Maya Hardware Help

# 1 05-12-2011 , 10:55 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011

Posts: 8

Hi, i'm working in maya 5-6 years, and now the time has come user added image

for new computer. i have a problem to decide which components are the best for maya. currently i'm working in maya 09, but i want to go to maya 2012 and need new hardware.

so, here's the list of cpus and graphic cards that i'm looking. can anybody suggest me what's the best sollution?

CPU

Intel XEON Quad Core E5620 (Socket 1366)
Intel XEON Quad Core X3460 (Socket 1156)
Intel XEON Quad Core E3-1240 (Socket 1155)

or

Intel Core I7 3930K (Socket 2011)
Intel Core I7 2600K (Socket 1155)

GPU

NVidia Quadro 4000
NVidia Quadro FX 3800

Or some cheapper Quadro

Ati FirePro V 7800

Or some other GPU (NVidia GTX 570, 580, 590), or ATI HD 6970, 6990.

Thanks a lot guys!!!

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# 2 05-12-2011 , 11:41 PM

SM Tea Boy
Join Date: Apr 2002

Location: Prague

Posts: 3,228

Intel Core i7-3960X <- most important bit get a bloody good motherboard as well

I personally would never spend the money on a Quadro total waste IMO spend any savings on decent ram and the above processor. Any GPU with a gig plus of ram on it will do fine in my experience.

Dave

From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

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# 3 05-12-2011 , 11:42 PM

SM Tea Boy
Join Date: Apr 2002

Location: Prague

Posts: 3,228

BTW I use the ATI HD 6970 with no problems at all after a few driver tweaks viewport 2 working as well.

From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

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# 4 06-12-2011 , 12:22 AM

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yap, i've found bloody good motherboard user added image

i agree that quadro is tooo expensive. but i checked on some tests, forums... and all of them said that quadro is 5-10 times faster than gtx 590, 580... i don't know... but if u're satisfied with ur ati... i'll find some solution...

every suggestion is welcome user added image

thanks m8.

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# 5 06-12-2011 , 01:04 AM

SM Tea Boy
Join Date: Apr 2002

Location: Prague

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yap, i've found bloody good motherboard

i agree that quadro is tooo expensive. but i checked on some tests, forums... and all of them said that quadro is 5-10 times faster than gtx 590, 580... i don't know... but if u're satisfied with ur ati... i'll find some solution...

every suggestion is welcome

thanks m8.

Originally Posted by skivi

5 - 10 times faster at what? Won't speed up your rendering. Won't speed up your dynamic simulations will make your viewport rendering faster if you have a massive (and i do mean massive) animation sequence and your trying to preview motion blur (very good for previewing motion blur) then you'll get a speed bump, other than that in day to day usage if you can tell your using a quadro I'll eat my hat.

Unless your a studio and your designing a mission critical system there not worth the money user added image

If your working on the new LOTR movie and just paid 60 thousand bux per camera and just got yourself 50 or so of them then go for it lol price of a quadro is the least of your worries.

Dave user added image

From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

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# 6 06-12-2011 , 05:38 AM

Technical Director
Join Date: Feb 2004

Posts: 2,988

I've found that ATI's are much more stable with Maya when you're using the consumer cards; as they tend to have better OpenGL support. (Trust me, I was the lucky one who used to run around replacing video cards at the office) Also, why would you get a $1050 6-core CPU @ 3.3 GHz when you can get an 8-core @ 3.6 GHz for $269? https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103960

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

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# 7 06-12-2011 , 05:47 AM

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Location: Michigan, USA

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if you go nvidia go withthe 585. the 590 is just a pair of sli'd 560's and maya does not take advantage of sli. So all you have a very expensive 560.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

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# 8 06-12-2011 , 05:52 AM

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Posts: 2,998

I have not done any research because upgrading my system is not anywhere in my future and I am still using gtx 285's with a core-i7-920 2.4ghz pos (

