# PC config for 3D Modeling, Animation, Rendeing with Zbrush, Maya, Keyshot...



## geek_kjay (Dec 17, 2014)

*PC config for 3D Modeling, Animation, Rendering with Zbrush, Maya, Keyshot...*

1. What is the purpose of the computer? What all applications and games are you going to run? (Stupid answers like 'gaming' or 'office work' will not work. Be exact. Which games? Which applications? Avoid the word 'et cetera.')
Ans: Workstation PC for 3D modeling,animation,rendering. Apps which I'm going to run include Maya, ZBrush, Keyshot and ofcourse Photoshop for digital painting. And also casual gaming!

2. What is your overall budget? If you can extend a bit for a more balanced configuration, then mention this too.
Ans: Around 45K.

3. Planning to overclock?
Ans: Yes.

4. Which Operating System are you planning to use?
Ans: Windows 8 & higher.

5. How much hard drive space is needed?
Ans: None. I have Seagate 1TB SSHD.

6. Do you want to buy a monitor? If yes, please mention which screen size and resolution do you want. If you already have a monitor and want to reuse it, again mention the size and resolution of monitor you have.
Ans: No. I have Samsung 22 inch monitor (SA300).

7. Which components you DON'T want to buy or which components you already have and plan on reusing?
Ans: 
Currently, I'm using my laptop (samsung np300e5z-a0min) connected to the monitor for dual screen advantage.

Monitor: Samsung 22 inch SA300
Wireless KB+Mouse: Microsoft wireless desktop 800
UPS: APC 1100VA
SMPS: Seasonic S12II 520W
HDD: Seagate SSHD 1TB
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212x
DVD Writer: Asus DRW-24D3ST

8. When are you planning to buy the system?
Ans: During next 2 months. CPU in January, MB,RAM,Case in Feb!! GPU later.

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?
Ans: Yes

10. Where do you live? Are you buying locally? Are you open to buying stuff from online shops if you don't get locally?
Ans: Hyderabad. I prefer to buy online. I purchased all the above components (except the monitor) on Snapdeal this month. It was an awesome shopping experience!! I got all of them delivered well n good at a discount price by using coupons!!

11. Anything else which you would like to say?
Ans: I only need CPU, MB, RAM and a Case to build my PC. Rest of the components I bought them already online for 19K. I have gone through many tech forums including Digit for PC configs. And I have come up with this config for the following components:

CPU: Intel I7 4790k
Motherboard: Asus Z97-A
RAM: HyperX Fury 8GB 1866 C10
Case: Cooler master N500 or Corsair 300R. I did search for Deepcool Tesseract but it's out of stock everywhere!
GPU: Nvidia 750TI or Asus R7 265 ( not included in this budget, but willing to buy later on )

Some questions regarding this config:

1. I work with Maya a lot. You know that Maya's viewport 2.0 is GPU based. Now will this IGPU (HD 4600) offer decent performance inside Maya's viewport 2.0 ? I'm going to learn and practice dynamics simulations inside Maya in coming months.

2. I would buy a GPU later on. Which one would you suggest for 3D apps like Maya? Should I go for Quadro/Firepro or GTX/Radeon? Also I don't want to SLI/Crossfire coz I heard that there are of no use for Maya. Right now I work with Mental ray, Vray, Keyshot which are CPU based. But in future I'm going to be working on GPU based renderers like Vray RT, Arnold. So..


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## bssunilreddy (Dec 17, 2014)

CPU: Intel Xeon E3 1230 v3 -16000,
Motherboard: Gigabyte H97-D3H -8000,
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB(4GBx2) 1600Mhz C9-6000,
Case: Corsair 300R -5000,
GPU: Zotac GTX750Ti 2GB -10500.
TOTAL -45,500.


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## geek_kjay (Dec 18, 2014)

I don't want to go for discrete GPU right now. I mean not in this budget! But I'll surely add in a GPU later when I start to work with GPU based renderers like Arnold. For now, I need a proccy with more clock speed coz maya is CPU intensive. Xeon E3 isn't overclockable, ryt? I only use mental ray, keyshot for rendering which solely rely on CPU. 

