
http://www.newegg.com/Store/Category.aspx?Category=34&name=CPUs-Processors

Look at the 9550 & 9650 bundle,

That's just from one retailer (although a very good one to deal with). Check out several of them and see what's currently the best deal.


@David:

Right:

DDR = 1 channel
DDR2 = 2 channel Edit: <== Not necessarily! :)
and
DDR3 = 3 channel.

I confess I haven't kept up with memory since the Abacus ruled the earth, however. :D

Edit: DDR2 has double "pumped" the memory bus - data is passed on both the rise AND the fall of the clocksweep, effectively doubling memory bandwidth.

[Methal]

go for an amd phenom 2 with 2gigs ram, and a small hard drive with a beefy graphics card with high memory clock. with xp or ubuntu use the graphics card to crack out 7-15k a day.

[David]

@David:

Right:

DDR = 1 channel
DDR2 = 2 channel
and
DDR3 = 3 channel.

I confess I haven't kept up with memory since the Abacus ruled the earth, however. :D

Up to 1 channel, up to 2 channels, up to 3 channels. But DDR3 in 2 channels is still DDR3 if that makes sense.

[jonspd]

I thought ddr was dual channel also?

[deadlysyn]

DDR can be dual channel. I have an old Abit board here which is an AGP DDR board that runs dual channel. The chipset on it was 865P and it OC's the P4 530J in it to 3675 with just a minor bump in volts. Very nice board, its just too bad it won't run a dual core. Once I can get some time I will be putting it into my wifes rig, and getting rid of the Celeron D331 that she has now.

[tom_ozahoski]

DDR refers to 1st generation of ddr not 1 channels
DDR2 refers to 2nd generation of ddr not 2 channels
DDR3 refers to 3rd generation of ddr not 3 channels

basically the # after DDR is the generation not number of channels.

[Adak]

I thought ddr was dual channel also?

Dual channel architecture is a feature of the mobo, not the RAM. Specifically, it referred to having 2 channels from the memory controller to the RAM. Now they're referring to DDR3 RAM, having "channels", which is confusing. If you have "Banks" of memory on your pc mobo, you almost surely have, dual channel architecture.

DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 are features of the RAM sticks.

DDR2 has twice the bandwidth (same latency) as DDR. It lets data flow on the rise AND on the fall of each clocksweep, instead of just on the rise. It also has a slightly bigger prefetch buffer.

DDR2 wasn't called "dual channel", because it was just a double "pumped" data ride, on the clocksweep.

DDR3 further increases the bandwidth by using a larger prefetch buffer, and higher clockspeeds as well. Also uses the rise and the falling clocksweep like DDR2. It has a different key, so no, you can't use DDR2 on a mobo designed for DDR3.

[MIAHALLEN]

Asus i7 board with 6 PCIe slots - $241 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131358R)

Core i7 920 CPU - $280 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202)
Or search for an used C0 on the forums for less than $200

Basic 3GB mem kit - $41 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148245)

x6 9800GT video cards with 112SP each - $90 (x6 = 540)...should be good for 4-5K per day each (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150323)

That's easily 20K per day, with a little work, maybe as high as 30K per day. Total cost = 241 + 200 + 41 + 540 = just north of 1K
It'd be on hell of a folding machine ;)

[dark bishop]

good job reading that his post said 400$

[Aynjell]

So the i7 needs ddr3, even if you choose to only use 1 or 2 channels of it?

That doesn't sound right. Why require ddr3 RAM and then allow it to use just 1 or 2 channels of it?

DDR2 and DDR3 are different memory types. Triple Channel and Dual Channel are configurations for that memory.

DDR can be dual channel. I have an old Abit board here which is an AGP DDR board that runs dual channel. The chipset on it was 865P and it OC's the P4 530J in it to 3675 with just a minor bump in volts. Very nice board, its just too bad it won't run a dual core. Once I can get some time I will be putting it into my wifes rig, and getting rid of the Celeron D331 that she has now.

Ayup. My nf4 SLI-DR runs dual channel all day long with DDR.

[MIAHALLEN]

good job reading that his post said 400$

I am a bit flexible on the price.

Um, yeah :p

[dark bishop]

Um, yeah :p

i dont think flexible means he has 600 extra dollars sitting around.