When working with 3D solid modelling packages, what hardware matters?

[Marcos]

I'm just wondering, what component would most likely be a bottleneck when working with 3D solid modelling packages?

 

[manoz]

RAM, then CPU imo.

 

[lsg1r]

well it depends on which point really.

coming from using 3ds max

- if its modelling (all depends on level/size of modelling)
ram
graphics (slow refresh etc), although this can be cured with a decent graphics card
cpu
hard drives

- if its rendering
ram (basically you can never have enough)
cpu
hard drives
graphics card isn't so much an issue here.


- For both
32 bit os

 

[Marcos]

Ah, well i'm running win2000 with 1024mb of ram, its a work computer so i can only advice my boss of what could be upgraded.

P4 3.0Ghz, not exactly cutting edge, its affecting my productivity. I use SolidEdge mostly and occasionally have to work with 100mb solid model files

 

[Deks]

Ram, CPU, graphics as a gereral rule. We were conned at work with new PC's from Delcam. They were twin processor boxes. It was only later that we found that Delcam Powershape doesn't utilise the dual CPU's.

When solid modelling the biggest bottleneck is whilst rendering and that is mainly CPU based.

Deks

 

[Marcos]

damn...dont think i can find cheap enough upgrades that the boss would agree to

i'd like to start from scratch with dell or something, i'm working on a 3yr old beige box...

 

[Cyber-Mav]

quadro fx card normally or firegl.

 

[Quixote]

CPU even has a big effect on viewport performance in 3d apps. The graphics card will display the polys but if you have ik calculations, weighting, deformation, particles etc, all those calculations are on the cpu. I think this is the most important part providing you have enough RAM.

 

[Minstadave]

damn...dont think i can find cheap enough upgrades that the boss would agree to

i'd like to start from scratch with dell or something, i'm working on a 3yr old beige box...

Whats your budget?