Hardware recommendations

SketchUp Guide Tommy · 25 Jun 2008, 19:31

Hi Everyone,

I'd like to thank Gaieus, Todd, and the gang for inviting me to SCF. It's great being able to participate in this great community. Now, for my first post...I'd like to ask for some help . If you're on the Google SketchUp Help Group, you may have seen this info already.

During my time working with SketchUp, I've heard the following question many times:

"What's the best computer to use with SketchUp?"

Honestly? I don't know. However, just imagine the different computer configurations the SketchUp community is using. If only there was a way to compile all this information . Eureka! I have a solution!

I've created a survey that asks a few questions about your computer. Not to worry, this survey is totally anonymous. If SketchUp is screaming fast on your computer, we want to know. If SketchUp barely runs at all, we want to know that too. If you have a number of
computers, new and old, feel free to take the survey multiple times. To view the survey, please visit the following page:

Moved Permanently

(spreadsheets.google.com)

Once I have enough data, I'll post the results for everyone to see. With your help, this will be the most comprehensive collection of hardware feedback that's ever been gathered for SketchUp.

Many thanks. Once again, it's great being here .

dylan · 25 Jun 2008, 19:40

Welcome to SCF Tommy, it's good to see another one of the Google gang on-board.

The database sounds like a pretty good idea.
I think one of the most important factors we come across here with computers and SU are the graphics card problems. It will be good to collect this information and use it to help and advise others.

Edit: Tommy I am wondering if it is worth adding a section where you can mention if your Graphics card performs ok.
For example my home machine runs a Nvidia 6800 GS 256mb which runs fine.
My work computer has a Nvidia 8600 GT 512mb which makes using SU a nitemare for various reasons even after trying many different drivers. Just a thought it could be a chance of collecting some extra information.

tomsdesk · 25 Jun 2008, 20:02

Hey Tommy...I have a request I hope you'll pass along to the right folk: Been ages since you guys (sketchup) vetted an nvidia driver...how'bout hookin' us up soon? (I'm sure ATI users would appreciate the same :`)

utiler · 25 Jun 2008, 22:51

Ditto what Dylan said, Tommy. NIce to have you here.....

Gaieus · 26 Jun 2008, 05:57

Hi Tommy, and welcome. I have already filled in/out the survey but it's a good idea to post it here as well.

Also, I made this topic sticky until you have enough data to post the results (then we can make that topic sticky or refer to it some other way).

p.s. it was great to meet you personally at BaseCamp - I hope it's not the only time we saw each other!

mateo soletic · 26 Jun 2008, 06:16

Hi Tommy, nice to have You here on the forums.
Looking forward to those results.

Cheers,
Mateo

Teezer · 26 Jun 2008, 14:01

I have an Intel CoreDuo 6600 WinXP SP3 machine with 2GB, and a 256k GeForce 8600GT. I've not had any issues with SU performance until recently, when a model I've been working on for a while began to display jerky responses to repositioning instead of smooth movement. I checked the file size, and found that it had exceeded 10 megabytes.

My model is currently at 12mb, and has become sluggish. I'm guessing that 13 to 15 megabytes will be the largest model that I can process with this configuration.

remus · 26 Jun 2008, 20:40

Good idea tommy, and welcome to the forums.

Im not sure about anyone else, but i found the processors bit of the survey a bit confusing, and kind of weird as well. I cant think of anyone whos got a computer with 8 separate processors, as your survey suggests. Perhaps it would be better to just specify the processor type?

SketchUp Guide Tommy · 26 Jun 2008, 23:09

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for such a warm welcome . You all rock, and I appreciate everyone's feedback on the form.

Hi remus,

Excellent point about the processors. I struggled with a way to gather this information. I think I left "8" in the number of processors before adding the "Multi-core" question. I'll drop that down to 4.

Hi tomsdesk,

As you may know, GeForce 8800 cards haven't been playing very well with SketchUp. We found an older driver for this card which you can get from http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_169.02.html . Regarding vetting additional drivers, I'll see what I can do . I hope everyone here posts their findings on driver performance as well.

Hi Gaieus,

It was a pleasure meeting you, and I know that it won't be the last time we meet. After this post, I received 40 more responses to my survey (which almost doubled what I had). Thanks for your support.

Enjoy!

kwistenbiebel · 27 Jun 2008, 00:24

@sketchup guide tommy said:

Excellent point about the processors. I struggled with a way to gather this information. I think I left "8" in the number of processors before adding the "Multi-core" question. I'll drop that down to 4.

Wait a minute .
Indeed 8 processors is still very rare (only servers?).
8 cores on the other hand isn't that rare.
My Mac Pro (using Vista on it) has 8 cores but only 2 (quadcore) processors (4 cores each).

