Want a fast machine?

[Fletch]

Some people are not aware that there's an inexpensive Windows based computer out there that has ability to render with Twilight on 8 threads.

*edit* Here is the exact machine I use.
CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme 1002 Intel Core i7 920(2.66GHz) 3GB DDR3 500GB NVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit - Retail *edit*

I purchased a Core i7 6 months ago, and can tell you that rendering on 8 threads is a whole new world. The whole computer including a mouse and keyboard, but no screen cost less than $1000 in the U.S. at NewEgg.com. If you plan on rendering animations or large resolutions with Twilight, I recommend this computer highly. Go for the 2.6mhz or faster speed and you will be a happy camper.

I had owned up to that point a simple 5 year old single processor machine at 2mhz. Rendering the same scene on both machines ended with this result:

single processor at 2mhz - 9min render time on test scene
corei7 at 2.66mhz - 1min render time on test scene
=9x faster renderings than my old machine.

so, due to the 2.66mhz speed increase, it was like getting another entire processor in the mix...

Today I see that there is a cheaper version, the Corei5. But I don't believe it is hyperthreaded to 8 threads. If not, I wouldn't bother, as the cost savings is only $100 on the processor... what's the point really?

a review of Corei5

comparison chart

Happy Rendering,

*edit* p.s. I also render using a Laptop (2mhz Intel Centrino Duo Latitude D620)... but when I do, I dream of using my desktop Corei7 *edit*

[Solo]

Oh hell yeah, I got a 940 i7 @ stock standard 2.93Mhz, running Vista ultimate 64 bit, 12GB DDR3 Corsair dominator ram and a Geforce 285 1GB, what a monster rendering machine. I have the extreme water cooling kit and you cannot even hear a sound even if the machine is open.

[Ecuadorian]

Man, when it comes to tech, I really hate to be in Ecuador. Prices are higher due to shipping and customs, and my favorite local distributor (XionPC) currently carries a Core i7 but no compatible motherboard. They also tend to carry LCD monitors with VGA connector only

[notareal]

They also tend to carry LCD monitors with VGA connector only

Ermm... how is that possible! I feel sorry for you, but you are not alone the that kind of wagon. Here in Finland we need to pay premium on everyting... and sometimes special hardware if difficult or impossible to find. Like when I was building my latest rig, I wanted to have multiporosessor board with two E5520... no available.

Core i7 is really nice CPU, worth of every €$£... btw there is now Core i7 for LGA 1156 (same socket what that i5 uses). I tought that those motherboard would be little ceaper than first released i7 for LGA 1366, but looks you cold build i7 920 system sill in a little bit tighter budget (LGA 1156 motherboard should cost $75-$50 less than LGA 1366 board). Windows 7 is must for core i5/i7 as Win7 system ramps to Turbo Boost faster, resulting better performance (and higher power consumption). For LGA 1156 my pick would be i7 860. i5 does not have hyper threatening.

[JGA]

How do you find the PC with the likes of SKUP? If it can only use a single core, would an older processor with a faster clock speed be better?

[notareal]

i5/i7 have a feature called turboboost. So when program uses only one core, it's clock speed will rise. i7 860 with turboboost will run at 3.46 GHz. So older cpu do have to work a lot to beat that. Keep in mind that clock by clock i5/i7 beats older intel processors.

[Fletch]

i5 does not have hyper threatening.

For those of us who may not know what that means... that means that i5 is a quad-core processor, like i7, but the i7 renders in Twilight with 8 threads, while i5 renders only with 4 threads... so, don't bother with i5, even if it saves $100, it's a waste of money from the moment you render your first image, in my humble opinion.

[notareal]

Forgot to mention that even if i7 860 (LGA 1156) system might cost a bit more that i7 920 system, it's not that much and if you use SU a lot, then i7 860 should be cosiderably faster than i7 920 because of higher turboboost. Like Fletch said hyper threatening means a lot when rendering, benefit of 8 threads is obvious and when comparing to i5 that have to keep in mind.

[Fletch]

did not know about the 860 turboboost thing all these little numbers and different products are very very confusing.

I see that these were not avail. 6 mths ago - whew! almost had a heart attack.

I see that the Corei7 970 has turboboost to 3.6ghz speed! Whoa! Pushing the 4.0 envelope here... It would be like rendering with more than 20 of my old 1-processor machine. For the same price in US dollars!

[notareal]

Turboboost effects only to one core, so it not a big deal in rendering as if app uses more that one core, then turboboost wont kick in. It's good to applicatins that dont support multiple cores. Older i7 do have turboboost also, but looks like it's tuned better with these now ones.