graphics card v RAM

[KeesW]

I am looking to acquire a very fast PC for running Archicad 10. Assuming a 2.66 or 3MHz Core 2 duo processor, should I match this with 4 GB RAM or 1GB Graphics card for best performance in photorealistic rendering? Should I also consider using Windows XP 64, instead of the standard XP Pro?

A technician in our office built his own Athlon with XP64 based computer. Whilst it is nearly 12 monts old, running AC10, his machine is faster in nearly all operations (fractionally slower on photorendering) than the latest Mac with 2.66GHz dual Xenon processors and 3GB RAM.

[KeesW]

No replies. I'll rephrase my question. For best AC10 performance is it more effective to get more RAM, or to get a video card with more memory?

[TomWaltz]

It depends on what you want to do.

Video cards only affect your 3D window.
RAM has a point of diminishing return (?!??!?) There is a point where after you have bought so much, buying more does not really help.
Neither has any direct effect on Photo-rendering. RAM would if you want to run other applications at the same time, but that's about it.

I would go for a faster processor first and foremost. Archicad's (and Lightworks') improvement is very nicely linear along that one...

[Dwight]

The largest model I ever worked with did not address over 2 Mb of RAM while computing the render.

Perhaps Archicad will use more some day, but not soon.

[Thomas Holm]

There are other threads about this, do a search! From what i 've read, XP64 handles large models better when rendering than XP (32), which has a size limit in Archicad.