3D - 2

Which workstation would you recommend for a beginner learning 3D Studio Max, and other CAD applications?

What do I look for in a workstation to run these applications? I'm just starting out, so I don't need the greatest. However, I would like something that performs well. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. Really any dual core with a halfway decent videocard will run AutoCAD, SolidWorks or the like. I've run AutoCAD on a D620 laptop with a 256mb Nvidia Quadro card and a Core 2 Duo (~2.0GHz). It works fine. Now, Solidworks (just using this as example) needs a bit more heft. It bogs down pretty quickly on a Geforce 6200, but it appears to work fine on a dual core/4gb ram/Geforce 8400GS. Our top end workstations have XP x64 with a quad core/ 8GB of RAM, and that same video card. I'd recommend the ASUS Silent 8400GS 512MB. It's like $40 on Newegg and isn't bad at all for a desktop.
2. Well for rendering the greatest currently is i7 but at the best price/performance go with a Phenom 2 with a Nvidia IGP chipset :P Anything less than a tricore you'd get mediocre results for me http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q205/batuchka/Render-1.jpg http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q205/batuchka/DWJ1.jpg
3. If you plan on running 3D CAD apps you should first invest in a good graphics card, as this will provide a higher frame-rate whilst using the software, making it feel more responsive and smooth. Professional workstations usually incorporate graphics cards such as ones in nVidia's Quadro FX range, which tend to be quick & very stable but they carry a hefty price tag. A cost saving can be made by instead using a mid to high-end gaming card such as an nVidia Geforce 8600, 8800 or 8900. These are generally adequate but don't provide some of the high-end accelerated Open GL features. 2 to 4GB of RAM should be more than ample to run most CAD apps. For the processor, spend what you can comfortably afford. You usually pay a premium for the fastest processors, and for most of their life they will be sitting idle. A lot can be saved by opting for a mid range CPU, the only downside is that you will have to wait that bit longer for your 3D model to regenerate or your image to render. I would recommend the Win XP 32 bit operating system. XP is pretty stable and widely supported nowadays. It also doesn't require as much resource as Vista, in turn freeing up more resource for your apps. If you want a rough Idea of how different spec machines perform, you could take a look at published benchmark results such as the ones found on : http://www.spec.org/benchmarks.html#gwpg