Solved! Whats more important, CPU or Graphic Card?

[clubber2k]

Hi

I'm an Architecture student looking for an affordable ultralight laptop (don't have money for a top line laptop). I won't be working on it (I'll work on desktop) but I need some thing ultralight to bring to class and walk with all day.

the two best available in my country are:
http/tinyurl.com/6j3rkxc - lenovo Edge 11 - with an AMD dual core chip and a dedicated READON graphic card and a 5400rpm hard drive.
http/tinyurl.com/5tscy57 - Thinkpad x121e - with a brand new intel i3 chip but integrated graphic card and 7200rpm hard drive.

I will be mainly using autocad and sketchup - BUT I want to learn and work on 3ds max and revit latter on.
what is more important to these uses? a good CPU like the i3 or a dedicated graphic card like the Readon?
does the rpm make a big difference? how slow/weak is the AMD chip really?

I'm really affried of the AMD chip so I'm leaning twords the x121e, but maybe with the READON card I'll get better performance in general?

annoying that there isn't an affordable ultralight 11 inch intel with a dedicated graphic card and 7200rpm hard drive.
Thanks in advance, I'm really lost in all the different specs

Yuval.

 

[rolli59]

My feeling is that the I3 is going to perform better regardless of the ??? card.

 

[WR2]

Provide links to the laptops or actual model numbers of the AMD and Intel CPUs.
'AMD dual core' and "brand new intel i3" are not specific enough to know which would be better.

I can tell you right now - the ultra light notebooks with ultra low voltage CPUs are not a good match for moderate to heavy autocad, sketchup, 3ds max and revit workloads. You'd be much better off with a standard 13"-14" laptop and hauling around an extra .5kg to get better performance and lower cost.

 

[clubber2k]

Thanks for the replies:

Provide links to the laptops or actual model numbers of the AMD and Intel CPUs.
'AMD dual core' and "brand new intel i3" are not specific enough to know which would be better.

I can tell you right now - the ultra light notebooks with ultra low voltage CPUs are not a good match for moderate to heavy autocad, sketchup, 3ds max and revit workloads. You'd be much better off with a standard 13"-14" laptop and hauling around an extra .5kg to get better performance and lower cost.

I added links on the original post to lenovo website with specs.

my friends have 14-15" and they hate it. I won't be working on it - almost at all. just hook it to a projector/big screen and view/rotate my models and so forth.
I just need it to be small, light and most importantly - work, maybe not perfectly but basicly as possible.

rolli59 - would you say I3 will always beat any AMD laptop, regardless of the video card?

 

[rolli59]

Thanks for the replies:




I added links on the original post to lenovo website with specs.

my friends have 14-15" and they hate it. I won't be working on it - almost at all. just hook it to a projector/big screen and view/rotate my models and so forth.
I just need it to be small, light and most importantly - work, maybe not perfectly but basicly as possible.

rolli59 - would you say I3 will always beat any AMD laptop, regardless of the video card?

No but I was expecting the AMD one to have a low grade GPU which it does. Here is a good site to compare everything about laptops http/www.notebookcheck.net/FAQ-Tips-Technics.123.0.html

 

[pepe2907]

On no one of these you can do something more as just learning Max basics. They are not suitable for any serious 3D work.

 

[k1114]

Both of the links have integrated graphics. The i3 laptop has a superior cpu and gpu.

 

[clubber2k]

No but I was expecting the AMD one to have a low grade GPU which it does. Here is a good site to compare everything about laptops http/www.notebookcheck.net/FAQ-Tips-Technics.123.0.html

Thanks, Great site. all these site benchmark games and not applications but its still something!

On no one of these you can do something more as just learning Max basics. They are not suitable for any serious 3D work.

Yes, but "will it blend?"
As I said I don't want to do ANY work on it. just view: no modeling / modifyers or rendering. will it allow me to view and rotate a medium size 3d building (lets say a detailed 8 story building, vegetation on hidden layer)?

Both of the links have integrated graphics. The i3 laptop has a superior cpu and gpu.

Thanks best answer yet!

so... sorry to argue, but will it blend?? (=view&rotate a medium size/complex 3d model)

 

[WR2]

What are the system requirements for blending, viewing and rotating a complex 3D model?
You probably know more about the software than any of us do.

