The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Computer for an architecture student?
Sitting_quietly
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Long time lurker, first time poster.
I was accepted to grad-school to study architecture and I will need a new computer. I am not at all knowledgable about such things and I am looking for assistance in selecting a machine. I have read a bit else where and asked for help on actual architecture forums, with little progress made as a result.
I am assuming I will need a powerful laptop. I have also heard of people using dropbox to sync files to a home computer which then does the heavy work (rendering?) by remote access.
Can anyone here help me out with my complete ignorance?
Help me penny arcade, you're my only hope!
I was accepted to grad-school to study architecture and I will need a new computer. I am not at all knowledgable about such things and I am looking for assistance in selecting a machine. I have read a bit else where and asked for help on actual architecture forums, with little progress made as a result.
I am assuming I will need a powerful laptop. I have also heard of people using dropbox to sync files to a home computer which then does the heavy work (rendering?) by remote access.
Can anyone here help me out with my complete ignorance?
Help me penny arcade, you're my only hope!
Sitting_quietly on
0
Posts
Have a nice day!
This is what the department has provided as far as suggestion:
http://www.sala.ubc.ca/resources/it-services-0/recommended-student-hardware
They say, on the subject of software:
"As the programme of study requires intensive graphic usage, i.e. CAD drawings, 3D modeling and media use, a good rule-of-thumb is to buy the best machine that you can afford. This will mean a fast processor, ample RAM, large hard drive and very importantly, a graphics card that is capable of supporting OpenGL architecture and meeting the demanding needs of the major applications you will be required to use."
I have been thinking about buying a Lenovo W510 thinkpad and upgrading its memory:
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/notebooks/thinkpad/w-series/w510
I've heard that they are quite sturdy, however I'm wondering if there would be an alternative that would offer a similar oomph but with a gaming grade graphics card.
Thanks for the responses guys!
That makes me think the shitty graphics cards you get in most laptops probably wouldn't cut it.
CAD isn't too extreme, until you start 3D modelling buildings. Then you want some real horsepower, or you're going to be waiting days for stuff to render.
Do you have to have a laptop?
Be cause if not, an average consumer level p.c. with a sandy bridge processor will do just fine if you upgrade the graphics card to something like this, and a RAM upgrade to 8 gigs. So, you could probably get away with spending less than $1200 fairly easily.
The computer I currently have is a pile of garbage--I could probably buy a desktop and dump it at school, but then I'd be unable to work on stuff anywhere but there.
So I guess I would prefer to buy a laptop....
It makes life a hell of a lot easier.
And to clarify: 3D rendering isn't generally GPU intensive - it's CPU intensive. The 3D viewport inside the application (the realtime preview whilst modeling) is GPU intensive.
With lots of different viewing layers (so that you don't see the entire model at once, if you're for instance making a large detailed building) it's very possible to make complex modeling and rendering with a laptop.
You'd obviously want a good laptop though! Just pointing out, I have a 4 year old laptop that I can still do very detailed modeling and rendering with. The rendering is the part that mostly takes a lot of unnecessary time because the CPU isn't all that great. The GPU, 4 year old Nvidia mobile with 1k RAM, manages about 50 to 75k polygons in a scene before it starts to become a choke point (I use Maya, ymmv with different applications).
What I did was build myself a home PC. 8 Gig Ram, Quad Core CPU, and a very nice game type graphics card. The Quad Core and the 8 gigs ram is the key thing, especially for programs like Revit. You can get a specific architecture type graphics card but its usually not worth it if you have a fast CPU. I can get more specific if you like.
In the end it saved my ass because everyone else with laptops had issues with rendering or building up final presentation boards, and laptops are just not made for high end adobe/3dMax/Revit work, at least they were not a couple of years ago. If you must get a laptop go here: http://www.notebookreview.com/ and pick the best brand. I would recommend lenovo or sager if they are still around.
Tons of my fellow classmates had apple laptops that they ran windows on, they all seemed to like that setup. But EVERYONE that had this setup (and i do mean everyone) had at least one major crash with a return to apple for repairs, again because it does not pay to run adobe indesign with 3d max and revit in the background all on an OS that the computer isnt really even set up for. That said, past that one issue most people never had a problem again.
Protips: Learn Revit Architecture as fast as you can it will help you find an internship, also learn Sketchup and VRay Renderer. AutoCAD is useless now but you will still need it for the file types. Also never pay for any autodesk programs until you graduate. Students that cannot afford 2000$ programs and autodesk education, the website where autodesk claims to hand out student licenses for free, always runs out of license keys. So look elsewhere hint hint.
Also also buy 2 external hard drives exclusively for schoolwork, architecture files can get huge, I cannot recall have often having 2 backups have saved my butt. CAD/Revit/Max/Adobe files can get huge fast, I am talking 2 GB per file huge.
Also also also, just bite the bullet and get 2 screens, a laptop screen and a extra monitor would do nicely.
Also also also also never ever bring in an extra screen or desktop PC to your studio, leave that shit at home the first few years. People will always try to borrow it for some experimental render that takes 16 hours to complete. Then you will just be that guy. And you dont want to be that guy.
Bacardi: Thanks for the huge post. How much time did you spend in studio if your computer was at home? Did you also have a laptop (you mention having a large screen and a laptop late in the post)? Are you suggesting that I just ignore the laptop and just get a desktop for home, which I would use for school?
I eventually had both.
First year I spent a ton of time in studio but sans any computer, studio for me was physical models and drawing, then i would work at home on the computer. The entire first part of my schooling avoided a lot of computer work that might be at other schools so working at home wasnt a big deal because it was not a huge time-sink. 2nd Year I got a laptop to use in the studio but that thing got used so much it got obsolete real fast, again we are talking 3-4 years ago now so laptops have made huge leaps since then. Then thesis year I always had that laptop with me but I only used it to bring in pictures/renderings to show the professors, those renderings I made at home on my desktop. I would be rendering at home while I was at studio working on other things.
After thinking about it some more i would say start with a laptop + backup drives, then once you really get into it for a couple of years get a home desktop. Thats what I would do if i could do my purchases over again, save cash with just the laptop up front, then buy the home PC after saving up a bit more. The newer home PC would really help you later in school when top notch renderings and 3d work are a must. That sort of thing isnt so much needed the first year or so of school.
As to the extra screen, while i totally recommend it, it is a luxury.
As for the two screens thing, pretty much every engineering professor in this building or anyone that has even anything remotely to do with CAD-type software has at least two monitors.
They simply refuse to exist in a world where this is not the case.
Also keep in mind that if you go with a desktop-at-home/laptop-in-class combo, there are plenty of free programs available that'll help you use both at the same time and easily sync files between them if you absolutely need to.
This is the Thinkpad w510 that I bought:
Processor - Intel Core i7-820QM Processor (1.73GHz, 8MB L3, 1333MHz)
Operating system - Genuine Windows 7 Professional (64 bit)
Display type - 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 aspect 95% colour gamut Anti-Glare display with LED backlight and WWAN antenna
System Graphics - NVIDIA Quadro FX 880M with 1GB DDR3 Memory
Total memory - 2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
Hard drive - 128GB Solid State Drive, Serial ATA
I'm going to buy more memory online and replace what's in there, as well as purchase two external hard drives.
I have a 24 inch monitor that I will ship out with me to school. I guess in a year or so, I'll see about whether I want or need a home desktop as well.