Hardware Guide for X3

[Doug Park]

Now that X3 is looming large on the horizon, I thought it would be good to post some guidelines for hardware for X3 so that you can make an informed decision if you plan on buying new hardware.

For the most part our system requirements will remain the same as for X2 with the caveat that X3 is designed for multi-core systems.

This means that for a few operations you may see a slight slowdown on single core and single core hyperthreaded hardware. While we will work to keep performance on these systems as fast as possible, our focus now and for the foreseeable future will be on multi-core machines.

To that end the following are my recommendations for X3.

1) More cores is better.

We have some performance optimizations coming in X3 that will utilize as many cores as you can get for some operations. Much of our development work has been done using i7s and other Quad Core hardware. We are pretty sure that some of the new 6 core machines will be an even better choice, but haven't done benchmarking on them yet.

We started focusing on the i7 hardware about a year ago because we figured that by the time X3 shipped it would slip off the bleeding edge and be more affordable. i7 hardware has now moved into the main stream price range. We are even seeing i7 laptops available.

This should make the older Core 2 Duos drop in price quite a bit. For someone that is looking for really cheap hardware that X3 will do good on a Core 2 Duo would be my recommended cheap machine. However, look around older quad cores are available in desktops in the $500 price range.

2) Memory.

X3 will be easier on memory for 3D operations than X2. In some cases this is very significant. Still, if you are getting new hardware more memory is better.

For a new machine I wouldn't get anything with less than 4 GB.

While memory speed still is important, the speed of memory in the multi-core machines is generally improving over time so it is becoming less of factor when looking at hardware.

3) A 64 bit OS is a must have.

Windows 7 64-bit is the best OS to run X3 on. X3 will ship as a 32 bit application.

The main reason to go 64 bit is that your extra memory will be used by the OS and other applications making your system faster when dealing with large models in Chief.

[wolfmk67]

Hello I have configured a new laptop Dell M6500 i7720 quad core 1.60ghz 6mb
windows 7 pro-64 bit,8gb ddr3-1333mhz sdram,4dimms-with 1.00 gb ATI firepro M7740 graphics does this sound like a good configure for X2 and later updates. Please get back to me eager to get working.

Also i have heard good and bad things about solid state drives. Yes they are fast and run cool. yet Iv'e heard after time the slow down due to data build up. do you have any comments. Thanks Mark

I can be reached at wolfmk@cox.net

[Doug Park]

That looks like a good configuration. But I will add my standard disclaimer that I can't guarantee that it is. I haven't done any benchmarking on i7 laptops. If you do get that system let us know how it works out.

I don't have any experience with solid state drives.

[FrankL]

Doug,

How does one know if they have a multi-core system? Your hardware guide note is cause for some concern as I am one of those fortunate users that have virtually no operational problems with my x2. I have no idea if my now (2010) five-year-old Dell Dimension 8400 series is multi core computer.

It has Windows XP Pro, 32-bit, Pentium 4 processor 540 (3.2HHz) w/HT Technology and 1 MB Cache. 512 MB DDR2 SDRAM @ 100mhZ. 250 GB hard drive. All of which is Greek to me.

Can you shed some light on how X3 would perform on my computer? I am an interior designer with a contracting business specializing in custom design furniture for some 30 years. My work for the most part is performed in high-rise apartment buildings in NYC on one level projects with no concern on exterior needs. The few “large model” jobs that we do have minimal (and acceptable) slowing down of my computer.

Thanks.

Frank

[Doug Park]

Pentium 4 is not multi-core. It is hyperthreaded which makes it look like it has two cores to the operating system. Our benchmarking on these machines show no benefit to the multi-threading support we have added.

Given that you are OK with this system for X2 you will probably also be OK with it for X3.

[Don Randall]

Here's a video on multi-core basics that illustrates the evolution of multi-cores with HyperThreading:
http://www.intel.com/technology/prod...core+body_demo

[rgould77]

I'm looking to buy a laptop that will comfortably run X2. Lenovo offers the following: lenovo IdeaPad Y550P(324156U) NoteBook Intel Core i7 720QM(1.60GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory 500GB HDD 5400rpm DVD±R/RW NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M.

Will X2 run well on this hardware?

Rgould777@comcast.net

Thank you,
Rick

[lbuttery]

Rick:

Vista, Win 7, XP ???

recommend is Win 7 64-bit

4 GB is ok 8 would be better,
make sure it can be added later

5400 RPM for hard drive is on the slow side
try to get 7200 unless cost is too high


if using the laptop for client presentations then 15.6 is a bit small
consider getting 17"
Lew

[James Fenton]

HI Doug;

I just bought a new laptop last year. HP 19" Int6el Core 2Duo CPU T7500 @ 2.20GHz 2.20 Ghz
4. GB Ram
32-Bit OS

Is this wnat you are talking about we need for X3?

Thanks
James............................................. .................


James A. Fenton, Jr.
(505) 315-9644
www.JAFConcepts.com
Pick 3D PDF’s from our menu and have fun!

[James Fenton]

Lew;

Windows in the past has not seemed to work good updating an exsting computer. Do you know if 7 is good to use as an update. I have an HP 1 year old laptop with Vista.

Thanks
James............................................. .................


James A. Fenton, Jr.
(505) 315-9644
www.JAFConcepts.com
Pick 3D PDF’s from our menu and have fun!

[lbuttery]

James:


I try to avoid upgrading an OS and prefer to buy a PC with the new OS

However, from what I hear Win 7 is really Vista Part 2 so I think the upgrade "should" go smoothly.

I just bought two Vista PC's in 2008 so I will skip Win7 unless I find a "need" for it, but if I do I will upgrade

backups are always a good idea before upgrading

Lew

[ktkcad]

James,

Although you can upgrade Vista to 7. It isn't recommended by most people. A clean install is best and if you are going from 32 to 64 bit is really is a must.

FYI - Vista is Win NT 6.0, Win 7 is Win NT 7.0, there are significant differences between these two releases. Unlike W2k (NT5.0) and XP (NT5.1)

[lbuttery]

It isn't recommended by most people. A clean install is best and if you are going from 32 to 64 bit is really is a must.



Karl:

I thought it was XP to Win 7 that required the clean install ???

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...a-to-windows-7



clean install is probably needed for 32-bit to 64-bit

I have Vista 64-bit so I forgot about those with 32-bit

If I ever need Win 7 I'll research this more


Lew

[James Fenton]

THanks Lew, that's what I thought.

[James Fenton]

Hi Doug;

I had posted you yesterday while you, and called today and left you a message at your office. Could you lets me know more about the new computers requirements we will need for X3. I talked with Mark in sales today. He said X3 will not be out for 6 months so they don't know anything about the upgrade or what requirements we will need to run the upgrade.

I have an HP 19" Int6el Core 2Duo CPU T7500 @ 2.20GHz 2.20 Ghz
4. GB Ram
32-Bit OS

Is this close to what you say we need to upgrade from X2 to X3, I just bougt this less then a year ago. I don't need a new upgrade that needs $18,000.00 each year for a new laptop.


Thanks
James………………………………………


James A. Fenton, Jr.
(505) 315-9644
www.JAFConcepts.com
Pick 3D PDF’s from our menu and have fun!