thks Polaris30 for your reply.
you’re right, you can put more memory in a opteron system, but the actual version of zbrush is limited to 4gigs anyway.
Moreover I’m really not sure if you can render 4gigs of polygons in realtime with an actual dual xeon/opteron system.
I don’t know how the inside zbrush benchmark is revelant. I guess it gives a good idea, but I would prefer an overall advice in an everyday work, like how many polys you can render and work on.
doesn’t matter if you get a terrabyte of ram, windows limits the size of the process space for programs to 4GB, so I think this would be a limiting factor to memory usage.
well here are a couple of more pieces of worthless trivia, to help pass the time 'till the smart guy gets here…
Xenon systems you can purchase chips with higher MHZ …
AMD claims that MHZ dose not always equal speed… they claim that they don’t take up any system ram to speak of, and that there is no bottle neck like on intel systems when dealing with DDR ram …( I am really not sure if they where saying in 32bit,64bit, or both modes) so if this is the case possibly Opteron is superior as to how much of your 4GB can you actually use…you might “Get more bang for your buck” from Opteron as far as your system ram is concerned…
This is why I would like to see a benchmark type of test done with a dual Xenon and a dual Opteron with same MHZ,and 4GB maxed out ram, to see who comes out first…
Thanks for bringing this topic up… I am really interested in the same knowledge you seek. 
well looks like I’ve create this topic in the wrond section, sorry for that !
It’s a fact dual opteron give a better memory system, most of benchmark put this thing in evidence … but again fast memory is not enough, you also need the power to render the data. Lot of pure 3d rendering (max 5, cinema 4d) put dual xeons way ahead, even with low memory bus speed(thks to the multitreahing).
Finally I’m not sure comparing same cpu speed between amd and intel will make sence. Just take 2 models in the same range price …
Indeed
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Finally I’m not sure comparing same cpu speed between AMD and Intel will make since. Just take 2 models in the same range price … <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
this is why I chose Opteron over Intel, Check this out 
Opteron: http://www.micronux.com/catalog/product.php?products_id=157
I really like the windows optional feature on this system :)…
Plus is Linux ready , Linux has a few 64 bit applications, and a 64 bit OS…
There is a 64-bit version of windows, My impression on it was this :
“Pffffft!”
Very little hardware support, and a very stripped down version of windows…I did not find any 64-bit applications to run on it either.
The Linux 64bit distros are supposed to be top notch. I have yet to witness this… but people are very happy about it.
My new system will be here soon, I will post my findings I am going with fedora core 2 64bit OS!!! windows XP 32-bit and windows -64 in a very small partition
okey let me know when you get it 
I’ve just order this :
Thermaltake Xaser VA3000BNA - Tsunami
Thermaltake Silent PurePower 480W
Iwill DH800 motherboard
PC 3500 DDR - 2048 MB Kit - 433MHz
2 Intel Pentium IV Xeon 2,8Ghz/533Mhz FSB 1MB Cache
Normally I should post easily with the fsb at 800 mhz (and xeons at 3.2 or so).
Can’t wait
we got a buncha dual xeons@ 3ghz with ( only ) 2gb ram and a quadro fx 3000. lets just say im not at all complaining
2.5 million polygons and im still painting really nicely. ( just did a buncha testing today, and im really happy with the results so far )
ontop of that i get a 30% boost when i turn on multithreading in Zbrush 
the only complaint is the crappy samsung dvdrom we ended up getting :(.
So I must change my Zx 81 ?
Pilou
Polaris Dream system 1986
Yep, still use the above machines…
Hope you are all well.
*8
> Thanks for your feedback ambient-whisper
Has anybody got any recommendations for a good (minimum) setup for 3D work?
I’m at the stage where I’m thinking of buying a new PC to replace my creaking 1.2 Ghz Athlon, and dual processors seem very tempting (apart from the huge price).
Should I stick with the cheaper single processor systems (i.e. is it viable to do so?), or should I go the whole hog and shell out a fortune for a dual processor monster?
