Desktop Graphic Cards vs. Workstation Graphics Cards

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know how much performance benefit ArchiCad 8 can achieve when a workstation class graphics card is used (like the ATI FireGL or NVIDIA Quadro series) versus the desktop class cards (like ATI Radeon or NVIDIA Geforce series)?

I am most interested in overall 2D performance, not just 3d performance.

Could the extra money these cards require be better used to upgrade other PC components instead?

[Djordje]

Tim wrote:
Does anyone know how much performance benefit ArchiCad 8 can achieve when a workstation class graphics card is used (like the ATI FireGL or NVIDIA Quadro series) versus the desktop class cards (like ATI Radeon or NVIDIA Geforce series)?

I am most interested in overall 2D performance, not just 3d performance.

Could the extra money these cards require be better used to upgrade other PC components instead?

I spend wuite a lot of time in the 3D window, so I think they are useful - BUT - there is an old rule fo thumb: the generation before last is 50% cheaper, and only 10% slower ...

AFAIK nVidias behave better with ArchiCAD (at least all I used are) than ATIs.

I have Quadros and all are working quite nicely ...

[Anonymous]

Good point. Just make sure that you stay away from video cards with SHARED memory. If you stay in the ATI/Nvidia range, you should be pretty good. The best way to stay away from shared memory cards is to stay away from 'on-board video' motherboards.

As far as a recommendation, I prefer NVIDIA cards mainly for two things. Their 'last years models' are much cheaper than other competitors, and they seem to code a bit better with the OpenGL drivers (which ArchiCAD), by having more frequent driver updates.

You can find 128mb NVIDIA cards for as low as 99 USD.

[Ben Odonnell]

I have found that the best cards for ArchiCAD are the middle to top end gamming cards.. I had a Geforce TI4800 SE with 128 MB RAM. This baby worked like a charm. I have just recently upgraded to a FX5900 with 250MB RAM and it ROCKS..

ArchiCAD loves this card

[Anonymous]

So does Unreal, Quake, SWG, FFXI. . .

[Ben Odonnell]

chad.lawson wrote:
So does Unreal, Quake, SWG, FFXI. . .

LOL
I'm sitting waiting impatiently for UT2004. Only to find out it's been pushed back to Feb 2004

I'll just have to amuse my self with UT2003 in the mean time

[Anonymous]

Ben wrote:
I have found that the best cards for ArchiCAD are the middle to top end gamming cards.. I had a Geforce TI4800 SE with 128 MB RAM. This baby worked like a charm. I have just recently upgraded to a FX5900 with 250MB RAM and it ROCKS..

ArchiCAD loves this card

Ben -

Are you saying that the higher end gaming cards like the Geforce or Radeons will perform better that the more expensive and more hardware accelerated cards like the Quadros? Or are you saying that there is not enough difference to warrant the extra cost?

Does the benefits of workstation class cards only become apparent when specialized drivers for the individual programs are used? I know these types of cards do have special driver software written for a program (Pro-E, Inventor, Autocad, etc.) to tweak the performance. Would the lack of such a driver for ArchiCad eliminate the benefits of using these cards?

[Anonymous]

Gaming cards are more bang for the buck. While running ArchiCAD you don't need to worry about much but OpenGL. And all gaming cards are optimized for running the OpenGL software. The workstation cards are becomming less and less usefull, as you can get a gaming card for a fraction of the cost, and it in most instances performs better than the workstation card. At least in my opinion.

[Ben Odonnell]

Tim wrote:

Ben wrote:
I have found that the best cards for ArchiCAD are the middle to top end gamming cards.. I had a Geforce TI4800 SE with 128 MB RAM. This baby worked like a charm. I have just recently upgraded to a FX5900 with 250MB RAM and it ROCKS..

ArchiCAD loves this card

Ben -

Are you saying that the higher end gaming cards like the Geforce or Radeons will perform better that the more expensive and more hardware accelerated cards like the Quadros? Or are you saying that there is not enough difference to warrant the extra cost?

Does the benefits of workstation class cards only become apparent when specialized drivers for the individual programs are used? I know these types of cards do have special driver software written for a program (Pro-E, Inventor, Autocad, etc.) to tweak the performance. Would the lack of such a driver for ArchiCad eliminate the benefits of using these cards?

Hi Tim.
If you check out Chad's post what he is saying is exactly right. Because most, if not all, of the middle to highend gamming cards are optimised for openGL. To be honest with you the last workstaion graphics card I used was a Wildcat 4110 with 16MB RAM
I was in love with that card(well not really ) but it was a great card.
As Chad pointed out the workstaion graphics cards are becoming less appealing simply because they cost too much. Ok may be it's a different story if Pro-E,Inventor and Solid Works come into the discussion, but again I don't use these programs there fore I don't need the workstaion graphics card.

As I also said ArchiCAD loves my new card. OpenGL in 3D WOW

I hope this helps in you decision of what card to choose.

Cheers.
Ben

[stefan]

The high end CAD-cards (like Quadro, but certainly the Wildcat's and the like) are optimised on OpenGL for all it's features. They might perform better on line-drawing, large datasets and anti-aliasing and most CAD-cards don't support DirectX, like is needed in a lot of games.
In some cases, the high end cards have specific drivers for ... AutoCAD, Maya, max etc... Not for ArchiCAD.

Gaming cards are mostly optimised on shaded & textured views & DirectX.

I don't think you need to spend the extra cash for the high-end CAD-cards to use ArchiCAD.