topic Re: Graphics Card Query in Revit Architecture Forum

Graphics Card Query

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 10:20:30 GMT

We're considering purchasing 4 new laptops for training purposes. They'll be used mainly for teaching Revit, which is the most graphics and memory hungry application we'll be using. The other applications are not as reliant on graphics and RAM as Revit is. I've listed the basic spec below:

Processor: 5th Generation Intel Core i7-5500U Processor (4M Cache, up to 3.00 GHz)
Operating System: Windows 8.1 Pro (64Bit) English
Display: 17.3 inch LED Backlit Touch Display with Truelife FHD resolution (1920 x 1080)
Memory: 12GB Dual Channel DDR3L at 1600MHz
Hard Drive: 2TB 5400 rpm SATA Hard Drive
Video Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® 920 4GB DDR3
Optical Drive: Tray load DVD Drive (Reads and Writes to DVD/CD)

Two things that concern me are the speed of the hard drive and the graphics card. Ideally the hard drives should be either 7200 rpm, SSD or a hybrid, but that can be changed out if necessary. The graphics card poses a problem as I've been informed that cannot be changed for one that is recommended by Autodesk (that's Dell speaking). When I try a customised configuration based on Autodesk's recommendations, the price is almost quadrupled. As we're looking at 4 laptops, that would blow my budget completely.

Has anyone has experience with working with this (or a similar) graphics card before? And, if so, did you experience any problems with it? Bearing in mind that these are training laptops, they are not going to be creating large projects with them and any renderings created, if any, with possibly be set to low resolution or processed in the cloud. Incidentally the above spec is for a Dell Inspiron 17 5000 series laptop.

If anyons has any comments or suggestions, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Thanks,

David

Re: Graphics Card Query

chrisplyler — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:10:54 GMT

If the graphics card glitches, you can always tell Revit not to use it. Unless rendering or working in Realistic or Ray Trace visual style all the time, Revit isn't really that taxing on graphics cards.

If I were going to worry about anything, I would option a smaller SSD instead of the 2T 5400rpm drive. And secondly I would be scared to use Revit for very much of my day on a 17" screen @ 1920x1080, but that's just a personal nightmare of mine.

Re: Graphics Card Query

rosskirby — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 18:20:59 GMT

It should be fine. Just make sure you disable any 4k graphic capabilities on the graphics card (if it has that functionality). I've read a few posts about that feature glitching Revit and causing flickering in the ribbon and other toolbars.

Re: Graphics Card Query

chrisplyler — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 13:46:31 GMT

I think he said the laptop native resolution is 1920x1080. I'm sure the card would be set to drive that right out of the box. No 4k to worry about.

But at 17 inches, it MIGHT bet set with some of Windows Scaling turned on. The threads I've seen relating to ribbon flickering and the like are related to that, not to 4k screens specifically.

Re: Graphics Card Query

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 12:47:27 GMT

Thanks, for your comments. I'm just curious about your statement about using a 17" screen at 1920x1080. I've tried to go for the biggest size possible, because there's nothing more frustrating than having to work in a tiny little drawing area. Granted, the resolution might be a bit high and that could be adjusted. I just don't like large icons on the screen.