Ultimate Developer Rig

[dr3amscap3]

This has floated around the Windows space for almost two years, http://stevesmithblog.com/blog/ultimate-developer-rig-2009/ is the latest incarnation.

 

I'm looking to do something similar, but run leopard on it and run heavy virtualization.

 

15 years ago, doing all the research to put this together would have been loads of fun. With 2 kids and not a ton of time it's not fun so much.

 

Any interest in doing the research and getting fame and glory? Anyone built something similar and want to share a newegg list (there was a video rig posted in the forums about 4 months ago that looks close-ish, but newegg is out of parts on a dailyi basis it seems)?

 

Anyone want to do it for the betterment of the community? I'll donate $50 or something to some open source project around this to help it going along.

 

Quick Specs that I'm looking for, or guiding principles:

 

Guiding Principle: Quiet monster, run 3 or 4 virtual machines without breaking a sweat and doesn't let me notice I'm virtualized in Windows 7 running Visual Studio (heh, it still pays some bills). I'm not a gamer, probably won't ever try, but I do want to drive 3 or 4 24"-27" LCDs.

 

Loose requirements:

• Loads of memory (or ability to take loads and loads. Think 12 GB minimum would like the option to go to 24 or 36)
  
• Loads of disk space
  
• Fast boot drive (if that matters here)
  
• 2x dual dvi video cards
  
• whatever for sound
  
• whatever for dvd rw
  
• card reader would be nice
  
• should be as quiet as possible (I like the antec p182 case)
  
• 3 or 4 24"-27" LCDs with at least 2 being able to go into portrait mode
  

Budget: < $3000

 

If you need more specifics, let me know.

[r8f5e7]

I'm not sure if I can help you, but I'll try:

 

 

>>> * Loads of memory

 

I believe the GA-EX58-UD5 can take 24GB of DDR3 memory up to 2100+

 

>>> * Loads of disk space

 

WD Caviar Black 1TB

 

>>> * Fast boot drive (if that matters here)

 

OCZ SSD Vertex or something similar

 

>>> * 2x dual dvi video cards

 

The 8600GTS is great for hackintoshing, but I'm not sure if you can really use two of them in OS X at the same time.

 

>>> * whatever for sound

 

Creative SB Audigy 2 ZX or something similar (maybe USB or Firewire adapter for that purpose)

 

>>> * card reader would be nice

 

Is possible. The HCL should have some adapters listed.

 

>>> * should be as quiet as possible (I like the antec p182 case)

 

The Antec P182 is great! I'd recommend that one, too. Also the Enermax Modu82+ series of PSUs, they're really quiet! You shouldn't use stock coolers in this case, I'd recommend something like Scythe Mugen 2 or Noctua for the CPU, Scythe or Arctic Cooling fans for the case, and a Scythe cooler for the GPU(s). Also you should consider buying HDD cases for better sound dampening. Passively cooled GPUs for hackintoshes that support dual DVI output are the 9600GT, 9400, 8600GTS (hard to find!) and the 8600GT. Asus is kinda leading in this sector.

 

>>> * 3 or 4 24"-27" LCDs with at least 2 being able to go into portrait mode

 

The Dell 2408WFP is a great monitor (S-PVA panel, Full HD, USB Hub, optional sound, DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort etc.)

[dr3amscap3]

Cool, thanks for the reply. I have the 2208WFP and a 1905FP and I love both of them. The 2208s are sold out, but I'm thinking about: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/product...mp;sku=320-8103 instead. Not 24" but 1/2 the cost (means 2x many). Though the 2408WFP may be in my future.

 

So I added all your suggestions to a newegg list, well, most of them. Couldn't find a card reader in the HCL.

 

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWi...Number=11894626

 

Was thinking 4 1 TB drives in a RAID 5. Overkill? Never played with raid in OS X, and linux was almost a decade ago with 3ware Escalade cards. Could probably just go to a single 1TB and back up to the cloud for the time being...

 

Anything I'm missing? Overlooking?

[r8f5e7]

I'm thinking about: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/product...mp;sku=320-8103 instead. Not 24" but 1/2 the cost (means 2x many).

 

Looks good, too. Didn't know you're comfortable with TN-panels.