I think that, if you want the survey to be useful, the technicalities should be correct.

By the way: welcome

tegin · 28 Jun 2008, 17:54

I use a Macbook Pro 2.5Ghz C2D, 2GB ram, Nvidia 8600m gt 512 mb, It works pretty well. However my latest model was too complicated and time by time it was hard to navigate and create new objects. The configuration that is sufficient for you depends on what you are doing. I would prefer having a workstation graphics card. However cpu is more than enough. I get renders on Vray and it is really fast.

tomsdesk · 29 Jun 2008, 03:45

Tommy, thanks.

Hope you can indeed get something done (if something still needs done after the release of the Great and Wonderous Wizarding Seven :`) I went with the Quadro a few months ago, only to find the latest Autodesk driver is the closest I can get to an SU wonder...done again, as things stand, I would have gone with the Geforce and spent my money on double the ram.

Best, Tom.

tald311 · 1 Jul 2008, 15:26

Tommy,

Welcome.
Thank you for this survey. I think its a great idea.

One suggestion, if possible, is to add a question of if any given system is using RAID hard drives and also a question on hard drive speeds.

I am currently using a VISTA Laptop (Core Duo 2.4, 4 gigs ram, NVIDA GeForece 8800M and Raid hard drives) and it handles SketchUp in ways I did not think was possible. I have very large models as well (1 million to 3 million faces) and it was jaw dropping. Its not perfect with Vista for something’s but I have a feeling the RAID is making a difference.

Thank you
Daniel Tal

plot-paris · 1 Jul 2008, 16:17

tald311, may I ask, which RAID configuration you are using and what harddiscs (speed, company...) that are?
I am going to buy a new notebook soon. and what you describe...

@tald311 said:

...and it handles SketchUp in ways I did not think was possible. I have very large models as well (1 million to 3 million faces) and it was jaw dropping.

...sounds simply amazing.

cheers,

Jakob

kwistenbiebel · 1 Jul 2008, 16:53

I didn't know sketchup was that dependant on the hard drive.
In 'Preferences' , I always see to it the' auto save' option is turned 'off' as it causes SU to slow down a lot, but I am surprised to hear that the hard drive has such an influence...

Is this maybe because SU is not 'large adress aware' (it can only use a limited amount of RAM) and turns to the page file instead ? (=using a part of the hard drive as RAM replacement).
That could explain why better hard drives (in a RAID configuration) actually provide a speed gain....

tald311 · 2 Jul 2008, 00:45

I am not sure what SketchUp uses as hardware. I use gaming systems for modeling since they are designed for handling 3D models.

The only thing I am sure about SketchUp is it is single-core and that is because of the real-time rendering stuff. One of the Devs explained it to me but I am not that tech savy (so take this whole e-mail with a grain of salt).

The system that I just bought is this one:

http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668093.php

I know that RAID drives is recommended for some 3D games. And since I am a gamer (added bonus) I look for the most intensive graphics games I can find and see if my system can run it.

The current problem is VISTA and Shadows buts that only limitation I have run into. I am hoping SU 7 responds better to Vista since we do not have a choice any more but to use it.

I do know with Vista that JPEG snap shots I cannot take in XP, I can in Vista with high-rez. Your system does need to be designed for 3D graphics though – what ever that might be, which is why your survey is a GREAT IDEA!

Thank you again.

Daniel Tal

Gaieus · 4 Jul 2008, 07:08

I have a 256 mb Ati Radeon (I think X550) card in my desktop. I cannot really speed things up with hardware acceleration but get along with it pretty well. Some people have issues with ATI cards however so wait till a more experienced "hardware guru" chimes in.

copain · 4 Jul 2008, 07:20

anyone uses radeon hd4850 for sketchup?
i heard radeon cards aren't very compatible with openGL apps..

thx for the fast reply gaieus, and anyway this is my 1st post.. nice 2 meet u all

2myChaGrin · 6 Jul 2008, 14:44

Great idea for the hardware survey! I wish it would've been done before I upgraded my machine. I ended up going with the HPm9340f. For less than a grand, I got equipped with an Intel Q6700 Quad core, 6 GB ram, 750 GB HD and a NVDIA 9500GS with 768MB dedicated video memory, upgraded from a AMD 64 bit processor. I've seen a drastic improvement in handling large models in sketchup and it's cut my render times down by almost 80%. It's a good "bang for the buck" machine if anyone is undecided. I would still wait for Tommy's survey though.

Jackson · 7 Jul 2008, 07:27

What a great idea- I filled in the survey.