What is the best 3d computer configuration for Lightwave 9?

Question

I'm using at work a Intel Mac pro with Dual Core 3GHz, 4Gb RAM and ATI 256Mb Ram. I'm using LightWave 9.0 for my work and it takes a week to render an image. I would like a workstation that does the job half of the time. Can any one give the best configuration?
Thank you
Luis

Answer 1

The latest version of LightWave, version 9, takes ful advantage of Intel's multi-core processor support, yielding substantial speed improvements.
Xsan may be the magic bullet to team up multiple Xserves though.
http://www.apple.com/pro/profiles/rowland/
http://www.apple.com/science/solutions/clustercomputingresources.html
The LightWave v9.5 Mac open beta program is currently available until upcoming final release. LightWave v9 owners can participate by registering at: http://register.newtek.com/.
Might want to participate not only to test and evaluate, but sometimes you have access to more tech support from engineering too.
According to Intel benchmark of Lightwave:
... uses well-threaded code to complete on multi-core processors much quicker than ever before.
So it should scale directly by the number of cores (and how efficient they perform).
http://www.geekpatrol.ca/2006/12/eight-core-mac-pro-benchmarks/
CPU:
Do you want to buy a new high-end Mac Pro, or look at a 'do it yourself' swap the processors for dual quad-core 3GHz? Do you go with a new system with 2.8GHz or 3.2GHz 8-core?
No, because it isn't cost effective to upgrade the cpu, not when 8-core upgrade on your system would run $1600 for 2.66GHz or $2400 for 8-core 3GHz.
Graphics:
Sounds like you slipped the new ATI Radeon 2600XT (to replace the troublesome X1900). Today there is Radeon 3870 or Nvidia 8800GT option as after-market upgrades.
The elephant in the corner department....
*NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600*
Featuring a massive 1.5GB frame buffer of GDDR3 memory, the NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 is the ultimate workstation-level graphics card. It’s ideal for industrial-strength 3D design work, modeling, animation, and stereo 3D visualization. One of the most advanced graphics cards available, it has an integrated stereo 3D port, so you can use stereo goggles for stereo-in-a-window visualization applications. With two dual-link DVI ports, you can connect two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays.
# NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 1.5GB [Add *$2,850.00*]
- only available as a Build to Order
From Barefeats:
WHY MOST USERS SHOULD PASS ON THE $2850 QUADRO FX 5600
Though it costs 14 times as much as the GeForce 8800 GT, it is not 14 times faster.
However, the Quadro FX 5600 does feature more video memory (1.5GB vs 512MB). And, according to one Maya guru, the extra memory (and superior memory management code) of the Quadro workstation cards becomes useful for frame buffering in Maya. This is especially true for redraw of multiple views of the same complex 3D model.
This has been enhanced further by Quadro FX 5600's new integrated memory allocation which allows the card to dynamically allocate on-board RAM to whatever task is at hand rather than have specific hard wired allocations. So rather than say a maximum of 40% of total on-board RAM dedicated to the texture buffer the card can ramp up and down from 80% sharing with the immediate needs of the other buffers.
http://www.barefeats.com/york2.html
Best bet: you can use the Nvidia 8800GT in your system for $279
http://www.barefeats.com/harper8.html
Memory:
Easy to upgrade.
Disk drives:
Lots of improvements in drive performance, in controllers, RAID6 for handling large files and projects and offer protection.
Apple Store Specials:
Refurbished Mac Pro 8-core 3.2GHz Intel Xeon
Two 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors
2GB (2 x 1GB) of 800MHz DDR2 ECC fully buffered DIMM
500GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive
Two 16x SuperDrives (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB (two dual-link DVI ports)
Mac Pro 3.2GHz (8-core) $4099
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FB 451LL/A
Refurbished Mac Pro 8-core 2.8GHz Intel Xeon
Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors
2GB (2 x 1GB) of 800MHz DDR2 ECC fully buffered DIMM
320GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive
16x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB (two dual-link DVI ports)
Mac Pro 8-core 2.8GHz $2399
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FA 970LL/A
BOTTOM LINE if you ignore price and want the best, you are looking at $5700 - 7,300 range for your ideal Lightwave 3D workstation I think. Skip on the 3.2GHz to save $1600 and put it toward the Quadro FX 5600.