notebook specs for running CFD codes

[sasidhar]

I was planning to buy notebook to run my CFD codes. Can anyone tell me hardware specs that I should look for. Also what is the difference between gaming notebooks and working notebooks.

I have come across notebooks from site www.Xtremenotebooks.com. Can you tell me how good these notebooks are.

Thanks in advance

[Karsten]

Hi Sasidhar,
Get as much computing power as you can afford! CFD, atomic bomb blast modelling and weather modelling are up there when it comes to processing power required. At Uni I did some CFD on a wing with 1000000 nodes and it took a vector computer 8 hours to crunch the numbers.
It's obvious a function of time, money and complexity of the model. If you just want to run an airfoil sectoin without turbulence modelling you will be o.k. with most models. If you want to do 3D stuff with turbulence I wouldn't go for a notebook. I would get a twin processor desktop with a few GB memory!

[woodboat]

Let me vote desktop as well. I want to touch upon rendering accuracy. Let's use Nvidia as an example. There GPUs are all very similar, use the same driver but are tweaked for different performance. Compare a high end gaming card to their quadro line. They are virtually the same But.. I have seen testes that showed render errors on the standard card. this link talks about accuracy a lot http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/cad.html So.. if you do any 3D models I would stay away from a gaming computer. On first look the quadro GO looks like it might be OK.

and driver certified for operation with Discreet® 3ds max(TM), Autodesk® AutoCAD®, Dassault Catia®, SDRC I-DEAS(TM), Newtek Lightwave 3D(TM), Alias|Wavefront® Maya(TM), Autodesk Mechanical Desktop(TM), Bentley® MicroStation(TM), PTC Pro/Engineer(TM), Softimage®/XSI, UGS® Solid Edge(TM), Solidworks®, UGS Unigraphics(TM) and some other packets.

It is a few hundred more but this one has the GO GPU http://www.sagernotebook.com/pages/n...9880&SubType=C

[Tim B]

There are two ways to go, and it depends on your situation and the type of CFD you're going to run.

1) 32 bit processor

Pentium 4s work much better for general maths than Athlons, but Athlons are far superior in terms of over-heads so an Athlon system will "feel" faster. 32-Bit motherboards generally only support upto 3GB of RAM and about 400 MHz FSB, but many have Dual-Channel RAM.
For a 32-bit machine, go for the fastest chip, motherboard with most RAM capacity and the biggest hard disk affordable. You can run Windows or Linux. Do Not get a 32-Bit Dual Processor system (go to a single-processor 64-bit).

2)64-Bit (multi-processor) - Get whichever chipset is most affordable. 64-Bit is upto 8 times the speed of 32-Bit (supposedly). Dual or Quad processors are a possibility. Motherboards support upto 8GB Ram per processor. Again, use the biggest hard disk affordable. Make sure the motherboard has a fast FSB. I would only use Linux on 64-Bit systems.

Hope This Helps,

Tim B.

[artemis]

Having built computers of my own from components, I agree with Tim B., BUT in addition I would add the following:

1. DON'T buy a notebook. It doesn't have the capacity. Only a desktop will work.
2. Fill ALL the RAM slots (i.e. install the MAXIMUM RAM right at the beginning). This will speed processing time as much as any other item.
3. Whichever CPU chip manufacturer you use, get a chip with the biggest onboard memory cache AND the best cooling. While I like Athlon, Intel's CPU chips seem to perform better in both these areas combined (there, I stuck my neck out saying that).
4. Buy TWO (2) hard drives, one (about 150G or somewhat less) for your operating system and software and the other (about 150G) for "storing" all your files. I have ALWAYS used Western Digital and have NEVER had a "drive crash". Additionally, by having two hard drives, the one used to store your operating system (also the one you go out on the Internet with) is the one that virii, worms, and trojan horses will infect (they don't seem to transfer from one hard drive to another). Granted you'll lose all your software if you have to "flatline" the drive to get rid of some malicious stuff, but that's better than losing all your computed data.
5. Have 2 CD units, one R and one RW. Both should be at least 52X. I use Samsung and have NEVER had a problem.
6. Have a minimum of SIX (6) USB ports. You're going to need a printer and a scanner and a ...
7. Get a "floppy" drive. I know, I know, nothing comes on floppies any more. But they're very handy for saving/sending (or receiving) small quantities of data and only cost $ 10 to $ 15.
8. Finally. Make sure the power supply is BIG. 350W absolute minimum! And of good quality! If the power supply craps out, voltage spikes can be created which will destroy components.

All of the above sounds like an expensive machine. I could put one together for myself for under $ 1,500 - but you probably won't find anything on the market. You should be able to find someone locally who will build you what you want. Don't buy a "package" machine as they are loaded with "stuff" that you'll probably never use and WILL slow the machine down!

[woodboat]

Couple of things artemis. I don't agree about filling the ram slots. Many motherboards take a hit when filled and/or over 2 gig. Some chipsets do however like nvidia, run faster when filled in pairs. As for CD drives DVD burners like the pioneer 109 are awesome and dirt cheap. They are $52 http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec....iteria=AA32950

And USB can be run off a hub

[Packeteer]

I don't agree 100% with artemis, no need for 2 optical drives, floppy drive or even 2 hard disks (a 2nd drive in external enclosure would be better), most systems these days have 6 usb,

woodboat is right on with his comments

ideals specs:
amd64 FX57
2GB ram cl2 ram (low latency)
200gb sata drive
dvd/cdrw dual layer
ati radeon x800 video card
and a decent power supply

now that will be a kick arse desktop, the only way to get more performance is to go to server type hardware (quad processor opterons with 16gb ram anybody?)

[Tim B]

I had thought of it, but the newer technology you buy the faster it depreciates. It's like new boats.

nb. On 64 bits, install and run Linux. get a cheap 32bit PC seperately if you need windows (though why is beyond me(except for CAD)).

Tim B.

[tspeer]

For CFD, you probably need to run Linux, not Windows, since most CFD codes were developed on Unix machines. Even Cray runs Linux now. And I don't recommend a dual-boot machine - make it dedicated Linux and put Windows on your laptop.

A good graphics board is probably important, too.

I concur with using slightly older hardware. You might be able to pick up a number of old PC's for the price of a new one and put them together in a Beowulf cluster for CFD number crunching.

[nero]

Unix is what Mac OSX is. The G5's are liquid cooled and test out faster than any pentium. The prices is fair if you need a powerful computer to do work with. They also use way less power than a PC.

Mac is rolling over the product line so you can get a dual 2.0 GHz unit with nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 6MB DDR video card for US$1900.

Look at MacConnection.com I have bought 2 lap tops and one imac from them over the last 3 years. Fast delivery and no problems with the machines. (I have never had any hardware problem with any mac since I started using them in 1989)

Less problem with virus since there is no Microsoft on the machine.

Down side is some of the free programs or cheap price programs are windows only.

Then again Virtual PC /Windows2000 is only $300. Never used it. Maybe it works maybe not.

[Packeteer]

another vote for Linux or Mac osX

that said, as my dad was told back in 1980 when he bought our first computer, buy the hardware to suit the software.

ie. FInd the program/s you want to use and then fit everything else around it