 

Couldn't find a card reader in the HCL.

 

It seems someone is using a "Rosewill" card reader here.

 

Was thinking 4 1 TB drives in a RAID 5. Overkill?

 

Depends on what your rig will be doing. RAID5 is definitely recommended for video editing and such. Don't know if you really need one if you're a developer. Unfortunately I can't help you with questions regarding RAID setups and OS X. Those questions should be answered by one of our "pros" here.

 

Anything I'm missing? Overlooking?

 

I wouldn't buy two GPUs unless I've made sure that SLI/Crossfire is possible in OS X. Here is a post by netkas related to this topic. Could help you.

 

Besides that, your list looks good. The Mugen 2 should fit into the P182, altough its 160mm tall.

 

Edit: Found also this: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=148255 (Dual 8800GTS)

[dr3amscap3]

Looks good, too. Didn't know you're comfortable with TN-panels.

Actually, didn't even catch that it was a TN panel (and until now didn't know what a TN panel was). Guess that's why it's so cheap. Dell isn't selling the 2208WFP any longer, at least I can't find it on their site, so I guess the 2408WFP is the next in that line without going down to the 20".

 

Does Dell make the only LCDs that go into portrait mode?

It seems someone is using a "Rosewill" card reader here.

Cool, thanks.

Depends on what your rig will be doing. ... Those questions should be answered by one of our "pros" here.

Virtualization, running test suites and mysql, for the most part. Maybe a tad bit of video but it'll be 10-20% of the time, if that. Just thinking disks are cheap, why not buy a few? Then what do I do with 4TB? Do I really need 4 volumes...

 

I wouldn't buy two GPUs unless I've made sure that SLI/Crossfire is possible in OS X. Here is a post by netkas related to this topic. Could help you.

I'm way behind on SLI/Crossfire. I've never even bothered looking at it because I thought it was completely a technology for gaming, and that's something I'm not doing. I thought you had to do something to enable SLI/Crossfire beyond just slotting 2 cards. Is that not the case any more?

 

The story can't be that dim for the real mac pro, right? They let you configure it with 4 dual-head cards or something ridiculous...

 

Besides that, your list looks good. The Mugen 2 should fit into the P182, altough its 160mm tall.

 

Wow, I went back and looked at the Noctua, $80 for a CPU cooler. Is it 2x as good as the Scythe?

[r8f5e7]

I guess the 2408WFP is the next in that line without going down to the 20".

 

The Dell 2209WA has an e-IPS panel, 22'' and all the features the 2408WFP has (with the exception of DisplayPort or so). It's not a Full HD monitor, but has a great value considering the price (around 300 euros).

 

Does Dell make the only LCDs that go into portrait mode?

 

I have no idea, sorry. But I bet Eizo and NEC produce monitors that have all features you can dream of (well, for 2000 euros and up).

 

I'm way behind on SLI/Crossfire. I've never even bothered looking at it because I thought it was completely a technology for gaming, and that's something I'm not doing. I thought you had to do something to enable SLI/Crossfire beyond just slotting 2 cards. Is that not the case any more?

 

I've never set up a multi GPU system myself. As far as I know, you just stick the cards into the PCIe slots, connect both of them with a thing they call "bridge" and you're good to go. Nothing more to do, pretty easy.

 

Wow, I went back and looked at the Noctua, $80 for a CPU cooler. Is it 2x as good as the Scythe?

 

Not really, but it's definitely one of the best 1366 coolers atm. Most people prefer this Noctua model over the Scythe Mugen 2. It's also 160mm tall and fits into the P182. I'd probably go with the Noctua.

 

Good luck with your build!

 

PS: if you're using a multi GPU system and/or plan to overclock your CPU, you better take the Enermax Modu82+ 625W instead of 525W since overclocking and SLI/Crossfire consume a LOT of watts.

[noNix]

There is no SLI / Crossfire on the Mac. The reason for adding multiple display cards to a Mac is simply so that you can support more displays, not to run your existing displays faster. If you don't intend to run games, save your money and get a lower powered card which also has the advantage of consuming less power and being quieter.

 

Disks are cheep, but unless you need huge amounts of storage constantly available its better to use those extra disks for backup than to have them constantly spinning, using power, and generating heat and noise.

