topic Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c. in Visualization

!Restored: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 11 May 2023 12:23:56 GMT

hi all,

i have been asked by my employer to spec a new pc for myself to run archicad/lightworks, photoshop cs, illustrator, sketchup etc etc....

can i ask the forum to offer me some direction on this?

i know a number of you folks out there don't 'approve' of us humble pc'ers - but beggars can't be choosers!!! : )

you assistance is greatly appreciated!

all the best,

stonie'

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:00:15 GMT

This question should probably be in the 'Hardware' section of the forum.

IMHO...I'd go for a quad-core pc straight off the bat. (Q6600 processor = bang for the buck).... stick in a minimum of 4 gigs of ram... and match it with a sweet 512mb graphics card (that would be my minimum standard - if you plan to use lightworks alot and even if you plan to do fly-throughs as well).

Consider building/purchasing an 'SLI' rig.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:47:49 GMT

This is also my interesting.
What kind of system do you have?
If you have Window XP Pro 32bit, than you can have maxi. 3GB ram.
AC uses also just 2GB.
I plan to have 3GB ram, 1GB for Graphic card and system (If I am wrong, pease correct me.)
Dual processor should be good, but one processor would be ok.
Basically Workstation must be good.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:03:40 GMT

I run a Q6600 (Overclocked to 3.4GHZ), 4G Ram (Although XP only recognizes 3.5G), 8800 GT 512M Graphics.

I believe this setup is more than enough. Will Archicad utilize SLI?

Justin

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:25:21 GMT

Switched to XP 64bit since I use 4gigs+ of ram.

Now ArchiCAD and SLI may be shady in a lot of areas, I use it to take advantage of 2x640mb Video Cards tied together.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:47:40 GMT

Im hearing good things about the intel core 2 duo E8400 which runs at 3.0Ghz.

The 8800 GT Nvidia card with 512Mb looks to be a decent card at a good price point.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:13:22 GMT

What makes difference between 256MB graphic card and 512MB in using AC?
So fast moving for AC is not necessary, isn't it?

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:32:32 GMT

Oh, it is needed badly!
AC is the most demanding CAD application for Graphic cards of all!

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Dwight — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:42:52 GMT

I have for one month the 8800 NVidea card on Mac Pro. [512 Megatrons.]

It drives a 20" + 30" display.

This card makes smooth full screen OpenGL navigation.

The more RAM and card processing speed, the large, smoother and more complex the OpenGL view can be.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:59:42 GMT

@Kliment:
You have full experience with many caad. You know what you say.
I buy usually graphic card from old modell (In this case I plan to buy Ati Fire GL X2 256MB)

Dwight wrote:
I have for one month the 8800 NVidea card on Mac Pro. [512 Megatrons.]

It drives a 20" + 30" display.

This card makes smooth full screen OpenGL navigation.

The more RAM and card processing speed, the large, smoother and more complex the OpenGL view can be.

I plan to use 24 monitor.
It demands good graphic card? It would be enough with 256MB?

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Dwight — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:07:56 GMT

It was observed on the forum that the newer cards are vastly faster than older cards regardless of onboard RAM. So, I think you are selling short to buy an old card.

For instance, four years ago a 256 Mg card was premium and I got one - for the 30"display - it is not at all comparable in speed to my new 512 card.

So, yes, good enough...... if you keep a smaller 3D window....

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:43:04 GMT

The development of hardware is much faster than software itself.
AC can not support dual processor. Dual processor is just for some rendering program, included LW.
LW is anyway fast with or without multi processor.
Partly I am very satisfied with this tendence.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Rick Thompson — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:04:00 GMT

Well, if you must, please read my signature.. the bottom part.

thanks

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:21:12 GMT

MacPro or Dell?

To work with my workstation I must listen permanently music.
Otherwise this machine is quite noisy.
I am very afraid with powerful graphic card, it can be louder.
Anyway Dwight said, 256MB graphic card must be good enough for 24'' Display.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Rick Thompson — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:25:59 GMT

I put a "bigger" (then) card in my old Mac G5 and it was very loud.. very. The new Mac Pro with the same size card is totally quite. So, it seems the newer ones are different, at least in the Mac.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:25:11 GMT

The 8800GTX in my machine is actually fairly quiet. The noisiest part of the machine is the WD Raptor-X hard drive which chatters quite loudly when reading and writing.

One of the tricks for a quiet computer is to make sure it is in a decent size case to allow the air to circulate freely without disruption.

Archi wrote:
Anyway Dwight said, 256MB graphic card must be good enough for 24'' Display.

Don't forget 256Mb was all you could get a few years ago! 24" is a big screen with a lot of pixels to move (1920x1200). A 256Mb card will struggle. The 8800GT 512 is only £150 odd in the UK and has virtually the same performance as the GTX and will give some level of future proofing. I wouldn't consider anything less.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Dwight — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:04:51 GMT

Peter wrote:

Don't forget 256Mb was all you could get a few years ago! 24" is a big screen with a lot of pixels to move (1920x1200). A 256Mb card will struggle. The 8800GT 512 is only £150 odd in the UK and has virtually the same performance as the GTX and will give some level of future proofing. I wouldn't consider anything less.

I hate to be disagreeable, but it is the 3D graphics function, not the base video function that challenges a card. When your card is relatively small, the only thing you need do is reduce the 3D OpenGL window size. I visit many offices where the gigantic second display is all 3D view. Yikes!!! You can push a 30" screen with 32Mg of video RAM, you just can't calculate all the fancy effects Archicad can ask for quickly enough for a smooth presentation. This is why there are two ways to simplify the OpenGL presentation.

We had a football coach in Winnipeg where I grew up. He had four ways to describe a player: "The size, the speed, soft hands and quick feet."

For instance, a good receiver needed soft hands, the speed and quick
feet.

Tackle: the speed, the size.

It was a tidy formula to satisfy reporters. That coach would have no trouble changing to a video card sales career.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:25:09 GMT

You are absolutely right, Dwight. When I said 'struggle' I did mean not being able to use the software to its maximum settings on the hardware available. It you are happy to compromise then carry on!

[geek mode]That's why I was a bit fed-up when Crysis was released. You couldn't play it on maximum settings even on the best hardware available at the time. Lovely looking game though!

Sorry, slightly off-topic![/geekmode]

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:11:06 GMT

I have checked the new iMac with 24'' hast the following graphic card:

ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB memory

That means, with ATI Radeon with 256MB must be enough to use 24'' display.

I don't make military service with the client in very quick OpenGL show.
I wish just more enjoyable workaround.

Re: spec'ing the ideal p.c.

Rick Thompson — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:50:26 GMT

I have that card in a desktop with 2 - 24" Apple displays, and it works fine. It's as good as I need, I think. I do run small models however. The only issues I have had are the same "acid light show" it seems to enjoy doing (it's actually kind of nice, if your in the mood). That has been addressed elsewhere. That has only happened twice, but unfortunately it has happened after thy last video update from Apple I do worry about having not spent the extra $400 for the extra quad processor. I know AC does not take advantage of it now, but they have to one day... right