AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Totally out of touch with computers these days, want something powerful for home for 2D autocad and sketchup (which I have a bolt-on for photorealistic rendering). Not looking for anything OTT, but powerful enough to last say 5 years without massive upgrades.
My work machine is a 3.20ghz i5 processor with nVidia Quadro FX 580 graphic card.
I not too bothered about most other components other than the above.
Should I be looking at i7? Any major performance difference?
And what graphics cards are good these days for my use? I've literally no idea.
Any pointers appreciated 
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Bart
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Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
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depends on how serious your rendering, if its hours on end, then go for an i7, if its very little go for an i5.
Lots of RAM, 12GB atleast, and something like an Nvidia 570/580 GTX.
Also what rendering software are you using? if its professional software, it'll allow you utilise the graphics card CPU.
[Edited on 02-02-2012 by Bart]
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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Get a computer that is within the recommended tech specs for the software you intend to use. Simples.
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Chris
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Registered: 21st Sep 99
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Have you looked at distrobuted rendering. Autodesk Maya or the like.
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mwg
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Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
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I can tell you what not to run AutoCAD on.
Intel Core 2 Quad 2.66GHz, 4 GB RAM of which only 3 is usable because for some reason it's not on 64-bit windows and some kind of NVIDIA graphics card. That's what I got from the IT guy when I asked for a decent machine to cope with AutoCAD   It's a lot better machine than the minimum system requirements say but it's still not good enough IMO.
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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quote:
Originally posted by Bart
depends on how serious your rendering, if its hours on end, then go for an i7, if its very little go for an i5.
Lots of RAM, 12GB atleast, and something like an Nvidia 570/580 GTX.
Also what rendering software are you using? if its professional software, it'll allow you utilise the graphics card CPU.
[Edited on 02-02-2012 by Bart]
Its not hours on end, but its regular 20-30 minute renders. At work I'm doing 4 or 5 a day and whilst the machine keeps working its a slight impact especially when full shadows are on in large sketchup models. Maybe an overclocked i5 would be fine - research says the 2500k is the one to go for.
I'm using a bolt on for Sketchup called Shaderlight (http://www.artvps.com/index.php/downloads/requirements) which suggests it might not utilise the GPU much but that might change in the future.
I was going to look at just 8GB of RAM but it sounds like getting to 12 won't cost much more. I'll be using an SSD for the operating disk too so hopefully it should smash along.
The only thing I'm left with is the graphics card then, still not understanding the specs.
This is what I have at work - http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/product_quadro_fx_580_uk.html
How about this? http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-162-EA&groupid=701&catid=1914&subcat=1341
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
Get a computer that is within the recommended tech specs for the software you intend to use. Simples.
Refer you to mwgs reply.
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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I said recommended, not minimum. I know Solidworks provide both sets of specs.
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mwg
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Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
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Had a quick look and I don't think AutoCAD provide a recommended system, only minimum. Really annoyed as I kept saying to the IT guy that CAD nowadays needs serious power and then this steam powered thing turned up
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Also, if I wanted to run two screens in the future, one cad and one lightweight tasks (like internet etc.) do I need to be looking at an even more powerful graphic card again?
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