Topic: Latest info on Laptops & Graphics Cards

[Architectural Innovation]

Hey all, i would appreciate any suggestions... pricing out a new laptop for the office that will be spec'd around using LUMION first before any other considerations. I have read the graphics card discussions and have decided to look at Clevo machines which are using the GeForce GTX 580M or the ATI® Radeon™ HD 6970 Graphics

The GeForce GTX 580M looks to be pretty good, but really want to know from a Lumion standpoint.

Any suggestions/Comments welcome. Looking for THE BEST performance in LUMION. Thanks!

Gaming Laptop Clevo P170HM Core™i7 Gaming Notebook, 17.3" Full HD Glossy LED LCD, NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 580M / ATI® Radeon™ HD 6970 Graphics
http://www.avadirect.com/gaming-laptop-configurator.asp?PRID=19611

OR

Gaming Laptop MSI GT780R-012US Core™ i7 Gaming Series Notebook, 17.3" Full HD Matte LED LCD, NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 560M 1.5GB Graphics
http://www.avadirect.com/gaming-laptop-configurator.asp?PRID=21092

The Clevo machines seem more pricey than MSI. I do like my current MSI. But the MSI uses the 560M, not the 580M.

I am currently running an MSI GX660R with Core i7 Q740, 6 gigs ram, and an ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics card. Same machine that Brian hengelsberg is running. It is a personal machine though, so we need one for the office now.

Thanks,
Bob

[cpercer]

Hello Bob,

Our office has recently purchased a Cleveo X7200 for use with Lumion and a host of other programs.

The configuration is as follows:

Core i7-970 (6-core) CPU
12 gig RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX485M 2gig (the best that was available at the time)
Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid HDD (4 gig SSD + 500 gig)
OCZ Agility 2 SSD 160 gig
Win 7 64-bit

The machine performs fine in live mode with very heavy scenes (one model in particular approaching 650 Mb, and one at 300 Mb all in the same scene with many other objects).  See the following post for a comparison between my desktop and the Clevo: http://lumion3d.com/forum/index.php?topic=1269.0

A few things to note about the X7200 - This thing is a beast, weighing in at 15+ lbs. with a battery life approaching 29 minutes and a transformer the size of my...well, you know, it's pretty big.   The laptop will not boot without power, however.  It runs pretty cool and quiet for a desktop replacement and has never had trouble loading or saving a scene.  The bag that came with the system is sub-par for a $3700 laptop and I will be replacing it as soon as I find a bag big enough to hold it.

A few words regarding AVA Direct.  We placed the order on 4/10/11 and received the computer on 5/06/11.  They said they were waiting on the GPU to arrive, and in their defense this was around the time of the Japan quake, but I don't know how that figures in.  After a few days the SSD failed, so I sent it back only to have another fail.  Throughout this time AVA was slightly helpful but was unwilling to exchange the drive with another model.  They first claimed it was an issue with the OS (B.S. - the most widely used OS on the planet does not crash drives).  They suggested using the HDD for programs and the SSD for storage and then suggested that I RAID the drives (I'm not going to explain why both of those ideas are stupid).  Their replacement policy is a joke and they wanted an extra $50 for an advanced replacement.  I will be reinstalling the SSD this weekend (the same drive I returned but with the firmware updated) and if this one fails I will not look for AVA's help any further, I'll just buy from Newegg.

The computer is great, but I would look to purchase somplace other than AVA Direct.
Clevo's X7200 is also branded as the following:

 Maingear Titan 17
 MALIBAL Nine x7200
 Origin PC EON17
 Sager NP7280

Hope this helps.

[FabioHFernandes]

Hi Robert

I´ve bought this Asus G74SX (http://www.asus.com/Notebooks/Gaming_Powerhouse/G74SX/#overview), however i have not received yet, so i cant tell you precisely how it goes...but for me, it have the best configuration to work with Lumion in the market...a GTX560M graphic card with 3gb, a blu ray writer to burn my full HD movies for my clients, and 3D glasses for my presentations...without mentioning the 16gb of memory, etc...i cant wait to put my hands on it...good luck with your purchase...

Regards

Fábio

[jordan230]

Hi Fabio,
Let me know how that asus is working , i am thinking to buy that system too, where did you purchased from? Looks like an awesome system...

[Nicolas]

Hi Robert

I´ve bought this Asus G74SX (http://www.asus.com/Notebooks/Gaming_Powerhouse/G74SX/#overview), however i have not received yet, so i cant tell you precisely how it goes...but for me, it have the best configuration to work with Lumion in the market...a GTX560M graphic card with 3gb, a blu ray writer to burn my full HD movies for my clients, and 3D glasses for my presentations...without mentioning the 16gb of memory, etc...i cant wait to put my hands on it...good luck with your purchase...

