Hyper Threading

[Handiman]

Does AutoCAD 2013 2D run any faster with Hyper Threads?

 

What about AutoCAD 2013 3D and/or Inventor?

 

Building a system to work from home with and I do not currently do 3D but I need to get there and I want to build a machine that is good for 3-5yrs providing nothing major is invented in that time.

 

I am looking at either the i5-3570K or i73770K. I would spend a couple more $$ on the motherboard if I use the i7 and memory would jump from 16gb to 32gb with i7.

 

Thanks in advance for your input on your exact experiences.

[ReMark]

Hyper threading is not something plain AutoCAD can take advantage of at the present time. Who knows if AutoDesk is going to do anything about it in the future either.

[PotGuy]

'Whispthread' 3 makes use of more cores, but I believe Remark said that it doesn't really make much to no difference.

[Handiman]

  PotGuy said:

'Whispthread' 3 makes use of more cores, but I believe Remark said that it doesn't really make much to no difference.

 

 

This does work with my current work supplied computer.

This machine is slow and it helped it some.

Worth the time to activate it.

I also added RamDisk to the current unit and it did a little also.

[ReMark]

You have a 64-bit computer and 6GB of RAM. Maybe what you need to consider is adding more RAM.

[PotGuy]

16GB of RAM might be a good booster, although if you don't mind spending more, depending upon what sort of files you work with 32 GB might be better.

 

Small 3D projects would warrant 16GB RAM.

 

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?68162-AutoCAD-Multi-Thread&highlight=multi-thread

 

This thread explains how WHISPTHREAD works, and where it's useful.

[SLW210]

Personally, I would GET the Hyper-Threading, it may help in other ways and I do not believe it is that much more $$$. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

If you ever go to Revit or other programs, they may use it more than plain AutoCAD in the present and future.

 

  Quote

Multi threaded Processes in Revit

 

 

 

The following tools in Revit (all disciplines) take advantage of multiple processors and multiple core processors for calculations which increases the performance of the tool in Revit.

• Vector printing
  
• 2D Vector Export such as DWG and DWF
  
• Rendering (4 Core Limitation lifted in Revit 2011)
  
• Wall Joins representation in plans and sections
  
• Element Loading. Loading elements into memory is multi-threaded, reducing view open times when elements are displayed for the first time in the session.
  
• Parallel computation of silhouette edges (outlines of a curved surfaces) in perspective 3D views. Engaged when opening views, changing view properties, and navigating the view and will be more noticeable as the number and complexity of curved surfaces increases.
  
• Translation of high level graphical representation of model elements and annotations into display lists optimized for given video card. Engaged when opening views, changing view properties and will be more noticeable as the number and complexity of model elements increases.
  
• File Loading
  
• Point Cloud Data Overlay
  

 

 

 

What does WHIPTHREAD have to do with hyper-threading?

 

  Quote

WHIPTHREAD

Controls whether to use an additional processor to improve the speed of operations such as ZOOM that redraw or regenerate the drawing. WHIPTHREAD has no effect on single processor machines.

 

So I guess that begs the question, what does Autodesk deem a single processor? Technically hyper-threading and multi core are on single processors, but it seems many confuse the issue, especially since multi core is sometimes refereed to as CMP (Chip Level Multiprocessing).

 

  Quote

Multiprocessor

 

A multiprocessor is a tightly coupled computer system having two or more processing units (Multiple Processors) each sharing main memory and peripherals, in order to simultaneously process programs.

 

  Quote

Multi-Core

 

A multi-core processor is a single computing component with two or more independent actual central processing units (called "cores"), which are the units that read and execute program instructions.

 

 

  Quote

Hyper-Threading

 

(officially Hyper-Threading Technology or HT Technology, abbreviated HTT or HT) is Intel's proprietary simultaneous multi threading (SMT) implementation used to improve parallelization of computations (doing multiple tasks at once) performed on PC microprocessors.

 

  Quote

Simultaneous multi threading (SMT)

 

is a technique for improving the overall efficiency of superscalar CPUs with hardware multi threading. SMT permits multiple independent threads of execution to better utilize the resources provided by modern processor architectures.