 

The advantage of the Noctua over the Scythe is that the Noctua is supposedly quieter.

[dr3amscap3]

There is no SLI / Crossfire on the Mac. The reason for adding multiple display cards to a Mac is simply so that you can support more displays, not to run your existing displays faster. If you don't intend to run games, save your money and get a lower powered card which also has the advantage of consuming less power and being quieter

 

Any suggestions? I don't game, only want more displays.

[r8f5e7]

Any suggestions? I don't game, only want more displays.

 

I believe netkas has successfully managed to have two GTX 275 working at the same time in OS X. I just can't find the link. Anyone?

[Baruck]

No SLI/Crossfire nedded. Like someone has told before, you can use multiple graphic cards on a Mac. I've been doing that for years, since the PowerMac G3 and even before that. A friend of mine has a MacPro with 3 graphic cards, so he can have 5 monitors connected (can connect another one, all 3 cards are dual head). I believe in hakintosh is exactly the same. If you install 2 suported boards (both dualhead) you can connect 4 displays. No need to connect the boards one to another (like crossfire /SLI or whatever).

 

Having multiple display is just great. I use 2 x 22" for my work as designer, and I would like to have another one, but never less than 2 display.

 

My friend has a MacPro with a 24" has main screen, 2 x 19" dell, and two other 19" of some cheap brand. He use mostly the first three. He is a webdeveloper. On center screen he has the Eclipse/Zend for PHP, at the left Dreamweaver with all HTML the designer send to him, at the right the browser(s), than on the other two he have Adium and Skype, stikies and notepad with some apointments. We use that rig for music mixing too (Apple Logic) and all that display "Real estate" is just great.

[dr3amscap3]

I've updated my wishlist: http://is.gd/1cA94

 

I'll change some of my initial requirements. Seems I will be doing a bit of post production work on screencasts. I new multiple displays and multiple cards worked in OS X, I remember hand editing xinerama scripts years ago in linux to get it working. Don't do any SLI or CrossFire stuff so when all this talk about incompatibility came up I punted and assumed there was some kind of quirk with hackintosh and multimon setups.

 

Updated from the P182 to P183 Antec.

 

I'm waiting for some ink to hit paper on a contract of mine before I hit buy, but I'm getting an itchy mouse finger.

 

Any glaring oversights?

[r8f5e7]

Updated from the P182 to P183 Antec.

 

I believe the P183 is significantly noisier than the P182 because of its new 140mm top fan (read that somewhere in a review).

 

Other than that your list looks great. Btw, I'd suggest the Asus 9600GT SILENT as a replacement of the Asus EN9600GT

[dr3amscap3]

I believe the P183 is significantly noisier than the P182 because of its new 140mm top fan (read that somewhere in a review).

 

Other than that your list looks great. Btw, I'd suggest the Asus 9600GT SILENT as a replacement of the Asus EN9600GT

 

Heh, it's really called SILENT? I thought that was just your emphasis (in another thread you said, did I mention SILENT).

 

I was going to get a couple of those Scythe case fans that are supposed to be very quiet and 800-1200rpm or something.

 

Here's the review where they talk about the top fan being louder: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article945-page5.html and it doesn't appear to be a fan issue but a mounting and mount issue.

 

still seems there's enough ability to add fans that cooling and airflow shouldn't be a problem without the top fan. And they mention being able to remove the offending metal, i'm guessing a dremmel and cutting it into a full circle?

 

so I think I'll stick with the P183, it's only $5 more than the 182 and should have better ventilation.

 

Has anyone had any experience with this monitor?

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16824001323

 

How does it compare to the Dell line up, like 2408WFP ?

[dr3amscap3]

Okay, all my pieces have arrived and they're mostly assembled. I didn't put in the sound card yet, or the firewire card. I guess I expected more room in the case/on the mobo. Only 2 of the vid cards, I'll wrange the 3rd one in later, maybe.

 

I'm trying to install iATKOS v7 and am getting the com.apple.Boot.plist error on start up.

 

I'm running memtest now as I heard with multiple banks I might need to boost the north bridge, but still waiting for that test to happen.

 

Searching around the forums for some other ideas.