Building of Aircooled dual 4090 Founders Editions System !

[Quad]

Building of dual aircooled 4090 FE, based on existing system.

Started 12-2022, based in Belgium.​

Own requirements :

• Highest possible amount of VRAM on GTX for V-Ray GPU in Maya (Windows 10)
• “Cheap” as possible without turning to Threadripper, Workstation MoBo, Quadro and watercooling
• Cool system during summer (30 degrees Celcius)
• Near silent if possible
• Lowest possible wattage/euro without losing too much rendering-times

The "old" system :

• Case : Be Quiet! Dark Pro 700 Midi Tower (https://www.megekko.nl/product/0/17...rs.net&utm_source=tweakers.net&utm_medium=cpc)
• PSU : Corsair RM850x (https://tweakers.net/pricewatch/463794/corsair-rm850x-zwart.html)
• Motherboard : Asus Prime X570-Pro (https://tweakers.net/pricewatch/1403126/asus-prime-x570-pro.html)
• CPU : AMD Ryzen 9 5900x (https://tweakers.net/pricewatch/1618232/amd-ryzen-9-5900x-boxed.html)
• Memory : Corsair Vengeance LPX 64Gb DDR4 3200Mhz (4x 16Gb)
• Cooling : 6x Be Quiet! Silent Wings 3 (https://www.megekko.nl/product/0/97...rs.net&utm_source=tweakers.net&utm_medium=cpc)
• GPU 1: Asus 1080Ti 11Gb
• GPU 2: Asus 1060 3Gb Blower

Intermediate Upgrades : Goal is to use 2x 3090 FE in December 2022

• Case : Fractal Design Meshify 2 XL
  • It must have 9 slots in the back
  • It has a large mesh in front = maximum airflow (Be Quiet! Dark Pro 900 does not have it)
• PSU : Corsair AX1600i
  • The final system has a maximum output of +/- 915W (with undervolt and underpowered settings for both CPU and GPU’s), but I also use the system for DCS non-VR (https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/). There might be spikes higher than 1000W so I just wanted to play safe… forever.
  • It has native support for Type-4 cables
• Cooling : 4x Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4 Pro (https://www.alternate.be/html/product/1855081?utm_source=Tweakers&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Tweakers_Case fan&utm_term=TL9V4G). Replacement for the Silent Wings 3 because they can be manually set to different and much higher speeds. I plan to increase the speeds on warm days and take the extra noise for granted.
• GPU 1 : nVidia 3090 Founders Edition
• GPU 2: nVidia 3090 Founders Edition
  • there’s a lot to tell about these …. Short version : they run too hot and too costly, period.
  • In order to give the first GPU breathing-room, the second GPU must be used in the lowest PCIe-16x slot. The first PCIe-16x will run at 16x and the second one will run at 4x. HeadsUp : as long as the scene fits in the VRAM of each GPU, the PCIe-4x will NOT bottleneck.
  • Modifications to the motherboard had to be done in order to give the second gpu space to fit in :
    • Bending some pins on the front-panel connector. It’s easily done using the provided extender for those same pins nad bending them one by one. In my case, only the Power On/Off, Reset-buttons and HDD-led were needed.
    • I used a 90 degree-adapter for the frontal USB3-connectors (https://www.amazon.de/dp/B08R7HPDL2/ref=pe_27091401_487027711_TE_SCE_dp_1). Be sure to buy the correct angle as there are 2 possibilities.
  • Bad thermal pads and fan-configuration caused the memory junction-temperature to rise well above its thermal limits, causing it to throttle down = 106 degrees ! Even though the hardware probably won’t break, nobody wants 106 degree air blowing in a case. It will cause premature failure on the longterm and that’s bad marketing for a 2000 euro’s GPU.
  • Second 3090 FE will blow hot air into the first 3090 FE = more bad news.
• Solutions:
  
  • Buy the right tool to disassemble the GPU (Fix it! https://www.alternate.be/iFixit/Mako-64-Bit-Driver-Kit-bitset/html/product/1436291)
  • Replace thermal pads
    .
  • Just be sure to buy the right thickness and type (Gelid Solutions GP-Extreme 1.5mm) (https://www.amazon.de/dp/B09GPKV34S/ref=pe_27091401_487027711_TE_SCE_dp_1) and use the template with a very sharp cutting knife
  • The temperatures dropped about 15-25 degrees. Using undervolt
    and underpower (MSI Afterburner -> Powersetting 70%), the maximum memory junction I saw were about 75 degrees ! Cool enough.