I'm starting to think this is more of a software question than a laptop question.
As in ... "What does it take to run Autocad, Sketchup, 3dsMax and Revit to blend, view and rotate a medium size complex 3d model".

I'm pretty sure either one will 'run' those programs and do what you want. I just don't know if you'll be waiting 30 seconds or 10 minutes to get the screen to update after a 'rotate'.

 

[rolli59]

Thanks, Great site. all these site benchmark games and not applications but its still something!

All well known computing benchmarks http/www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html
With both CPU's well down on the list the I3 though higher.

 

[k1114]

I have personally tried the hd 3000(the i3's igpu) in max and maya 50k polys and it's not smooth maybe 5fps with textures on, wireframe didn't help, but 20k is workable (was a forest scene).

 

[WR2]

His i3 is the Core i3-2357M (1.3GHz) ULV which has the IGP running a lot slower - 350Mhz vs 650Mhz - for the standard Core i3-2310M (2.1Ghz) CPU.

 

[clubber2k]

What are the system requirements for blending, viewing and rotating a complex 3D model?
You probably know more about the software than any of us do.

I'm starting to think this is more of a software question than a laptop question.
As in ... "What does it take to run Autocad, Sketchup, 3dsMax and Revit to blend, view and rotate a medium size complex 3d model".

I'm pretty sure either one will 'run' those programs and do what you want. I just don't know if you'll be waiting 30 seconds or 10 minutes to get the screen to update after a 'rotate'.

My thoughts exactly! according to autodesk's website the raw specs are o.k. although they recommend against the intel hd graphics all together! but other notebooks with nvidia/readon cards aren't allot better (all 3rd class) and I can't afford allot more anyway.

I have personally tried the hd 3000(the i3's igpu) in max and maya 50k polys and it's not smooth maybe 5fps with textures on, wireframe didn't help, but 20k is workable (was a forest scene).

thats great information! thanks. doesn't ease my decision but very information - thanks.
I hope I'll manage to view most of what I need

-----

Well I went through most of the 11-12 notebooks In my country one more time. I only found dell's amazing alienware notebook that had NVIDIA 2nd class 540M card. considering it costs 150% more (Yes, really X2.5) I don't have much choice then hoping the x121e will be good enough - thanks all!

 

[WR2]

Once you get a chance to test it out.... get back to us and let us know how it's working out for you.
Not likely this will be the last time this type of question comes up.

 

[pepe2907]

"will it allow me to view and rotate a medium size 3d building (lets say a detailed 8 story building, vegetation on hidden layer)? "
I don't know what do you exactly mean by "detailed", but if you mean like taking award from Evermotion - no, it don't.
It's all about the "rotating" - one of the most difficult operations, performed by the graphics accelerator /most things in modelling, or let's say - animation, like calculating the frame states of a rigged soft body object as you may guess lie on the CPU/, so basically it doesn't matter much if you are modelling, or just viewing.

 

[clubber2k]

"will it allow me to view and rotate a medium size 3d building (lets say a detailed 8 story building, vegetation on hidden layer)? "
I don't know what do you exactly mean by "detailed", but if you mean like taking award from Evermotion - no, it don't.
It's all about the "rotating" - one of the most difficult operations, performed by the graphics accelerator /most things in modelling, or let's say - animation, like calculating the frame states of a rigged soft body object as you may guess lie on the CPU/, so basically it doesn't matter much if you are modelling, or just viewing.

Yup, I know rotating is on the graphic card. Thats my main concern. no need to animate or calculate frames.

Once you get a chance to test it out.... get back to us and let us know how it's working out for you.
Not likely this will be the last time this type of question comes up.

After realizing it was still the best option(at 11-12" under 1.5kg & an average price range) In my area right now I ordered it (with a 4gb ram upgrade). I will post my thoughts after I get it and have a good chance to test run. worst case I'll have to sell it for 70% of original price.


Thanks for now!

 

[clubber2k]

As promised my review of the X121e

http/www.tomshardware.com/forum/23075-10-lenovo-thinkpad-x121e-notebook-review

 

[rolli59]

Great job!