Help What GPU Should I Get!

[benno7486]

Hi, I have a customer and he wants a new PC. I am an expert with normal PC builds but im stumped on this build as I dont know what graphic card(S) I should use, Here is a quote from him,

Hi Ben, I need a PC built to run Graphical Applications (Movie Production, 3D rendering, etc). I am not an expert to tell you the exact configuration. As you are an expert, you can advise the best system to meet the above specs. I am thinking about (SSD, minimum 16GB RAM, good graphics Card for fast rendering, etc.). Appreciate if you could please give me an approximate, ball park figure please. Looking forward to hear from you. Thanks .

What is a good GPU for his PC i was thinking somewhere along quadro GPU. Help ASAP

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... The best approach is to the build system as a whole... for the software/work being used/done... it will map it'self out if you understand their Workflow/Tasks/Equipment... and current computer configuration.

1) So I would first get the software list from them... this will determine graphic card choices that Rip through their software the best.
2) I would plan on a i7 CPU model for them... as Modern professional software will have HT programming/enabled.
3) Movie Producton/Cameras/Workdesks might have Firewire/TB interfaces... Data servers... DATA cards etc... You need to inventory the DATA/communications loop they use... and have the hardware/extra cards for it.
4) Go take a look at what they are using now... look at the device manager... take Pictures of screens for later reference.

 

[benno7486]

Yep, I was planning on 32GB Ram and an i7 5820K but please suggest me some video cards that may be sutible

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html
They make special Professional cards for professional Graphics software... these have tweaked BIO's, extra memory in them, longer support and more or larger monitor support... and carry those Bigger price tags. Quadro/NVidia Firepro/AMD

 

[Kryptkeeper]

depends how much they're willing to spend. Titan X is the boss with its 12gb vram but depending on what software they're actually using or the complexity of their projects pretty much any modern gpu will do the job. Alot of rendering is cpu based so you don't even need a gpu for some software. You need to find out what software they're using first then look up benchmarks to see the difference in gpu performance in them

 

[benno7486]

Thanks

 

[RobCrezz]

Depends entirely on the software being used.

If the software uses CUDA, then a Nvidia based card would work best. I would look at something like the GTX 950 or 960 for this kind of work.

 

[benno7486]

But this guy has money and I want him to be very satisfied not with some cheap GTX 950/960

 

[RobCrezz]

Yeah, i mean as a minimum. But you really need to figure out what software packages he is using before chooseing.

 

[benno7486]

Ok thanks ill get back to you guys sometime tomorrow once he has emailed back with his software list. Cheers

 

[benno7486]

Here are the programs, can u guys suggest me some graphic cards, hes going with an i7 and 32GB ram now I just need help picking the card.

Adobe CC applications (Gparhics and Movie production),
MS Office
3D rendering (3D Max, Cinema 4D and similar programs )

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... 1) Did you ask what they are using now... do they want to re-use it? ( just a thought)
2) how many monitors is required from this card? (got a model # if a New one will not be bought)
3) What resolutions - bit level color will be required for main work station display?
4) will you need "x" number of HDMI/Display port/DVI-? Dual link?/both? ports on the card to connect to new/existing monitors?
5) check GPU HDMI/Display port/DVI-? versions with required Monitor output display for the correct cable and Spec too use.

There is "chart" section above top of page... tho the GPU Workstation list is dated, take a look at if you see similar software, between Nvidia/AMD GPU's... I will look/post other sites for additional information/charts for us to examine.

 

[RobCrezz]

For the applications you list a Nvidia GPU would be a good option, but unless the rendering is gpu specific it will still use the CPU, so an 8 core 5960x may be money well spent.

If money is no object then go for a Quadro M6000, but if it is, then I would spend more getting the 5960x and a GTX 970, than a 5820k and a Titan X.

 

[benno7486]

I dont know what res or color bit he has I just want to get him a system that can do what he wants so im thinking of 32GB DDR4 and DUAL GTX 970 G1 and a 5960X wil 480GB SSD and 4TB WD

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... It seems to be a CUDA NVidia vs Open CL AMD... here a link that list software associated with the two. http://www.gpurendering.com/technology/CudaVsOpencl.html
But openCL is just that... it's open source Even my GTX760 reports Open CL ready... Nvidia has both worlds covered.

