Ultimate SketchUp 6 system specs....

juju

At present you'd be better off with a really fast Core 2 Duo (3GHz won't hurt) or even a really really really fast single core CPU (think 3.8 GHz ). At present SU isn't SMP friendly, but that could change, but Google isn't forthcoming about future release date or features for the next SU installment.

Then again, it normally pays to "future proof" as far as possible. That is what my build is based on. I have: 22" Samsung 226BW LCD / Intel Q6600 / OCZ 4GB DDR2-800 / nVidia 8800 GTX. On the matter of GFX card, a lot of people swear by workstation grade cards (think nVidia Quaddro / ATi FireGL), but unless you can afford to get a decent one you're probably better off with a good gaming class card.

The multiple core CPU's will probably serve you better for rendering, unless you have a render farm of sorts, seeing that most of the mainstream rendering application are SMP friendly or will be in their next release.

remus

Id probably go for something similar to juju, a fast dual core CPU, 4GB of ram and as good an nVidia card as you can afford. I suppose if youve got any cash spare after that it might be worth thinking about getting a nice big screen, or possibly changing the CPU to a quad core, as that will help a lot with the all round performance of your system.

utiler

Thanks all, great comments...

Juju / remus: SMP, pardon my ignorance, what is it!! So a really fast Core 2 Duo would be better than a Core 2 Quad Q6600 [2.4GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB]

sketch3d.de: why FX rather than NVS?

thanks in advance...

remus

SMP is basically another way of saing multi-core, although i dont know exactly what it stands for.

If you can afford it, go for a quad core as it's likely to be more future proof than a dual core, although there isnt anything wrong with a good dual core.

Anssi

@utiler said:

sketch3d.de: why FX rather than NVS?

The NVS is a series of 2D display cards meant for business users (like stockbrokers etc) who need multiple screens. People have had problems running SU with hardware acceleration on it.

Anssi

utiler

thanks to you all for your advice, i will go get me a new card....

sketch3d.de

better FX instead of NVS... or a fast GeForce which regularly does work fine to.

OS: currently Windoze XP Pro SP2 (32-Bit) only...

...b'cause the OGL support of video drivers ist most mature.

Norbert

sketch3d.de

@utiler said:

... will go get me a new card....

check out the nVidia Quadro FX workstation series here:

http://www.nvidia.com/page/quadrofx_family.html

don't put too much money in the video susbsystem, i.e. a mid-range Quadro as e.g. the FX 1500/1700 is regularly sufficent, the (safed) money is better invested in the performance of the CPU and enough RAM of course.

Norbert

utiler

@sketch3d.de said:

better FX instead of NVS... or a fast GeForce which regularly does work fine to.

OS: currently Windoze XP Pro SP2 (32-Bit) only...

...b'cause the OGL support of video drivers ist most mature.

Norbert

So I'm looking at the Quadro FX 570. What do you all think?
thanks,

dlsf

@utiler said:

So I'm looking at the Quadro FX 570. What do you all think?
thanks,

I bought a Quadro FX 570 last week, and tested it for 3 hours by downloading very complicated model in 3D warehouse, e.g. whole city modeling, or a complicated car copy and paste for 20 times. I must say it's alot better than my old "gamer" graphic card, although people say gamer card like GeForce 9xxx can handle sketchup very well, or sketchup speed mostly depends on CPU and ram etc, but i find that a workstation card is far superior.

p.s. maybe 570 is the most latest "entry level" workstation card, which the shopkeeper highly recommended me to buy it instead of a expensive old intermediate level one, i love this honest shopkeeper

utiler

thanks dlsf, I will let you know what difference it makes.....

Cheers,