But is the Intel Core i7-3960X really worth the price Dave? I mean almost $1100 for a 3.3ghz processor when you can get a core i7-960 for around $300 that is 3.2Ghz. Remember I have not looked at all the spec such as cache and such but in my experience I have never really seen any significant difference in performance between the super versions of the intel chips vs the consumer hi/mid range ones.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

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# 9 06-12-2011 , 06:47 AM

SM Tea Boy
Join Date: Apr 2002

Location: Prague

Posts: 3,228

I've found that ATI's are much more stable with Maya when you're using the consumer cards; as they tend to have better OpenGL support. (Trust me, I was the lucky one who used to run around replacing video cards at the office) Also, why would you get a $1050 6-core CPU @ 3.3 GHz when you can get an 8-core @ 3.6 GHz for $269? https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103960

Originally Posted by NextDesign

Because the 6 core intel one will clock nice and stable up to 5.6GHz has HT and for me runs through simulations in realflow at least twice as fast. (as a 6 core amd at the same speed)

From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

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# 10 06-12-2011 , 06:50 AM

SM Tea Boy
Join Date: Apr 2002

Location: Prague

Posts: 3,228

But is the Intel Core i7-3960X really worth the price Dave?

Originally Posted by ctbram

Worth an extra $700 maybe not, it's pretty hard to justify. But if your thinking of dropping $1,000 bux on a gfx card and you have the extra cash...

For me I'd rather have $1000 CPU and a $100 GPU

Dave user added image

From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

Quote

# 11 06-12-2011 , 09:46 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011

Posts: 8

thanks a lot guys on ur discussion. i have written quadro as option, i didn't say that i'll buy it 100%, just as one of options. but i definitely need a mighty computer, cause, right now, i have one big job, short time, old computer. and a few jobs waiting...

my next question is: does maya supports 6-core cpu? (i guess yes, but it's better to ask user added image

). i'm out of hardware world for a few years, so that's why i'm asking (little bit stupid) questions. user added image

and for the I7 3930 k, price in my country (serbia) is about 450 euros. i'm thinking bout it, but yeah, 3960x is bout 800 e.

does anybody know anything bout xeon cpus? cause i heard that they're better for this stuff.... i don't know... just asking user added image

does the lil bit cheaper quadro (2000, 2000d, for example) or ATI FirePro V4800 better then gtx or hd?
and what about maya and gpu in sly?

user added image

Last edited by skivi; 06-12-2011 at 10:26 AM.

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# 12 06-12-2011 , 01:53 PM

SM Tea Boy
Join Date: Apr 2002

Location: Prague

Posts: 3,228

Forget the xeon, yes it supports 6 cores and as ctbram said Maya does not work with sli.

Dave

From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

Quote

# 13 06-12-2011 , 05:35 PM

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Join Date: Nov 2011

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tnx dave, i'll give up of sli solution.

ok than i7 6 core. but gfx still problem user added image

maybe elder quadro or fire pro 4800... don't know... user added image

cause on autodesk site they recommend quadro and fire gfx only....

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# 14 07-12-2011 , 02:32 AM

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Posts: 2,998

It is hard for me to say as I am unfortunately still using a nvidia gtx 285 2gb card and I can tell you that maya 2012 absolutely hates this card. I have used 2008. 2009, 2010, and 2011 and they all worked fine with only a couple of minor hiccups. But maya 2012 is just a nightmare with the gtx 285. It is hard to get work done because you have to restart maya frequently because it will stop refreshing the screen, or deleting history will crash maya, or texture associations get messed up, or the file does not parse properly when you open a scene files. It's just non-stop interruptions and pain!

I think forcing people to buy $6000 graphics cards that are essentially the same as the consumer cards but with exclusive drivers is not the proper road to take.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 07-12-2011 at 02:34 AM.

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# 15 07-12-2011 , 03:10 AM

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Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Toronto

Posts: 3,374

I've got a gtx 275... no problems that I've noticed so far. Mostly 2009, but I've tried a bit of 2012... no good, but I don't know if that's my gfx card.