Support us on Patreon to keep GamingOnLinux alive. This ensures all of our main content remains free for everyone. Just good, fresh content! Alternatively, you can donate through PayPal. You can also buy games using our partner links for GOG and Humble Store.
We do often include affiliate links to earn us some pennies. See more here.

System76 unleash a quad-GPU Linux monster with the 'Thelio Mega'

By - | Views: 25,164

What has four GPUs and could probably heat up your entire house? System76 have announced the Thelio Mega and it's absolutely ridiculous.

System76 say that the Thelio Mega is the world's smallest quad-GPU workstation primarily made for deep learning and scientific computing. I'm sure that won't stop someone trying to play games with it though as this might be (probably is) the most powerful Linux desktop you can buy and it's gorgeous too.

"Thelio Mega is our LeMans hypercar," says System76 CEO Carl Richell. "We've put all of the most advanced engineering and technology into Mega with stunning results that perform well beyond industry standard quad GPU systems. It's compact, quiet, exceptionally performant and strikingly beautiful."

Ready to uncontrollably drool? Have a look at some of the possible specifications:

Operating System Pop!_OS 20.04 LTS (64-bit) or Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (64-bit)
Processor AMD 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper
Graphics

Up to 4x NVIDIA including:

GeForce RTX 2080Ti: 3 × DisplayPort, 1× HDMI, 1× USB Type-C
Quadro RTX 4000: 3 × DisplayPort, 1 × DisplayPort over USB-C (VirtualLink)
GeForce RTX 3090: 2 × DisplayPort, 2 × HDMI
Quadro RTX 5000: 4 × DisplayPort, DisplayPort over USB-C (VirtualLink)
Quadro RTX 6000: 4 x DisplayPort, DisplayPort over USB-C (VirtualLink)
Quadro RTX 8000: 4 x DisplayPort, DisplayPort over USB-C (VirtualLink)

RAM Up to 256 GB Quad Channel DDR4 @ 3200 MHz
Storage Up to 62 TB, 4 × M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe and 2.5′′ SATA drives
Rear Ports 7 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 2 x RJ-45 LAN
Rear Audio 5 x Audio Jacks
Networking Intel® 10GbE LAN chip (10 Gbit/5 Gbit/2.5 Gbit/1 Gbit/100 Mbit), supporting 2 RJ-45 ports
Built-in Intel® Wireless-AC (a/b/g/n/ac/ax) with Bluetooth 5.0
PSU 1600W 80+ Certified (90% or greater power efficiency)
Case size Height × Width × Depth
18.82′′ × 10.35′′ × 17.24′′ (478 × 263 × 438mm)

With all that power comes great responsib…heat. That's why System76 took great care with the airflow on the Thelio Mega. Rather than a single vent for the system, they have intake fans on the bottom and side panels to feed cooler air directly onto the GPUs. They said that everything "down to the GPU brace, developed to secure GPUs for transit, has been tested for maximum thermal efficiency".

That's not all though, there's a separate duct that isolates the airflow to the beastly AMD Ryzen Threadripper, plus a dedicated intake vent on the side to send a cool breeze towards the heatsink too. They're using a "closed-loop phase change" which has actuating fluid evaporate into a gas to draw thermal energy away from the CPU and towards the heat sink, where it's then cooled into a liquid and returned to the transfer plate. After that, all the hot air then exits via the exhaust port. They say doing all this gives performance "similar to if the components were sitting on a test bench". So they have some fancy water cooling system in place.

To top it off they have large 120mm and 140mm fans for each section plugged into their dedicated fan IO board, and then tied into a Thelio IO board. System76 said this design "allows for each thermal system to be independently controlled for maximum performance, as well as for easy servicing - when panels need to be removed, simply unplug the fan IO board and slide off".

Check out our little gallery of snaps System76 sent over (click to enlarge / view gallery):

I absolute adore the vent design on this, such awesome style. Honestly, if System76 sold their own cases for generic systems for users to make their own, I would quite probably buy one because they look so sleek.

Just like their previous Thelio units, the Mega is "open source hardware" which they have up on GitHub and it's hand-crafted in their own manufacturing shop in Denver, CO.

Available from today, pricing starts at $7499.99. See more on System76.com and head direct to the Thelio Mega page here.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
18 Likes
About the author -
author picture
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
See more from me
The comments on this article are closed.
12 comments
Page: 1/2»
  Go to:

Dorrit Oct 20, 2020
Oh boy, that's beastly
yokem55 Oct 20, 2020
View PC info
  • Supporter Plus
Fully maxed out config comes to $48,591.

Who needs a house? I'll take two.
Raaben Oct 20, 2020
QuoteHonestly, if System76 sold their own cases for generic systems for users to make their own, I would quite probably buy one because they look so sleek

This. So much this.
Purple Library Guy Oct 20, 2020
What the heck is that screen?!
whizse Oct 20, 2020
View PC info
  • Supporter
Quoting: Purple Library GuyWhat the heck is that screen?!
Samsung 49er?
https://www.samsung.com/uk/monitors/monitor-c49j89-lc49j890dkuxen/
linuxjacques Oct 20, 2020
and a 60% keyboard, and no mouse
Cyba.Cowboy Oct 21, 2020
Quoting: yokem55Fully maxed out config comes to $48,591.

Who needs a house? I'll take two.

I got a different figure (fully maxed-out with a one-year warranty, no accessories) - US$46,081... Or AU$65,261 for my fellow Aussies.

Anyone that's spending that sort of money on a computer for gaming definitely deserves to call themselves a "hardcore gamer"... And when I win the lotto, I'll buy one, just because I can.


Quoting: Purple Library GuyWhat the heck is that screen?!

Asking the real questions... Was wondering the same thing myself.


Quoting: whizse
Quoting: Purple Library GuyWhat the heck is that screen?!
Samsung 49er?
https://www.samsung.com/uk/monitors/monitor-c49j89-lc49j890dkuxen/

Strangely, we don't seem to have that model on the Australian website... We do have a couple of similar models though, and boy are they expensive (I still want one though)!

Fun fact - the model number for most of their high-end and "wide" displays ends in "SEXXY":
https://www.samsung.com/au/monitors/all-monitors/?32-and-above

Not sure if that was intentional or not, but I had a giggle...

--

This seems to be the closest we (Australians) have to that display above:
https://www.samsung.com/au/monitors/c49hg90/

It's similar, backing lacking certain features (such as USB Type-C), so the British link is probably a newer model of the same display that is not yet available in Australia.


Last edited by Cyba.Cowboy on 21 October 2020 at 1:08 am UTC
Diable Oct 21, 2020
Wow, intelligent comments on a news story about a pre-built computer. You won't see this on Reddit, YouTube or Twitter.
vskye Oct 21, 2020
Ya, this would be a cool system to own. I'm not really digging the monitor though, since it's only 3840x1080, and I'd like 3840x1440. Sure is nice though!
Eike Oct 21, 2020
View PC info
  • Supporter Plus
Quoting: vskyeYa, this would be a cool system to own. I'm not really digging the monitor though, since it's only 3840x1080, and I'd like 3840x1440. Sure is nice though!

Every monnitor generation I need to buy a bigger resolution just to not lose pixel height...!
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
The comments on this article are closed.