How is this for CAD rig? (Update 6/21 on what is needed)

[mboy]

Building one for engineer @ work

AMD XP 2000
ECS K7s5a
512 PC2100 ram
40GB Maxtor ATA 133, 7200rpm
Antec 1040B

Video card is up in air. Thinking of Geforce 4 ti4200
Could use a good reco for the vid card.

Thanx for input!

UPDATE*****

Ok, found out what he will be using.
Either Pro e or Solid works.
Will be used for 3d solids modeling

Does that help?

Will he need a dually or will a 1.6 XP with 1GB of DDR do the trick, also reco on video card would be cool. Thank you.

 

[Armitage]

Depends how big your models are, but I would consider SCSI drive(s) and more RAM.

Dually would be nice also to maintain responsiveness while doing heavy tasks.

 

[herbage11]

What version of CAD are you going to be running on it?

 

[rahvin]

Version? What type of CAD and for what purpose?

 

[ProviaFan]

If he's going to be doing more advanced CAD, you might want to check in to a 3DLabs video card. These are supposed to be more accurate in rendering 3D CAD models in OpenGL than consumer-level cards (like that GeForce) are.

 

[mboy]

I think it is the latest version of cad, not sure. I don't think he will be doing anything super intensive. We manufacture plastic caps (like lotion bottles, etc).
I will try and find out more when I see him today.
Thanx.

 

[rahvin]

What you need to know is what CADD software he's using and what purpose he's using it for (2D, 3D, 3D rendered). With that information then you can make hardware decisions about what is needed.

 

[Alex]

unless its something very heavy thats fine IMO... if it is heavy then go for 1024mb pc2700 ram... firegl card perhaps and even dual processor configs... scsi is also a must have ...

 

[Mingon]

That config sounds fine, I used to do quite intensive models ona p3 733 with a tnt vid card and a 7200rpm ide drive and although iy wasnt smooth it done the job

 

[mboy]

Bump for updated info ;D

 

[Rhombuss]

I'd recommend getting something along the lines of a 3DLabs Oxygen card (rendering power), an ELSA workstation card (rendering power), or maybe even a Matrox card simply for the crisp 2D RAMDAC. I used CAD2002 all the time (sometimes on computers I don't own), and I promise you, the WORST thing is to use AutoCAD on nVidia cards with sub-optimal 2D.

 

[daddyo]

Skip dual processors. You won't see much difference at all in Pro/E or Solidworks. I speak from experience. Unless you are rendering stuff, the 2nd processor sits idle.

Take a look at a Quadro4 700 XGL from NVidia. They are benchmarking as well as most of the $1000+ cards and they are made for professional 3d stuff. The 2D quality and CAD performance is quite a bit different from the Geforce4/3/2 series. You can probably get one for $400-500. All the reviews I've seen have been extremely positive. ELSA is out of the CAD market btw, PNY is the Quadro vendor.

Also, I would bump the ram up to 1024. CAD stuff tends to eat ram up pretty quickly, especially when you start making large assemblies.

 

[mboy]

Thanks for the replies. Ok here is going to be the config:

XP2000
k7s5a (not positive of that yet, may go with Asus Kt266a, not sure if I want to deal with VIA drivers tho)
1024Mb crucial Pc2100
PNY quadro4 7000gxl
24xs burner (or 32, depends on whats on sale)
Antec 1040B
Gen floppy
40Gb maxtor 7200rpm (would SCSI make that much of a difference)?

That should be pretty good I imagine

Thanks again!

 

[daddyo]

If he doesn't want it, I'll take it.

Sadly, I get a PC refresh in August (after 3 years, *sigh*), and we're getting these IBM workstations that probably cost twice what you'll pay for that, and I won't even have all the features that you do.

I begged and pleaded to build my own, but we're a subsidiary of a larger corporation and we have to conform to their IT standards.

 

[mboy]

Wish it was for me, is for my head engineering guy. I am on a PII 266 with 96mb ram. Actually getting 1.2 celey 256mb with 20gb 5400 to replace all the workstations (lots of P100s, a few 486s and 133s now)
Wont cost me a whole lot more to build the CAD rig thatn it is for these new Dell's. Will take a lot more time setting up the 25 workstations by myself then it will be to BUILD this Cad rig. I wouldn't mind having it tho ( I would go for the G4 for gaming tho, hehehehe)

 

[littlegohan]

get a bigger hd

theres no diffrerence between a 40gb and a 80gb one

 

[mboy]

Yeah, I probably should, altho all the files he creates will be on a server anyway.

 

[Yossarian]

Definitely go with SCSI. Models get big, waiting for them to load is a waste of time and money.

 

[heartsurgeon]

you haven't spec'd out the most important feature - the monitor(s)!

dual 21 inch crt my recommendation - question is which one(s)

 

[mboy]

I don't know if he is goingto need dual, but he is going to need to replace his current 21".
Ok fire away with a reco.