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The usual question - Which is the best spec for a Revit workstation?

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    #1

    The usual question - Which is the best spec for a Revit workstation?

    I'm using Revit Arch & Struct, Robot Struct Analysis, and Detailer on my workstation. I also have to use it for CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) modelling. The boss has decided to upgrade my work station for christmas and our IT provider has proposd the following two DEll systems:

    Dell Precision Workstation T3500
    Processor:
    One Intel® Xeon® W3530 (Quad Core, 2.80 GHz, 8MB Cache, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)
    Operating System:
    English Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (64Bit OS)
    Base:
    Standard Base Mid-Tower (Vertical orientation)
    Memory:
    24GB (6x4GB) 1333MHz DDR3 ECC UDIMM
    HDD Configuration:
    C1 All SATA Hard Drives, NON-RAID for 1 Hard Drive
    Hard Drive:
    320GB 3.5inch Serial ATA (7.200 Rpm) Hard Drive
    Video Card:
    2 GB AMD FirePro V7900 (4DP) (1DP-DVI adapter)
    Raid Controller:
    No Optional SAS Controller Card

    Dell Alienware Aurora
    Processor:
    3.4GHz Intel® Core™ i7-2600K (8MB Cache) Quad Core Processor with overclocked Turbo Boost to 3.9GHz
    Operating System:
    English Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (64 BIT OS)
    Base:
    Alienware Aurora Matte Black 875W Chassis
    Memory:
    16GB 1333MHz (4x4GB + 2x1GB) Dual Channel Memory
    Hard Drive:
    600GB - SATA-II, 10,000rpm, 16MB Cache
    Video Card:
    1.5GB NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 580

    Both systems cost the same and the Boss has let it up to me which to order.

    Any ideas?
    Tags: None
    #2
    Originally posted by Tyso View Post
    Dell Alienware Aurora
    Processor:
    3.4GHz Intel® Core™ i7-2600K (8MB Cache) Quad Core Processor with overclocked Turbo Boost to 3.9GHz
    Operating System:
    English Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (64 BIT OS)
    Base:
    Alienware Aurora Matte Black 875W Chassis
    Memory:
    16GB 1333MHz (4x4GB + 2x1GB) Dual Channel Memory
    Hard Drive:
    600GB - SATA-II, 10,000rpm, 16MB Cache
    Video Card:
    1.5GB NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 580
    IMO this system will be faster for Revit and Robot, Structural Detailer is a simple software. I can not atest to the CDF software. The Aurora is the more powerful system. About the only thing to change would be the 16GB RAM.... try to get 6x4GB if you can...
    -Alex Cunningham

    Comment

      #3
      Hi Tyso,

      The Aurora will be faster. Personally, while the specs look very nice on the Aurora, not the kind of computer I would recommend, but I guess you could do worse. I'd rather have an SSD than a Raptor.

      Originally posted by Alex Cunningham View Post
      About the only thing to change would be the 16GB RAM.... try to get 6x4GB if you can...
      I'm pretty certain that version of the Aurora only has 4 DIMM slots. Just curious what makes you think he needs more than 16GB RAM anyway?

      Comment

        #4
        Originally posted by iru69 View Post
        I'm pretty certain that version of the Aurora only has 4 DIMM slots. Just curious what makes you think he needs more than 16GB RAM anyway?
        The spec he posts shows (4x4GB + 2x1GB)... but also calls it out as Dual channel... at 18GB.... Very strange. I mentioned it because out of the 2 configs posts the first one is speced with 24GB.... The more RAM the better IMO. IDk what CDF software takes.

        I would also be all for a SSD drive... higher price per GB but if you need more space throw in a 1TB or 2TB drive. But this kinda beats the idea of using the SSD for Revit because you will still be opening files off the slower hard drive.


        Remember this is a Gaming machine and not a Revit system. But like Iru said, you could do worse.
        -Alex Cunningham

        Comment

          #5
          I would go with the Aurora based on the CPU alone.

