New Hardware (graphics etc.)

[dan_inv09]

Quoting IT talking to my boss:

"We did an “apples for apples” model/feature comparison to the Dells that we’ve been buying and the HP’s will be less $$$.

The Dells were only capable of having 4G of RAM as a system board limitation and Windows XP and Windows7 32-bit are only capable of using up to 4G.

Even more good news is that the HP’s will be capable of loading up to 24G of onboard RAM and 64-bit Windows 7 will take advantage of it.

Maybe in the meantime Dan can verify that your version of Inventor software will be up to the task.  32-bit software will run on Windows 7 64-bit.

I’ll get pricing on putting 8G of RAM in the machines too.  I’d initially asked for 6G pricing."

"The graphics card we’re spec’ing out in our “higher end” Engineering workstations is an NVIDIA Quadro FX4800 1.5GB Graphics card.

Higher end, meaning, an upgraded video card.  That card drives the price up about $1100.

The standard video adaptor on our Engineering workstations is an HP NVIDIA Quadro FX580 512MB Graphics card.

Still waiting on specific pricing but from what I saw on the initial quotes we’re talking around $1600/$2700 including a 24” monitor w/ 3 year onsite.  Monitors are about $200.

The HP’s are priced a bit better than what we were getting from Dell and the specs are a bit better."

Is the FX4800 really $1100 better than the FX580?

(Is there better value out there?)

Any other advice? I don't have any more information than I quoted here yet. Is there anything we have to look out for with HPs? Has anyone else compared/switched between Dell & HP and regretted/loved it?

It's been about 3 years since I got to think about new machines, so I don't even know what to ask.

[Anonymous]

Had this machine since December, and I love it.

I am not fond of HP.

Inventor 2011
Dell Precision T3500
Windows 7 64-bit
6GB RAM
dual NVidia Quadro FX1800
Driver 8.17.12.5912

[dan_inv09]

Our IT seems to think HP's a better value for the money. Is there something in particular that caused your lack of fondness that might convince them it's not?

[blair]

I built this machine last september and love it. It priced out cheaper than either Dell or HP. I was able to get exactly what I wanted. The only way I can tell if the machine us running, it to look at the power LED. Even the case has sound deadening foam on the side panels. I can't even hear any fans.

[blair]

With the move from OpenGL to D3D in Inventor, if you use any other software that required OpenGL, then the Quadro card is the way to go.

If not, possible look at a real fast "Gamer" card. Yes the FX4800 is much faster than the 580 card.

[Anonymous]

Just my opinion, haven't had a HP computer in a long time.  It's hard to say from what you posted why they think the HP's are better value,  there are many different models of workstations.

[mcgyvr]

My last machine was an HP machine.. The bios was so old on it that it did not properly support my dual core processor. However a quick bios flash fixed that. (which I would recommend for any computer where the bios is not up to date prior to installing any software).

Now my new machine is a cyberpowerPC.. I friggin love it. Like Blair I can't even tell its on. I'm not a big fan branded computers like Dell/HP.. Sometimes your paying for a name,etc... I've been really happy with cyberpowerpc. Have your IT build a system and check out the features you can get with that versus an HP/Dell

[MIKEDAKOVICH3386]

We were thinking of buying a HP HPEt series with a i7-930 2.8GHz and 9 gb of DDR3ram,windows7 ulitimate 64 and was going to put a Quadro FX 1800 in it. Is this a bad choice?

[dan_inv09]

I got the impression that they "built" a machine or two they thought were the same and HP's price came out lower.

[dan_inv09]

I think the "3 year onsite" is part of the reason they want to go with "branded" (Especially since our IT department is not onsite - there's a couple of guys a three hour drive away and the main IT office is halfway across the country.)

[dan_inv09]

I just noticed you have dual cards, is that something I should have them look into? What sort of benefits does that give?

[Anonymous]

Up to 4 monitors.

[dan_inv09]

Is it $1100 faster?

I remember, many years ago some people were getting by with gamer cards, but I think one of the issues was having multiple windows open; I assume this isn't a problem with Direct3D (I like a lot of windows open).

Inventor is the only thing we run that would have any special graphics requirements. What would be the flat out best for just Inventor? (It looks like we could get two GeForce GTX480s for the $1100 that the upgrade from the Quadro FX580 to the FX4800 costs.)

Is there anywhere I can find a side by side comparison? The Nvidia site doesn't seem to want you to compare the professional cards to the retail ones.

Also, would substituting the "Gamer" card have any effect on warranty/support in a work environment?

[dan_inv09]

I was thinking Two was all I could really handle, but now you've got me thinking ... but I'd have to get one of those brackets, I could maybe handle one more horizontally.

Or, thanks to that stupid ribbon bar, maybe turning the monitors the tall way could work having inventor on just one of 3+.

Great, now I'll be thinking about this all day.

[Anonymous]

On my old workstation I had a Quadro FX1400 with 2 monitors.  When I had alot of application windows open it would bog down.

I only have 2 monitors now, each one on its own card, you can have alot of windows open.

I typically move the browser off the main screen, and you can undock the ribbon and move it over there too.

Typically use one monitor for referencing customer drawings/specs.

Waiting for the right time I can get my boss to spring for another 24" monitor.

[dan_inv09]

How do you undock the ribbon? I can pull it off on piece at a time but then I've got to go through each tab ...

[brian.cranston]

See if you can get the Quadro 4000 instead. It's the latest with support for DirectX11.  In most specs it's faster than the FX4800.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_11761.html

What Dell model was hardware limited to 4g ram? 

[Anonymous]

Right click on grey space and click Undock.

[dan_inv09]

When will we have to have DirectX 11? (I think it might be better if this next machine could become obsolete for inventor in about 2 years - the ones we've got now are out of their 3 year warranty and the boss had to fight for authorization to have IT start working on replacing them.)

They don't seem enthusiastic about the $1100 to get to the FX4800 - I can't seem to find prices for the Quadros, I'll have to look for the HP site and see what's available.

And, I don't know what Dell models he was looking at. (My initial post has all the information I have at this point.)

[brian.cranston]

Windows 7 is Directx11. 

When I looked at a HP Z800 workstation, the new Quadro 4000 and 5000 were at the very bottom of the video card list.

-Brian