Functional 4-Way SLi PASCAL Titan X

Discussion in 'Videocards - NVIDIA GeForce' started by venturi, Aug 21, 2016.

  1. venturi

    venturi Master Guru

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    Success - 4-Way SLi PASCAL Titan Xp

    Some critical updates for those technically minded individuals (all the members of this forum)
    as far as i know, this is the first fully functional 4-way pascal rig where games and apps are actually using all 4 GPU's in SLi.


    [​IMG]



    Current build:
    Supermicro X10DRG-Q
    2x E5-2699 v4 (44 cores/ 88HT) (3.7ghz turbo)
    512GB ram DDR4 2400mhz ecc reg
    (QUAD SLI) 4 Titan Xp
    2x Samsung NVMe 961 Pro pcie 3.0 (os drives)
    10x Samsung 850 Pro SSD RAID (apps drive)
    LG 31MU97z 4096x2160 true 4K rev C
    modded P5 case, Noctua heatsinks
    Digital power supply 1650w
    Windows Server 2012 R2 Data Center, Ubuntu 15

    [​IMG]

    I have functional quad sli using the new Titan x pascal cards.

    The cards came with a back plate which acted as a thermal insulator, removed the back plate and heat dissipation is so much better. If you buy these cards remove the back plate immediately. The back plate is paper this aluminum with a plastic layer on the inside. Obviously it was just for looks at the price of cooking the cards
    One can remove the back plate without making any changes to the front of the card



    [​IMG]

    Detailed pictures and explanation to follow next:

    I am only using the game benchmark as way of using a reproducible standard

    So I'm using the built in 'benchmark c5l1" and "benchmark c5l2"


    So here is the setup
    Driver 372.54

    Test material apples to apples

    Painkiller Black
    Havok physics enhanced mod multi threaded
    FXAA - more than that is wasted at that resolution
    Visual enhancement mods
    Resolution - 4096x2160 (true 4k)


    Running full eye candy Sli 4-GPU AFR 2 custom profile

    From the bios shot you can see the layout I selected, please notice the what cpu goes to what pcie slot

    [​IMG]

    Here is the view with the glass side off


    [​IMG]

    Here are the bridge choices

    [​IMG]

    Here are some of my selected manual bridge builds, these picture is only an example, not my final config

    [​IMG]

    Important - my motherboard type -the x10drg-q is the only board type in the world with reverse order pcie sockets. The primary video card is the first socket on the bottom of the board, NOT the closest socket to the cpu(s) like all the other motherboards. Yes, it comes from supermicro that way.

    this means that my sli pattern is completely different not just upside down since the order is reversed, opposite and upside down.

    So
    This is the score I can get with default brige - 303Fps is not bad at 4096x2160 with the fullest eye candy, havok mod, custom profile is the same for all tests running benchmark c5l1

    [​IMG]

    This is with the higher v2 bridge (2 year old bridge) a 50fps increase, not bad

    [​IMG]

    Same bridge installed upside down so that primary card has both connections, score only went up a few fps, but look at the minimum frame count go up
    this is also because my primary video card with the monitor is the lowest one on my type of motherboard- which makes the primary card the coldest.

    [​IMG]

    And various manual sli ribbon configs with all 8 sockets connected
    Manual build layout running the more intensive benchmark c5l2 with greater physics

    This is a custom sli bridge of ribbons layout using the metal connectors from three destroyed 4-way evga v2 bridgesThe metal connectors have grab pins on both sides for the card sli plug this makes the "upgrade to a better bridge.." exclamation mark go away


    390FPS average, peak 1024FPS (game engine limit)

    [​IMG]

    the "benchmark c5l2" is heavy on explosions and object trajectories, particles etc, so its a good test, as well of course as carrying the heavy mods for havoc and visual enhancement


    ...and honestly, --with full eye candy and physics, HD mods, almost 400 FPS-- at 4096x2160, isn't all that bad...

    If I take the default painkiller black build and the custom profile without the additional eye candy/mods I get over 500fps


    I have other games I have running in excess of 200fps at 4096x2160

    (**but right now I'm having a tough time getting "No Man's Sky" running smoothly past 40-60 fps at 4096x2160 - the gane just doesn't run well at all, something just plain feels wrong with it, but that's another story.)