But yeah, Maya's viewport is GPU driven. I'm a student doing BFA in Animation. I'll be using this rig for learning purpose, to create an awesome demo reel in future. My scene file won't be complex. Hope you got my point. So, will the IGPU (HD 4600) offer me a decent, stutter free viewport performance for this requirement? I want to know this from Maya users here. Also I don't game a lot and I won't find time for it!!


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## adityak469 (Dec 18, 2014)

you thought out rig is superb. 

I dont know if maya requires something exclusive, but if its just about power, HD 4600 is good enough.


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## geek_kjay (Dec 19, 2014)

Found some standard benchmarks on workstation class GPUs.

About the test: *www.spec.org/gwpg/gpc.static/vp12info.html
Test subject (maya 2013): *www.spec.org/gwpg/gpc.static/maya04.html
Test results: *www.spec.org/gwpg/gpc.data/vp12/maya-perf.html
HD (P)4600 performance: *www.spec.org/gwpg/gpc.data/vp12/Lenovo/E32_E3-1275v3_Intel_P4600/resultHTML.html

For such a large model, HD P4600 is giving around 13.88 FPS@1900x1060 under test 1 inside maya 2013. But in maya 2014, major performance improvements were done regarding its viewport. So I'm assuming HD 4600 should churn out some more FPS under maya 2014. Anyway considering my requirements (learning purpose), I opine the IGPU will do the job just OK. But I'm not sure though. What's your opinion, guys?


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## adityak469 (Dec 19, 2014)

geek_kjay said:


> Found some standard benchmarks on workstation class GPUs.
> 
> About the test: *www.spec.org/gwpg/gpc.static/vp12info.html
> Test subject (maya 2013): *www.spec.org/gwpg/gpc.static/maya04.html
> ...



work with IGPU for now and buy dedicated GPU when you actually need it.


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## sinhead (Dec 25, 2014)

I agree with adityak. Work with igpu for now. 

I too work with maya, currently using an Ati HD5450 card (1gb). Good enough for 3d modelling purposes.
I have previously used a similar range 512 mb card, and have also with managed with onboard graphics card. My 3d scenes/ models aren't  too complex or heavy, so they do the job. 
But now I have decided to go for Ati firepro v4900. I don't get time to play games so I don't need a gaming card. I'll update any improvements I notice.
good luck!!


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## geek_kjay (Jul 2, 2015)

Sorry guys, I was a bit tardy in updating the post... may be due to my busy college work. Anyway I'm updating it now with the final configuration of my workstation PC. First of all, I'm fully satisfied with its performance. Maya with its viewport 2.0 running on HD4600 IGPU offers a decent FPS that is good enough for practice work. And Mental ray renders out frames very quick due to powerful CPU that is installed. I consider this config as a solid foundation to which I would like to add an SSD, a GPU, another 8GB RAM in future, to improve it's performance even further!

*Workstation PC configuration:*
*Case:* Cooler Master HAF (High Air Flow) XB Evo 
*CPU*: Intel Core I7 4790K 4Ghz with HD4600 IGPU
*CPU Cooler:* Cooler Master Hyper 212X Evo
*Motherboard:* Asus Z97 Pro Gamer
*RAM:* HyperX Fury 8GB 1866Mhz
*HDD:* Seagate SSHD 1TB
*DVD Drive:* Asus DVDRW
*Keyboard/Mouse:* Microsoft Wireless 800
*Monitor:* Samsung S22D390QS FullHD IPS Panel
*SMPS:* Seasonic 520W
*UPS:* APC 1100VA BR1100CI-IN
*Total: 72k INR*

Other gadgets which I already own, adding completeness to my workstation:
*Tablet:* Wacom Intuos 5
*TV Tuner*: Pinnacle PCTV 100i (For video surveillance, and it's IR receiver connected to COM port is driven by Eventghost automation software)

*Speakers:* Philips HTR5000 AV Receiver 5.1
*Printer cum Scanner:* Canon MP150 MFD
*Wireless Router: *Asus RT-N13u B1 (Runs on OpenWRT + Rtorrent for 24/7 torrent downloads)

Small photo shoot at home with my PC 
*www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.701057896665630.1073741826.100002842785416&type=1&l=2ddfe32e8c

Thank you, digitians for your replies..


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