Diehard Linux User buliding a new PC

Hardware Build a PC
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So my current Desktop was built close to 6 years ago… I am know piece mealing
a new machine. I already have the case and my primary M.2 Boot drive.

Here is a Link to the Parts list I am working for. Well, at least when I have been considering.

Sorry tried to include a PC Parts picker link, but wont let me.

I am a Linux User, Primarily been Ubuntu for more than 10 years.

I do primariiy Web development - Node, Python, Java, PHP. With Docker.

I play 1 game on the PC, Star Wars The Old Republic. I have run it in WINE, but the old machine is starting to show her age, and I think it’s time to change it up.

What I want to do in my new machine, Run Linux as my primary OS with IDE’s, and Docker environments.
HAve a Windows VM with a seperate M.2 Boot disk and Video card.
Maybe have a third GPU for playing with Machine learning etc.

I have already decided that 64GB is minimum amount of RAm I will install, I am thinking about 3200 14CAS GSkil ram.

What I would like is recommendations about CPU (Ripper was my first thought, but would consider Dual Xeons, or the third Gen R7 or R9.)

I am piece mealing so I am budgeting myself at about 2-3K. I am in the United States.

Would love to hear what folks would recommend for Motherboard/CPU combinations.

One other thing, what is the current Status of CrossFire or SLI in linux, or passing through using IOMMU?

I think that 16 cores is my absolute minimum, and 2.5 GHZ is the minimum clock I am willing to run.

Thanks for any insight, I think that covered the requirements.

Chris

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Why not just do two gpus, one for the VM, one for linux/ML? (that’s what I do)

So, obviously Threadripper is the bang for your buck choice for your setup. If you don’t need to get 3rd gen TR4, you could get a second gen sku for fairly cheap. Let me see if I can throw something together.

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https://pcpartpicker.com/list/DppH6s

I’m not sure what the plan for Threadripper 3G is going to be, so I’m just recommending a 2950x at the moment. This’ll top out around 4.1-4.2 maybe on air.

Can someone validate my choices here? I figure you can get a 1080 ti used for approx 550. Then you can grab any other GPU you want for another ~400 with this setup and be happy with both.

General recommendation: Do not use SLI or CrossFire on Linux or on Windows. It’s not great.

Passthrough? I’ve got a 1080 Ti passed through on the X399 Taichi with a 1950x right now. It’s working great. Definitely takes a bit of work to get it done though, and I’d be happy to help you along with that as well.

So, the real bang-for-your-buck board is the X399 taichi. None of the X399 has 10G NIC onboard to my knowledge, but if you need one, you’ve got enough PCIe lanes to throw one in if you’d like.

So, you can do RAID1 with the 970s or change it up, but I figured budgeting $350 for your storage would give you plenty of room to do what you’d like.

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I have been thinking second GEN rIpper will be the right way to go.

I have heard that there are several issues with dual Rank Memory Support. I have considering going 8x8GB sticks, but was hoping that I could get good speeds with 4x16GB sticks. Seems that the More RAM you want the slower the RAM clock goes.

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I’ve got 8x8 in my rig. They’re fine, but they’re much more expensive because I bought them during the early first-gen memory compatibility issues.

Now that things have matured a bit more, memory support is really not that bad anymore.

They say that, but I’m rocking 8x8GB at 3200 on my 1950x. I think as long as you stay at 3200 or lower, you’ll be fine. TBH, that’s where you really start seeing diminishing returns anyways, so I’m happy with 3200.

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SgtAwesome - Thank you sir… I appreciate your insight… Now to finish up some work so I can pay for this awesome rig! LOL…

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I hear that.

I recommend waiting for someone with a bit more experience with the current market to come in, since they may have some tweaks for you.

TBH, I find that I rarely use all 16 cores, so if you’re looking to save a buck, you can probably drop to the 2920x and you’ll be fine.

Additionally, watch out for sales on the Threadripper gear. I’m willing to bet we’ll be seeing some good sales in the next month or two due to TR3 coming out soon.

