What machines are you running?

[JonKoch]

I'm considering purchasing a new Macbook Pro and I want it to be powerful enough to handle complex site modeling and rendering. I work mostly in high end residential landscape architecture and can sometimes have some heavy site models and renderings.

 

I'd love to hear what people are running for machines that can handle some of the heavier operations of the program. 

 

Thanks!

[Pat Stanford]

Get the biggest machine you can afford with as much memory as possible.

 

I am running an MBP M3 with 128 gig of RAM and 4 TB disk.

 

I have had multiple 10GB VW files open at the same time.  Slow, but usable.  On my i9 that the M3 replaced the file was basically not usable. I had to wait 30 seconds between every action.

 

If you can get a good deal on an M2 with 96GB that could be an option also.

 

I would not even consider anything less than 64GB.

[JonKoch]

@Pat StanfordThanks! Thats sort of the direction I was leaning towards. I will do a little research tonight but just don’t want to overbuy if I don’t need it. 
 

I assume memory is the biggest limiting factor? How are the graphics cards? My current MBP is a refurb from 2015 so it’s good for almost everything except modeling in VWX. 
 

We use IMacs at work which are ok but the new MBP’s seem to be way more powerful. 

[Pat Stanford]

You will be happy with everything about the MBP-M3 except for the price. 😉

 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

Just ordered a Mac Laptop pro with 1 TB hard drive and 18 GB's of unified RAM.  May have made a mistake perhaps according to @Pat Stanford.  I just could not justify spending more than 4K on a laptop.  Not sure my R20 C4D will run on it, but I will keep my 27 inch IMac.

 

 

[JonKoch]

11 minutes ago, Pat Stanford said:

You will be happy with everything about the MBP-M3 except for the price. 😉

 

Ugh I know. They don’t make it easy. Might have to wait to pull the trigger. I would say it’s rare that I would have multiple 10GB files open. To be honest, very few of my files reach 10GB anyway. 
 

Not to say I don’t want to prepare for that kind of workload but also don’t want to pay a few thousand dollars for something that will be underpowere

[Pat Stanford]

I hope to get 4 years out of the machine.  At $6K.  

 

My feeling is if I had gotten the $3K version I would be looking to replace it in 18 months or be struggling with low productivity on a marginal machine.

 

At least that is how my internal justification works.  🤷‍♂️

[JonKoch]

That totally makes sense and I’m sort of in the same camp. I’ve always gotten many years out of my MBP’s so it’s a useful investment for sure. 

[Jezzer]

Hi Pat,

What about the processor, Pro or Mac on MacBook Pro?  I checked all of the laptops have different Ram memory configurations depending on processors.  What is your suggestion?

[Pat Stanford]

I got the Max because that was the only one that was offered with the 128GB of RAM.

 

I think the power of the PRO would probably be fine, about a 10-15% slower than the MAX. But without the higher RAM I was concerned about the performance of my very large files.

 

Imported STEP model including nuts/bolts/washers including things inside the tanks and electrical panels.  Building was generated from a LIDAR point cloud.  Takes about 60 seconds to save.

 

[JonKoch]

Wow, yeah that's probably not a level of detail I would ever reach. I don't think I've had a file reach even close to 1GB. Not to say that it won't ever happen but right now my bigger projects land somewhere in the 500MB range. 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

On 12/12/2023 at 4:54 PM, Pat Stanford said:

But without the higher RAM I was concerned about the performance of my very large files.

For just average file use or probably lower than normal, is anyone in your user group reporting any problems with Laptop Mac Pro M3 chip with 18 GB unified memory.

Edited December 14, 2023 by VIRTUALENVIRONS

[Pat Stanford]

Based on what I have seen you do with C4D Renderings. I don't think you will be happy with 18.  Remember this is RAM + Video RAM.  So after taking out the 8Gig that a midrange video card would have on a PC, you will only be left with 10 Gig of RAM for all your applications. If you are going to run VW and C4D at the same time, that is very low.  Spend the extra $400 and got to 32/36 whatever it will be money well spent.

 

As far as I know, I am the only one in the group currently running M3.

[bjoerka]

I agree with Pat.

18gig is not that much.

I am running a MBP M1 Max 64gb for 1.5b years now and i have a lot of huge and detailed files that i mostly work in 3d on. That works pretty pretty good in comparison to the intel i9 machine i used before that. in other words - no comparison.

not sure what the M3 processor will bring in performance but i think the main benefit in real is as much ram as possible will get every Mx machine more healthy...

[zoomer]

28 minutes ago, bjoerka said:

I agree with Pat.

18gig is not that much.

 

I agree with @bjoerka

 

I have the max 16 GB in my M1 Mini.

It was astonishing about what ugly large files you can open.

Even those that weren't much fun to work with on the unlimited

PC and similar lagging there.

While for normal usage with different Apps and things like memory

demanding chrome tabs and such things, low memory M Macs will

work great with small lags when switching between Apps.

Nevertheless when needing the whole memory for a single App

like VW, CAD or 3D, exceeding this (memory usage getting browny

in Activity Monitore and will lead to such laggy behavior that it is

no more fun to work with.

 

For VW I would never recommend less than 32 GB, better 64 to 

be a bit future proof. The only problem is Apple's ridiculous

Memory upgrade prices .....

[bjoerka]

8 minutes ago, zoomer said:

The only problem is Apple's ridiculous

Memory upgrade prices .....

