Seeking Mac hardware advice

[system]

Hi guys, I’m new to these forums.

I am in the midst of applying for an MA in which I hope to focus on Brush work.

I am fairly new to the program but am becoming more comfortable with it, and it’s becoming apparent that I will need to upgrade my machine if I want to continue.

My current machine is a MBP running an intel i5 (2.3 GHz), 8gb RAM, and a simple intel integrated graphics card (HD 3000)

I begin to suffer significant slowdown when I reach 1/mill polygons.

I am looking to upgrade to a current iMac, but I don’t really know what to expect out of each of the current machines on offer and was looking for some advice on what I would really need to get the most out of the software without simply getting the top end machine and killing my poor wallet.

thanks in advance for any advice.

(heres something I’m working on just for fun)

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[TimothyB]

Simply put, ZBrush loves CPU and RAM, that’s what it needs. It doesn’t use the GPU, so don’t put too much stock in that unless you require performance for other 3D software and games.

I assume your current MBP is a 13" with a “dual-core” i5. For best performance, seek a quad-core i7, and even then, it’s likely never going to be like a normal 3D program that offers smooth framerate. Many artists have been happy using dual-cores on devices like Cintiq Companions, except it might not be their primary machine.

As for RAM, 8GB will get you by, but 16 should be standard if this will be your primary machine for graphics work. The extra memory offers more breathing room to run other software while working on a heavy ZBrush project.

Also, a fast primary storage drive, like SDD or Flash, would likely help ZBrush’s caching.

Good luck with your studies.