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Video Card Help


afielder45

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I am in the process of buying a new computer to use Autodesk MEP, Cad-Mech and Pipeworks, all of which are autocad or add ons for autocad. I will also be using Navisworks also. I want to have a computer that will not crash while trying to teach. I am looking at a Dell XPS M1730, A Dell Studio 17 or a Dell M17. All processors are between 2.5 and 2.66 Intel Duo, 4 to 6 MB ram, 320GB+ HD. The graphics cards are where my concern are. I can not find any of them through Autodesk's supported video card list. Almost like these are too new. Here is the list of video cards that are on the build sheets for Dell:

XPS M1730:

NVIDIA® SLI™ Dual GeForce® 8800M GTX with 1GB GDDR3 Memory

NVIDIA®GeForce®8700M GT graphics with 256MB GDDR3 Memory

NVIDIA® SLI™ Dual GeForce® 9800M GT with 1GB GDDR3 Memory

NVIDIA® SLI™ Dual GeForce® 9800M GTX with 1GB GDDR3 Memory

Studio 17:

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD

256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650

M17, which is an "Alienware" computer:

512MB Nvidia® GeForce™ Go 8700M GT

Dual 512MB NVIDIA® GeForce® Go 8700M GT – SLI Enabled

Dual 512MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 9800M GT – SLI Enabled

512MB NVIDIA® Quadro® FX 3600M

 

Autocad recommends 256MB graphics card. I have a system with 256 and I run out of virtual memory about once a day. Autodesk MEP will shut down if I have to many drawings open at one time. Like two. The drawing that I have at work are between 14MB and 30MB (120,000 square foot floors in a hospital). That is with the plumbing, mechanical piping and medical gas piping all on seperate drawings. Granted I will not have files that large for teaching, but if the company I work for wants to "lease" this system from me, I would like to have the power to.

 

Please help.

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YOU NEED TO GET THE QUADRO!!!

 

Those cards are designed for CAD user! I made the mistake by not looking into them! I have an nVIDIA 9500 GT (1GB RAM Built-in) This card cost $150, AutoCAD '09 works real nice! And this isn't an Autodesk Certified!

 

If possible order more RAM with your Computer, I have 3.5 GB, which I am very happy with!!!

 

Hope this helps you, Let me know if you have any questions!!

 

-Steven Huseman

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All the laptops that I am looking at have between 4 to 6 GB. Sorry I miss typed. So the Quadro is the one to go with, not the nVIDIA 9500 GT

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Without being quite as excitable as CadMaster (welcome by the way), I'd have to agree with going with the Quadro. Unless you're creating any renderings, and older Quadro should fit the bill, like say, the Quadro FX 570.

 

Your memory problems are not really caused by the amount of memory on the card, but your system's RAM. I would recommend you go with the 6MB of RAM, more if you can afford it. Also, a faster hard drive will noticeably boost performance. If you can score a 10,000RPM HDD, go for it. I'd avoid a RAID set up for striping however...far too prone to error. If you're going to do RAID, go mirrored for data protection and decreased downtime.

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All the laptops that I am looking at have between 4 to 6 GB. Sorry I miss typed. So the Quadro is the one to go with, not the nVIDIA 9500 GT

 

Yes I would go with the Quadro! But, the 9500 GT isnt a bad Card, however, its only for Desktops...keep that in mind!:)

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All the laptops that I am looking at have between 4 to 6 GB. Sorry I miss typed. So the Quadro is the one to go with, not the nVIDIA 9500 GT

GeForce = games. QuadroFX = CAD intensive apps. Forget the geforce cards and get a true workstation.

 

The specs of the QuadroFX cards are almost the same as those of the gaming side, but are packed with more RAM and have the entire OpenGL 2.0/2.1 graphics extensions and not the Mini OpenGL driver, which is "just enough" for games to be played on the GeForce cards. Go with a Quadro or a FireGL for sure.

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Everything that I have posted are copied right from Dell's website, as I build a laptop. No desktops. I do render drawings for Snag-It to make Power-Point presentations and to give the people in the field a "picture" idea. The one drawing that I have rendered is 29MB with another two files Xref'd in that total 20MB more. Granted that is all that I can do with the computer for about 5 minutes, but I can get it to work.

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Also does Vista Ultimate 64-bit work? Or should I have it downgraded to XP with the Vista Ultimate?

 

I use to be a Vista Home Premium user, I downgraded (Upgraded) to XP because AutoCAD ran so slow with Vista. Once I got XP, ACAD works like a DREAM!!:D

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Also does Vista Ultimate 64-bit work? Or should I have it downgraded to XP with the Vista Ultimate?

I would go with 64bit if you can. Just be well aware of all your components will have the required drivers.

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Many of Vista's initial problems have been taken care of, so while it is not great, it's not as bad as you've heard. Windows 7 seems to be shaping up to be a legitimate OS, but it is still in Beta (might have issued the release candidate). If you are planning on going with Windows 7 down the line, I recommend going with Vista, as it wil be an easier upgrade path. If going with XP, you'll need to use the 64-bit version to make use of 2.75GB out of the 6GB of RAM. Non-64-bit XP will not recognize memory beyond 3.25GB.

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I would go with 64bit if you can. Just be well aware of all your components will have the required drivers.

 

 

This is very true, I did have the 32-Bit...And it took awhile for all the new drivers to come out!

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So 32-bit will only reconize 3.25 MB where as 64-bit will reconize beyond that?

There's more to it though. A 32bit Windows OS (XP or Vista) will read only 3.25GB of RAM but it won't actually use that much. It still cuts it off @ 2GB for all open applications. That's why you'll need to do the /3GB Switch from Microsoft to allocate the extra memory for all open apps, so AutoCAD can be most beneficial.

 

Any of the latest Microsoft OS's that are 64bit will see and use all your RAM which is huge advantage in the CAD world. :)

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There's more to it though. A 32bit Windows OS (XP or Vista) will read only 3.25GB of RAM but it won't actually use that much. It still cuts it off @ 2GB for all open applications. That's why you'll need to do the /3GB Switch from Microsoft to allocate the extra memory for all open apps, so AutoCAD can be most beneficial.

 

Any of the latest Microsoft OS's that are 64bit will see and use all your RAM which is huge advantage in the CAD world. :)

 

 

WOW...I have to say this StykFacE is a real smart dude! So far everything he says is correct! Kudos to him!

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WOW...I have to say this StykFacE is a real smart dude! So far everything he says is correct! Kudos to him!

I learned it all from the other guys on this board and another one I go to. :)

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This has been a huge help. Thanks to all of you for everything. Now I just have to call the Dell rep that I was given and tell them that I want parts from that 17" laptop and parts from that 17" laptop and the frame of that 17" laptop.

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This has been a huge help. Thanks to all of you for everything. Now I just have to call the Dell rep that I was given and tell them that I want parts from that 17" laptop and parts from that 17" laptop and the frame of that 17" laptop.

 

Well atleast you know your not getting a crap computer!!

 

Glad to help!

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