High-End Desktop vs "Workstation"

[Aztech]

If I were building a powerful computer to do CAD work on, what should I chooose?

1. An actual "workstation" with ECC RAM and Xeon Processors and Quadro Graphics cards

OR

2. Just a powerful desktop with Intel Quad Cores, Lots of RAM and a high-end 3D gaming card?

Option 1 is much more expensive. How can I know what the differences will be and how much performance gains I get with option 1 vs. 2?

Any CAD folks on here? Please advise if you know something about this.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Uhh...I thought CAD does not benefit from video card power, so why powerful gfx card?
Correct me if I'm wrong, never worked with CAD.

 

[Aztech]

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN
Uhh...I thought CAD does not benefit from video card power, so why powerful gfx card?
Correct me if I'm wrong, never worked with CAD.

Most CAD workstations usually have crazy expensive video cards in them. I'm playing around with configurations at DeLL and there are $1,500 video card options on there! I suppose these are much more powerful than the high-end consumer cards (say, GeForce 8800 or whatever is the latest). Or they're just a lot better at doing CAD. I was just wondering if I could get away with using the consumer cards for about $400 to $500. I guess maybe it would be analagous to IDE (or SATA) vs. SCSI. SCSI was (is?) the performance leader by a large margin at one point, but then IDE and SATA drives made big strides and maybe now, in some cases, the price premium of SCSI is not worth the small performance gains. Actually, I guess that is another option I need to decide on as well. SCSI vs. SATA drives in this "workstation"...

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Aztech
Most CAD workstations usually have crazy expensive video cards in them.

I manage the networks at a couple of design firms that use AutoCAD all day long at every workstation, and they don't have any "crazy expensive video cards". I can't even talk these clients into trying dual video monitors. It depends on WHAT kind of CAD they do.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

I am contracting at a firm which does detailing using CAD programs at the moment (I'm not using the CAD program however). Many of their workstations are high-end P4, 4GB RAM, low-mid range Quadro setups.

I have read a couple other posts on this issue, and I see that the specialized CAD video cards (Quadro, FireGL) do make a difference on some CAD programs. Many setups use midrange cards ($400-500) so you don't necessarily need the really expensive ones, but I haven't seen many using Xeons or ECC RAM.

My initial thought would be to go with a C2D system and 4GB RAM. Find out more about the specific CAD program you'll be using, and only get a Quadro or FireGL card if the software takes advantage of it. Otherwise get a mid-range gaming card (just for dual displays and to free up system RAM).

 

[jdkick]

My understanding is that workstation-class cards feature a high degree of accuracy in rendering, etc and also feature "certified" drivers for specific applications. Outside of that, a decent GPU should suffice...

 

[Fox5]

You may want to go for a 64 bit OS as well in order to make use of more ram.

Personally, I'd go with teh consumer level hardware. In the worst case scenario, the workstation specific stuff is usually only twice as fast as the consumer level stuff at more than twice the price. The other big thing is that the workstation cards tend to have more memory, but it's not like 512MB is a small amount, and 1GB consumer cards are even possible to find.

 

[Wags1974]

I work with Solidworks and large assemblies of sometimes upto 2k individual parts. I can say that the workstation at work applies features and renders a little faster than the system in my sig, but not enough to justify the xeon and the quadro , thats just one mans opinion though.

 

[JustaGeek]

I've used AutoCAD 11 on 486 machine with 4MB of RAM, AutoCAD 14 on Pentium, AutoCAD 2000 on PIII w/ 384MB, currently the 2000 on P4 with 1GB of RAM and 256MB x300 VC.

Official AutoCAD 2008 System Requirements:

"System Requirements

The system requirements for 32-bit AutoCAD:

Intel® Pentium® 4 processor, 2.2 GHz Recommended
Microsoft® Windows Vista?, Windows® XP Home and Professional (SP2), Windows® 2000 (SP4)
512 MB RAM
750 MB free disk space for installation
1024x768 VGA with True Color
Microsoft® Internet Explorer® 6.0 (SP1 or higher)
Available on CD (Worldwide) and DVD (select countries and languages)

Additional System Requirements for 64-bit AutoCAD
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows Vista 64-bit
AMD64 or Intel EM64T processor
1GB RAM, 2GB for Windows Vista 64-bit
750 MB free disk space for installation
AutoCAD 64-bit cannot be installed on a 32-bit Windows Operating System.

The System requirements for Windows Vista or 3D modeling (32 and 64-bit AutoCAD)
Intel® 3.0 GHz or greater
2 GB RAM or greater
2 GB free hard disk available not including installation
1280 x 1024 32-bit color video display adapter (True Color) 128 MB or greater, OpenGL®, or Direct3D® capable workstation class graphics card.
For Windows Vista, a Direct3D capable workstation class graphics card with 128 MB or greater is required."

That's AutoCAD.

ProENGINEER system requirements listed here.

Haven't used any other CAD program.