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Modeling only machines specs?

paul_ae567ab9paul_ae567ab9 Posts: 231
in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

I model on one machine and render on a couple others almost exclusivly.  The machine I model on gets pretty slow with larger scenes so I am thinking of building or buying something new.

When I look for recomendations they are always about rendering.  This machine will not be about rendering, but modeling the scenes only.

Some of my questions are:

Do cuda cores play any part in the modeling process?

Does the GPU ram count in modeling only?

If I go for 4, 6 or 8 CPU cores and 32 or 64 GB Ram do I even need a top end GPU in a machine that is NOT intended to render scenes?

What about HDD vs SSD in modeling mode?  Other than time to load assets into RAM does it matter?

Thanks for any feedback on this. eBay always has lots of decent refurbished i7 and xeon boxes. I have bought two so far with great success, having to add only the GPU.  But want to specifically aim for one best suited for modeling rather than render.

Paul

Comments

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,120

    To model quicker you want 32GB RAM and all SSD disks. Only if you are doing something like 'instant PBR rendering' in your modeling viewport will the graphics card have much effect. 

  • paul_ae567ab9paul_ae567ab9 Posts: 231
    nonesuch00 said:

    To model quicker you want 32GB RAM and all SSD disks. Only if you are doing something like 'instant PBR rendering' in your modeling viewport will the graphics card have much effect. 

    I'm not up on all the bits and pieces.  Exactly what is PBR rendering?

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,120
    paul_ae567ab9 said:
    nonesuch00 said:

    To model quicker you want 32GB RAM and all SSD disks. Only if you are doing something like 'instant PBR rendering' in your modeling viewport will the graphics card have much effect. 

    I'm not up on all the bits and pieces.  Exactly what is PBR rendering?

    I don't think you're really interested in exactly. It's the generic form of iRay rendering

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,206

    it actually depends on what modeller you are using

    some use cuda or directX 3Dcoat comes to mind

    others openGL

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,206

    for that matter I have had my Octane render viewport open while modelling in Carrara's vertex room

    it's not a good idea but very interesting 

  • paul_ae567ab9paul_ae567ab9 Posts: 231

    Ok.  I am talking about out of the box Daz with the built in viewport for modeling.

    Not using same machine to render anything at all, ONLY modeling.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,810

    If your modelling viewport uses GPU acceleration the GPU will matter.

  • paul_ae567ab9paul_ae567ab9 Posts: 231
    Richard Haseltine said:

    If your modelling viewport uses GPU acceleration the GPU will matter.

    But does it?  How do I know that? That's part of the bigger question.

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,206

    do you mean setting up stuff in DAZ studio or vertex/box modelling in another program ie creating mesh?

    I gather from your previous post you mean setting up scenes

  • paul_ae567ab9paul_ae567ab9 Posts: 231
    edited March 2017
    th3Digit said:

    do you mean setting up stuff in DAZ studio or vertex/box modelling in another program ie creating mesh?

    I gather from your previous post you mean setting up scenes

    Yes. Open Daz, load assets and make a scene. Save it to render on another machine. No extra third party render or modeler or view port or anything. Just out of the box Daz.

    Some responses are wandering off center. laugh  Not interested in rendering related replies, or what you did with another program as none of that answers my core issue.  Modeling (not rendering) in stock DS.

    Post edited by paul_ae567ab9 on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,810
    edited March 2017

    Ah, you were confusing the issue by referring to modelling - Daz Studio isn't a modeller. If you mean scene set up then no, if you use plain texture shaded preview mode you are not doing much with the GPU (it does need an adequate level of OpenGL support). If you use the Iray preview mode to get a better idea of surfaces and lighting then it will (and will be slow if it has to use only the CPU).

    Post edited by Richard Haseltine on
  • paul_ae567ab9paul_ae567ab9 Posts: 231

    Ok on that score.  GPU for preview primarily but only if I use the Iray preview mode.  As far as the scene building the GPU is not as important as CPU, RAM and faster HDD access, correct?

    So a modest GPU but as many cores and as much RAM as I can afford is way to go for a "scene builder" machine?  Disc access SSD faster to load assets but once assets in RAM not much impact on manipulating figures etc, correct?.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,810
    paul_ae567ab9 said:

    Ok on that score.  GPU for preview primarily but only if I use the Iray preview mode.  As far as the scene building the GPU is not as important as CPU, RAM and faster HDD access, correct?

    So a modest GPU but as many cores and as much RAM as I can afford is way to go for a "scene builder" machine?  Disc access SSD faster to load assets but once assets in RAM not much impact on manipulating figures etc, correct?.

    I'm not sure how much scene building stuff is multi-threaded, to take advantage of multiple cores - I thimk bas clock-speed would matter more. Yes on disc speed.

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