Fitting SLI + sound card + RevoDrive

[Really]

This is all pretty much speculation to get me through the day but let's assume I actually have this much money... :P

I'm planning on upgrading to IB, a RevoDrive, and a non-reference GTX 680 pretty soon, with the possibility of SLIing two 680's later on. Reasons being: a) I have a shiny new 120Hz monitor and want to run PS2/Guild Wars 2 at 120fps, and b) I'll be doing quite a bit of video recording at 1080p (also hopefully at 120Hz, for awesome slow-mo shots!), which also explains the RevoDrive (huge write speeds needed, and... I like quick things).

My problem is that I already have a PCI-e sound card that I'm pretty set on keeping, and I can't see how I'm going to fit all of this in if I do get a second 680. The non-reference ones (e.g. this one (http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1461/pg1/palit-geforce-gtx-680-jetstream-edition-graphics-card-review-introduction.html) are all looking like they'll be 2.5 slot so even if I get a motherboard with 3 PCI-e slots (like this (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-512-AS&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=2261)) I still can't see how it'd all fit. For example, I could put the sound card in the PCI-e x1 slot nearest the CPU, then the two 680's, but there'd still be no room for the RevoDrive.

I've read somewhere about using risers but have no idea what I'd do with the card once it was "risen". Anyone got any ideas to my semi-issue? :P

[Goku]

Have you looked into motherboards yet? I don't see why a Maximus V or other high end boards cannot handle what you are looking for.

[Really]

Don't think the full-sized Maximus V has been announced yet. I guess it'd need an XL-ATX mobo, or maaaybe an E-ATX one, and I can't find many available yet, but then it is early days for Z77 so maybe I should keep looking.
Thanks Goku.

[Goku]

First off before going out and buying the non reference that are basically taking up 3 slots I recommend waiting to see what comes out for the standard two slot design. MSI will likely come out with a lightning version of the card and thats only 2 slots, so you will not have any issues with spacing that way. Those cards are always built up far above the reference design. EVGA maybe coming out with a classified soon that is 2 slots and is similar to the lighting as well.

I just do not know if that 2.5 slot spacing on that Palit card will still give you the proper spacing to put in another device right next to it with the slot below it. May cause interference issues is all.

Play around and see if you can fit everything on this EVGA board http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188099

[Really]

Yeah I'm not planning on buying until we have a better idea of beta/release dates for PS2, by that time hopefully there'll be more non reference cards out which would make all the problems disappear! :)

Is there a way you can play around with it without buying it? I don't know dimensions and stuff lol :P

[Goku]

I mean just using your imagination to see if you can fit everything on the board from looking at the picture lol.

[Really]

Haha that's what I've been trying to do, the final bit of GPU fan always hangs over the final PCI-e slot in my head :p

[Goku]

Indeed. That EVGA mobo is the one with the most pcie slots so it would be best to base it off that. Thee should be a similar one with that many slots for the z77

[Really]

So I'm inches away from clicking buy on this (Gigabyte GTX680 Windforce) (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-093-GI&groupid=701&catid=1914&subcat=2255) because it's somehow cheaper than reference boards and got a pretty good review on Guru3d (http://www.guru3d.com/article/gigabyte-geforce-gtx-680-oc-edition-review/1)... I almost think the price is too good to be true, and there's a week before they get stock so it could change. Before I bite the bullet, what does everyone reckon: get it now, or wait for more non-ref (like the EVGA FTW version) to be released? Bearing in mind they'll probably be about £70 more expensive!

[termhn]

Looks pretty damn good to me, but then again I haven't really been following the 680 release, so yeah. I wish I could afford one of those, but that's more expensive than my whole build :cry:

[Goku]

DO IT!! :D

[Really]

Did it!

Then about 30 minutes later this appeared on the OcUK forums:

Hi there


Bad news - Gigabyte messed up, they sent me setup and product codes for the OC card, but in reality they've sold me reference and that is what is shipping. So no OC WindForce 680's coming next week and price is higher.

Good news - Those who have pre-ordered, shall be honored at the price you ordered, stock is due end of the month.

Sorry guys and Gigabyte apologise too.

So it'll arrive a bit late, but at least they're honouring the price! /winning

[Goku]

Ocuk is a great store.

[termhn]

Nice :D

[Really]

Just found a bigger problem: barely any boards have enough PCIe lanes to support x16/x16/x4/x1 :(

Reckon it's gonna have to be an expensive as-yet-unreleased jobby... oh well, I need to rebuild funds anyway :D

[Goku]

Did you order two GTX 680s already?

[Really]

Ooooorrrr just use a really fast-writing SSD instead of a Revodrive. Saves costs and eliminates problems! Wonder if 500MB/s is enough for 120Hz 1080p... or 5760x1080!

[Really]

Nah can't afford that yet :( Gonna give it a while, they're all out of stock in the UK right now and I can't even run SLI on my current mobo. Upgrade path is looking like this:

Motherboard + CPU (Z77 and IB)
2nd 680
SSD
Maybe 2 more monitors for Surround :P

I love having no commitments and living in a student house!

Quick aside: do you reckon an i7 would be better for things like Dxtory/FRAPS? They have to record/encode on the fly and Dxtory at least is multithreaded...

[Goku]

I thought you actually needed the revodrive for specific task. You will not notice any difference between a revodrive and a SSD like the Intel 520 playing games. You are not going to double your performance for example with a revodrive vs even a normal HDD. A Crucial M4, Samsung 830, or Intel 520 will be a great SSD for what you need, so scrap the revo. Too much $$$ anyway. From what people said even streaming won't be a issue when I was looking up HT and that program you want to use.

I didn't find anything going either way with HT and that program you want to use. Maybe try getting a hold of the company who made it and see what they say.

[Really]

Oh yeah it was for a specific task: recording using FRAPS etc in HD needs a ridiculous transfer rate since there's so much data at once, so the revodrive was to take care of that. Only I'm not sure whether I need 1500MB/s, or whether 500MB/s will suffice.

Got a Crucial m4 already and it's amazing, wouldn't bother upgrading just for gaming :)

[Goku]

I saw one person saying even with 3 screens using that program @ 5760x1200 at most you will be 180 MB/s. I think a regular SSD is fine, but you will be eating up a lot of space won't you? May need a bigger one. Unless you are only streaming.

[Really]

Yeah, was hoping 256GB would be enough but I'm fairly sure I'll run out of room in, like, 3 minutes. Sigh. The idea of recording at 120fps for slow motion is getting less and less attainable :(

[Goku]

Lol. Well keep this in mind. If you are uploading this somewhere most people do not have 120Hz screens, so that isn't going to be really any kind of benefit.

I think it takes longer then 3 minutes to fill up 256GB. @ 180 MB/s a minute with tripple monitors at 60 FPS will take 25 minutes or so. Oh my. Would a raid setup with like 2 TB drives be a better option?

This is a very expensive project. And you are going to college at the same time? Wow.

[Really]

The 120Hz would be so I can slow it down 4x for slow-motion shots. Pretty specific need but it looks cool!

Hmm raid could work; actually, Dxtory has a feature where it can split the file between two hard drives/SSDs while recording, so they might not even need to be raid-ed. I've tried it with my current setup and it struggled, as did the M4 on its own, but I'm sure there's a way!

Yeah expensive :/ Needed an upgrade anyway though, determined to run PS2 on max settings :) I got quite lucky though, I got a fellowship to do an MSc in Statistics over 2 years while working and it pays quite well (for a first job at least) - figured I'd blow some on this!