British server manufacturer Sytronix has delivered a transformative performance upgrade for leading visual effects and animation studio REALTIME, deploying custom-engineered CPU and GPU infrastructure that dramatically accelerates rendering, boosts reliability and unlocks new creative capacity.
The partnership arrives as Sytronix continues to gain international attention for its engineering breakthroughs – including achieving the #1 global CPU score on the Blender Benchmark, recording 9688.91 points using dual AMD EPYC 9965 processors.
This result surpassed the previous world record by 142%, demonstrating the company’s ability to design and manufacture the world’s fastest server platforms without relying on overclocking or unsafe power consumption.
Driving REALTIME’s Next Stage of Growth
Having partnered with Sytronix in 2022, REALTIME, known for its high-end film, TV, automotive and real-time rendering work, required new infrastructure to support a rapid increase in project volume, render complexity and GPU-heavy workflows.
Existing systems were constrained by:
- Slower frame renders and reliability issues
- Growing concurrency demands across CPU and GPU workloads
- Large-scale, multi-pipeline productions using tools such as Houdini, Karma, Unreal Engine and Solaris
- The need for both CPU-dense simulation servers and GPU-heavy render nodes
One Netflix project required 5,800 shots over a one-year post-production cycle, proving just how much the studio needed performance, stability and versatility without compromise.
The Sytronix Solution
Sytronix designed and delivered two custom server architectures:
- 4U AMD EPYC systems running UNRAID for CPU-heavy simulation and rendering
- 4U AMD Threadripper systems for GPU-intensive cut-scene rendering and real-time pipelines
“Our approach is simple: engineer systems that deliver real-world gains for studios working at the highest level. REALTIME needed performance, reliability and efficiency and our collaboration shows what’s possible when hardware is built around the workloads, not the other way around. It also reinforces that world-class technology can still be designed and manufactured right here in Britain.” James Walsh, Founder, Sytronix
Every component was hand-selected, tuned and tested for REALTIME’s specific workflows. The systems were designed for modular scalability, high reliability and maximum performance per Watt; a key differentiator of Sytronix’s engineering philosophy.
As part of the deployment, Sytronix provided on-site configuration, training and long-term optimisation support with Fine-tuning delivering a 15–20% performance uplift alone.
Measurable Results
Following deployment, REALTIME recorded:
- ~30% faster frame renders vs comparable competitor hardware
- Render job times cut from 4h 30m to around 3h
- Zero full system failures since installation
- Increased capacity to run more concurrent CPU and GPU jobs at scale
- Greater reliability, iteration speed and creative flexibility
These improvements have helped the studio reduce deadline pressure, increase productivity and take on more ambitious projects without hardware bottlenecks.
“Sytronix have delivered a step-change in how we produce work. The improvements in render speed, stability and overall capacity have reshaped our pipeline and given our artists far more room to push creativity. What impressed us most wasn’t just the performance, but finding a partner that understands both the technical demands and the creative pressures of a modern VFX studio.” Tony Prosser, CEO, REALTIME
Engineering That Sets Sytronix Apart
Sytronix is one of the only manufacturers in the UK that designs, engineers and builds servers entirely in-house – from chassis fabrication to PCB development. This vertical integration enables:
- Record-breaking performance without overclocking
- Reduced power consumption and outstanding performance per Watt
- Lower failure rates through precision manufacturing
- Bespoke systems tailored to CPU-heavy, GPU-heavy or mixed-pipeline workloads
- On-site support, optimisation and long-term tuning
The company’s cross-disciplinary engineering team spans mechanical, electrical, thermal and software design, allowing Sytronix to build hardware platforms optimised down to the component level.
Sytronix is a UK-based manufacturer of high-performance servers for AI, HPC, rendering and scientific workloads. With in-house design and manufacturing capabilities, the company focuses on efficiency, performance per Watt and record-breaking engineering, including its current #1 position on Blender’s global CPU benchmark leaderboard.
To learn more please visit: https://www.sytronix.co.uk
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