    So, just on bridge config at 4096x2160, I went from 302FPS average, to 390FPS average.
    here is an example of "any" game:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]



    Thx

    J
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2017
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  2. Xanvast

    Xanvast Guest

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    Not sure to understand, is it active/working outside of benchmarks ?
     
  3. fantaskarsef

    fantaskarsef Ancient Guru

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    Hehe nice, what a beast ;)
    Good I don't have to dust it off though :D
     
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  4. venturi

    venturi Master Guru

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    GPU:
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    Yes
    It's working

    It's just that it's set up correctly, down to specific cpu sockets to specific cards and custom settings and specific sli bridge config on a reverse order motherboard

    my motherboard type -the x10drg-q is the only board type in the world with reverse order pcie sockets. The primary video card is the first socket on the bottom of the board, NOT the closest socket to the cpu(s) like all the other motherboards. Yes, it comes from supermicro that way.

    this means that my sli bridge pattern is completely different


    A house of cards to get a good result
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2016

  5. Xanvast

    Xanvast Guest

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    That was clear enough, but is it that particular pcie sockets order and bridge pattern that enables it ? Is it possible to achieve the same thing on a regular motherboard ?
     
  6. venturi

    venturi Master Guru

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    GPU:
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    I have not ever seen a single socket mother board feed 4 way sli to its potential, especially at real 4K and 5k resolutions with max eye candy and lots of physics.


    At 2560x1200 and below a lot of configurations work ok because the demand is lower
    Most rigs seem to be about the 1920x1080 rez

    But to get 400FPS with max eye candy at or above 4096x2160, well, I have not seen it.

    Anything over 120fps is a visual waste anyhow, but even 60fps at true 4K and 5k is tough for many titles/engines on just one card.
    2-way sli is a good compromise if someone builds their own profiles, but out of the box the nvidia drivers have always been problematic if you're a perfectionist.

    Anyhow, the point of the exercise is that nvidia for two months had made 4 way sli difficult / near impossible on pascal cards, but as of driver 372 it's been easier to set up again.

    I had 4 way sli working on driver 369 with the pascal but had to do driver modding, with 372 it works without modding it


    The other point was the bridge, all 8 connectors being used to get in the 400fps zone at 4096x2160

    With 6 connectors for 4 cards, could only get to 350fps with v2 bridge, and 300fps with v1 bridges


    The point:
    So, just on bridge config at 4096x2160, I went from 302FPS average, to 390FPS average.
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2016
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  7. XcroN

    XcroN Guest

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    Have you tried some games with 4 way SLI under pascal?
     
  8. tsunami231

    tsunami231 Ancient Guru

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    I thought 4 way was no longer support
     
  9. venturi

    venturi Master Guru

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    GPU:
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    Yes, a little...

    Fallout 4. custom sli profile, excellent
    No man's sky. Tried nvidia and custom, poor results so far, very poor implementation for pc so far
    Shadwen. custom sli profile, excellent
    We happy few. custom sli profile, excellent
    Hard reset redux. custom sli profile, excellent
    Doom 4 So so, still trying to figure it out
    Crystals. custom sli profile, excellent
    Crisis 2 and 3. custom sli profile, excellent
    Dying light. custom sli profile, awesome
    Ethan carter redux. custom sli profile, awesome
    Ashes of the singularity. Poor
    Soma. custom sli profile, So so
    Quake 4, doom 3, prey, So so, never ran sli well
    Soma. custom sli profile, excellent
    UT3. 32xAf, custom sli profile, Awesome
    Unreal gold. custom sli profile, excellent
    Ziggurat. custom sli profile, excellent
    Singularity. custom sli profile, excellent
    Sir, you're being hunted. custom sli profile, excellent
    Quake HD. custom sli profile, excellent
    Quake 2 custom sli profile, excellent
    Assassins creed. custom sli profile, excellent
    Batman Arkham. custom sli profile, with physics mod, good
    Batman ark city. custom sli profile, good
    Bloodrayne 2. HD \mod, threaded mod, custom sli profile, excellent
    Necropolis. Custom profile, work in progress, good
    Pollen. custom sli profile, excellent
    SuperHot. custom sli profile, excellent
    Solus project. Poor
    Far cry 1,2, 3 custom sli profile, good/ok
    Layers of fear. custom sli profile, excellent
    The witches 3. ok 2 way sli, poor 3 or 4 way
    The witcher 1 and 2. custom sli profile, excellent
    Metro and metro 2033. custom sli profile, mediocre/ok
    Outlast. custom sli profile, excellent
    Valve engines- portal, hL2, custom sli profile, excellent
    Portal 2- Very poor

