Best Computer recommended? HELP

[Juan Manuel Martin]

Hi, I´m evaluating to buy another computer... which processor and motherboard recommends? I was thinking about Core i7 with 4 GB RAM memory... I suppose the video card is not very important, may be a PCI express with 512?

 

I´m working in an important design and need the new computer very soon, because the renderin is consuming a lot of time!!!

 

THANKS

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

(# of cores) X (clock speed) is a good first cut at a performance indicator.

 

For example:

 

4 x 2.66Ghz = 10.64

8 x 3.0 Ghz = 24

 

Expect the second machine to be more than twice as fast.

 

The video card is not very important for rendering-- it may be very important for AutoCAD and WalkAbout performance.

[Ros. Riha]

4GB RAM might not be enough. In our office we hve both 32bit computers w. 4GB and 64bit ones w. 8GB - it is not possible to render too complex models on 4GB ones

[Chas / Aug Posekany]

I don't think that is a ram problem. It is a limitation of the 32 bit machines OS.

[Alejandro Testa]

I changed about two month ago to 64 bits, now is better than with 32 bits but I  think that if you are going to work with big models you need at least 8 GB.

[Juan Manuel Martin]

In my models with over 1.000.000 faces, the RAM used increases to 1,24 gb. but the dual processor is ever at 100%... I think that a bigger quantity of RAM and a better processor may help, but I must to change the OS too.

 

 

[Juan Manuel Martin]

I´m reading info about AMD and Intel, comparatives between Intel Core i7 950 and AMD Phenom X6 1090. In some websites says that AMD is better for rendering, and in others, says that Intel is the best. The price of AMD is lower than Intel...

 

http://www.chw.net/foro/procesadores-f34/602501-i7-950-vs-phenom-x6...

 

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/146?vs=100

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

I use both AMD and Intel machines here.  Not much difference, as far as I can tell.

[Wayne Williamson]

I would agree, I have used NXT on both AMD & Intel machines the difference has much more to do with number of cores and the clock speed. I would encourage you to get 8mb or more ram. If you are doing large models it will help with regen time in AutoCAD while building as will a better video card. Video cards should be build for the purpose of graphics not gaming though, I would recommend something in the Quattro line or the FireGL line.

[akinlolu olugboji]

Video cards should be build for the purpose of graphics not gaming though, I would recommend something in the Quattro line or the FireGL line.

How about intel graphics bundled with most boards?

[Rich Rosemann]

I'm sure you all have seen the current advertisements for computer systems and video cards.  Everyone pushes toward gaming systems.  It seems that no one uses computers for anything else, or so we are lead to believe.  I don't remember the last time I saw an advertisement for systems pushing Cad requirements other then Boxx or XiComputers and some other specialty systems, I'm sure.  It's tough for me to decide on video card upgrades.  Processors are easy, as Roy has noted -- high processor speed and many cores -- more or less.

 

Rich Rosemann

 

 

 

[Chas / Aug Posekany]

If you go to Autodesks website and look at the listing of certified video cards for the current software you will be surprised what is supported and what is not.

It doesn't take a big expensive open GL cards to get good performance any longer.

I got a big Quattro card a few years ago that was a top end card ($1,200.00 US) and it isn't even supported any longer. It does seem to work but is not supported by Autodesk.