Macbook air + render node (farm) for 3ds max & AutoCAD

[Alafalx]

Hi there!

I'm going to get new machine and one of the first requirement is to get more mobility. Since most time of work i building models (3ds max) and drawing a plans (i'm in architectual sphere) so real powerfull machine i need just for rendering so i'm thinking that laptop render server (also known as render node or render farm) combo will much better for me than powerfull notebook. Also i fall in love in Apple technique, so macbook air will be very elegant and really portable solution for me.

BUT! Exploring software compatibility problem i'm get that often people in internet say's that mba's integrated graphics is unusable for 3d modeling and even for Cad work.
I understand it but i dont get what precisely people mean for "3d modeling" is it just building or they mean complete work with rendering etc.

So i decide ask here is render server will placebo for me? Because i need just build models and just draw plans. No renders on mba. Is mba's intel hd graphics 3000 powerfull enough? What about coming 4000 on ivy bridge? And what about cad work?

As far i'm going to use 3ds max that have only win version i'm going to use windows OS (dual-boot, not virtual machine) and as results win's AutoCAD (also i heard that mac's AutoCAD work i little bit slower, so gues i win some performance there) meanwhile getting pleasure from mba's awesomeness. 😃

Also i think will appropriate to say that i work with not so big projects mostly its private housing so i estimate my models and plans medium complexity.

Thanks!

[Alafalx]

Any ideas?

[RaoulM]

Hello Alafalx,

first please accept that my english is not very wellformed and I have some problems to explane exactly things if we have to go in deeper details. So sometimes it sounds very hard fro peoples who have to read this things.

I don´t want to kindding you or blame, but you see also the "many" answers pointed to your open thred. 😉

In former day´s there were somthing out, it was calling:

"For each job, please build one machine, that is fitting all the needs and sort all the functions of the Software (Programs) you are using." Point, not more, but also not less!

At todays technic revolution some computer devices are able to fit many more needs and are able to sort all kind of wishes, that customers are able to choose even the right device that will bring them up to do what they want.

So I was talking to you in the first line about my bad english and pitures mostly are able to tell more than 1000 words, this is showing up you very brutal, but thruly and fair what you want, that we should are accepting and give a good feedback that you are able to buy your MacBook Air.

You want to buy this car:

<http://www.fiat500.de/images/special-edition-popstar/pop-header-new.jpg>

But some times you will go on a playground were this cars a usually will be driven:

<http://www.formel1.de/public/asset/thumb/ae54f3239349096e52e18e0ee173948f/88951.jpg/425x225.jpg> 

And in some rarely cases it should you the power of this vehicle: 

<https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQbcZVjy0iTALta-RJdQGJzitJdUK5R1aQa3vpTjCRDDarxM...>

If you consider to me excurse, we should now come to the point of thruth, if you need a fancy Notebook that is ok,

I also have one of them (MacBookAir), cheap, powerfull, small space, fast, shiny, glossy, wow effect,

not so havey and so on, but I use it for social media, internet, email, office related things, news, video calls, chat and so on. If you want to buy a MacBookAir, ok just do it! 

And know perhaps we can go for the 3d, Raytrace, modelling, render and cad related things, were you was pointing the topic of this thread on. That I want to help you please don´t forget, but we should also be starting at the same level of truth and fairness.

We should now start the other end of the way, trust me or not, this will be even the best.  

What kind of Programs you want to use (all I mean) ?

What you want to do with this programs (exactly please)

- How huge this files will be that you are generating?

- Do you need rendering the Images?

Is this for business or privat or half and half? (Regarding on tax and support realted things) 

On witch operating systems theese programs are running?

Are you able and/or willing to split the work, perhaps 😉

- Work at home and showing or presenting the work elsewere on the MacBookAir, is this perhaps a solution for you? 

And last but not least what is the vendor of the software telling about the tech specs and hardware requirements.

If you go to Autodesk homepage for each product you will find out more than wasting here the time, for waiting

that someone brings you a light 😉

There are real hardcore notebook or laptops in the market with something like a nVIDIA Quadro 5000M graphics unit

they can fit your needs or also I´ve seen some  laptops for playing games likes this ones website is showing up

<http://www.alienware.de/> the ASUS company is also offering the notebook they can PERHAPS fitting your needs. 

But if a laptop is not running, it has a hardware defect or a hidden false  inside, mostly you can´t repair this thing

by your self!!!!

So the best is build a computer at home that is axactly fitting your needs and is serving the programs you want to need enough power or buy a cheap workstation brand new or used, dosen´t matter, but the tech specs for the programs you need you please find out by your own at the autodesk product homepage of each product (copy and paste will help you speeding up this mostly).

Than please compare all the tech specs and than you know exactly for what you have to search for.

Last but not least if you plan to use a render farm please reffer first what kind of render engines are supporting this and what is the cost of them. A render farm are build by many servers and each server is called, at my wisdom

a node, if you plan more nodes you offten have to pay for more licenses, and don´t forget that this files should be transfared also to the node and back to you and if the network is not reachable for you (net split at you isp) you can´t work. As an example for better understanding please:

You talk about software in the headline of this thread, that is arround something likes several thousand dollars at the base and with several render engines or plugins and ....... much, much more and than you also want to know if this will be do able on a round about ~ 900 dollar product, ok sure it is very fancy and shining but ............

So that was a mass of lines and I think it was fair for both of us to be truthly come back with both feets on the good old mother earth. If you plan purely CAD there will be a way, but CAD with something likes inventor or revit will produce massive huge files and if you want to go render this files after than inside 3ds Max I call it a illusion.

Autodesk AutoCAD, Revit and Inventor on via bootcamp? OK but than perhaps an iMac MacPro or MacBookPro !!!!!

What Autodesk is telling arround their customers:

<http://www.autodesk.de/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=403786&id=16590383> 

Autodesk 3ds Max on a MacBookAir sould not be the best choice, in my opinion.

Best reagrds and good luck  from germany

Raoul