CPU or GPU for VRAY?

[petrmachacek]

Hi Everyone,

I want to build pc low budget - the most power I will need is for Vray rendering and here comes my dilemma.

 

 

Should I go for CPU render? Where I could afford:

Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3, 16GB RAM, GTX 750 TI (or something else at this price point)

 

 

Or GPU Render, where I could afford something like this?

Intel Core i5-4460, 16GB RAM, GTX960?

 

 

Is there any other build fitting better for the worth of money?

 

 

I want to learn more in VRAY and rendering, but I simply have not much money.

 

 

Than you for your help!

[Scott Schroeder]

Put your money into the CPU+cooling, and add another 16 gb of RAM. If you don't plan to game on this machine, you can even get a little bit cheaper card.

 

Unless you plan on doing product viz, economically priced GPU rendering just isn't there just yet for doing large scale scenes.

[petrmachacek]

I would like to render some technical products I'm developing. Lets sey my render aim might be something like this picture (if I will ever get there)

http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/917/9176928/2584737-img_0730.jpg

 

 

In general one object with ray/traced lighting - animation where only camera moves.

 

 

I was wondering if CPU will really beat 1000 CUDA cores in raytracing - I will be learning how to work with VRAY so my aim is to see outcome as soon as possible to start all over again

 

 

In case that CPU is really choice for me is Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 worth of consideration (considering my budget)

[petrmachacek]

My final aim is to render realistic products photo or short animation (up to 10sec). I will be including lot of realistic materials, lights...

Lets sey I would like to render something like this "geforce.com/sites/default/files-world/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-980-stylized.png"

 

 

I was wondering if 1000Cuda cores can beat the CPU.

As I mentioned I will learn to work with VRAY and raytracing, therefore I will need quick output and test the settings...

 

 

If CPU is still the best choice does the Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 makes sence? I picked it because of hyperthreading and low price.

 

 

Also will SSD disk make a difference, or should I not consider it and rather put more RAM/processor?

[joelmcwilliam]

Hope this helps:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_f6Q4GyWBU

 

http://pclab.pl/art66130-31.html

 

http://www.hardware.fr/articles/940-9/cpu-rendu-3d-mental-ray-v-ray.html

 

http://www.computerbase.de/2014-05/intel-xeon-e3-1231-v3-nachfolger-1230-test/3/#diagramm-cinebench-r115

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/specviewperf-12-workstation-graphics-benchmark,3778-9.html

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-workstation-graphics-card,3493-18.html

 

Not sure where you live but here in Europe the prices for cpu's are insanely high, so maybe it is a good thing your are looking your chances with gpu rendering.

 

If you are sure you want to render on the gpu you could look at the pentium g3258 as cpu and use it just for the modelling and pin it in a cheap overclockable mobo. But you will have to figure out for yourself what route you want to go. I don't have enough experience to give you a decent answer about going for gpu rendering. Maybe someone else can help you with this. The good thing about gpu's is you just try it and if you don't like just bring or send it back to the store. For really cheap you can also look for a second hand gpu.

 

And go for a ssd (for example crucial 250 gb) if you can live with the limited space since budget is tight. Else a western digital blue.

 

If you can figure out which way you wanna go (cpu vs gpu rendering) I can help you with the hardware questions/choices to get the cheapest and best hardware.