3.8 GHz processor?

[timsea81]

Autodesk recommends using a 3.8 GHz processor for machines that deal with "large/complex models". Does anyone actually have that? Our computer rep is telling us that there is a huge price increase when you go from 3.2 to 3.8. Can anyone confirm this? Is there a more reasonably priced solution? Does it make a big difference?

My current processor:
Processor Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU W3565 @ 3.20GHz, 3200 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)

Autodesk recommended processor:
Intel® Core™ i7-2600 quad-core processor (3.8 GHz, 8 MB cache ) or equivalent AMD processor

complete Autodesk recommendations:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet...43099#section4

[meng005]

Here is the Autodesk recommendations for the Revit 2013 Product Line:
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/file...ions_final.pdf

[creyc]

This "recommendation" is a bit of a joke, from my experience. The speed in GHz is an utterly worthless number, without also considering the exact model of processor. There were 3.8GHz Pentium 4's in 2004 that get completely OBLITERATED by a modern day 2.4-3GHz i7/i5, so please ignore this clock speed number and instead look at real world processor benchmarks.

For a quick an dirty-but direct-comparison of the two processors you listed consult Passmark's extensive CPU benchmark results:
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?...65+%40+3.20GHz

Now this is more of an idealized number of what the CPU is capable of, whether or not Revit will make use of extra cores or other speed improvements is a bit more difficult to predict. But these benchmark numbers are a starting place. Personally I love the i7 2600K, it runs Revit as fast as Xeon's costing magnitudes more, and it can be had quite economically with the Ivy Bridge chips taking the spotlight now. Less than $300 is a good deal.

I also find their 4GB RAM recommendation significantly low for all but the smallest projects. 8GB MINIMUM, but you should really consider 12-20GB if your project size is large, or you need to open more than one project/link simultaneously.

[patricks]

I just priced DDR3-1600 RAM at under $100 for 16GB, to be used along with an i5 Sandy Bridge 3.4 GHz processor for just over $200. Powerful stuff is insanely cheap these days.