512 meg video cards

Can anyone recommend a 512 meg video card, I'm running large
assemblies, and although , I work in smaller sub assemblies , sometimes
it can't be avoided working in the highest assembly level.


I am running 4 gig of memory showing 3.25 and using an intel chip at
3.4 ghz, my current video card is a Quadro fx 1300.


Thanks Mo.

 

SW benefits little with increased graphics card memory beyond 128 meg.
I doubt you'd see any difference between 256 and 512 at all, unless you have
an insane number of windows open concurrently.

Given that amount of ram useage, I'm assuming that you are using the 64
bit SW? If you are not, thats likely your current limiting factor.

If you are working 64 bit, I'd look to increase system ram. Windows has
a nasty habit of paging to disk, even when there is quite a bit of ram space
available. Next time you have the big assy open, look at task manager. If
'physical memory total' - 'physical memory available' is a larger value that
what your current commit charge is, then you are paging to disk. I've seen
windows begin paging when 30% of physical ram is still available.

 

Hi, nope working in 32 bit, but upgrading to 64 bit is going to be a
dilemma as I would have to upgrade alll software to 64 bit? And also I
run 32 bit at home so I wouldn't be able to work at home which I
generally do.

So 256 or 512 won't help, it seems to make a diff on my home pc but
there i run an athlon dual core.


Any other suggestions?
Mo.

 

No real suggestions. You are at the cap for ram useage at 32 bit.
Somewhere there's a guide to set all your sw settings for maximum
performance. Possibly someone else could point you towards it. Doing so
'might' help.

If a 64 bit sw file can be run on a 32 bit system ( not sure, but
probably ), you could set up your work computer to dual boot to 64 bit os
when you have to work on the full assembly. Then again, not sure your cpu
is 64 bit.

 

"Most" 32 bit software will run on 64 bit platform. You just need to
upgrade OS. Hardware Drivers (lack of) are biggest obstacle.

Not sure about the "at home" comment. Files "created" from SW 64 & 32 are
interchangeble.

 

The FX1300 is sort of a dog. It was the first Quadro for PCIe and was
really just a hack on the old FX1100. ANY of the new Quadro FX series
boards will be faster - even the 550/560.

The FX1400 or FX1500 would be good choices for you. They are fast and
reasonably priced. If you want to hedge your bet with Vista looming
in the future, get the FX1500 with 256MB RAM.

If you have a 512MB video card at home, it's probably a high end gaming
card - which would be comparable to an FX1400/1500 in SolidWorks. If
your X2 is 2.4GHz or faster, then you have a considerably faster CPU
than your P4 at work, too.

 

So, what kind of problems are you having? Depending on what is going on, you
could probably benefit from using the 3 GB Switch, if you aren't already
doing so.

Jerry Steiger
Tripod Data Systems
"take the garbage out, dear"