Best balance of openGL and Direct3D ???

[meth]

Hi my friend and I both work as 2d AutoCAD draftsmen but we do freelance 3D on tha side, Sketchup is our main tool (we're not 3D pros ) and we have been looking to invest in a better systems as the one we have are now pretty old the work we are doing these days is really taxing on this system as they are getting larger, more complex and detailed.

 

I just cant figure out wats the best video card to get in a new rig to run SU at its best. How does the Geforce 8800 GT fair with huge SU models?

 

As I said we use AutoCAD (2D), photoshop, Piranesi 5.0, Autodesk Impression and Iclone studio. We use some basic video editing apps too

 

So as u can see I have a mix so apps that need 100% OpenGL and others that run best on Direct 3D.

[AJLynn]

Your link is busted.

 

I'm using an 8800GTS with Sketchup at work and it does very well. It doesn't sound like you have extremely high end needs so I might even suggest you go on Ebay and find some cheap FireGL card (I have a v5100 at home on a nearly identical computer and I'll be damned if I can notice a speed gain in Sketchup on the Geforce). The programs you listed aren't computationally intensive multithreaders so I'd suggest a fast Core2 Duo over a Quad - you can end up with better performance for the same money, since the other two cores would be mostly idling.

[meth]

Your link is busted.

 

I'm using an 8800GTS with Sketchup at work and it does very well. It doesn't sound like you have extremely high end needs so I might even suggest you go on Ebay and find some cheap FireGL card (I have a v5100 at home on a nearly identical computer and I'll be damned if I can notice a speed gain in Sketchup on the Geforce). The programs you listed aren't computationally intensive multithreaders so I'd suggest a fast Core2 Duo over a Quad - you can end up with better performance for the same money, since the other two cores would be mostly idling.

 

 

Well i figure we'll eventually try other more advanced software but SU will always be our core tool. Ok so going with a GL card and fast processor is our best bet?

 

Anyone with a different view?

[Dave Buchhofer]

yea, sketchup is pretty bad at gpu utilization You may get some marginal gains with the FireGL lines or the Quadro lines.

 

sketchup can get pretty painful on my 8800GTX with larger models, and moderately better on my quadro 1700.. I haven't had any experience with the higher end quadros.. or ati cards. its one of those programs where to get any REAL performance increases you have to spend a metric fuckton of money

 

and pretty much all the apps you listed are primarily opengl, or software

[meth]

yea, sketchup is pretty bad at gpu utilization You may get some marginal gains with the FireGL lines or the Quadro lines.

 

sketchup can get pretty painful on my 8800GTX with larger models, and moderately better on my quadro 1700.. I haven't had any experience with the higher end quadros.. or ati cards. its one of those programs where to get any REAL performance increases you have to spend a metric fuckton of money

 

and pretty much all the apps you listed are primarily opengl, or software

 

this is not sounding good. I was thinking (based on recommened specs) as long as I get a 100% GL card, 2gigs of ram at least and one of them new fancy core 2s or watever SU would be a dream or at least managable with say a campus model with textures and lighting on

[meth]

this is not sounding good. I was thinking (based on recommened specs) as long as I get a 100% GL card, 2gigs of ram at least and one of them new fancy core 2s or watever SU would be a dream or at least managable with say a campus model with textures and lighting on

[AJLynn]

A whole campus, with shadows? That's hard in any software. Keep shadows off while you work and be smart about your file size, and honestly, any of the video cards mentioned will be fine. Stay VERY far away from anything using "Shared Memory", "HyperMemory" or "TurboCache", and due to driver issues don't get a Radeon card.

[meth]

A whole campus, with shadows? That's hard in any software. Keep shadows off while you work and be smart about your file size, and honestly, any of the video cards mentioned will be fine. Stay VERY far away from anything using "Shared Memory", "HyperMemory" or "TurboCache", and due to driver issues don't get a Radeon card.

 

 

lol ok well maybe that was a crazy example I wouldn’t be working fulltime under those conditions but the last project we did was a housing development with about 36 units full contoured terrain and greenery and when it came time to get the perspective shots with light and shadow it was such a pain, even crashed a few times.