 

yep. but compare the half-life time of a mac system compared to a win system and the upgrade price is ok.

usually the mac systems in our office stay for 3-4 years compared to the win systems, which are replaced nearly every 2 years...

but that will be another thread .-)

[zoomer]

Yes, other well known PC manufacturers ask for similar prices,

but regarding the free market component prices it is ridiculous.

Even regarding the longer use time or other Apple benefits.

 

But Apple's default models, which are reasonably priced, do

not meet the exceptions of pro or not so mainstream users

at all. And since these are no more upgradable like they were

in the past, this gets a bit of annoying.

Edited December 14, 2023 by zoomer

[bjoerka]

They left the Pro-Users alone a long time ago ,-)

[zoomer]

3 minutes ago, bjoerka said:

They left the Pro-Users alone a long time ago ,-)

 

 

Yes, I had really a hard (hardware) time between 2012 and 2021-2022-2023.

What a waste ....

Edited December 14, 2023 by zoomer

[Flair-Studio]

I am running a MBP max M1 with 32gig RAM, everything VWX still go pretty smooth but my files rarely exceed 600mb. 

 

I am very disappointed though about MAC compatibility with other programmes and would like to hear a feedback from VWX PC users. I still feel that VWX rendering capabilities are very limited, I find Twinmotion is poor, Enscape is decent but nowere near Vray. So for final presentations I find myself having to export chunks of my models into sketchup and re-assign materials and render through Vray. But Vray uses a lot of GPU and ny machine being a Mac I have to use CPU instead, which isn't that bad but just slower in comparison to what a PC could offer, plus lots of crashes, etc.

 

Perhaps this is also for another thread but I feel it is somehow connected as it isn't just about the size of your machine but also what you can actually do with it, if you use just a programme and that programme has full compatibility with Mac than perhaps it's fine.

 

@Pat Stanford I am very curious to see what your multipe 10gb look like would it be possible to see a few more pics?

[_James]

I use a 2021 M1 Pro Macbook with 16GB memory, file sizes never more than 500MB - I don't have obvious issues with slow files, perhaps only with files with 100+ sheets.

 

@Flair-Studio - I share your rendering pain! I think for serious rendering (spending 1 day+ per week on rendering) a separate PC is the way to go. I did buy one but really don't enjoy working on a PC. It's collecting dust now and I just don't do much rendering. Who knows what the future holds now that the M3 has hardware accelerated ray tracing which was the limitation that stopped Twinmotion's Path Tracer being available on Mac. The only thing that's guaranteed is that it's going to be expensive!

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

22 hours ago, Pat Stanford said:

I don't think you will be happy with 18

This thread has migrated since my original question to Pat....as it should.  But I am now conflicted.  I have ordered a Mac Laptop Pro with 18 GB unified memory, standard.  I am long retired (18 Years), but have continued to work on projects in the Canadian National interest largely Pro Bono, but nothing large for a few years now.  By large I mean at the most 180 MB which is not large by todays standard.

 

All I do now is help out of the forum answering questions and to keep busy often just build models for free if someone asks .

Below are the questions conflicting me.

1 - I will likely never take on a large project again.

2 - Will C4D R-20 run on the new Mac, it seems there may be problems.  If not, I will not upgrade after twenty years of using C4D.

3- Will I ever need more than 18 GB Unified memory.

 

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

@Flair-Studio@_James  Rendering.

Twenty four years ago Maxon offered me CINEMA 4D for free.  I have used it in conjunction with VW's since then.  The two have become a single program, going back and forth for what I needed.  That combination has given me an advantage over other competing 3D designers for major projects, four Federally funded.  Perhaps some was skill, but some was that combination.  It opens so many doors including Twin Motion.

 

If you are going to be in this game for the foreseeable future I strongly advise acquiring C4D.  

[Pat Stanford]

7 hours ago, Flair-Studio said:

@Pat Stanford I am very curious to see what your multipe 10gb look like would it be possible to see a few more pics?

It is a very course but detailed model being used for internal engineering purposes. So it shows pretty much every pipe, fitting, nut, bolt, washer. Many with far too much detail. Who needs to see the threads on every 1/4" bolt in the system?  But since it is imports STEP (and pieces imported repeatedly as the manufacturer made changes), we chose to not care about things like textures, classing, and colors for most objects. When we reimported the step I would spend an hour or so classing the critical items so we could color those to make sure we were getting what we needed. If this was not for just internal use, what we have would probably not be suitable for an outside vendor. Though we have used some of these to help get installation pricing for the equipment and let the mechanical contractor understand what we are trying to do.

 

I would be happy to post some additional pictures. What would you like to see?

[Flair-Studio]

On 12/15/2023 at 1:58 PM, VIRTUALENVIRONS said:

 

All I do now is help out of the forum answering questions and to keep busy often just build models for free if someone asks .

Below are the questions conflicting me.

1 - I will likely never take on a large project again.

2 - Will C4D R-20 run on the new Mac, it seems there may be problems.  If not, I will not upgrade after twenty years of using C4D.

3- Will I ever need more than 18 GB Unified memory.

 

Hi Paul,

Thanks for coming back and for the usage you have listed you I guess you should be fine, you should also consider not only the new machines are more powerful, also VW became more stable and i.e. refreshing the viewports which was one of the most daunting tasks in my opinion, became much faster since VW23 and even better in VW24. But I feel you will focus on pure modelling in VW and render with C4D so in your case it might be C4D requiring the most of resources

 

I also refer to a video from not too long ago from J. Reeves, he reviewed his M1 pro with 16gb of RAM (which he might have already upgraded in the meantime) and seemed pretty happy with.