Regards

Fábio

The question still :
"Where did you buy it Fabio?"
Thanks...

[FabioHFernandes]

Hi Nicolas

I´m buying here in Brazil...from my hardware vendor...i don´t know from where he brings it, but usually it is from the US....

Regards

Fábio

[Nicolas]

Hi Nicolas

I´m buying here in Brazil...from my hardware vendor...i don´t know from where he brings it, but usually it is from the US....

Regards

Fábio

Thanks Fabio, here in Europe it's NOT so easy to find it... In France it's quickly out of stock. Give me your feedback when you can test it with Lumion in real time , I'm very intersting. Have a good time.

[Architectural Innovation]

@cpercer,

Thanks for the advice. Its really nice to get quick comments from people on this forum to help make these important decisions. About AVA, its funny you said that...we usually order from B&H Photo which has been great, not sure why i just grabbed that link but i'll be sure to steer clear of them...really appreciate it.

@Fabio, thanks to you too. looks like a great machine and it may have just moved upt o the top of the list. Let us know how it goes.

Cheers to all,

bob

[Architectural Innovation]

Thanks again guys... Well, we may be getting a Laptop AND a Desktop, OR just a Desktop for now.

As far as Desktop setup for LUMION, any of you awesome computer gurus have any suggestions? I really want to get this as right as possible. Looking to keep the machine right around $2000.00

Looking at this gaming rig primarily for architectural visualization. i spec'd the "AMD Radeon HD 6990 4GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card" because of the 4gb memory. wow! Let me know if you have see any problems or components that can be improved. Thanks.

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/CyberPower_X58_Configurator/

CyberPower X58 Configurator: $1932

Summary:
Case: Thermaltake Element-T Mid-Tower Case [+15] (Original Color)

Internal USB Extension Module: NZXT Internal USB 6-PORT Expansion Module [+19]
Neon Light Upgrade: None
Extra Case Fan Upgrade: Maximum 120MM Case Cooling Fans for your selected case [+9]
Noise Reduction Technology: None
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-960 3.20 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1366
Freebies: FREE! Killer Xeno Pro Gigabit High Speed Online Gaming PCI Network Interface Card
Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: No Overclocking
Cooling Fan: Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
Motherboard: (3-Way SLI Support) EVGA X58 SLIâ„¢ 3 Intel X58 Chipset SLI/CrossFireX Triple-Channel DDR3/1600+ ATX Mainboard w/ 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2 x SATA-III, RAID, 3 Gen2 PCIe, 2 PCIe X1 & 1 PCI
Memory: 12GB (2GBx6) DDR3/1600MHz Triple Channel Memory Module [+84] (Kingston HyperX)
Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6990 4GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+726] (Major Brand Powered by AMD)
Freebies: None
Video Card 2: None
Video Card 3: None
Dedicated PHYSX Card: None
Multiple Video Card Settings: Non-SLI/Non-CrossFireX Mode Supports Multiple Monitors
Power Supply Upgrade: 700 Watts - XtremeGear SLI/CrossFireX Ready Power Supply [+36]
Hard Drive: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Hard Drive)
Freebies: None
Data Hard Drive: None
Hard Drive Cooling Fan: None
External Hard Drive (USB3.0/2.0/eSATA): None
USB Flash Drive: None
Optical Drive: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
Optical Drive 2: None
Sound: Creative Labs SB Audigy SE [+30]
3D Vision Glasses: None
LCD Monitor: None
2nd Monitor: None
3rd Monitor: None
Speakers: 120 Watt Stereo Speakers [+10] (Black Color)
Network: Intel Pro Gigabite 10/100/1000 Network Card [+34]
Network Switch: None
Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
Mouse: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
Mouse Pad: None
Gaming Gear: None
Extra Thermal Display: None
Wireless 802.11B/G Network Card: None
External Wireless Network Card: None
Wireless 802.11 B/G/N Access Point: None
Bluetooth: None
Flash Media Reader/Writer: None
Video Camera: None
Headset: None
Printer: None
Cable: None
Power Protection: None
Surge Protector: None
IEEE1394 Card: None
USB Port: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
Operating System: * Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium [+104] (64-bit Edition)
Media Center Remote Control & TV Tuner: None
Office Suite: None
Games: None
Ultra Care Option: None
Service: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Rush Service: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS

[cpercer]

@cpercer,

Thanks for the advice. Its really nice to get quick comments from people on this forum to help make these important decisions. About AVA, its funny you said that...we usually order from B&H Photo which has been great, not sure why i just grabbed that link but i'll be sure to steer clear of them...really appreciate it.

