Jump to content

Mac hardware, the ideal VW platform?


Recommended Posts

Whats the ideal VW platform?

I've been using a Mac since the llVX and Minicad 4. I am now using VW11 on my G3 333mghz powerbook. I find that the video card isn't up to Open Gl rendering when using my big external display and isn't very good even when using only the P.B. one. So I am looking for advice on upgrading to a new notebook. (I am addicted to being able to haul it around to sites and client meetings.) Is cpu speed the main thing for VW performance or is it the video card and it's memory, or what? I am dismayed to read the posts and see that even folks with dual G5s are having some trouble. Thanks, Eric

Link to comment

Not sure if others will concur, but if it was me I would (and did!) go with a G5 1.8 Dual Proc. machine with 1.5 gigs of ram and a 20 " cinema display. You won't be dissappointed (although you may need to learn the new OS if you are still using 9). Apple just dropped the price of the 1.8 dual too!

Peter Cipes

Ashland, Oregon

Link to comment

I use VW11 exclusively on my 17" aluminum Powerbook (1 GHZ / OS 10.3.3 / 1 GB RAM) and find the overall speed of the program to be quite good. I use it with a Kensington Orbit Optical trackball and Pocket Keypad (also adds a USB port) and I have never looked back at my old desktop arrangement.

Bob Gyori

San Francisco

Link to comment

I am using VW 11 Spotlight (w/ RenderWorks) on a 15" Powerbook 1.25 GHz G4 w/ 768 MB RAM (OS 10.3.4) and have no problems. Though the rendering is not immediate on complex drawings, it is definitely speedy. And blows the comparable PC's at work out of the water.

I find that the 15" provides plenty of drawing space for the most amount of portability-and my Powerbook is always with me.

And if when you need more screen room, you can easily hook it up to that big external display.

Link to comment

Hi.

I'm using VW Architect on a 933 Mhz iBook G4 and it performs excellent. I used it before in a 400 Mhz iMac DV and ir run very fine too. I think maybe in rendering complex objects a top of the line processor may be very helpful, but I'm very glad VW performs quite well on older Macs. I have absolutely no complains of the performance in my iBook. Anyway I work in small projects, with 2D and 3D, and rendering. Everything runs OK.

Link to comment

Thanks to everyone. I guess that more is often better but with the feedback I feel pretty good about going for that newer Powerbook.

Are we all Mac users? I did convert an architect friend and PC user to VW recently and he is happy.

Link to comment

I believe 1/2 of Vectorworks users are on PCs, or at least that's what NNA claimed a while back. (the company grew phenomenally when they compiled it for Windows). There are pro's and cons to both platforms with this software based on the nuances of each system. I've been using it since Mincad 7 on a PC and have found most of my problems to be with unstable code and poor quality control and not the OS.

Link to comment

If you are concerned with the video cards speed then on the 1.5Ghz PowerBooks you can config on apple.com to have a 128Mb card for only $50. You can also have a faster hard drive which is a good idea as you will open and save your files much faster - also $50

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...