    Etc etc about 30 more titles
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2016
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  10. venturi

    venturi Master Guru

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    [​IMG]

    It works fine,
    There is just a warning that it's not supported, but if you look at the pics it works well.

    You can always make you're own profiles and you have 4 way sli
     
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  11. Xanvast

    Xanvast Guest

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    I don't feel you gave me the answer to my question. I am interested by at least 3 Way SLI (coming off 4 Way Maxwell TXs) and I want to know if it would work with my setup or is it something that you did with the bridges, pcie slots order or the drivers that made it work in games. And could you please provide game benchmarks that show it's working ?
    Thanks
     
  12. venturi

    venturi Master Guru

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    An evga 3 way v2 bridge will work fine for your set up
    It's 6 for 6 full connectors

    Driver 372 and above supports it fine

    I had maxwell 4 way tx sc and worked fine

    As far as game benchmarks to show scaling, well the last long post shows the painkiller built in benchmark and it scales well on 3 and 4 way..


    Otherwise I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you moving from 4 maxwell tx to 3 pascal tx?
     
  13. yasamoka

    yasamoka Ancient Guru

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    Did you build this to play games?

    Please no.
     
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  14. venturi

    venturi Master Guru

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    Lol, of course not.
    Its for medical imaging, VMs, nuc med, isotopes.
    I work out of my house sometimes.

    The games or just a perk, my rig earns its keep first ;)
     
  15. Xanvast

    Xanvast Guest

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    I already have 2 of the new Titan Xs but as they stated officially 3 & 4 Way are not supported anymore and will be disabled for games that's why I need solid proof it works before I consider droping another 1300€ or 2
     

  16. venturi

    venturi Master Guru

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    GPU:
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    The choice is up to you

    I'm running 4 way sli

    However
    I would not embark on this journey unless:
    1. You have a need greater than just gaming
    2. You are willing to build your own application custom sli profiles
    3. You have a motherboard and resources to feed the sli past 2 gpu sli



    However

    If you want solid proof
    The best I can do is share my first hand experiences. And obviously the starting pictures to this post. I'm here to help, share, and gain back knowledge for things I don't know.

    It may well happen that down the road sli will stop being used completely. But until a single card can power 8k Rez at 60+ FPS, think sli is safe

    here are the driver 372.54 shots on 4-way Pascal Titan X:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I hope that helps.


    The decision to purchase is entirely up to you
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2016
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  17. Xanvast

    Xanvast Guest

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    I have gaming needs that are not covered by 2 way Titan X SLI. I already have everything needed for the setup as I just got rid of 4 cards, I perfectly know what it takes. But the only proof you give is a photo of your monitor on a benchmark I don't know. The control panel still says it's only for benchmark mode.
    And that's not solid enough so if you could show some more it would be cool. Otherwise thanks anyway for sharing your experience.
     
  18. yasamoka

    yasamoka Ancient Guru

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    Phew. That's awesome!

    You really need to watercool this beast.
     
  19. venturi

    venturi Master Guru

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    GPU:
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    My last rig was water cooled, but with the hardware I'm running there was very little I needed that for as I'm running close to room temp for most things

    I like the elegance of water cooling, here are my last two rigs

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Here is are my temps under a mild load in the current rig


    [​IMG]


    And as for processing power to feed the gpus, here is my score on my 2 socket system

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2016
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  20. XenthorX

    XenthorX Ancient Guru

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    :paranoid: fps :paranoid:so much frames everywhere !
     

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