Upgrading graphics card for using marmoset and udk

JamesMeader

I currently have an ati FirePro v7900 high end grahics card.

My workflow and purpose has changed from making fancy images and to now solely focusing on making game models and eventually udk environments(but still using zbrush and 3dsmax for high poly models)

Marmoset doesn't work with my graphics card and sick of moving to my laptop every time I want to use it.

However I want to know that with possibly getting a Radeon or GeForce that it will work in conjunction with my dual Intel Xeon processors.


I just want the best machine to make game content

I'll add the full spec what I have but it's basically a high end workstation.

Any help or even examples of your own machines would be helpful.

Thank you.

thomasp

i remember being unable to run marmoset (the very old free version) on an nvidia quadro card. but all the geforce's i've had since have coped just fine. it is evident from the toolbag thread that alot of issues are solved by using the right nvidia drivers and by staying away from ATI cards.

else it's just a question of how highend a card you want to have. i prefer quiet and passively cooled over three-storey tall power-sucking monsters that sound like a jet engine but to each their own.

ZacD

Any GeForce card would work well, how much are you looking to spend?

MM

i am running firepro w7000 and no issue with toolbag2 or anything else for that matter.

toolbag1 had flickering displacement but everythign else works fine. however, this only happened with older certified drivers. latest drivers work fine for me.

i can even play the latest PC games at very high spec which was a surprise to me and a bonus.

contact AMD and see if you can get an exchange, although i am not sure if that is something they would ever do.

JamesMeader

MMi have updated drives but currently using marmoset toolbag 1.2 so maybe getting 2 may work.

ZacD that's a good question, ideally not a hell of a lot but with replacing what I have I want the equivalent in power. Don't exactly want to go backwards in specs. Just a sensible price to get one that will do exactly what I want and better.

Thomasp honestly when choosing a FirePro I made a mistake. I didn't realise that amd do 2 cards, high end workstation and Radeon. I have a Radeon in my laptop and it works marmoset and udk and all my other programmes a treat.

Within the first week of getting my workstation I had to get a replacement and even when replaced It I kept getting some weird issues.

I just wish I knew what I know now, I would of got a totally different machine.

I just want someone to tell me get this one and your'll never look back.

EarthQuake

Generally, quadro/firegl cards are optimized for different things (like display of anti-aliased wireframe), and their drivers aren't maintained with a focus on games like raedon/geforce cards are. So if you're going to be working in realtime apps like marmoset and udk, its best to go for a high-end gamer focused card. It will generally cost a lot less for the same or better performance.

JamesMeader

EarthQuake thanks for that. If I were to get a GeForce card would it work ok with my existing workstation Intel Xeon processors?

Looking into getting the Nvidia GeForce GTX780 and also update my hard drives too. Bit of an overhaul but a much needed one.

EarthQuake

Yeah, there should be no reason why it wouldn't work with your Xeon's.

A GTX780 is going to give you really good performance in Toolbag 2, even with all the fancy stuff enabled. Should also give you very good performance in UDK as well.

The only thing to note really with geforce/raedon cards vs firegl/quadros is that most 3d apps like Max, Maya etc do not "officially" support them, but I've been using gamer type cards for years (and most people on polycount do as well) without any serious issues.

JamesMeader

EarthQauke awesome, good to know that it will work all right together.

It's ironic actually that FirePro are supposed to be certified cards for 3ds max and I've had so many little issues that I never got from my Radeon on my laptop.

Excited to get the ball rolling and sort out the computer.

Thanks fort the help EarthQuake.

passerby

ya if you got the money the geforce gtx 780 or 780ti, is pretty much the best out there, if money is a issue than i would go for a gtx 660.

im on a gtx660ti, and maya, toolbag 1, udk, zbrush pretty much everything runs perfect, not sure how it will pair with your processors, but im just running on a more modest i7 with 16gb ram and it's fine.

JamesMeader

passerby Thanks for that.

Hopefully have everything bought and fitted in by the end of the year.