Video Card for Houdini

[bdunaway]

Hey folks, this may be a bit of an odd question for Odforce but hey a change of topic can be nice now and then I suppose.

Got a new 64 bit machine with an integrated intel card, so I'll need to be upgrading it for Houdini. I used to know the playing field pretty well with video cards and how to get the best bang for my buck, though it was moreso for gaming and I'm pretty out of the loop on the new stuff.

I'm curious both to what matters most in a video card when it comes specifically to working in 3D and rendering, and what is purely overkill for gaming (if that's even the case these days).

Any specific recommendations to be used specifically with Houdini would also be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for your time.

[bw5013]

Hey folks, this may be a bit of an odd question for Odforce but hey a change of topic can be nice now and then I suppose.

Got a new 64 bit machine with an integrated intel card, so I'll need to be upgrading it for Houdini. I used to know the playing field pretty well with video cards and how to get the best bang for my buck, though it was moreso for gaming and I'm pretty out of the loop on the new stuff.

I'm curious both to what matters most in a video card when it comes specifically to working in 3D and rendering, and what is purely overkill for gaming (if that's even the case these days).

Any specific recommendations to be used specifically with Houdini would also be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for your time.

For the balance of power and affordability in both games and a 3d application I say the gtx460 is your bet bet. It's a DX11 card so you are definitely well taken of there for the next 3 years at least on the games front. As for 3d all those cores keep the view-port smooth when dealing with larger scenes. It costs $200.

[malexander]

Totally agree. Make sure you pick up the 1GB version. For an extra ~$20, it'll feed those hungry 3D apps much better.