NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Apple Forums › Apple Notebooks › For Maya - high spec PC or Powerbook
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

For Maya - high spec PC or Powerbook

post #1 of 32
6/21/05 at 8:24am
Thread Starter 
Hi everyone,
I'm about to buy a labtop. I've so far been using my home brewed PC desktop. I have searched the internet an the stores for a while now. I use Maya, different CAD programs and picture editing programs (-Yes I am student of architecture. I have a hard time deciding what to buy since the powerbooks got quite affordable.
Here a the main specs of my choice of PC labtop versus the Powerbook:
screen: 15,4" TFT WUXGA
CPU: Intel® Pentium® M 2,13 GHz, 533 MHz FSB, 2 MB L2 Cache
RAM: 1 or 2 GB 533 MHz DDR2-SDRAM (2x 512 MB)
GPU: nVidia® Quadro™ FX Go1400 PCI-Express 3D OpenGL 256 MB

Dos anyone of you have experience with 3D moddeling on a powerbook compared to a high spec PC labtop? :
-Does the higher resulution of a PC help a lot, or is the PB's good enough?
-Is the PB's 128MB Radeon 9700 comparable to the nVidea Quadro FX 1400 with 256MB?
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 32
6/21/05 at 12:57pm
If you're going to do 3d modelling on a Mac, the PowerBooks are underspeced. PowerMacs on the other hand are used widely in the industry.

In this case, unfortunately, between a PowerBook and a PC Laptop, I'd have to recommend the PC laptop.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 32
6/21/05 at 2:31pm
pc laptop... maya recomends a different video card from the powerbook and the added power of a 6800 or quadro fx 1400 or firegl will definately be noticeable.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 32
6/21/05 at 6:16pm
Student of architecture here, also.... 1 more month! Long overdue. Anyways....

I hate to say it, but you will need a pc, especially for AutoCad use. You can get by with a mac for other things- there are some grea rendering and modeling programs on the Mac, and SketchUp (my fav. modeller) is available on the mac and the pc. But I have not come across a good Cad program on the mac yet.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 32
6/21/05 at 7:18pm
Pc. Hp nw8240 or maybe the Dell m70.

Greets from Germany.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 32
6/21/05 at 8:16pm
kwick, have u used vectorworks at all? has a nice review here

here's a blip that addresses many ppl's questions re: CAD on a Mac...

"The Viewports feature is even more valuable because Viewports views are now maintained during import and export, using AutoCAD’s native DWGformat. And VectorWorks 11 supports AutoCAD 2004 formats and the sharing of 3-D data—including 3-D solids information. These enhancements let VectorWorks designers integrate seamlessly into project teams that use different CAD programs in Windows."
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 32
6/22/05 at 2:23am
in my opinion a laptop should NEVER be your primary computer system. I see so many people these days getting a laptop to look cool but in the end their laptops are left at home 90% of the time. I think that is pretty stupid since laptops usually cost way higher than their cpu couterparts and are lower-powered too. The only reason why a laptop is better is because of its portability, but I don't see many people utilizing that.

So if you want to do SERIOUS 3d renders n stuff, get a cpu. Powermacs are great but since u did mention that you are in architecture, it will be wiser to get a pc since they have autoCAD. Up to you tho.

A notebook is more useful if you are gonna travel around and show your works, take notes and stuff, but you should never use it as your primary computer. Yep.. (=
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 32
6/22/05 at 2:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by triadone
kwick, have u used vectorworks at all? has a nice review here

here's a blip that addresses many ppl's questions re: CAD on a Mac...

"The Viewports feature is even more valuable because Viewports views are now maintained during import and export, using AutoCAD’s native DWGformat. And VectorWorks 11 supports AutoCAD 2004 formats and the sharing of 3-D data—including 3-D solids information. These enhancements let VectorWorks designers integrate seamlessly into project teams that use different CAD programs in Windows."
I'll definately have to look into that, thanks!