 

[RobCrezz]

I dont know what res or color bit he has I just want to get him a system that can do what he wants so im thinking of 32GB DDR4 and DUAL GTX 970 G1 and a 5960X wil 480GB SSD and 4TB WD

I would go for at least a 960gb ssd, and 3 HDDS in raid 5 unless he has a fast nas for storage.

 

[Kryptkeeper]

Here are the programs, can u guys suggest me some graphic cards, hes going with an i7 and 32GB ram now I just need help picking the card.

Adobe CC applications (Gparhics and Movie production),
MS Office
3D rendering (3D Max, Cinema 4D and similar programs )

5820k is good, there isn't too much of a bump in performance compared to a 5960x (hardly any)
same with gpu, a single 970 would suffice but depending on how much vram he's going to be requiring it may be worth getting a 980ti with 6gb or a titan x with 12gb. Adobe recommend having atleast 4gb vram for rendering 4k video and 6gb or more for 5k. From what I can tell 3d max recommends atleast 2gb vram and i think 4d cinema is more dependant on cpu and ram which is already well covered. So I would choose 980ti

 

[RobCrezz]

Here are the programs, can u guys suggest me some graphic cards, hes going with an i7 and 32GB ram now I just need help picking the card.

Adobe CC applications (Gparhics and Movie production),
MS Office
3D rendering (3D Max, Cinema 4D and similar programs )

5820k is good, there isn't too much of a bump in performance compared to a 5960x (hardly any)
same with gpu, a single 970 would suffice but depending on how much vram he's going to be requiring it may be worth getting a 980ti with 6gb or a titan x with 12gb. Adobe recommend having atleast 4gb vram for rendering 4k video and 6gb or more for 5k. From what I can tell 3d max recommends atleast 2gb vram and i think 4d cinema is more dependant on cpu and ram which is already well covered. So I would choose 980ti

In some of these apps the 5960x really does make a difference, the extra 2 cores a 4 threads give it a quite big boost, like Blender and 3D Max, less so in the adobe apps but a lot in encoding:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/intel-core-i7-5960x-haswell-e-cpu,review-33029-5.html

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... Need for PCIe SSD speed? http://www.anandtech.com/show/8104/intel-ssd-dc-p3700-review-the-pcie-ssd-transition-begins-with-nvme

 

[Kryptkeeper]

Here are the programs, can u guys suggest me some graphic cards, hes going with an i7 and 32GB ram now I just need help picking the card.

Adobe CC applications (Gparhics and Movie production),
MS Office
3D rendering (3D Max, Cinema 4D and similar programs )

5820k is good, there isn't too much of a bump in performance compared to a 5960x (hardly any)
same with gpu, a single 970 would suffice but depending on how much vram he's going to be requiring it may be worth getting a 980ti with 6gb or a titan x with 12gb. Adobe recommend having atleast 4gb vram for rendering 4k video and 6gb or more for 5k. From what I can tell 3d max recommends atleast 2gb vram and i think 4d cinema is more dependant on cpu and ram which is already well covered. So I would choose 980ti

In some of these apps the 5960x really does make a difference, the extra 2 cores a 4 threads give it a quite big boost, like Blender and 3D Max, less so in the adobe apps but a lot in encoding:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/intel-core-i7-5960x-haswell-e-cpu,review-33029-5.html

costs over twice as much though
:/

 

[benno7486]

Yeah no pcie ssd, thanks for replys ill keep you guys updated for the config he choses

 

[RobCrezz]

Here are the programs, can u guys suggest me some graphic cards, hes going with an i7 and 32GB ram now I just need help picking the card.

Adobe CC applications (Gparhics and Movie production),
MS Office
3D rendering (3D Max, Cinema 4D and similar programs )

5820k is good, there isn't too much of a bump in performance compared to a 5960x (hardly any)
same with gpu, a single 970 would suffice but depending on how much vram he's going to be requiring it may be worth getting a 980ti with 6gb or a titan x with 12gb. Adobe recommend having atleast 4gb vram for rendering 4k video and 6gb or more for 5k. From what I can tell 3d max recommends atleast 2gb vram and i think 4d cinema is more dependant on cpu and ram which is already well covered. So I would choose 980ti

In some of these apps the 5960x really does make a difference, the extra 2 cores a 4 threads give it a quite big boost, like Blender and 3D Max, less so in the adobe apps but a lot in encoding:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/intel-core-i7-5960x-haswell-e-cpu,review-33029-5.html

costs over twice as much though
:/

If its for work though, it can be money well spent.