[MetinSeven_com]

Hi again guys,

I have set my mind on an Intel Core2 Extreme QX6700 Quadcore machine.

My last question is: how significant is the role of RAM when assembling the ultimate Maxwell machine? In other words: will my renders really speed up if I go for 8 GB RAM in stead of 4? And is 6 GB an interesting intermediate solution or doesn't it make the performance a lot better than with 4 GB?

Thanks again for your feedback!

[Frances]

Hi again guys,

I have set my mind on an Intel Core2 Extreme QX6700 Quadcore machine.

My last question is: how significant is the role of RAM when assembling the ultimate Maxwell machine? In other words: will my renders really speed up if I go for 8 GB RAM in stead of 4? And is 6 GB an interesting intermediate solution or doesn't it make the performance a lot better than with 4 GB?

Thanks again for your feedback!

Hi Metin,

The goal is to have enough memory to have your apps running without resorting to paging to disk. A task is alotted or requires a certain amount of memory and ram is faster. If the task can be performed within the limits of your physical memory, having more memory will not make it go faster. But if, for instance, you have 1GB ram and the task must page to disk for another .5 GB to perform, then the operation will be slower.

This is the way I understand it anyway.

[aitraaz]

Well, i guess it depends on the complexity of the work you want to do, but as long as maxwell is 32 bit, i doubt 6 or 8 gb ram is useable, i think it can access something between 3 and 4 gb. A maxwell 64 bit release is on the horizon - at that point it should access alot more ram, so it only depends really on the scene complexity you plan to work with. The amount of ram really wont affect performance, as long as you are using physical memory...

[JDHill]

...yep...try to keep the work in-memory [bandwidth figures from wikipedia] :

Serial ATA (SATA-300):
- 2.4 Gbit/s
- 300 MB/s

vs.

PC3200 DDR-SDRAM (dual channel)
- 51.2 Gbit/s
- 6.4 GB/s

...

also, with read/write access times in the 5-30ms range for disk, vs. ~10ns for RAM...

[MetinSeven_com]

Thanks very much for your insights!

I wonder if 4 GB RAM is enough to get the most out of the already resource-consuming Windows Vista Ultimate (64 bit) plus Maxwell being able to render a scene with reasonable complexity without having to resort to harddisk rendering.

I'm going to buy the machine around the end of January, when Windows Vista is officially released. I really hope that NL will have Maxwell 64 bit ready by then.

[deadalvs]

think also of MultiLight and the final resolution You want to render.

i do a lot of DIN A0 sheets (118 x 84 cm) at around 75dpi, meaning resolutions of 3450 x 2400. these .mxi files are around 900 MB, just with the one light layer. add a couple of emitters with -ml and 4 gigs will not be enough for You.

* * *

deadalvs

[MetinSeven_com]

Thanks Deadalvs! My insight in the RAM matter starts to reach an acceptable level.

[Aji Enrico]

There is a option to upgrade later on when 64bit-maxwell arrives.
4gig might be enough for now?

(remember to leave some ram-slots empty for future upgrade)

[MetinSeven_com]

Thanks Aji!

Yes, I guess I'm going for 4 GB and check that out first. I can always expand the RAM if necessary, just like I can exchange the Quadcore processor for a real Quadcore when that is released later, as I understand that the CPU socket is universal.

[daimon]

Vista will be unusable for at least another year, don't even bother for now.

[deadalvs]

umm, Metin...

what is it that convinces You to get an Intel Core2 Extreme QX6700 Quadcore cpu ?

did You see some freakin' benchmarks or it is somthing else... ?

* * *

they're pretty expensive i think...

* * *

deadalvs

[Boris Ulzibat]

umm, Metin...

what is it that convinces You to get an Intel Core2 Extreme QX6700 Quadcore cpu ?

did You see some freakin' benchmarks or it is somthing else... ?

* * *

they're pretty expensive i think...

* * *

deadalvs

IMO DualCore XEONs rule!
If there would be quadcore Xeons in near future - they would be the choice for me.

[Mihai]

what is it that convinces You to get an Intel Core2 Extreme QX6700 Quadcore cpu ?

Probably this

http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/view ... 991#202991

[deadalvs]

what is it that convinces You to get an Intel Core2 Extreme QX6700 Quadcore cpu ?

Probably this

http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/view ... 991#202991

damn.... if one misses ONE POST ! i'm gettin' old...



thanks, Mihai !

yes, this is seriously a nice reason !

* * *

deadalvs

[w i l l]

Ok, has anyone bought anything in the January sales - cheap that can render 5000x5000 images in half an hour?