3D Modeling Computer Hardware Needs and Specs

[ebreeser]

I am in the research stage of starting a freelance 3D modeling business and want to ensure I have the best quality and most effective equipment needed to be successful and proficient. I am unsure exactly what I should be looking for in a computer able to support Autodesk and photo editing software, specifically 3D Max. I will be purchasing or building (2) computers, so I want to make sure I have exactly what I need.  Does anyone know what I need?

[RaoulM]

Hi ebreeser,

this is on the one side an aesy to answer and on the other side a relly hard to answer question, so please accept that I need more than a couple of line to drop in here. Perhaps other peoples should answer this in shorter word, but related on the point that you was talking about business it is not so easy.

Let us please start with an plain example: The specs are 600 PS (horse power)

That can be a pimped militarry Hummer vehicle, a Cattapillar with a front showel and a pinmped porsche cayenne.

If the porsche is not running - You have no fun!

If the Hummer is not running -  You stay in enemy controlled area and perhaps you are dead.

But if the CAT is not running -  You couldn´t reach the dead line to ends up the new highway and have to pay a lot.

So you were starting with the right side of view to the scene, you know exactly what programs you want to run and now you only has to find out on wich operating system is this software running stable and last but not least

what kind of hardware this os is using. Finnish thats all.

But to answer your question really good I had to know more!!!!

How many money you have to found up one or two workstations.

Are you familiar with building computers, changing parts set up the OS and the programs.

Please tell me more about the programs what programs you want to use.

Photo editing programs or Adobe creation Suite is not enough.

Adobe Photoshop CS6, After Effects CS6, Autodesk 3ds Max 2013, Maya 2013...... this is good and exact answer.

How familiar you are with this programs or need you some training units.

What is business for you or better what kind of business you mean.

How huge are the files and the projects you are working on. 

And at last please let us not forget that we are talking here about Software about several thousand dollars or euros

and that should not be installed on a 32 Bit OS that is installed on a 700 dollar computer.

My first tip for you go and search a certificated distributer that is also offering training lessons and from time to time also some test seminars for interested peoples, like you. There you can easy probe out several programs on several machines, with different power. Also they are offering mostly trainings and test seminars for other 3D

related software. So you can easy have a first contact to thoose related software without spending much money.

Ok the real training lessons are expensive, but as I said they are often offering also some test seminars to gain new clients like you. 

My Second tipp for you is to find out wich software is the best for you and than perhaps you will buy or build a 

workstation that fits your and the software needs and wishes.

The last tipp don´t start directly, mostly that turns wrong. Sorry but that is the truth, if you have a job and you are able to be more familiar with this sort software and you becomes more skills, than you should search for thoose

jobs you also are able to serve. And if this runs better and better you will become more and more jobs and than your business starts over.

Ok in shorter words I was also able to answer, perhaps like you were expecting.

1 Choice:

Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate 64 Bit

Cooler Master Comsmos II or

Zalman GS 1200 or

Enermax Fulmo GT

Enermax 1500 Watt platinum Powe supply unit

Dual CPU LGA 2011 socket mainboard from ASUS or EVGA

2 x intel Xeon E5-2690

2 x Dynatron R-17 or

BeQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 2 

64 GB DDR3-1600 RAM from cossair

1 Quadro 6000

2 Tesla C2075

Adaptec 6805 Controller

1 x Samsung  830series 512 GB SSD (OS + Programs)

4 x Samsung 830series 64 GB SSD (Temp + Swap)

2 x WD VelociRaptor 1 TB - Raid 0 for work space

2 x WD VelociRaptor 1 TB - Raid 1  for file space

LG BlueRay burner 

Teac Floppy with cardreader 

Quantum RDX + 2 x 1 TB Cartridge for daily backup

QNAP TS-1079 + 10 x WD 2 TB 24/7 server related HDD´s

D-Link DRS-1000n

D-Link DGS-1500-28

or

Netgear FVS318N

Netgear JGS524E 

2 choice:

HP Workstation Z820

+ support

+ warranty

+ perhaps 24 hours bring in service

+ two different backup solutions

If you or anybody else means at this point perhaps that this setup is to havey or overdosed, I´ll aswering him or her that the first given informations were to underdosed !

I hope it helps you to find out the right solution and the right way for you.

Best regards from germany

Raoul

P.S. Please don´t ask back, for perhaps changing some computer parts to lower or cheaper things, better perform out what exactly kind of software you will use. Sure you can also do all this on PC hardware and a gamer video card, but related on the word business in your thread I was thinking better to do on PNY Quadro cards.

And if a some one is thinking why the 6000 model, that should serve and sort all kind of projects from small to very big 😉 or something like "Why Maximus setup" that is related to the new Autodesk 2013 Suite and the new Adobe CS6 suite that is supporting thoose techniqus.

With the Maximus setup Quadro card + Tesla card you will not buy power, but much time.

Render time CPU something 1 hour and 20 or 30 minutes vs 12 till 25 minutes. 2k - 6k files.

Also thank you Autodesk for giving us programs (2013) with more stabillity and the new mental ray / iray combination so since this time all users are able to setup rendering only by cpu and gpu, fine and well done.

raoul 

[ebreeser]

Thank you for the information, my proficiency with the software is not a concern, nor is the cost of the machines.

I will be mostly utilizing AutoCAD 2013, Revit, 3D Max 2013, Photoshop CS6, and Illustrator.  I will have a separate workstation for word processing and website maintenance. 

I Apologize for the lack of clarity of use, I will be performing interior and exterior residential and commercial models and renderings.  I already work in this field and am proficient in this type of work, but have never really been involved in the computer hardware purchasing side of the house.  Building a machine is not a problem, if it is necessary.  I will pay whatever is needed to ensure I have the best equipment for my needs. 

Thank you again for the response and I will research the computer specs given, please let me know if there any additional suggestions based on the information provided.