Hey guys, I am looking to build a new computer. Right now I am going with a Asus GeForce GTX 295 with 1792mb 896 (448x2) - bit GDDR3 PCI Express Video card, with 12 gigs of ram. The only thing I am trying to narrow down is the Processor and motherboard. I have talked it over with some people, and I am still torn. I really wanna have some processing power. So for 3D work, witch would be better, the new Intel i7 3.06 ghz by itself? or geting a server bored, and having dual quads. Help me out here guys. Thanks ahead of time for the comments.t
The only time having dual quads is going to make a major difference is in rendering. That gets into render farm node territory.
Yea, I figured that the best thing if I wanted to render would be dual quads. I would not mind being able to render.but I also would not mind the power the i7 has.
ZBrush will use as many cores as technology currently makes available. Dual quads would speed up rendering in ZBrush, but they will also improve your real-time sculpting with dense meshes.
More RAM allows you to work with higher polygon counts. (Although ZBrush will currently use a max of 4 GB of system RAM, so there are limits.) More and faster cores then makes the interaction with those meshes more fluid.
Ok, so with that I was thinking about going with Dual Quads, Xeon E5520 Nehalem 2.26 GHz. Another reason I was thinking this chip, was because it also has hyperthreding. So please let me know if this set up is not the best, or what changes.
I am going with:
either XFX or ASUS GeForce GTX 295 with 1792mb of RAM
Dual Xeon E5520 Nehalem 2.26GHz Quad Processors
12 Gigs of Ram
Now with the Ram, I was thinking DDR3 as well.
My budget is going to be no more than 2,000. I have been checking out the Quadros, but I want at least 1 gig of on board memory, and to support both Open GL, and Direct X. They are a little out of my price rang. If anybody knows of one, please let me know. Thanks again.
Ok. So after a good 2 - 3 hours looking around, and a few really tasty drinks later. I have come up with a spec sheet. I will post the specs and the link to everything below. Let me know what you all think. Or if I have something wrong, please let me know. I also found Combo deals over Newegg.
Video
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143193
RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145233
CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117185
Heat Sink
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118051
Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182192
cases
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133132
Power Supplies
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153038
MB + CPU Combo = 639.98
Case + PS Combo = 294.87
Video = 394.99
RAM = 239.99
Head Sink = 79.99
This all comes to a grand total of 1747.76
Now if I wanted to add my 2nd Quad Core, it would go up to 2156.90 those are both with tax added. So that is my spec sheet thus far. I am not 100% on the heat sink, but things may change. Please if anybody has any comments or changes to add, please let me know. Thank you all again.
Ok, so I am still pretty tied up on what to go for in a computer. From what aurick said, zbrush will use as many cores as you have. So with that, and keep in mind I want to build this for doing 3D work. What would be better, the new i7, or Dual Xeon Quad Cores?
Ok, so after doing some more research, and going through magazines and reading about new parts. I have changed my whole setup. I decided to go with an i7 core system. Here is my setup specs.
ASUS P6T Deluxe MB (may change the board, but doing with ASUS)
Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz CPU
CORSAIR XMS3 12GB RAM
XFX GS250XZDFL GeForce GTS 250 Core Edition 1GB (Video)
ZALMAN CNPS9900LED 120mm (Heat Sink)
COOLER MASTER Storm Scout SGC-2000-KKN1-GP (Case)
COOLER MASTER UCP RS900-AAAAA3 900W ATX12V / EPS12V (PSU)
Thats my set up. The case may change, along with the MB. Below are the links to the parts.
CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115211
MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365
RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145233
Video
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150437
Heatsink
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118046
Case/PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.240158
My video card also may change, but I am thinking ahead, with Direct X 11 coming out, I figured I would put my money into my CPU for now, and when DX11 comes out, I will spend the money and get a video card. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks again.