I'm not saying they're a bad outfit, just that I would have rather had my problems resolved differently.  I have since received the SSD drive from AVA and it is working properly following a firmware update.  I still love my computer.

[FabioHFernandes]

Hi Robert

I saw that your company intend to buy a desktop with the AMD Radeon HD 6990 4GB...i´m not an expert but as far as i know, this graphic card uses two processors with 2gb each, and they dont share the memory (i´ve purchased a GTX 590 that has the same problem  ) ...so in the end, you get two boards with 2gb, wich dont work at full capacity with Lumion...besides that, you don´t get the physics processor, etc...in my opinion, nowadays, Nvidia cards are more balanced to work with Lumion...

Regards

Fábio

[Architectural Innovation]

Fabio, WOW! it looks like you are correct! I thought it was single...still learning. Thanks SO MUCH!

 i found this comparison which in my mind solidifies the choice of:
"Best Single Core Card - Gigabyte Super Overclock GTX 580 1.5GB"

"NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 580 is the fastest single chip graphics processor on the market right now"

http://compreviews.about.com/od/video/tp/videocards.htm

Thanks again, I sure do love and appreciate this community,
bob

[Architectural Innovation]

here it is. Made the order.

Researched custom build shops like ava, alienware, falcon northwest, cyberpower, etc.
ended up choosing ORIGIN PC based on the reviews i found. They are a newer company that formed from 3 ex-Alienware execs.

We were getting down to crunch time and none of us here are hardware gurus but i think this will meet our needs for LUMION.

very good sales experience with ORIGIN PC. very helpful. sounds good so far...

i went with the 3gb gtx 580 graphics card because it is the most powerful single core card right now and LUMION only uses one core...or something like that  as mentioned above

let me know if u know anything different though. please feel free to scrutinize. i really enjoy learning the details when i can.
8-10 days to build, 4 days to ship from florida.

ORIGIN PC, Genisis:

ORDER DETAILS                                     UNIT PRICE     TOTAL
======================================================================
QTY       1
SKU       DT002
PRODUCT   DesktopTech Intel P67
PRICE                                                        $1,335.00
         Premium Case Charge: None
         Case (Chassis): Silverstone Raven 2
         CaseExteriors: Case Exterior: No Paint
         CaseLighting: CaseLighting: No Lighting
         CaseWindow: Case Window
         The ORIGIN Difference: Truly Custom PCs. Want a     Included
         component that is not on our site? Call or email
         us and we will include it in your system.
         Case Fans: None                                     Included
         Motherboard: EVGA P67 SLI B3 stepping (USB 3.0,       $19.00
         SATA 6Gb/s,)
         Processor: Intel Core i5 2500 3.30GHz LGA 1155        $30.00
         Quad-Core Processor (6MB L3 Cache)
         System Cooling: High - Performance Air Cooling        $65.00
         Thermalright Venomous X CPU Cooler
         Bay Devices: None                                   Included
         Media Card Reader: None                             Included
         Power Supply: 750 Watt Silverstone PSU                $54.00
         Graphics Card: Single 3GB GDDR5 Nvidia GTX 580       $531.00
         Memory: 16GB Kingston HyperX DDR3 1600Mhz (4x        $172.00
         4GB) Dual Channel Memory
         RAID Controllers: None                              Included
         RAID Configuration: None                            Included
         Hard Drive One: 320GB - SATA-II, 3Gb/s, 7,200RPM,   Included
         16MB Cache HDD
         Hard Drive Two: None                                Included
         Hard Drive Three: None                              Included
         Hard Drive Four: None                               Included
         Optical Drive One: 24X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW)     Included
         w/double layer write capability
         Optical Drive Two: None                             Included
         Audio: 8-channel High Definition Surround Sound     Included
         Support
         Networking: Onboard Network Port                    Included
         Operating System: Genuine MS Windows 7 Home         Included
         Premium 64-Bit Edition
         ORIGIN Maximum Protection Shipping Process:         Included
         ORIGIN Wooden Crate Armor
         Warranty: 1 Year Part Replacement and 45 Day Free   Included
         Shipping Warranty with DVD image and Lifetime
         Support/Labor

ADDITIONAL CHARGES
         Free ORIGIN T-shirt: ORIGIN T-shirt XLarge


                                                 Subtotal:  $2,206.00
                                         Shipping Charges:    $105.03
                                                =====================
                                                    Total:  $2,311.03

[RAD]

MMM....  That should be a screaming rig for Lumion.   

How much additional upgraded RAM can be added to it?

[Architectural Innovation]

not sure about the ram. i selected the highest available in the buildout but im not sure what a max would be. really hoping this turns out great. tried to keep the machine right around 2k.