Folding with GTS 450

[clifford_cooley]

EVGA GTS 450 for folding

Hardware Canucks - Results of review for GTS 450 folding

I'm seriously considering this card for myself. I think this card would balance out my system quite well.

 

[Ian]

That looks like quite a promising mid-range card, and very affordable compared to some of the high end ones .

Do you do much gaming, or is this mainly for the crunching boost?

 

[clifford_cooley]

Do you do much gaming, or is this mainly for the crunching boost?

Well to be honest I'm thinking of playing a few games.

However this Radeon HD 4350 just takes the fun out of playing when characters are actually created right in front of you while you are running. Things you don't see coming because your GPU hasn't created them yet.

Folding would be an additional use for the card.

 

[Nibiru2012]

The Radeon HD 4350 is a seriously neutered video card to say the least with only 80 stream processing units to it's credit. I have a HD 3850 which kicks it's butt with 320 stream processing units and it's an older GPU technology wise. Radeon did a lot of snip, snip on that 4350 card.

 

[TorrentG]

I have a HD 3850

Awesome, me too! Only mine is AGP and not PCI-e.

I got it because it's the fastest card ever made for AGP slot. Much faster than any AGP HD 4xxx even because it has special 256 bit memory and is factory OC. Plus, I get it all the way up to 800 MHz GPU and 2400 MHz effective mem. Never any issues whatsoever.

 

[clifford_cooley]

The Radeon HD 4350 is a seriously neutered video card

Yeah I knew the HD 4350 wasn't considered a gaming card when I bought it. My main goal at the time was not looking at games. Since then I have purchased a few games and now realize just how much its not a gaming card.

Hindsight, don't you just love this word.

I'm not a gamer by definition but would like to play a few games without being disappointed by my GPU. I'm thinking the Radeon HD 5750/5770 or GeForce GTS 450 would be all I need as far as a 20 to 24 inch monitor is concerned.

It just so happens the GeForce has twice the Folding Points (if not more) than the Radeon. The radeon needs a single CPU core per GPU for porting, where as the GeForce does all folding with the GPU. Using GeForce would double GPU PPD and free up all CPU cycles for CPU PPD. This is also a factor in the purchase, even though its not my reason for purchasing.

 

[Nibiru2012]

I wasn't touting nVidia versus Radeon, I was just making a comment about the 4350's crippled GPU.

I used to be an nVidia fan all the way, but a couple of years ago I went to Radeon and haven't looked back. I am flexible though for any future upgrades.

 

[clifford_cooley]

I wasn't touting nVidia versus Radeon, I was just making a comment about the 4350's crippled GPU.

I figured as much.
I was afraid that I was being seen as doing so.

I really want the HD 57xx, they are comparable to the GTS 450 in both performance and price as far as games go. If I wasn't folding, I would probably go for the Radeon 57xx. I kept my options open just to see what nVidia would have to offer in comparison.

To be honest I was also waiting to see if Radeon would increase in PPD with the GPU3 clients before making a decision to upgrade. The answer is no, Radeon has not increased in performance even though GPU3 has been released. nVidia is still the top folding GPU's and will probably be the deciding factor in my future purchase.

 

[clifford_cooley]

I placed the order today. I do hope it's a good card. I would have gone with ASUS but that card doesn't have two DVI ports. The other card I was looking at was PNY but decided to go with EVGA.

EVGA GeForce GTS 450 (Fermi) 1GB

 

[TorrentG]

That's an awesome card. You won't be disappointed. Enjoy!

So are you going to be folding with it, or is the cpu only as you're doing now, the better option still?

I'm not really sure how that all works out. Is there a client that makes full use of cpu + gpu?

 

[yodap]

I think he'll see what kind of drag he puts on the smp client. With ppd stats like that it may be well worth it. Of course to run it in a second machine would realize full potential.

CC, I don't know how I'm gonna catch up now!

 

[clifford_cooley]

Is there a client that makes full use of cpu + gpu?

I'm still learning as I've not had a GPU worth folding with. I do know folding with my current GPU was killed my CPU production.

The goal will be to fold with both GPU and CPU. It may take me a few days to get them working optimally. I have no idea how one will effect the other. For the first few days I will fold strickly on the GPU's to get an idea of what my PPD will be for the GPU. Then I will know if I am handicapping one or the other by folding on both at the same time.

Once I figure out what I am doing, I will post my results.

 

[clifford_cooley]

WOW, my last two WU's with this GeForce GTS 450 has an average PPD of 13,000 points.

Starting my CPU folding didn't effect the GPU hardly at all. However my CPU did take a hit but not by much. Even after dropping my OC on the CPU, I am still making about 3,500 points with the CPU as well as the 13,000 on the GPU.

This utility I found is working out wonderful with my new GPU. - FAH GPU Tracker V2

 

[yodap]

Very very cool Cliff.

 

[Fire cat]

Wait a sec... How can a GPU fold?

 

[TorrentG]

Wait a sec... How can a GPU fold?

The same way they transcode videos much quicker while taking the load off the cpu.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Wait a sec... How can a GPU fold?

The central processing unit (CPU) is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, and is the primary element carrying out the computer's functions.

The graphics processing unit or GPU (also occasionally called visual processing unit or VPU) is a specialized microprocessor that offloads and accelerates 3D or 2D graphics rendering from the microprocessor.

Both are processing units waiting for instructions.

 

[yodap]

Here you go cc. When you're ready to upgrade. Act now and save $56.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130587

 

[clifford_cooley]

Here you go cc. When you're ready to upgrade. Act now and save $56.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130587

I wish!!!! LOL

I would have several upgrades to do before I could run that card. A better power supply as well as a case with better air flow. I definitely didn't have air flow in mind when I bought this case.

I think I will stick with the GTS 450, 20% the price for 70% the folding performance. You could nearly build a complete folding system with two GTS 450's for the price of the GTX 580. It would only have the bare essentials and wouldn't cost much more

 

[yodap]

I was going to ask you if there are having any issues with your PS and the GTS-450?

I have an Antec 550 and was wondering what if I should ask the wife for... with the holidays coming and all... a nice graphics card for folding... but I need a bigger case first.