​

 

[Quad]

Final System preparation :

• Replaced both 3090 FE with 4090 FE : they are LITERALLY about twice as fast and they run a lot cooler (numbers will follow). I consider the 4090FE the new true new king without compromises (it would be the number one buy for non-corporates if it had NVLink, 2 Slot thickness, blower-style…. And 40Gb VRAM) what the 1080Ti was in the days and about the best upgrade possible in the history of GPU-upgrades for (pro)consumers. It’s THAT good !!
• The 4090 Founders Edition is a 3.5 Slot-GPU and that leaves about 7mm clearance between the PSU-shroud for the lower GPU. It might be enough of the frontal fans can push air deep and strong enough for the 4090 to pull them in. But I didn’t take that route :
• I placed the PSU outside the case. In order to do that, I had to lasercut holes in the sidepanel, exactly behind the existing holes in the case :
  • For once in my life, I was lucky…. Lasercutting in metal is not done by everyone. I contacted 10+ people/firms in Belgium and the Netherlands for that. Online services only accept their own materials, not custom like the sidepanel. They all responded, but nobody gave a green light. Someone was willing to drill holes and carve them out. Could have worked, but probably not as clean as laser.
  • … on the opposite side of my house, there’s a metal firm. Someone I went to school with and it’s mindboggling : he has a huge industrial laser !!! So, 1 month later after initially sending emails to everybody, I got the holes done in 12 seconds at the cost of 5 euro’s moral support, 30 meters away from my door ! All I needed was a AI (Adobe Illustrator-2-DWG/DXF)-file and my sidepanel. I have the last seconds of the cutting on video, because I wasn’t prepared.
• I ordered extension-cables for the PWM-fans (https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07FMZJ17B/ref=pe_27091401_487027711_TE_SCE_dp_1?language=en_GB)
• The PSU is standing quite good on a custom made metal table and with some cable-management doesn’t look too bad. The PSU is whisper-quiet. To be honest, it’s not a shame showing that PSU.
• Replaced the GPU-powercords with Corsair equivalent for cleaner layout (https://www.alternate.be/Corsair/60...-4-PSU-Power-Cable-kabel/html/product/1871728) . It has 600W rating, since each Type-4 cable can handle 300W (the default cables that come with the GPU can handle 150W/each).
• I placed a custom aluminium plate on top of the case to avoid air being sucked out before it reaches the memory and CPU.
• Raised the case with 1 cm to increase the inflow-capacity on the bottom.

Final System specs :

• Case : Fractal Design Meshify 2 XL (with 3 extra holes)
• Motherboard : Asus Prime X570-Pro
• CPU : AMD 9 5900x (12-cores/24 threads) @ 4.9Ghz
• Memory : Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 4x 16Gb (64Gb)@3600Mhz stable
• PSU : Corsair AX1600i digital
• Fans:
  • upper front 2x Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4 Pro @ medium-speed intake
  • lower front 2x Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4 Pro @ high-speed intake
  • 2x Be Quiet! Silent Wings 2 on top over CPU pushing out
  • 2x Be Quiet! Silent Wings 3 on bottom intake under second 4090 FE
  • 1x default Fractal Design in rear pushing out
  • the PSU-opening on the rear has been blocked out.
• Storage:
  • Samsung 970 Pro 1Tb
  • Samsung 980 Pro 1Tb
  • Samsung EVO 850 250Gb
  • Samsung EVO 850 250Gb
  • Western Digital 2Tb HDD
• GPU 1 : nVidia 4090 Founders Edition in PCIE-16 slot 1 (16x mechanical)
• GPU 2 : nVidia 4090 Founders Edition in PCIE-16 slot 3 (4x mechanical)
• 90 degree USB3-connector adapter
• 4090 Cables : Corsair 600W PCIe 5.0 12VHPWR Type-4 PSU Power Cable
• 3D Connexion SpaceMouse Pro Wireless (https://www.amazon.com.be/dp/B07PJ6...e=380333&creativeASIN=B07PJ6SV6C&linkCode=asn)
• Loupedeck CT (https://www.thomann.de/be/loupedeck_ct.htm)
• Logitech M570 wireless mouse
• Corsair K55 RGB keyboard
• Wacom Intuos 4 L
• MSI Afterburner : Powerlimit 75%