I am getting my Dual Opteron delivered today :D…
My only regret is that there are very few 64bit 3D apps out there…
as of now ALl I know of that is going to use 64bit is Mozilla, and unreal tournament 2004 (supports LINUX and 64bit and dual processors WOOT!!!)… My main OS is also 64bit, (Fedora Core 2 x86-64bit :)…
mainly for doing rendering, but I plan on installing Zbrush on it too, and try multi threading sculpting, and rendering 
…
Wish there was a Linux version Of Z2, that would realy be sweet… I realy dont like windows XP that much… IF Z2 was in Linux I would be a realy happy camper right now… perhaps in future they will allow a WINE port…
I also plan on doing CINEPAINT, this is 32bit but uses dual processors …
sorry to stray off topic, But I have been waiting for this day a LONG time …
I think Pixologic suggests INTEL products… for safest bet I would say go with intel if I was you… I am just willing to gamble to get a taste of 64Bit applications
Polaris30,
Which Opteron do you have? 24(?). I’m trying to decide between a Dual Opteron 242 and a Dual Xeon 2.8 (all with 2 gig ram). I’m glad that your doing some of the footwork getting Linux 64 apps up and running. I’m following your posts. I’ll decide on my system in the next couple days.
btw. not sure if you are aware of this. but if you have 2 gigs on your system ( dual cpu ) … you actually have 1 gig per processor. so if you run applications/processes that dont know how to use boht processors… its like having only one gig of ram.
Thanks for the heads up about the ram, ambient-whisper. Do you know which apps I need to worry about? I mainly use Max, Maya, Z2, Photoshop, and Combustion. Since I’m getting gig chips, I believe that I’ll still have a couple of slots to upgrade to 4 gigs if I want to later. That sounds like a massively greedy amount :eek:
Thanks for that advice about memory.
Only a few of my apps can use multiprocessors, so I will have to get 3 or 4 gigs…
MAKE SURE YOU GET Windoze XP PRO… home edition dose not use smp for multithreading… the server edition also allows for smp, and 64 bit extensions (might be only for Itanium INTEL chips)
Max, Maya, Photo shop,all have plans for 64Bit versions… they will be using Windoze 64…
Think Maya and XSI both have versions that run under 64 bit linux… if not I know they all run under wine (in 32Bit)…
Z2 might also run in wine, I have not tried… I don’t think they want us using it in other OS according to the licence…
I am keeping my Intel system for content creation and video games and the Opteron system is strictly for rendering… I dont think I am even going to install Z2 on it after I upgrade to XP home (I might install it just for benchmark, then remove it …) it is probably going to be running Fedora core most of the time, this way I can run Linux using Black Box, or IceWM this way I can run true space with all system recources… I tested true space in WINE and it is amazing!!! I am going to test it in Windows XP this afternoon… the fastest OS is the one I will keep running
If you guys are running network anb need windows box to talk to a *Nix box try using SAMBA… there is even a tweak to use on a CISCO LINK SYS routers LMAO!!! that has got to piss Cisco off… they hate Linux 
they make UNIX and lawsuits against LINUX…
anyways…
If you guys are running Linux, also DON’T buy ATI graphics cards… Nvidia is only people who make 64bit LINUX drivers… both ATI and Nvidia make 64bit windows versions…ati has Linux drivers also but only for 32bit OS…
I did not look into the sound drivers yet, but if you want sound on your system in 64bit LINUX or WINDOWS, you better look at website first… My system I just had sound blaster Audigy put into it I knew there was windows 64 bit drivers … I really dont ever plan on having sound on that system tho… it is a work horse… My show pony is is still fast enough to keep me happy in Zbrush, and for all my game and sound needs… you guys better check first tho before you make a buy
The opteron is just there as a rendering machine, If I have some major Huge Zbrush document I need rendered, I might install Z2 over there… but for now I am happy with my current system Z2 renders amazingly fast in the first place :)…PLus I like takeing a break and watching it render ;).
UPDATE:
WOOT!!!
Just tried Z2 in Windows XP PRO… OMG!!! Dual Opterons totaly RULE!!! it totaly dusts my single preocessor Prentium 4
In truespace it renders at neckbreaking speed, and yafray there is a small increase in 2 thread mode
Z2 Is awesome in dual processor system, in high poly it dosent draw as fast as my single processor system, but the actual drawing and molding of High poly Objects is very consistant and responcive
I cant wait to try it with my WACOM pad
BUY THIS SYSTEM!!! WOOHOO!!! I love Opteron, cant wait till next month … I max out Ram, and month after I max out processors :D… this is an awesome machieen
+
I may keep Z2 on it after all… perhaps let my single preocessor system do some rendering while I doodle
1983 