video card question

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I have a video card question.  I have been wanting to get a newish desktop and stop using my laptop for Fusion 360.  Yesterday I just learned there is a big difference between gaming cards and engineering or CAD modeling cards.  So this brings my question.  What will work better for Fusion since I use the CAM function a as my primary tool.  I do model my parts on a regular basis but use CNC simulation as well to verify tool path.  

Should I be looking for a gaming card for the sim or a engineering video card?

Thanks

[PhilProcarioJr]

@Anonymous

Definitely a high end gaming card. On both my systems with CAD video cards in them performance is crap. I switched my work machine over to a high end gaming card and it has been very responsive and no problems. I also use the CAM side a lot.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Phil,

My laptop has a discrete 2GB gaming card in it and I saw a Xeon workstation with a Nvidia FX2000 card in it for a good price so I was considering purchasing it.  Think I may pass on this one for now.

[PhilProcarioJr · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous

I was running a Quadro M4000 which is much better then the Nvidia FX2000 card, and was not happy at all with performance in Fusion. 

Performance in Solidworks was around 300 FPS, Fusion dipped down to 32 FPS same model.

CAM performance in Gibbs was around 117 FPS, Fusion dipped down to 11 FPS same model. (just under 2 million lines of code)

Performance in Solidworks with gaming card and registry hack was around 240 FPS, Fusion 212 FPS same model.

CAM performance in Gibbs with gaming card was 168 FPS, Fusion 190 FPS same model. (just under 2 million lines of code)

That said performance in Solidworks was fantastic with the M4000.

If you really want awesome performance make sure your work station has 16GB of ram and a high-end gaming card with at least 4GB of memory.

Unless you push Fusion past "IT'S" limits you will be very happy with the performance.

This has been my experience with the two types of cards.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Phil. I appreciate the input.