Best processor for Quadro FX 1800?

[sridharrreddy]

Hi there,
I gotta buy a professional gpu and i just can afford nVidia's Quadro fx 1800. So am researching which processors processing peak would meet 1800's. I actually thought of going for a quad core but thinking if it is overkill for the gpu. Would a dual core suffice for this? E5200?
I am building this system to run Maya, Avid and After Effects.

Thanks!

 

[belial2k]

unless you are doing something that requires precise line tracing (ie, medical imaging, or sending instructions from your computer to a machine) you probably don't need a workstation graphics card.
Assuming you are working with large files and most of your programs are optimized for multiple threads, you need to be looking at an i7. It is the current King of the hill for editing and design work.

 

[sridharrreddy]

What!! Are you sure about it!! I was thinking all the time editing is done very fast if we have a professional card man!!! You stumped me with your statement!!! Even Avid says to use professional card. Why do you think they suggest that line then?
And what card do you suggest for Avid?

 

[belial2k]

The short answer is the only difference is in drivers and support. You can expect to spend several times as much for a workstation card than for a similar consumer card. Almost all can be softmodded to enable all the workstation driver support. The software usually only offers support for the workstation cards, so that is why they will not be as helpful if you run into issues with the consumer card. As far as speed is concerned, for the same price you get more bang for your buck from consumer cards. Workstation cards are not meant to be fast, they are meant to be precise. Most design and editing is not graphically intense, and will rely more on your processor speed, that is why the i7 is the best processor for you. There are several threads in forums and articles on the web about the differences and how to softmod if needed....but your basic question was about processor, and the answer to that is without question is the i7

 

[belial2k]

I forgot to answer about what graphics card to recommend. You probably want something like a 9800gt, but do a little research and get some more recs from more people. I do know Maya has tested the 9800 gt as fully functional for their program. You can get that card for $100 rather than $500 for the workstation you mentioned.

 

[sridharrreddy]

Only architectures upto G80 are softmod-able. After that, nVidia used some laser technology to stop us from softmodding. But yet, if video editing doesn't need pro card then I am more than okay to go with 9800.
But, sometime back i have heard from a guy saying he took like 20 minutes to render 1 frame in Maya with normal card and 45 secs with pro card. (But he did not mention what configurations the cards had.)
What do you say about that?

 

[belial2k]

There is just not enough info to reply to that. Were they on the same machine with the same cpu? what were the two cards in question? Is it possible the card was defective? ...and you can never rely on everything you hear on forums, lol. Some people have weird agendas.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying workstation cards are worthless, I'm just not sure its needed for what you are doing. Best way to tell is build your system with the cheap card on the i7, and if it doesn't cut it for you send the card back or sell it, and you really haven't lost anything. But you have the potential to gain $400 if it works for you.
Oh...and check out this crazy deal for a cheap i7 system. It comes with a 4850, which would be a great test card...the only thing I think it would lack compared to the nvidia is physx support....but if your software doesn't need that it is actually a faster card than the 9800gt.
http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4485017&CatId=3478

 

[sridharrreddy]

Even he didn't mention much of details.
Anyways, i am going to give it a try. All i am risking is 100 to save 300.

 

[belial2k]

Be sure to keep us posted. I'm 90% sure you'll be fine, but of course I don't work with those programs so just have to rely on second hand info from some of my customers. And it will probably vary slightly person to person depending on exactly how you are using each program.

 

[sridharrreddy]

Yeah sure...
Thanks a lot belial.
You are the man!