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ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hello, I am new in the forum, so first nice to meet you all.

I start my own job and need ask an information/help, till now I worked in other firm, they gave me workstation and my work was a mix 3ds/zbrush.

Soon I start to be freelance, so need use my own computer.
Computer I used in my last workplace is almost similar to my own, same age, problem was when I had and I problably will have, work with subtools also of 20mil polygons (or a bit more).

Configuration is i7 4XXX cpu, 16gb ddr3 ram, SSD storage.
Do you tink put extra 16gb ram is enough for go smooth or maybe my computer is become … “old”? Another solution is change cpu with a AMD 3900x, and 32gb ddr4, MB and cooler too. Difference is 100€ vc 800€.

Thank you for suggests I will get, I know zbrush is a bit “weird” as hardware request, exmaple gpu is almost useless…

Have a nice day!

(I hope I post in correct section)

#2

Hi @davide76!

The official recommendations for optimizing a computer for Zbrush can be found here.

Summary: Almost entirely CPU driven , so a GPU will contribute little to zbrush specifically.

16gb of RAM is plenty to do amazing things in Zbrush. More RAM is always welcome, but you will hit diminishing returns. A more powerful CPU is always useful, and past a certain threshold of RAM, will have the biggest impact on Zbrush performance.

No matter how much RAM you have, especially dense subtools (20+ million polys) will always be problematic to work with. Even if you can sculpt on and successfully save ultra dense meshes, many important CPU intensive tasks in Zbrush will not be able to handle them well. Zbrush functions much better with a polygon load split over many subtools, rather than single, ultra dense subtools. It is always better to learn how to avoid requiring meshes that dense, through efficient topological discipline, and the use of features like HD Geometry. If you want the freedom to just throw RAM at a solution instead, you will need a ton of it, not just a little more of it.

1 Like
#3

Thank you for your answer, you were clear :slight_smile: I know split subtools is the best, but sometimes a mesh must be all-one-piece (sorry my bad english).
I m still quite new in zbrush, but for example, a head I can’t split nose, lips, ears.

Anyway your post answers to my dubts.

Thank you!

#4

Maybe stupid question, if I use multi map exporter, for normals maps because i have multi UUID, and I work with Geometry HD, are the maps export in HD quality? Maybe as you write, can be the best solution.