Threadripper 3970X build advice sought.

Paul Rallyfan

Paul Rallyfan

Paul Rallyfan

Associate
Joined
29 Jan 2020
Posts
31
Hi, I’m after some advice on putting together a number simulation machine around a 3970X Amd Threadripper.


A couple of months ago I asked about about this type of setup with a 256GB RAM configuration, and I’ve asked a few companies to quote as I’m now looking at a purchase now we’ve gone over the financial year boundary. My application will use all 32 cores and can be memory intensive - that being said, info and opinions on low latency SSD buffers such as Optane or others are of interest to speed up non sequential drive access.

Again, advice sought.


As I’m also considering building it myself I’m also after opinions on system components, pros and cons, and general advice.


So basically a broad overview of the ‘general configuration’ would be:


Processor AMD 3970X

RAM 256 GB of type tbd?

High speed SSD : m.2 in raid 0 perhaps ?

Storage : SSD ?

Motherboard : tbd ?

PSU : tbd ?

Cooling : tbd ?

Decent high speed LAN : tbd ?

Case : tbd


And I’m sure loads of other things - please help me out.


GPU : not sure what I can afford : good bang per buck essential.



Thanks for looking and advice


Paul
 
Probably £4k - £5k
The GPU acceleration improvements with this particular software is limited, so using a significant portion of the budget on a GPU isn’t the way to go here.

Originally I’d hoped to get a 1TB system based on a Threadripper, and asked that question in a previous thread : some details on the software here if interested.

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...h-1tb-memory-capacity.18877044/#post-33342330
 
Cant say I've any knowledge on this at all, but looking at the previous thread I would tend to agree with other people and look at the server side of things and price up EPYC.

because if your eventually going to go for 4 linked systems to hit the 1GB Memory total, the additional 3 CPU and 3 MOBO might be consider wasted assets , that £7k you could use for RAM, or faster CPU plus factor in the cost of additional 3 licenses if using multiple CPUs

contact https://fireflytech.com/ as there are AMDs UK Sales partner for EPYC I believe
 
Self financed S tart up business that just happens to coincide with the Covid issues, so I just don’t have the cash flow for that. I’m also expecting that 4 off 3970X systems might give an Epic a run for its money.

Anyway, if in future I got the work to justify an Epic I would probably just go ahead and get one at that point. Currently I have a 32 core solve licence, and trust me, software from any of the simulation vendors is expensive - thankfully Altair Engineering are being very generous
 
Paul Rallyfan said:
Self financed S tart up business that just happens to coincide with the Covid issues, so I just don’t have the cash flow for that. I’m also expecting that 4 off 3970X systems might give an Epic a run for its money.

Anyway, if in future I got the work to justify an Epic I would probably just go ahead and get one at that point. Currently I have a 32 core solve licence, and trust me, software from any of the simulation vendors is expensive - thankfully Altair Engineering are being very generous
Click to expand...

£5k Down payment and the rest on finance could save you money long term, due to the COVID situation banks have been told to "loosen the purse strings" so with a decent business plan going EPYC sticking with 32 core cpu and having the option of upgrade in the future 48/64 core, dual cpu, 2/4 TB ram (all without the cost of needing multiple PSU, and mother boards)
 
Paul Rallyfan said:
Self financed S tart up business that just happens to coincide with the Covid issues, so I just don’t have the cash flow for that. I’m also expecting that 4 off 3970X systems might give an Epic a run for its money.

Anyway, if in future I got the work to justify an Epic I would probably just go ahead and get one at that point. Currently I have a 32 core solve licence, and trust me, software from any of the simulation vendors is expensive - thankfully Altair Engineering are being very generous
Click to expand...


My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £3,994.74 (includes shipping: £15.90)​
​


zen3 Thread ripper 64 cores in 2 years time for extra power and cores
 
My attempt - 250GB SSD for OS and Apps + 2 x 1TB PCIE 4 SSDs for a RAID stripe that the data for your software would go on. Depending on how your software uses storage you might be better with enterprise type SSDs though, and you might want a RAID mirror with a couple of big HDDs to backup the NVME RAID array!

RAM wise it might be cheaper to go for an Epyc system as they can use registered dimms, and you can find motherboards with more than 8 ram slots that would let you use smaller and cheaper modules potentially.

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £4,363.48 (includes shipping: £14.70)
​
 
@BongoHunter

Amp PSU has 10 yr warranty Vs 7 of superflower and that's £10 more.

P600s would cool better and is silent with usb 3.1 port on it.
Glass panel or solid metal with sound damp material is a lot more quite then panel with plastic glass like the case you selected and gets scratched so easily !

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/phanteks-enthoo-pro-m-glass-midi-tower-case-black-ca-063-pt.html

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/be-quiet-pure-base-500-midi-tower-case-black-ca-13p-bq.html

Dark rock Pro would cool slightly better and cheaper due to already having dual fans but out of stock :(
You'll also have to see ram slot compatibility with air coolers.
Corsair CLC you'll know that wouldn't be an issue etc

For the same Price... And 570 is the better GPU

Same no higher Hz ram is large ram sizing, board can handle 3600 across 8 dimm slots.
 
Last edited:
Finally pulled the trigger on the base configuration today:

Motherboard ROG ZENITH II EXTREME ALPHA
Storage 1. Gigabyte AORUS NVMe Gen4 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME
Storage 2. Gigabyte AORUS NVMe Gen4 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME
CPU 3970X
CPU Cooler ASUS ROG Ryujin 360
Case be quiet! Silent Base 801 Midi-Tower
Case Fan BE QUIET! SHADOW WINGS 2 fan
Heatsink Compound Thermalright TF8
Powersupply KOLINK Continuum 1200W 80+ Platinum
RAM CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 256GB (8x32GB)
 
Paul Rallyfan said:
Finally pulled the trigger on the base configuration today:

Motherboard ROG ZENITH II EXTREME ALPHA
Storage 1. Gigabyte AORUS NVMe Gen4 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME
Storage 2. Gigabyte AORUS NVMe Gen4 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME
CPU 3970X
CPU Cooler ASUS ROG Ryujin 360
Case be quiet! Silent Base 801 Midi-Tower
Case Fan BE QUIET! SHADOW WINGS 2 fan
Heatsink Compound Thermalright TF8
Powersupply KOLINK Continuum 1200W 80+ Platinum
RAM CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 256GB (8x32GB)
Click to expand...

Aorus AIO has mounting points for tr40

https://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/oc3d_2020_cpu_cooler_roundup/9

would have gone for gigabyte board for much better UK RMA on the board for £500+

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/giga...socket-strx4-xlatx-motherboard-mb-583-gi.html

Same VRM set up as the Asus but cheaper with added feature of thunderbolt
 
Last edited:
Well that’s a bit of a mess up on my part - I was expecting a Threadripper shaped contact pad with the ASUS ROG Ryujin 360 cooler (because it’s compatible with the sTRX4), seems that you get a circular pad... Not ideal for cooling the chiplets...
 
Paul Rallyfan said:
Well that’s a bit of a mess up on my part - I was expecting a Threadripper shaped contact pad with the ASUS ROG Ryujin 360 cooler (because it’s compatible with the sTRX4), seems that you get a circular pad... Not ideal for cooling the chiplets...
Click to expand...

alphacool eisblock xpx pro u1

^^^^ believe pump inside like eisbaer units

Think Asus use the previous gen pumps and plate from Asetek , Aorus/Nzxt and Fractal have the newest
 
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