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Performance wise the 3900X should be damn close even to the 2950X and will absolutely monster the 2920X. So the only limiting factors on X570 would be the amount of memory and PCIe lanes. BUT… the memory support might improve down the line especially on boards that are brand new today and PCIe4 might compensate missing lanes.

Just a thought.

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Yeah, Given the interest in boatloads of ram and IOMMU, that’s why I didn’t immediately suggest Zen 2 Ryzen.

If it wasn’t for that, I’d have definitely done so.

If OP wants to save a fair bit of cash, it’s possible to do it on X370/470/570, but you’ll need to manually compile the ACS Override patch to hack in support.

Also, if you’re using all high-end GPUs, you could run into limiting factors if you run a GPU off a 4x slot.

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Can absolutely see that. It’s just… third gen has so much going on and so much new / improved stuff. And I’m pretty sure TR is not gonna be less in that regard.

Honestly, if Ryzen 3000 isn’t enough… just wait for TR3.
It’s gonna be nuts!

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:bullettrain_front:Hype train!

*waitforbenchmarks

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To be honest I have bounced back and forth on the Ryzen 2700X and the Rippers. I was convinced the ripper was the way to go, until I started to read about R9. All the cool stuff from TR, and Way less then the I9 at equal core/Clock. I am concerned with some of hte boot issues I have read about. But Alas, it seems that my beloved Ubuntu has some how managed to miss the issue. Thought I think 19.04 is plagued with the issues… Since it’s looking like Late September before I’ll have the cash together, I may wait and see what happens with the third Gen TR comes out. Still FUlly in the research mode!

Thanks again Gentlemen for your insight!

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Boot issues will be fixed. It’s not like AMD is Lenovo or something. got em!

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Damn, you got me thinking about Used or refurbished video cards… I thought I’d take a look and see what I could find Higher end, I found some Quadro PM4Ks… Since I am looking at second hand, is their any reason going with the 1080TI over a Quadro, If I can get them for about the same prices?

Being as I have no REAL feeling one way over the other, more just idle wondering.

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I can’t answer that question. I’d imagine the Quadros don’t overclock but that’s about all I can think about. Oh, they also only come with the reference cooler, if I remember correctly, so cooling is meh.

that said, Quadros don’t need the Nvidia hack to get them to pass through properly, so there’s that.

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I’ll elaborate on that - i’m pretty sure Crossfire is not even possible on Linux. It’s a windows driver specific thing.

And even on Windows (and i say this as someone who dabbled with crossfire with a pair of vega 64s (because i bought a second one for mining for a bit and pushed it off to the GF later to replace her rx480)) - it is NOT worth it even on windows.

Most of the stuff it works with are old games that a modern card will run no problem.

Newer titles where you may actually need/want it are such a fucking pain in the balls to try and make work it just is not worth it, and some/most either get negative scaling or various glitches unless you find some magical combination of rendering features to disable.

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It works with proprietary drivers but it is a dumpster fire. You can’t run more than two monitors and screen tearing out the wazoo.

Best with his passthrough system would be 1080 (or opting to go higher end) for Windows and a cheaper AMD card (i.e. 580) for Linux. Will reduce IOMMU group and driver issues. That and the AMD card will be plug and play.

Also @Chris_Warner pretty sure there is a Linux port for KOTOR on steam, btw.

TR seems like the best fit CPU wise like @SgtAwesomesauce said.

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Just the second one, sadly (not that the second one is bad).

It is literally the greatest thing on God’s blue earth. Srs.

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Unless it’s a Navi card. Navi isn’t ready on Linux yet. Should be in a few months tho.

if you run AMD, you’re best off using a rolling distro so you can be on the latest kernel and Mesa

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Depends on what you run - i was running ubuntu 1804 with Vega and things were “fine” - once Ubuntu got a few patches backported to it.

Rolling release wins on benchmarks for sure, but real noticeable difference? Not really. If you want rocm to work (say, for speeding up blender renders, etc.), you’re better off on ubuntu to be honest so that you can use amdgpu-pro.

rocm, and other amdgpu-pro features don’t work on anything other than SLES/Ubuntu/Centos LTS releases as yet. So that’s a thing… and makes me consider going back to Ubuntu 1804.