Hi,
I desire to build a multiCPU workstation to be used for having a lot of virtual computers, watch movies, to be doing bluray rips every now and then, and that rare games once in a while. The plan is to use the Asus Z9PE-D8 WS motherboard and use ECC registered memory to be able to have more memory upgrade possibilities open. I want to have 8 monitors running at the same time which can be achieved by using the Matrox M9188 PCIe x16 card.
My questions are;
1> which cpu will best fit the board so as to provide a lot of computing power but also provide powerful bluray rips?
2> The only option i know to be able to have 8 monitors together and at times use them as 1 big video wall is the above mentioned card. However, this card is not designed to do heavy graphics processing. Is there a way to boost this card's processing power by using it in SLI or something with other more powerful cards, for the movies and the rare games?
3> if you could suggest any other hardware configurations to build this workstation.
thanks,
:)
If you cut it down to 6 monitors, you can get a decent GPU using Club3D Eyefinity 2.0 (which comes in a vast array from AMD and a mor limited selection from Nvidia)... while the Matrox card might "support up to 8 monitors", it won't run them all without problems... especially if any kind of graphics processing is required... it's basically a fancy 8 monitor display adapter...
The Eyefinity line's most recent adaptations come from AMD and include the R9 270/x, R9 280x, and R9 290/x in both regular and crossfired configurations... this is where I would look for multi-monitor displays numbering more than 3
depending on your computing needs and budget you're looking at either xeons or opterons, both good choices but with different types of computing skills, xeons will get you better ipc, opterons will get you more cores
as for displays and graphics processing (if you can work down to 6 as mentioned aboive it would be easier) you would have the matrox card run the displays in your os and set different more powerful card(s) to do the processing in the software that you're using
of course things depend on what programs you're using, i don't happen to know of any other way to *reliably* drive 8 monitors, as nvidia maxes at 4 and amd 6
For the money you'd be spending anyway I personally would buy two different workstation rigs an hook up four monitors to each.
get two of these :
i7 4930k
kraken cooler
asus px79 pro MOBO
32GB kingston hyperx memory
1 256gb samsung 840 evo ssd
2x 3tb WD 7200rpm black
2x gtx 760 (or higher if needed)/ R9 270x
fractal define xl r22
corsair 1200w PSU modular
windows 7 pro 64
4X monitors of your choice
you prolly could get radeons to switch things up in the 2nd machine