Better Pc Configuration to use Sketchup

fymoro

Hi all,

I have two computer in my office:

The first:( the best on paper)

Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2
2x Intel Pentium III Xeon, 2.66 GHz
4 go ram
NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT (512 Mo)

The second:

Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2
Intel Pentium Dual CPUE180 2.00 GHz
2 go ram
Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family (128 MB)

As you can see the Second computer is not really make to do 3d work, but it work much better that the first !!!

I do not know why, maybe the Video card (NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT 512 Mo) is not adapted, or something else.

The problem when I use Sketchup with the first computer is that if the scene is heavy (more that 50 mb) the computer work very slowly. Sometime I have to wait 2 or 3 minute to select a geometry.

So Is it a configuration problem ? or Some parameter that I have to change ? Or Is it sketchup ?

The second computer is slow, but I never Have to wait to select something, on the same scene.

I need your help, Thanks

thomthom

Could be a driver issue. Have you updated the graphics card driver?

fymoro

Thanks for your reply,

Not yet updated the driver, I will try it now.

richcat

@unknownuser said:

2x Intel Pentium III Xeon, 2.66 GHz

@unknownuser said:

Intel Pentium Dual CPUE180 2.00 GHz

Could it also be that the first cpu the pentium III Xeon is a lot slower than the more modern pentium dual E(2?)180, as sketchup as is very reliant on the single cpu it can run on.
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/common_cpus.html

fymoro

Thank to your reply,

I am not an expert, I think also that there could be a processor problem.

When I bought this CPU here in Vietnam, I have specified that I will use 3d software and Vray, but may be they have made a bad combination of materials.

What is the best materials association for you to use Sketchup and Vray ?

Fred.

thomthom

Whenever you buy a computer for graphics, you should always regular check for graphic driver updates. Even when you buy a brand new computer, they don't always ship with latest drivers.

For SketchUp you want a graphic card with good OpenGL support. And you want a CPU with a high speed as SU only uses one core. But since you are also using V-Ray, get as many cores as you can afford. I'm currently awaiting my new CPU, an intel quadcore, which will be clocked to about 3.2GHz.
And of course, allot of RAM. If you have a 32bit system then there'd be no point having over 3GB. If you got a 64bit system you can get more. But note that SU wil only use max 3GB as it's a 32bit app. But none the less, using a 64bit system with more RAM can still be useful, as you can multitask with other apps easier. I'm installing Windows 7 64bit on my next computer, with 8GB ram.

fymoro

Thankks for your reply,

I have updated the driver of the Nvidia, and overlock a bit it.

Same for the processor and Mother board Gigabyte GA-EP-35-D64.

I have overlocked the processor increased to 20%.

And now if work better.

Anyway, if I decide to change, I will follow your configuration.

Thanks again.

sketch3d.de

@thomthom said:

And of course, allot of RAM. If you have a 32bit system then there'd be no point having over 3GB. If you got a 64bit system you can get more. But note that SU wil only use max 3GB as it's a 32bit app. But none the less, using a 64bit system with more RAM can still be useful, as you can multitask with other apps easier. I'm installing Windows 7 64bit on my next computer, with 8GB ram.

as I understood, XP x32 can use roughly 3.2gb ram with the appropriate 'high-mem' key set, 32 bit apps generally cannot access more than 2gb ram.

don't use XP x64 because of a weak driver support, if a Windoze 64 bit OS really is required use Vista instead... or better wait for Win 7 (IV/09).

for OGL based 3D modeling apps which are running - at least recently and for the modeling functions itself - on one kernel only, the following config will currently result in the best performance in the sense of speed and stability of OGL output, nothing else:

fastest possible CPU with regard to one (1) kernel
nVidia Quadro FX CAD series (which starts from US ~120.-)
Windows XP Professional x32 SP3 (not Vista, not OSX)

4gb or more working memory is self-evident.

hth,
Norbert

thomthom

@sketch3d.de said:

as I understood, XP x32 can use roughly 3.2gb ram with the appropriate 'high-mem' key set, 32 bit apps generally cannot access more than 2gb ram.

http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2004/08/05/208908.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2004/08/22/218527.aspx