Quote:
Originally Posted by havocide
in my opinion a laptop should NEVER be your primary computer system. I see so many people these days getting a laptop to look cool but in the end their laptops are left at home 90% of the time. I think that is pretty stupid since laptops usually cost way higher than their cpu couterparts and are lower-powered too. The only reason why a laptop is better is because of its portability, but I don't see many people utilizing that.

....

A notebook is more useful if you are gonna travel around and show your works, take notes and stuff, but you should never use it as your primary computer. Yep.. (=

I definately don't agree with you there. Prices on laptops in general (not necessarily macs) have gone down quite a lot over the past year or 2.

You say that they get up being left at home 90% of the time. Fine. What about the other 10%? Laptop obviously needed for that. And I don't particularly agree with the "coolness" of a laptop. Sure, I'll agree that it might be "cooler" to have one over a desktop (especially ugly ass pc desktops), but i think it also comes down to space and display. Obviously, laptops take up a lot less space.

Personally, and I have mentioned this in a few other posts, I find myself using my laptop much more than my desktop, even if it is just sitting on my desk. I find it more comfortable to use, I guess.
Jst my 2 cents.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 32
6/22/05 at 4:27pm
I don't think I could ever go back to using a desktop full time after having a laptop. It's just too convenient to sit in bed with a laptop, or to use it out in the living room and what not.

Much more freedom.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 32
6/22/05 at 9:52pm
Just looked into Vectorworks.... looks very interesting, kinda like somewhere inbetween SketchUp and AutoCad. Too bad ther isn't a demo though.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 32
6/23/05 at 7:29am
student edition is pretty affordable and comes w/ the suite for < $200.... (i do know some academic departments use it for their programs)

this turned up for a froogle of "vectorworks academic"

http://www.sprysoft.com/shop/page/sh...d3c8192201f352
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 32
6/23/05 at 2:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kwick7
I'll definately have to look into that, thanks!





I definately don't agree with you there. Prices on laptops in general (not necessarily macs) have gone down quite a lot over the past year or 2.

You say that they get up being left at home 90% of the time. Fine. What about the other 10%? Laptop obviously needed for that. And I don't particularly agree with the "coolness" of a laptop. Sure, I'll agree that it might be "cooler" to have one over a desktop (especially ugly ass pc desktops), but i think it also comes down to space and display. Obviously, laptops take up a lot less space.

Personally, and I have mentioned this in a few other posts, I find myself using my laptop much more than my desktop, even if it is just sitting on my desk. I find it more comfortable to use, I guess.
Jst my 2 cents.


you should know the current imac g5 is close to $1000 cheaper than a 15inch powerbook... but the powerbook's power is nowhere near the imac g5... it must be really strange to say that using a notebook on your desk is more comfy than using your desktop... most notebook keyboards are generally not as comfy as standard keyboards... and the small screen size is a major pissoff... perhaps it is for me since i do alot of designwork... since this thread is regarding maya... im sure u will appreciate the extra screen size...
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 32
6/23/05 at 3:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by havocide
you should know the current imac g5 is close to $1000 cheaper than a 15inch powerbook... but the powerbook's power is nowhere near the imac g5... it must be really strange to say that using a notebook on your desk is more comfy than using your desktop... most notebook keyboards are generally not as comfy as standard keyboards... and the small screen size is a major pissoff... perhaps it is for me since i do alot of designwork... since this thread is regarding maya... im sure u will appreciate the extra screen size...
You seem to have missed this part.....

Quote:
Originally Posted by kwick7
I'll definately have to look into that, thanks!

Prices on laptops in general (not necessarily macs) have gone down quite a lot over the past year or 2.


