GeForce 6800 GPU vs Quadro4 900 XGL

I am using GeForce 6800 GPU with 256 MB. Sure, it's a gaming card, but my SW
runs fine with it.
I have another Nvidia card - Quadro4 900 XGL 128 MB (certified for SW,
supports real view).
My dilema - should I pull the GeForce and install Quadro4? Real View is
nice, but is it worth going from 256MB to 128MB? Any comments, thoughts???
Thanks,
Boris

 

I doubt that you will see any impact of 256MB vs. 128MB. It might make a
difference if you do a lot of renderings, but I don't think it will matter
much in normal SolidWorks. The Quadro will do better when you have many
windows open, but apparently that doesn't matter much to you anyway. Try it
and see. Report back to us.

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

 

As I understand it alot of memory comes in handy if you are running two
screens off same video card or very high resolutions and/or high colour
depth.
So if neither of those applies to you there should be very little
difference.

 

My understanding is that this large amount of memory is used to store
texture in games. That much is not necessary in CAD.

 

Nothing personal mate - but don't blow people off before your in possession
of the facts.

What I ventured as some simple friendly guidance for Boris, came from
listening to the chief hardware development engineer for the Wildcat range
of cards at a talk he gave to our Solidworks user group a while back.

He would definitely know what he was talking about.

 

Thank you all for good comments. One more thing that I didn't mention -
GeForce card is a PCI Express interface, Quadro is PCI or AGP (not sure
yet), but not express. Wonder how this affects performance.
I will report back on how the cards actualy compare when I try the Quadro.
Wish there was a way to benchmark performance for objective testing.
Thanks again to all,
Boris

 

Boris,
Try this thread link. http://makeashorterlink.com/?T4CF251CA
It was a comparison of video cards performed by Eddy Hicks a while ago now
on comp.cad.solidworks.

Also, have a browse thru this search on google comp.cad.solidworks
http://makeashorterlink.com/?S3BF261CA

Cheers


Neville Williams
"remove the KNOT to reply"

 

Quadro cards are built for precision and stability. Gaming cards are
built for speed and not so much precision. I have used both and Quadro
cards are way more stable. Even if a Quadro card has less memory I feel
it would out perform a gaming card with more memory. Look at the
testing for SolidWorks, it isnt really a science. Someone has spelled
it out for us. They have ATI cards on there that are tested excellent
also, but they are not gaming cards they are CAD cards.

 

Interesting that you mention Dunedin - I had the opportunity to spend a few
days there in 1980. I was on my way home from 4 months in Australia and
stopped to visit a penpal that I have had since grade school named John
Grant. He picked me up at the airport and we spent the time looking around
the countryside. We went up to Benmore Power Station and had the good
fortune of being there at the right time to get a personal tour from the
boss. We got to go everywhere, including down to the turbines, the control
room , etc. I think we spent about 3 hours there!

WT

 

Other end of country - Auckland