Dual Processor computer in the works...$2000 to spend

[DeadSeaSquirrels]

Ok, I am looking to get more information about getting a Dual Processor system.

This is the deal. I need it for school to run some fluid analysis program, which if you can imagine is incredibly processing intensive. I don't know anything about dual processor computers, and I don't know if there are little bits of information that I need to know before getting one, or creating one (for example, like dual processor computers, don't work with X brand video cards).

So my real question here is where I can get some real information about either buying a system, or putting one together, with all the details of what i should be looking for. I don't really need articles that talk about how this Dual board is better than another. I need to figure out how to put one together hassle free.

I would much rather buy one system pre-made, because I don't have the time to research really, or to troubleshoot, I need this thing up and running as soon as possible. I have $2000 to spend, w/o monitor, but it may be able to be upped to $3,000. This needs to be a full system, with all the standard goodies too.

Does anybody know where I can get some info, or who makes a good total package?

Thanks for the help

 

[sohcrates]

well, this site might be a good start for resources

 

[dullard]

My Background: I run Fluent at school for my research. It is a typical CFD program.

My thoughts:
1) You will probably want 1 GB of memory minimum for 3D simulations, 512 MB for 2D simulations.
2) This will anger many people here, but the Intel Xeon currenly outperforms the Athlon MP in Fluent. For some rough benchmarks, see cfd-online. It probably has to do with the larger memory bandwidth available with RDRAM. Also Fluent and other CFD programs scale quite well with frequency. A 1.4 GHz P4 runs about the same speed as a 1.4 GHz Athlon. Most regular programs suffer branch prediction penalties due to the large P4 pipeline, CFD programs don't have many branch points... If you can find more benchmarks for CFD (comparing AMD to Intel), I'd love to see them.
3) Unfortunately, the $2000 budget is a little small. Thus you probably can only afford a dual Athon MP system (A dual Xeon is roughly $1000 more than a dual MP).
4) You will work with large files. Thus storage space is a premium. I usually figure 10 GB of disk space for a 3D unsteady state simulation. This puts SCSI drives out of your price range. Plus IDE drives do quite well with large files where access time is unimportant.
5) With your budget you will have to make due with a non-professional graphics card. Thus it will take a few seconds to render the results in complicated problems. Get some type of GeForce3 if you can afford it. If you had more money there are faster cards: FireGL 2-4 and Wildcat II 5110.
6) Many programs benefit greatly with a 3 button mouse.
7) 21" monitors are quite nice for this use.

Go to Colfax International, it is the only place that will let you price both a dual MP and a dual Xeon.