Build for UE4 Real Time Ray Tracing ArchViz

[raycaster]

Hi, I am looking for help/suggestions on a new build for ArchViz using UE4 with a full real-time workflow using ray tracing.

 

Budget: ~2000USD

GPU: 2080ti

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3800x or 3900x?

Memory: 32GB ddr4 3600 or 64 ddr4 3200?

Motherboard: Msi tomahawk Max

Power supply: 650 watt gold

Case: NZXT H510

ssd: evo 970 1tb m.2 sdd &1tb sata ssd

 

I currently use a laptop with a 2070 which works but the workflow isn't very smooth. I am thinking of moving to a desktop to get the performance I want. This would be my first computer build so any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. My main question is the value of more cores for UE4 and if the jump from the 3800x to 3900x would be noticeable? My workflow does contain some CAD work in Revit and 3ds Max which would benefit more from the CPU as I understand it. Another question was regarding ram and if speed or size should be prioritized? I've been struggling to find material on a build for this particular workflow using fully dynamic lighting with little to no light baking.

 

[Bombastinator]

I’ve got one generic suggestion that might be useful if you get into a money tight spot for the build:  

the evga 2060ko (specifically that gpu) is built on a lobotomized larger die, but they didn’t kill all the compute capability.  I don’t know if you’ll get 1080 performance out of it for the cost of a low end 2060 or not, but it apparently does it in blender.  Kind of a die roll perhaps.

[igormp]

1 hour ago, raycaster said:

Hi, I am looking for help/suggestions on a new build for ArchViz using UE4 with a full real-time workflow using ray tracing.

 

Budget: ~2000USD

GPU: 2080ti

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3800x or 3900x?

Memory: 32GB ddr4 3600 or 64 ddr4 3200?

Motherboard: Msi tomahawk Max

Power supply: 650 watt gold

Case: NZXT H510

ssd: evo 970 1tb m.2 sdd &1tb sata ssd

 

I currently use a laptop with a 2070 which works but the workflow isn't very smooth. I am thinking of moving to a desktop to get the performance I want. This would be my first computer build so any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. My main question is the value of more cores for UE4 and if the jump from the 3800x to 3900x would be noticeable? My workflow does contain some CAD work in Revit and 3ds Max which would benefit more from the CPU as I understand it. Another question was regarding ram and if speed or size should be prioritized? I've been struggling to find material on a build for this particular workflow using fully dynamic lighting with little to no light baking.

 

More cores is always welcome, and the performance jump from 3200mhz to 3600mhz isn't worth halving your RAM capacity and limiting your workflow.

[jones177]

I did design work for many years with 3D max and other 3d programs. 

 

I only had to do 5 to 10 renderings of the design then update those renderings as the project evolved. 

I wanted my rendering computer to be finished a rendering by the time I had done my 2D textures work or presentation work that I did with another computer.

Either CPU would be fine for me after I checked out the Auto desk forums and others to see if there are any major issues using them.

It would depend more on the budget for me.

 

A 2080 ti works hard if you do GPU rendering and can use up to 380 watts on its own. With a high core count CPU working hard as well you might need more PSU.  At any time I could add more GPUs so I like more PSU. 

The computer I use with the EVGA FTW3 Ultra uses close to 600 watts if the GPU and CPU are maxed. On games it usually uses 400 to 450 watts since all core on the CPU are not utilized. 

 

Ram is cheap right now so get as much as you can.

In the work that I did, sometimes the design had to be put in a space like a hotel or convention center lobby and I would get a CAD file of the area that would not load into 32gbs ram. So even though 32 is fine for my work I need more for projects that incorporated other peoples work.  

 

I have one system that uses a 2tb 970 EVO. If I needed more space I would get another 970 EVO since a SATA SSD would just slow the system down.

Windows loads in at about the same time on both SATA and m.2 so the advantage is reading and writing data and that means that your system is as fast as your slowest drive.

 

For a motherboard I would go with a high end X570.

I don't buy cheap motherboards for 3D. If the VRMs are going to overheat it will be overnight doing a rendering job the needs to go out the next day. 

I learned my lesson years ago.

 

 

 

 

[raycaster]

21 hours ago, jones177 said:

I did design work for many years with 3D max and other 3d programs. 

 

I only had to do 5 to 10 renderings of the design then update those renderings as the project evolved. 

I wanted my rendering computer to be finished a rendering by the time I had done my 2D textures work or presentation work that I did with another computer.

Either CPU would be fine for me after I checked out the Auto desk forums and others to see if there are any major issues using them.

It would depend more on the budget for me.

 

A 2080 ti works hard if you do GPU rendering and can use up to 380 watts on its own. With a high core count CPU working hard as well you might need more PSU.  At any time I could add more GPUs so I like more PSU. 

The computer I use with the EVGA FTW3 Ultra uses close to 600 watts if the GPU and CPU are maxed. On games it usually uses 400 to 450 watts since all core on the CPU are not utilized. 

 

Ram is cheap right now so get as much as you can.

In the work that I did, sometimes the design had to be put in a space like a hotel or convention center lobby and I would get a CAD file of the area that would not load into 32gbs ram. So even though 32 is fine for my work I need more for projects that incorporated other peoples work.  

 

I have one system that uses a 2tb 970 EVO. If I needed more space I would get another 970 EVO since a SATA SSD would just slow the system down.

Windows loads in at about the same time on both SATA and m.2 so the advantage is reading and writing data and that means that your system is as fast as your slowest drive.

 

For a motherboard I would go with a high end X570.

I don't buy cheap motherboards for 3D. If the VRMs are going to overheat it will be overnight doing a rendering job the needs to go out the next day. 

I learned my lesson years ago.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your suggestions this is extremely helpful. Now to try to fit it all within my budget ;). Cheers!

[raycaster]

22 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

I’ve got one generic suggestion that might be useful if you get into a money tight spot for the build:  

the evga 2060ko (specifically that gpu) is built on a lobotomized larger die, but they didn’t kill all the compute capability.  I don’t know if you’ll get 1080 performance out of it for the cost of a low end 2060 or not, but it apparently does it in blender.  Kind of a die roll perhaps.

Thanks yeah I had thought about going this route but didn’t see enough info on performance outside of blender to go for it. 

[Bombastinator]

2 hours ago, raycaster said:

Thanks yeah I had thought about going this route but didn’t see enough info on performance outside of blender to go for it. 

Needs testing in some other applications.