          PassMark Intel vs AMD CPU Benchmarks - High End
          Luke Johnson | Autodesk Expert Elite Member
          Author of What Revit Wants

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by Tyso View Post
            I'm using Revit Arch & Struct, Robot Struct Analysis, and Detailer on my workstation. I also have to use it for CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) modelling. The boss has decided to upgrade my work station for christmas and our IT provider has proposd the following two DEll systems:

            Dell Precision Workstation T3500
            Processor:
            One Intel® Xeon® W3530 (Quad Core, 2.80 GHz, 8MB Cache, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)
            Operating System:
            English Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (64Bit OS)
            Base:
            Standard Base Mid-Tower (Vertical orientation)
            Memory:
            24GB (6x4GB) 1333MHz DDR3 ECC UDIMM
            HDD Configuration:
            C1 All SATA Hard Drives, NON-RAID for 1 Hard Drive
            Hard Drive:
            320GB 3.5inch Serial ATA (7.200 Rpm) Hard Drive
            Video Card:
            2 GB AMD FirePro V7900 (4DP) (1DP-DVI adapter)
            Raid Controller:
            No Optional SAS Controller Card

            Dell Alienware Aurora
            Processor:
            3.4GHz Intel® Core™ i7-2600K (8MB Cache) Quad Core Processor with overclocked Turbo Boost to 3.9GHz
            Operating System:
            English Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (64 BIT OS)
            Base:
            Alienware Aurora Matte Black 875W Chassis
            Memory:
            16GB 1333MHz (4x4GB + 2x1GB) Dual Channel Memory
            Hard Drive:
            600GB - SATA-II, 10,000rpm, 16MB Cache
            Video Card:
            1.5GB NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 580

            Both systems cost the same and the Boss has let it up to me which to order.

            Any ideas?
            What CFD program are you using? If it is the one Autodesk just bought out then you will need to look into hard drives pretty seriously as the minimum HD spec for Autodesk CFD is a 10k RPM drive.

            Comment

              #7
              Tnx for the replies, and well spotted on the typo re the Aurora RAM, it only has 4 slots with a max of 16GB (my mistake).

              As for the CFD, the software that I use is the free FDS 6 (Beta), which is very RAM dependant the finer the mesh you use.

              Havng spent the night looking at different Revit forums and taking into account what has been posted here, I would guess that the recommended (including Autodesk themselves) industrial Xeon and FirePro V7900 is a bit OTT for Revit but as Alex said the more RAM you have the better the CFD software will be your friend.

              Would an off the shelf Dell XPS 8300 with the Core i7-2600 34GHz, high end gaming card (GTX 560Ti 1.25 GB GDDR5), SSD HD, and 16GB RAM (4x4GB) be a good enough option, espically as this would be nearly half the cost of the previous 2 options thus gaining me brownie points with the boss (as long as both the system and I preform!)?

              Comment

                #8
                You really dont need the Alienware. I have the XPS8300. Its great PC for Revit. If you can get the same spec or better for less.. well thats no brainer.
                -Alex Cunningham

                Comment

                  #9
                  Well the BOSS has siad that that is his buget and it has to be spent in 2011 or 2012's budget will be smaller!

                  So, in another forum I was directed to an irish website for custom builds and I came up with the following spec for the same cost as the 1st two options:
                  Processor CPU: Intel Core i7 3930K 3.2 {6 Cores}
                  Memory: 16GB (8x2GB) Viper 1600Mhz Extreme
                  Motherboard: Asus P9X79
                  Hard Disk 1: 120GB SSD
                  Optical Drive 1: Sony 24X DVD Rewriter
                  Video Card: Nvidia GeForce 1GB GTX560
                  Power Supply: Antec Gamer 620 Watt Power
                  Operating System: Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit

                  I think we will go with this option, if I follow all the advice of; fastest CPU you can get, 12-16GB fast RAM (1300-1600GHz), SSD HD, & top end gaming card.

                  I could drop down the processor to the i7 3820 3.6GHz (4 Core) whcih would allow me to get the GeForce 3GB GTX580 grahics instead. What do you think?

                  Comment

                    #10
                    I am in the middle of researching for my own personal build and I have read so far that the price diff between the 1GB and 2GB or 3GB is more than the performance difference is worth at this point. (so I have read) I personally am looking at the i7 2600K (3.4Ghz) with at least 8-12GB RAM. Still working out the specs.

                    Anyone have an opinion on how much of a difference a 2TB internal 3.5 at 5900rpm vs. a 7900rpm would be? I received the 2TB 5900rpm Seagate Barracuda Green as an early gift. I realize it would have faster read write at 7900 but is there an appreciable difference? if so, with what type of processes?

                    Also does anyone use the high end CPU fan/heatsinks? like Noctua or Havik? I saw a simple Cooler Master 120mm that had good ratings for much cheaper.

                    Thank you!
                    -Mark

                    Comment

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