 

 

MULTI THREADING

 

  Quote

Multiprocessing

 

Multiprocessing is the use of two or more central processing units (CPUs) within a single computer system. The term also refers to the ability of a system to support more than one processor and/or the ability to allocate tasks between them. There are many variations on this basic theme, and the definition of multiprocessing can vary with context, mostly as a function of how CPUs are defined (multiple cores on one die, multiple dies in one package, multiple packages in one system unit, etc.).

Multiprocessing sometimes refers to the execution of multiple concurrent software processes in a system as opposed to a single process at any one instant. However, the terms multitasking or multiprogramming are more appropriate to describe this concept, which is implemented mostly in software, whereas multiprocessing is more appropriate to describe the use of multiple hardware CPUs. A system can be both multiprocessing and multiprogramming, only one of the two, or neither of the two of them.

[tzframpton]

32GB of RAM definitely will get you what you need, but a friend of mine has a powerhouse computer with two physical Xeon processors (24 Cores) and 96GB RAM. The most AutoCAD and Revit ever consumed was 13GB of RAM. We ran extensive testing, too.

 

Just thought I'd throw it out there. So, FWIW, 16GB will be perfectly fine but 32GB will surely last you longer without wondering if you have enough.

[PotGuy]

Just learnt a lot from these last two posts.

[f700es]

  SLW210 said:

Personally, I would GET the Hyper-Threading, it may help in other ways and I do not believe it is that much more $$$. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

If you ever go to Revit or other programs, they may use it more than plain AutoCAD in the present and future.

 

I 100% agree. Nothing wrong with more core to use in multitasking.

[Handiman]

I bought the i5-3570K for $190, the i7-3770K was $319.

 

StykFacE- "32GB of RAM definitely will get you what you need, but a friend of mine has a powerhouse computer with two physical Xeon processors (24 Cores) and 96GB RAM. The most AutoCAD and Revit ever consumed was 13GB of RAM. We ran extensive testing, too."

 

What about the cores being used in your test? Can you give us some info?

 

 

PS - on my way now to the Stars game.

[tzframpton]

  Handiman said:

I bought the i5-3570K for $190, the i7-3770K was $319.

 

StykFacE- "32GB of RAM definitely will get you what you need, but a friend of mine has a powerhouse computer with two physical Xeon processors (24 Cores) and 96GB RAM. The most AutoCAD and Revit ever consumed was 13GB of RAM. We ran extensive testing, too."

 

What about the cores being used in your test? Can you give us some info?

 

 

PS - on my way now to the Stars game.

Heck of a game to attend!! Glad we got two points, we needed it.

 

So about the cores. Honestly, this computer is a beast. Rendering totally kicks major butt. Normal day 3D designing and navigation is superb. Cores do matter overall. Here are some images of the computer in action...

 

24 cores only pinging out 11GB during a render in Revit:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4989089/Images/cadtutor/2013-03-19/IMAG0179.jpg

 

Three other images of the computer itself:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4989089/Images/cadtutor/2013-03-19/IMAG0180.jpg

 

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4989089/Images/cadtutor/2013-03-19/IMAG0181.jpg

 

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4989089/Images/cadtutor/2013-03-19/IMAG0182.jpg

[Handiman]

Stars game was a great 1st period, 2nd they had some luck and fought hard, 3rd was slow but put some insurance on the board.

 

Back to the Beast, using 91% of 24 cores is smoking and only 11% of memory.

Would love to have one like it, don't need it but just would like to have it.

[PotGuy]

That PC spec...

[PotGuy]

Remeber - a 32 bit machine running with XP can only use 3-4 gb of RAM!

[paisis123]

I bet you can run any game at MAX settings. Unless you have a dumb graphics card. And accounting the fact that most games will only use about 1 to 4 cores.

[PotGuy]

  paisis123 said:

I bet you can run any game at MAX settings. Unless you have a dumb graphics card. And accounting the fact that most games will only use about 1 to 4 cores.

 

If you want to record though....