Results for V-Ray GPU RT in Maya 202x (same external hospital-scene WIP since forever @ 915 Watt system total. I no longer have the 3090’s FE to measure with) :

• 3090 x16 : 83 seconds @ 74 GPU/79 mem
• 4090 x16 : 43.2 seconds @ 48 GPU/56 mem Celcius (13.94 sec prep-time)
• 4090 x4 : 43.7 seconds @ 46 GPU/54 mem Celcius (16.89 sec prep-time)
• 4090 x16 + 3090 x4 : 30.2 seconds @ 48 GPU/56 mem + 61 GPU/58 mem
• 4090 x16 + 4090 x4 : 27.0 seconds @ 44 GPU/56 mem + 44 GPU/54 mem (18.63 sec prep-time)

 

[Quad]

Bending the connectors :


PCIe-16x slots 1 and 3 used for the GPU's :


Sidepanel lasercutted :


The holes used to guide the power-cables :


The sidepanel with the cords :


Fan-layout :


Aluminium plate to prevent air blown out prematurely :


Gap underneath second GPU :


The external PSU :

 

[Quad]

Final words :

I'm very happy with the performance considering the amount of money that I DIDN'T spend.
Would I consider upgrading my CPU and as a consequence the mobo/memory: No.
Would I consider upgrading memory 64Gb -> 128Gb : Yes.
Would I consider watercooling and as a consequence using x8 x8 instead of x16 x4 : No, because the temps are better than good !

The noise of the Silent Wings 4 Pro that are set to "high-speed" is present in the room when there's no music. They spin-up "randomly" but mostly when the GPU's start to render, but not always. Anyway, with music there are no noice issues at all.

Lasercutting won't be possible for many : having the PSU where it should be in the case might have a negative effect on the thermals of the second GPU, because the air volume reaching the GPU will be less than it is now.


Future :

There's talk of a 4xxx Titan-version with 40Gb.

Would I consider it : Yes, but only if it can work its magic at no more than 300W using undervolt or Power limit settings in MSI Afterburner.
Would I consider a Quadro/Pro-card : No, too expensive.

I don't make any profit using this workstation. It's a hobby. But FUN !!!!

 

[Alex Glawion]

Replaced both 3090 FE with 4090 FE : they are LITERALLY about twice as fast and they run a lot cooler

That's what I'm talking about

• 4090 x16 : 43.2 seconds @ 48 GPU/56 mem Celcius (13.94 sec prep-time)
• 4090 x4 : 43.7 seconds @ 46 GPU/54 mem Celcius (16.89 sec prep-time)

Very interesting! So data upload to GPU is throttled at x4.

Would I consider upgrading memory 64Gb -> 128Gb : Yes.

Yes this would be the next logical step.

I don't make any profit using this workstation. It's a hobby. But FUN !!!!

Awesome!

Would I consider watercooling and as a consequence using x8 x8 instead of x16 x4 : No, because the temps are better than good !

Would you consider x8 x8 due to x4 throttling on data upload to GPU? (preparation time)



Fantastic Posts, thanks for sharing!

 

[Quad]

"Proof"

Would you consider x8 x8 due to x4 throttling on data upload to GPU? (preparation time)

No, it would probably cost me too much to convert to watercooling.