Video cards used in 3D rendering?

[hoppa]

I've been wondering this for a while: is your video card actively utilized when doing 3D renders with high-level apps?

Also, on a similar note, how well do low-end workstation cards (you know, the slightly affordable ones) perform in games, compared to their equally priced gaming cousins?

-andy

 

[Azndude51]

Yes, your video card is used when doing 3d rendering in various apps.
Most workstation cards are not optimized for games, so they will perform worse than gaming cards.

 

[phisrow]

My understanding, do correct me if I'm wrong, is that serious 3D apps(CAD, the various 3D modeling programs, and whatnot) use the graphics card to accellerate their interface fairly extensively; but final output(3D video, rendered images, and so forth) is usually done mostly in CPU.

As for gaming, workstation cards can do it; but dollar for dollar they get curb-stomped by gaming cards.

 

[0roo0roo]

yea i think its that way too. that and the workstation cards have different drivers, though its starting to blur together at the high end for hardware speed apparently. they are working on software that has the gpu helping with the final rendering apparently. think its nvidia doing that.

 

[zephyrprime]

phisrow is right. The card is used for the interface but the actual render is done in software by the CPU. And as Azndude51 has said, workstation cards actually perform worse than regular cards in games nowadays (this was not the case in the past). Also, the difference between high end workstation cards and gamer stuff is disappearing. I used to be that you had to pay $$$ to get a 4 gpu card for flight training but now that 4 gpu cards are retail products, I predict the demise of the specialty workstation card companies. In the future, I expect even high end workstation cards will simply be made by nvidia or ati or their OEMS.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

Originally posted by: zephyrprime
phisrow is right. The card is used for the interface but the actual render is done in software by the CPU. And as Azndude51 has said, workstation cards actually perform worse than regular cards in games nowadays (this was not the case in the past). Also, the difference between high end workstation cards and gamer stuff is disappearing. I used to be that you had to pay $$$ to get a 4 gpu card for flight training but now that 4 gpu cards are retail products, I predict the demise of the specialty workstation card companies. In the future, I expect even high end workstation cards will simply be made by nvidia or ati or their OEMS.

workstation cards have been around a lot longer than gaming cards and they wont be going anywhere. the high end 3d apps have requirments that would make gaming cards just too expensive.

workstation cards have had AA sice the dos days.

 

[Mrvile]

If you still play some games, you might as well get a gaming video card...it should perform fine in 3D rendering through Maya, 3DSMax, etc. as long as you aren't going completely overboard. My OC'd GT does Maya fine, the only thing holding the program back is my 1GB ram and sometimes the CPU.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Mrvile
If you still play some games, you might as well get a gaming video card...it should perform fine in 3D rendering through Maya, 3DSMax, etc. as long as you aren't going completely overboard. My OC'd GT does Maya fine, the only thing holding the program back is my 1GB ram and sometimes the CPU.

Ya, Gaming cards work very well in 3D Apps, though it all depends on how much 3D App useage vs Gaming is involved and that doesn't necessarily mean Time Spent.

If you work in Hollywood adding Special Effects for high budget movies, you'll want a Workstation level card. If you're a pimply faced kid making Models for a Game Mod or just for fun, you'll want a Gaming card.

I've used a 9800Pro with Maya and for my cheezy skillz and Low Poly Models it worked very well. It worked even better(shockingly better) after upgrading my system from a 2800XP to a X2 3800.

One should also note that a 6600GT level video card can be flashed into a low end Quadro and from what I heard from someone who had a Quadro and did the flash for a friend, he was shocked at the performance and felt that he was ripped off with his Quadro card. 😀

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Mrvile

One should also note that a 6600GT level video card can be flashed into a low end Quadro and from what I heard from someone who had a Quadro and did the flash for a friend, he was shocked at the performance and felt that he was ripped off with his Quadro card. 😀

"Low end quadro"?
A 6600gt would be a more high end quadro. I think lower end workstation cards (quadro and fireGL) start around $100 for the radeon 7500/geforce 1/2/3 based models)

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: unfalliblekrutch

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Mrvile

One should also note that a 6600GT level video card can be flashed into a low end Quadro and from what I heard from someone who had a Quadro and did the flash for a friend, he was shocked at the performance and felt that he was ripped off with his Quadro card. 😀

"Low end quadro"?
A 6600gt would be a more high end quadro. I think lower end workstation cards (quadro and fireGL) start around $100 for the radeon 7500/geforce 1/2/3 based models)

Could be. I don't have any experiences with Quadros and such. The guy was shocked, so you're probably correct.