Re:Frugality Is Non-Linear (2019)
by Der_Einzige on Thursday September 24, 2020 @02:20PM
(#24581736)
The utility increase of going from a ~2000 to a ~5000 computer can be significantly more than 10x depending on the domain.
For instance, if you buy a 3090 Nvidia GPU with 24 gigs of VRAM, you are capable of training AI models that are eminently more capable of getting publications accepted than an owner of a 3080 would. (Yes, distributed training is possible, no it is not always an option). Sure, it's nowhere near 10X in gaming or flop improvement, but the relative capabilities offered by a top of the line computer can become exponentially more useful compared to a significantly cheaper computer.
For instance, if you buy a 3090 Nvidia GPU with 24 gigs of VRAM, you are capable of training AI models that are eminently more capable of getting publications accepted than an owner of a 3080 would. (Yes, distributed training is possible, no it is not always an option). Sure, it's nowhere near 10X in gaming or flop improvement, but the relative capabilities offered by a top of the line computer can become exponentially more useful compared to a significantly cheaper computer.