Hardware recommendations

Gaieus · 21 Jan 2009, 14:58

I don't know. I'm just feeling lucky now

Anssi · 21 Jan 2009, 18:50

The new i7 processor has hyperthreading again. If I understand right, it can also split a demanding task among multiple cores doing something like hyperthreading in reverse...

Anssi

caddict · 27 Jan 2009, 03:46

For the record, I have just had to retire my 600MHz Toshiba laptop from active service.

With its 128MB memory and 11GB harddrive running Windows 2000 and with an on-board video chip, it bravely powered SU6 through many a client presentation. (Granted, the model would often break up into wireframe if view changes were too rapid)

Now that I have shifted to SU7, and SU6 cannot open models made in version 6, when I tried to install SU7 on the old girl, I was met with the fatal message "Operating System not Supported".

So there you go. Progress. Still, she had to go sometime.

Although I am thinking that I could easily revert back to SU6 without really noticing, seeing that version 7 was hardly a quantum leap.

plot-paris · 27 Jan 2009, 09:30

well, at least now you have an excuse to buy a monster! (may I suggest something like the 18.1" screen
Acer Aspire 8920, that weighs 4.8 kg and hardly deserves the title of 'laptop'?)

caddict · 28 Jan 2009, 01:17

I've started saving already

tomasz · 10 Feb 2009, 15:14

@plot-paris said:

well, at least now you have an excuse to buy a monster! (may I suggest something like the 18.1" screen
Acer Aspire 8920, that weighs 4.8 kg and hardly deserves the title of 'laptop'?)

[attachment=0:3anrpjzn]acer-aspire-8920.jpg[/attachment:3anrpjzn]

I am also looking for a laptop suitable for SU. You can buy cheaper and not so heavy Acer with same or probably better graphics card. It won't be 18" screen, but who wants to carry a 5kg and/or kill a flying-by bird with a swing of a screen.

plot-paris · 14 Feb 2009, 08:48

I do! I do!!! and as a matter of fact, I am writing this with the bespoken beast on my lap, listening to 'Air' by Johann Sebastian Bach from it's in-built 5.1 Cinematic Surround Sound speaker system (with subwoofer - in a laptop!).

(and, admittedly, my shoulders are still sore from carying it during my travel from London to the south of Germany two days ago )

Anssi · 14 Feb 2009, 14:01

Jakob,

Does it make much noise? I have an older 17" Acer Aspire, and i am otherwise quite fond of it, but it churns away like a bulldozer (not quite but...). I envy my daughter's IMac-it has no fans at all!

Anssi

plot-paris · 15 Feb 2009, 13:29

it definitely has a fan running, especially when running renders of course. but I think it is not too loud - and for it's monstrous size appropriate

EddyNL · 6 Mar 2009, 08:19

Guys,

I've got this museum piece:

AMD Sempron 2400+
1,75 Ghz, 512 MB
ASUS Radeon 9600 128MB

I'm looking to buy a new desktop because I can't run any large SU models.
What's the most important issue for 3d performance like SketchUp and Kerky?

Dual core? RAM? Or the videocard?
Any suggestions?

Thanks, Ward

remus · 6 Mar 2009, 08:29

For sketchup you want a fast clock speed (number of cores doesnt effect SU performance.) Good processors to look at are the intel core 2 duo and if your feeling up to a bit of overclocking, the intel core 2 quad. Youll also need a graphics card with decent openGL support, the quadro cards are generally pretty good for this, although a bit pricey.

For kerky you want lots of RAM and a processor with lots of cores, although youll need a 64 bit OS if you want to have more than 4GB of ram.

On balance, id say go with a core 2 quad processor and 4gb of ram. A pretty standard combination thats also pretty powerful.

EddyNL · 6 Mar 2009, 08:55

Thanks for the quick reply Remus!

Would this be any good?

Intel E5200 Core 2 Duo
Geforce 9300 512mb
4096mb / 4GB DDR2 800Mhz
500GB 7200rpm

AMD Phenom X3 8650+
Geforce 8300 HDMI, DVI
4096mb / 4GB DDR2 800Mhz
750GB 7200rpm

remus · 6 Mar 2009, 09:19

The top setup looks good Dont know enough about AMD to tell you whether the other choice of processor is a good one, though.

With regards to the 8300 graphics card, it seems there have been a couple of minor issues with it and SU: http://groups.google.com/group/SketchUp/web/graphics-card-feedback?hl=en Probably worth investigating, just in case.

chango70 · 6 Mar 2009, 16:36

If you can wait, I'd get the i7 Core mobile CPU laptops coming out later half of this year. The multi-threading almost halves your rendering times. Worth the wait I'd say.

If not I recommend http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk you can build one with 512MB Nvidia 9600M GT graphics card for under £1000 pounds. I have one and the diffault setting makes sketchup lines look super SMOOTH! without anti-aliasing turned on! Incredable for presentations n walkthroughs.

I'd be honest with you PCSpecialist are not really the best quality as mine broke under a year (arguably not their fault as my GPU, the 8600M GT died and if you read internet forums this card is dying at a dispropotionate rate on all manufacturers laptops including Apple) but their service is incredable. They didn't ask any questions had it sent back and upgraded my chasis (Old Chasis had a 8600M GT which died) with new GPU all for free! Sent back to me in a week. So basically I got a free upgrade from them.

The 9600M GT gives amazing default display quality.

chango70 · 6 Mar 2009, 16:37

@eduardonl said:

Thanks for the quick reply Remus!

Would this be any good?

Intel E5200 Core 2 Duo
Geforce 9300 512mb
4096mb / 4GB DDR2 800Mhz
500GB 7200rpm

AMD Phenom X3 8650+
Geforce 8300 HDMI, DVI
4096mb / 4GB DDR2 800Mhz
750GB 7200rpm

Whats your budget?

remus · 6 Mar 2009, 17:44

Not a core i7 budget going by those specs

chango70 · 10 Mar 2009, 17:13

No but getting a smaller Hardrive like 250GB and a better Graphics Card would be a good trade off. I only use 160HD on my laptop. Just dump all your work on a external HD. They are dirt cheap anyway.

peweuk · 12 Mar 2009, 23:19

@plot-paris said:

I do! I do!!! and as a matter of fact, I am writing this with the bespoken beast on my lap, listening to 'Air' by Johann Sebastian Bach from it's in-built 5.1 Cinematic Surround Sound speaker system (with subwoofer - in a laptop!).

(and, admittedly, my shoulders are still sore from carying it during my travel from London to the south of Germany two days ago )

Which spec was this (ie processor and video card? - and how do you find it for performance with SU?

@unknownuser said: