Topic: Ultimate Modelling Rig

[markyd]

Fellas,

Money no object here....  if you where going to build a PC purely for modelling / cad and 2d work like photoshop.. what would the spec be?

**detail required**   (eg purely cad oriantated graphics cards etc)

[Centurus]

Core i7 processor, WD Velociraptor hard drive, and an nVidia Quadro graphics card.

[Starforce2]

Well, I dunno what constitutes "serious hoursepower" at the moment, but any video card that had the output support to hook up the 42" LCD I plan on getting soon would be a plus Assuming I could actualy model something besides a saucer...

[Bonk]

Money no object? I would not build but go with a professional solution.

http://www.sgi.com/vue/

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/ (granted, not full systems, but they are the best)

http://www.hp.com/workstations/programs/leadership_graphics/index.html

For the really high-end stuff you're out of the Windows market though. HP-UX is the most suitable OS for such work.

If money were no object and I actually had the skills to use it, I'd be looking at an SGI or HP system running a 64bit UNIX variant.

[GotAFarmYet?]

I don't think the limiting factor is Hardware...

What you need to look at are what are the limits of the programs you are going to use. Lots of programs run slower on multicore PCs because they are not ment to be used on those, in some cases the ability is built in but not all. Also the versions you own and plan to install my not work with the new hardware, it might be for windows only etc. So the first thing you will have to do is research out the software you intend to use, even if you are buying all that new you need to look it up and spec it out.

Once you know what the software can be used on, and which ones you will have to buy for the different OS versions, you can start to look at HW. This also means you have to plan out the intent of use better, what you have now is pretty vague. You also have to look at what the ppl you will be interfaced with use, if you can not export to a format they can use or see then you will have other issues as well.

So well super high end HW sounds nice, unless you do work for a major studio or company you will have to look more middle stream.

[Rod ONeal]

Cost no object? Check out Boxx.

http://www.boxxtech.com/

[markyd]

Thanks guys