I am so happy that I was able to surpass my goals and got this server before the beginning of 2024. It’s hard to describe this joy. Initially, the plan was to buy and assemble this server during 2024, but fortunately, I achieved it earlier. Buying from abroad becomes many times more expensive in 2024, and all the parts arrived on time.
My AI, ML, and vGPU server with 60 cores and 120 threads, 6x PCIE 5.0 server is together.
CPU: Intel® Xeon® Platinum 8490H
CPU Cooler: CPU NOCTUA NH-U14S DX-4677
Motherboard: GIGABYTE MS33-AR0
RAM: Samsung RDIMM 64GB DDR5 4800MHz M321R8GA0BB0
PSU: Corsair HX1200
My new CPU is capable of consuming the same amount of power as the RTX 3090 GPU: 370W
I usually use the BeQuiet PURE BASE 500DX for my server cases because it fits exactly in my server rack. I checked all the stores and fortunately, one computer store had the PURE BASE 500 FX in stock and I immediately went and bought it.
When all the server parts arrived, I started assembling the server. Before I began placing it into the case, I conducted a few tests to ensure the CPU, motherboard, and everything else were working properly. I tested it with Windows 11. I was hoping that the assembly would be quick and easy, but with every step, there were small obstacles that I had to overcome.
For example, when I started the computer with Windows 11, the applications ran very poorly. I had difficulty getting the CPU GHz to go over 1GHz. It was constantly around 0.8 or 0.9 GHz. Applications ran poorly, and there were also problems with some games. No matter what I did, the CPU would not exceed 1GHz.
Then I started investigating and initially thought that my old Corsair PSU HX1200 switching from +12V Multiple to +12 Single rails was the issue. But upon researching, it turned out that wasn’t the case. Of course, I found all kinds of discussions online. I switched to Multiple-rail mode.
What do “single rail” and “multiple-rail” mean?
- When a PSU is described as “single rail,” all of the PSU’s power is available from a single source.
- When a PSU is described as “multiple-rail,” the PSU divides the total available amperage across two or more “rails.”
I continued googling the problem and discovered that many people have had similar issues with gaming CPUs. Windows 11 has a new feature where it monitors power consumption. I was aware that this is possible on laptops and have often used it.
In short, I changed the power setting to maximum (Ultimate Performance). Immediately after this adjustment, all Windows applications and games started running very fast. The CPU GHz also reached up to 3.5 GHz.
After resolving that issue, I started installing my motherboard into the new Be Quiet PURE BASE 500 FX, only to find out that my new motherboard was too large and wouldn’t fit. Yes, I completely forgot to check that. Fortunately, I had another server PC case, a Lian Li, which can accommodate E ATX motherboards. So, I started moving the server around. I transferred all the components of the old server into the new Pure Base 500 FX PC case and took the Lian Li Lancool II Mesh PC case for the new setup.
According to the specifications, the Lian Li PC case is an E ATX case and the motherboard should fit, but it turned out that the motherboard is larger. Additionally, many of the screw holes on the motherboard do not align with those in the case.
As the day turned to evening, I took some time to think. The next morning, I started pondering again about what to do. It means that I don’t even know how to buy a new PC case correctly, as it turns out these standards are not consistent. I’m now unsure whether it’s because I have a server motherboard and the PC case is intended for PC motherboards, or if each company just does things their own way. This was a new revelation to me, but after some thought the next day, I took a drill and modified my PC case.
The motherboard fit inside, but not as seamlessly as Lian Li had advertised. It just barely fit.
After I had neatly installed everything into the PC case, it turned out that my power cable was too short. I had to route the motherboard’s power cable inside the server case, but I’ll redo this when my modular cables arrive. Those cables were incredibly expensive, hard to believe.
There might still be some features incorrectly set up in this server that could boost its performance. The power setting adjustment is a great example of how improper settings can give a very wrong impression of the server’s capabilities. It can suggest that the CPU is not good, not suitable for running Windows 11, etc. This reminds me of the controversy where Linus Tech Tips conducted various tests without delving deeply into the details, resulting in vastly different outcomes if things are not used as intended.
In summary, I’m extremely satisfied with this server and managed to get it working, and learned something new in the process. Of course, this server will run VMware vSphere, not Windows 11. I’m currently using it as a gaming computer.
CPU: Intel® Xeon® Platinum 8490H
CPU Cooler: CPU NOCTUA NH-U14S DX-4677
Motherboard: GIGABYTE MS33-AR0
RAM: Samsung RDIMM 64GB DDR5 4800MHz M321R8GA0BB0
PSU: Corsair HX1200
PC Case: Lian Li Lancool II Mesh PSU
NVMe: PNY XLR8 CS3040 M.2 NVMe Gen4 4TB SSD
GPU-1: MSI GeForce RTX 3090 GAMING X TRIO 24G
Additional:
GPU-2: Nvidia Tesla K80
GPU-3: AMD Radeon INSTINCT MI25 16GB HBM2
AI, ML, and vGPU Server Build – Part 2: Server Noise, Temperature, and Power