New Build for Architectural Rendering, Modeling, and Animation

[renderman000]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post on this forum, and my first PC I'm considering building. I am running an HP 8740W laptop workstation right now, and it does everything I need. I'm hoping for this to be a home-base workhorse that is upgrade-able in the future.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Approximate Purchase Date: Immediately

Budget Range: 2-3k

System Usage from Most to Least Important: 3d rendering and modeling (Rhino, Maya, 3ds Max, Revit), photo editing and graphic design (photoshop and illustrator), video editing

Parts Not Required: (e.g.: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS) Mouse, monitor, speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Don't have a real preference, but I'll go with newegg.com

Country of Origin: United States

Parts Preferences: It looks like an Intel cpu is the choice, looking for a lot of RAM (8-12 GB)

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution:N/A

Additional Comments:
I would like to focus on making this easily upgrade-able.
Im currently running an Intel core i7 Q820 @ 1.73 GHZ and 8GB of RAM, and fairly frequently run into the upper limits of both, so I'd like to extend those capabilities.
How does everyone feel about running OS X on this machine?

 

[mapitux]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post on this forum, and my first PC I'm considering building. I am running an HP 8740W laptop workstation right now, and it does everything I need. I'm hoping for this to be a home-base workhorse that is upgrade-able in the future.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Approximate Purchase Date: Immediately

Budget Range: 2-3k

System Usage from Most to Least Important: 3d rendering and modeling (Rhino, Maya, 3ds Max, Revit), photo editing and graphic design (photoshop and illustrator), video editing

Parts Not Required: (e.g.: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS) Mouse, monitor, speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Don't have a real preference, but I'll go with newegg.com

Country of Origin: United States

Parts Preferences: It looks like an Intel cpu is the choice, looking for a lot of RAM (8-12 GB)

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Monitor Resolution:N/A

Additional Comments:
I would like to focus on making this easily upgrade-able.
Im currently running an Intel core i7 Q820 @ 1.73 GHZ and 8GB of RAM, and fairly frequently run into the upper limits of both, so I'd like to extend those capabilities.
How does everyone feel about running OS X on this machine?

Hello,

I'm just in your current situation, building a pc for having a main workstation for 3d modeling and rendering.

For what I know it's really damn difficult to install OS X, I had your same idea. And also consider that it may not work that well, OS X is designed to work with Machintosh, the hardware is made for the OS, quite the opposite to normal pcs.
An iMac may be an option, but you will end up buying an expensive workstation that will not have the same features as a normal pc.

In my opinion, Mac is way overrated. My current pc is a Core 2 Duo with 3 gb of ram and I'm building a Core i7 950 with 8 GB of RAM, both of them with Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bits.

The only problem that I have is with the graphics. I don't feel spending that much on a Quadro or a FirePro :S

Good Luck!

 

[Outlander_04]

Its a close call between the last gen Intel Hexcores and this new generation of 32nm Quads .
In part it depends on your software being able to multithread . Read the CPU scores in the charts section of this website .

If I was building this Id use

i7 2600k
p67 motherboard
4 x 4 gig of RAM for 16 gig total
nVidia Quaddro gfx card

Maybe an SSD boot drive
and a RAID 1 array so everything is backed up in real time as you work

add a moderate quiet cooler for the cpu
a quiet case [ antec p183 V3 ]
and a quality 650 watt psu

And then Win 7 64 bit .
Dont use the ultimate unless you actually need the extra features it provides . If you dont know what they are .... you dont need it so get the pro [for compatibility with older software] or premium

 

[mapitux]

Yeah, the problem is that I don't live in USA so buying a Quadro it's REALLY expensive.
And I chose the i7 950 because I'm not interested in overclocking and from what I heard the p67 motherboards still have compatibility issues with SATA II (which is the kind of HD that I'm going to buy).
The software that I use is:

+ Autocad 2011
+ 3d Studio Max 2011
+ ZBrush
+ Adobe Photoshop CS5 (and also the other programs of the Master Suite CS5)
+ Cinema 4d
+ Luxology Modo 501
+ Google Sketchup Pro 8
+ Maya 2011
+ Mudbox 2011
+ Revit Architecture 2011
+ Archicad 14

 

[Outlander_04]

The problem with the original P67 boards was that some might stop working on some SATA ports after 2+ years of continuous thrashing in over heated conditions. It actually never happened to anyone in the real world .
And now its fixed and the currently on sale MB's dont have the problem .

And by using the Hexcore you do get the advantages of triple channel RAM . which offsets the OC potential of the 2600K to some extent .
Which one is stronger varies all the time , and varies with how the bench is run . Both are good calls .
As is the Phenom x6 if you have a lower budget .

Quaddros use the exact same chip as the gaming cars but theyre set up a different way . And they do help a lot with rendering , but you can still work perfectly well with a lower end gaming card .

 

[renderman000]

I think I've got my list of parts picked out, Outlander it sounds like we're on the same page apart from a z68 mobo instead of the p67

I'm going to go with
2600k
z68
4x4 gb ram
quadro 4000
ssd boot drive w/ backup
and a fractal design case

Any input before I press buy??

 

[Outlander_04]

I think I've got my list of parts picked out, Outlander it sounds like we're on the same page apart from a z68 mobo instead of the p67

I'm going to go with
2600k
z68
4x4 gb ram
quadro 4000
ssd boot drive w/ backup
and a fractal design case

Any input before I press buy??

I think you may be right abut the z68 at your budget .

Do a search for your case online like " fractal design computer case review".
I havent seen one of these cases , and just because they are expensive doesnt necessarily make them good .

Add a 650 watt PSU .
Corsair , seasonic , enermax are all good brands

 

[renderman000]

Best answer selected by renderman000.