Workstation graphics and SRT

[solidbrick]

Except playing chess with realworld pieces on a realworld board, I am not a gamer.
I try to consider my desktop pc as a workstation and from 2007 on my configuration is an Intel Core 2 Quad (2.4 GHz) CPU, an Asus P5W DH Deluxe motherboard, 8MB RAM and a nVidia Quad NVS 440 (256 MB memory) graphic card, one HDD for OS and programs, 2 HDD's in raid0 for data,
Vista 64-bit, never had a problem.
Pretty obsolete perhaps, but it works.
I am working with PhotoModeler software to make 3D images of e.g. buildings. That is why the NVS 440 with 3 or 4 monitors comes in very handy.
Now if I render textures from photo's of about 5000 X 3500 pixels, it takes my pc about 4 hours to give a result. Lowering the amount to about 1000 X 1000 pixels still leaves me with 20 minutes or more to catch up sleep, but than the result in e.g. Google Earth is not something to be proud of.

My new configuration is an Asus P8Z68 V Pro motherboard + Intel i7 2600K, OCZ Revo Drive 3 (OS, programs, and boot up only), one HDD for data. Windows 7 64-bit.
This will speed up things a bit no doubt. But I wonder if I have to replace my good old NVS 440 in favour of a HP nVidia Quadro 2000 ( 1 TB memory) to get even more rendering (!) speed.
Remember, the result on the screen is very static in PhotoModeler, it can be compared to a drawing in AutoCad in terms of dynamics. No need for Quick Sync as well.

Exploring questions and answers in many forums gives the impression that this world is populated mainly by gamers, and so is the nature of their problems.
My favourite hardware-shop does not even sell (workstation) quadro nVidia cards!
Benchmark reviews seem to be made for gamers only, and the favourite card is therefore nVidia GeForce GTX 580 or likewise. By no means a workstation card.

Also I wonder if Smart Response Technology ( say a 20 or 30 GB partition from the Revo) will
do a workstationer any good in terms of speed.
Having to start up and tweak in BIOS this new configuration mentioned above, leaves me some time before installing Windows.
2 questions: 1) NVS440 replacement and 2) SRT in workstation.

 

[r352alit]

Well for starter, i can appraise you for the peripheral you use. Especially the nVidia Quadro FX 2000, the one in my dream. no offense....

If you don't want to wait for the conversion of an image, i recomended that you switch the good ol' NVS 440 to Quadro Series. The Quadro 2000 is great, since you use a heavy resolution image render. But the amount of memory on the Quadro 2000 is 1 GB, not 1 TB.

About the SRT, i can't give you much detail. Since i don't use the SSD. But i think that's possible, because the acces time would be reduce. Since the system (OS, Programs) are connected trough PCI lane, which is the first acces when boot up the PC. It will cut the bottleneck that has been a problem for SATA storage. ( sorry for the confusing explanation, i can't wrote it in english).

 

[solidbrick]

T should be G, sorry for that.
Thanks for your reply alit.
I do not still use the FX 2000, I have to decide later.
In the meantime I understand from other respondents that there is not much difference in gamers and workstation graphic cards, except the price.
I understand also that the amount of memory (1 GB) is not only important for the frames per second. Or is it? Frames per second is not my first worry.
I am not native speaking English as well, as I come from another galaxy, but we understand each other.

 

[gnomio]

The Gtx 580 and Gtx 480 outperform the Quadro and they cost about 1200usd less

 

[solidbrick]

I tried to stay out of the mythical world of gamers as long as possible, but perhaps I must not be choosy. Quadro 2000 is priced nearly equal to Gtx 580 in this part of the real world, so I can give the 580 a try after first plugging in the good old Quad NVS 440 that I used until now.
Remains the question about raid controller and making room for scratch in a couple of mechanical HDD. Raid 0 ? Partitions?

 

[solidbrick]

Thank you for the test results gnomio. I see now you had Quadro 4000 on your mind, while I mentioned Q 2000 earlier. The graphs are impressive.
If my NVX 440 can be compared to GTS 450 then GTX 580 is 3.3 times quicker in rendering. But perhaps it is even more.
I think the NVS 440 and 450 are for the stock exchange hall. A world I try to keep far away from as well, and I give advise to do so to everyone.
A pity NVS 450 is not benchmarked.

 

[gnomio]

I tried to stay out of the mythical world of gamers as long as possible, but perhaps I must not be choosy. Quadro 2000 is priced nearly equal to Gtx 580 in this part of the real world, so I can give the 580 a try after first plugging in the good old Quad NVS 440 that I used until now.
Remains the question about raid controller and making room for scratch in a couple of mechanical HDD. Raid 0 ? Partitions?

I meant the Quadro 5000

Look here all professional workstations and see which card rule supreme in most of them
http://ppbm5.com/DB-PPBM5-1.php

 

[gnomio]

Thank you for the test results gnomio. I see now you had Quadro 4000 on your mind, while I mentioned Q 2000 earlier. The graphs are impressive.
If my NVX 440 can be compared to GTS 450 then GTX 580 is 3.3 times quicker in rendering. But perhaps it is even more.
I think the NVS 440 and 450 are for the stock exchange hall. A world I try to keep far away from as well, and I give advise to do so to everyone.
A pity NVS 450 is not benchmarked.

Quadro cards are Geforce consumer cards just clocked slower for precision not speed. You can do the same with a consumer card and it will last just as long as the quadro. But quadro cards have more robust driver support which is not much needed anymore like the gamers need them.
Run that ppbm5 benchmark on your current setup with your NVS440 and submit the result and see where your system ends up and where you need to improve. Thats why it was created for such purposes

 

[solidbrick]

Thank you for your advise gnomio.
Your message came through loud and clear. I will download PPBM5 a.s.a.p., and go ahead with NVS440 plugged in, to be compared perhaps with more sophisticated alternative later.
I have to buy a second 8GB RAM array first, because my already installed 8 GB does not satisfy everyones wishes. No problem here.
I have to buy a second HDD and a raid controller as well next week. No problem there as well.
The problem is however that I am not sure until now what kind of raid is best, and if a partition has to be made. And if you gave an answer to that already I have missed it.

I will refrain from making a partition in the SSDrive as you advised.
Later on I will decide yes or no to buy a GTX 580 card, if the financial crisis does not take that decision out of my hands. Perhaps I have to wait also for the waterlevel in Thailand to lower down.

 

[solidbrick]

Hello Gnomio,
Your very last reply got lost because I restarted Tomshardware.
It happened before and I do not know why reply's disappear then. It seems you have to answer directly, and that Tom does not give time to do it next day.
Can you please resend.
Photomodeler was mentioned in my very first thread in the first alinea.
I know now why I looked in vain for scratch allocations in a mechanical hd. It is a Photoshop thing and perhaps a video editing item as well. I learned a lot from that.
Also please understand that I have already 8GB RAM. You pointed the way to a 16 GB set.