How many Cores?

[cborer]

Hi

I am thinking to buy a new workstation.

...and I remember that IC just uses one core!

Did this change?

 

So my question:

 

Is it better to buy a:

2.4 GHZ - 6 Core

or

3.2 GHZ - 4 Core

 

Windows7 / 64: should be twice as fast?

Thanks

Carlo

[Robert Andersson]

I would go for 3.2 GHZ - 4 Core cause the higher GHZ. Meaning that the main thread IC runs will benefit from the higher GHZ.

Sure IC uses one processor doing most operations ( I am not sure if the modeling kernels uses multi)

but you will still benefit from multiple processors (more is better) cause all other things going on on you PC. Just look at the task manager...

But for single treaded operations higher GHZ wins.

Also, IC support export/ render images using separate processors/ threads. You may export renderings in the background and you shouldn't get much (if any) lag when you work in Ironcad. And potentially you may do FEA and other time consuming calculations in the background using additional processors.

 

 

 

 

[cborer]

Thanks Robert

That helps.

Rendering: Mhhh..if I do a rendering I can not work with IC until it is done!

Maybe this is an ER?

 

IC: I would like an official statement: Is IC still single core working?

(my supporter laughed about that fact)

And the better work stations split the cores more and more, but get less fast.....

 

What runns here typically at same time:

Iron Cad, Rhino, Outlook, Photoshop, iTunes, Acrobat Reader, Internet explorer,

 

So the core splits but get not really higher GHZ.....

My workstation is 5 Years old 2.33 GHZ / 4 Cores

Which is not a big difference....

Is the from 32 to 64 making it twice as fast?

What is more important for rendering?

The core quantity or GHZ or grafic cards?

Edited November 16, 2011 by cborer

[Guest EricFoy]

For advanced DirectX or OpenGL rendering, graphics card is all that matters.

 

For photo-realistic rendering using the Yafray renderer, GHz and number of cores is what matters. Number of cores only comes into play when doing more than one render at a time, as far as I know (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

 

For 3D modelling, core GHz, memory speed, and hard drive performance are the key figures.

 

That's been my experience.

 

BTW:

 

What runns here typically at same time:

Iron Cad, Rhino, Outlook, Photoshop, iTunes, Acrobat Reader, Internet explorer,

 

IronCAD, Rhino ... great combo.

Acrobat Reader ... resource hog. Use Foxit instead.

Photoshop ... okay, if you must.

Internet Explorer ... Use Chrome instead.

Outlook, iTunes ... both junkware. You're asking for trouble.

 

- $.02

[cborer]

Thanks Eric!

Especially for the analysis of my typically running

 

Well the Adobe Photoshop and Reader get definitely never my Love but they are must as they are standard.....

Outlook, Internet explorer, comes with windows, and works with some bugs....but is around me standard too (we have a militant supporter)

I think to remember that I tested Chrome in the early days, but somehow I stayed....the difference is too small the renew the Favorits....

but iTunes is cool especially when you got around 1000 CD on a iPot

Edited November 16, 2011 by cborer

[Cary OConnor]

Areas that use the cores would be Realistic rendering, save operations, view creation (specifically CAXA DRAFT), and other kernel computations.

 

Cary

[mgajewski]

I bought a 2.4 Ghz 12 core MacPro and was disappointed and after three weeks I exchanged it for a 3.33 GHz, 6 core, 16GB of RAM (Apple will exchange your computer if you are not happy with it).

 

Now this one is really fast - my new MacPro is the fastest running Windows computer I've ever had. I use Bootcamp to run Windows 7 Pro 64.

[Guest EricFoy]

Carlo:

I know what you mean about Chrome. I, too, installed an early version and quickly moved away from it. However, the latest version works very well. I've been running chrome now for a year with no problems. Every now and then I run into some funky site that insists on IE, but it is very seldom. Chrome uses waaaay less resources, and is more compatible than IE in general.

 

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