Jst my 2 cents.
Not necessarily Macs. I know the price difference between the two. Since I suggested a pc over the mac, and since we are talking about a student here (ie- not spending mega bucks on an all powerful, rendering monster), I would personally recommend a good laptop over a desktop. It's not like I am suggesting going out and buying a Workstation class notebook- A good laptop with a respectable video card would be just fine. I use my gateway w/ the 9600 to render AutoCad, SketchUp, and Accurender, and it works just fine- much better than any other laptop I've seen people use at my school, and not much different than the garbage computers the school gives out (actually, this is probably better). Again, we are talking about a student here, not a design professional that would want or need the very best.

Again, just my two cents.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 32
6/23/05 at 4:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by havocide
you should know the current imac g5 is close to $1000 cheaper than a 15inch powerbook... but the powerbook's power is nowhere near the imac g5... it must be really strange to say that using a notebook on your desk is more comfy than using your desktop... most notebook keyboards are generally not as comfy as standard keyboards... and the small screen size is a major pissoff... perhaps it is for me since i do alot of designwork... since this thread is regarding maya... im sure u will appreciate the extra screen size...

Actually, the iMacs only get about 20 more points on XBench than the PowerBooks. There is an increase in performance but it's not a huge increase.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 32
6/24/05 at 10:18am
that's only xbench... you haven't seen the rest of the benchmarks at http://www.barefeats.com
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 32
6/24/05 at 11:16am
Thread Starter 

thanks for all that advice!!!

The way I work, and why I want a labtop:
I do most of my work at the university. We have a studio for students and I even have my own desk there. The problem is you can't watch over 70 students that have desks there and another 100 that come in on occasion to work on empty desks for a day or two. Even if the studio had a lock, it would permanently be unlocked becouse of so many people going in and out. I would never want to leave my computer there, even if locked up. Sad to say, there has been stealing and could be again.
I don't want to miss watching DVDs and listening to musik at home. So why get any other hardware, if I can do all that with my laptop.
Another problem comes up here in a few months, when I'll will be going to south africa for my Internship, that what I plan at least. Since being down there for probably 6 months I would not want to miss having my lappy with me.
I know, it is a lot easier to gat a job (internship) when you bring your own computer; older students at my university often got this: "We could use your help and we could afford to pay you, but we just don't enough workstations, - sorry." (and they missed out working with great architecs)
When I work on a projet with Maya, I don't spend much time rendering during daytime, thanks to perenderfuntions in lows res. When I get down to doing final rendering I allways let the computer do that over night. When I do a few renderings, the computer is easly bussy for hours. Trying to say, while the computer renders, I do something else anyway.

I already have an eye on the DELL M70, and with the educational rebate its price is with in range too. The service cought me on that one, not having to worry travelling the world and getting service anywhere.
I will check out the hp's these days too, before I order something...

@kwickdo you know Archicad from Graphisoft ? - It's available for MAC. I havn't worked much with it, but it seems to be pretty good. Good layer structure and you can build in 3D saving a lot of time, the rendering are fairly good, for being a CAD program.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 32
6/24/05 at 12:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by havocide
that's only xbench... you haven't seen the rest of the benchmarks at http://www.barefeats.com

Oh, well, god forbid I actually use scores from the Mac benchmarking application instead of just going to a website that has no direct comparisons between iMacs and PowerBooks (this being the closest comparison—iMac G5 to iMac G4, but it's not accurate as far as PowerBooks are concerned.)
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 32
6/28/05 at 9:32am
there is one with the comparison with the powerbooks... go find it...
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 32
7/9/05 at 7:21pm
I definitely suggest an M70, or anything with a Quadro GPU solution.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 32
7/20/05 at 10:41am
I am also going to study a design course and use AutoCad a lot for my folio. Ive been looking at a Hp, the nw8240, it has a ATI FIREGL V5000 which is a 128mb, but a very good one at that. It comes under a workstation and is the most powerfull, it could probably be called a desktop replacement, but is only 2.8kg!!!
Thats the one im buying anyway.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Apple Notebooks
NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Apple Forums › Apple Notebooks › For Maya - high spec PC or Powerbook