SPECapc for 3ds Max 2011 explained and tested on FirePro and Quadro cards

Although SPECapc for 3ds Max may just seem like another benchmark, it is worth noting that millions of buyers head straight for the SPEC website as their point of choice in the decision making for purchase.  So it is useful to better understand what this benchmarks tests.  3DProfessor does just this in his new SPECapc for 3ds Max 2011 article.

Here’s the gist: “SPECapc for 3ds Max 2011 is a comprehensive test suite that exercises diverse aspects of 3ds Max 2011 performance, including modelling, interactive graphics, CPU and GPU (including use of the Autodesk Quicksilver engine). It includes 58 separate tests - including tests that build and render a city scene containing nearly 32-million polygons (faces) in real time - providing a complete performance picture for systems running 3ds Max 2011.” A complete run of the tests can take up to 3 - 4 hours.

The professor runs tests on the new FirePro V7900 ($746 on Amazon), as well as the FirePro V8800 ($1160 on Amazon) and 4 GB FirePro V9800 ($3120 on Amazon).  He also runs tests on the Quadro 4000 ($729 on Amazon), 5000 ($1781 on Amazon), and 6000 ($3950 on Amazon). 

The notables are:  the FirePro V7900 has some amazing performance levels (even still with early drivers!), that I am attributing to GeometryBoost, beating out the price-comparable Quadro 4000 but also the FirePro V8800 and V9800 for large model composite score and not far behind the Quadro 5000.  If price and power consumption are no object, then the Quadro 6000 is also a notable powerhouse for large models.

AMD FirePro V7900 3rd generation high-end professional graphics card

The new AMD FirePro V7900 is based on the third generation of 40nm GPU (formerly codenamed Cayman) and features 1280 stream processors and 2GB GDDR5 memory.  It is a single slot solution with four built-in DisplayPort 1.2 outputs and with the use of the included four active adapters, supports single link DVI displays out of the box. This allows it to drive 4 displays simultaneously (Eyefinity technology). It also includes a stereoscopic 3-pin mini-DIN (with included expansion bracket) and supports Framelock/Genlock using the ATI FirePro S400 synchronization module.

The card supports the new PowerTune power management technology for dynamic clock optimization, and adds GeometryBoost which provides 2X transform and backface culling and 3X tessellation performance in OpenGL and DX11. Drivers support OpenCL 1.1. CAD application-certified OpenGL 4.1, and DirectX 11.  Additional professional graphics cards can be linked together using CrossFire Prot to enable CrossFire support for windowed applications, as well enabling up to 12 simultaneous Eyefinity displays (think video walls and digital signage on the cheap).

Full review on HotHardware:  “if you’re looking for a low power, multiple monitor solution for your 3D animation and rendering workloads, definitely check out the new FirePro V7900 and V5900 cards from AMD.”.
Also see Icrontic

Eyefinity on FirePro for CAD and DCC to be a integral part of Autodesk University 2010 Nov 30-Dec 2

Next week is Autodesk University 20010 in Las Vegas and the FirePro line and Eyefiinity multi-display technology will be on display in the AMD booth #1201 and at the conference. (Mandalay Bay Hotel, South Convention Center, Level 2, Shoreline B).

If you are attending, check the AMD booth to win FirePro T-shirts, FirePro graphic cards, Autodesk software and a very, very cool 2 foot Ferrari Spider remote conrtol car.

If you aren’t familiar with Eyefinity for Autodesk software solutions, check out these videos I posted yesterday.  Eyefinity is a clear differentiator for the professional markets - it what transforms stability and performance, into productivity and communication.

Unrelated but certainly attracted my attention: Attendees at AU will get a sneak peek of the design and visual effects of the upcoming movie TRON: Legacy.

More on the FirePro performance plug-ins for 3ds Max & AutoCAD

Check out these graphs showing the performance gains using the new FirePro plug-ins developed in collaboration with Autodesk.

AUTOCAD
Note the 130-446% performance boost from the low end FirePro to the mid-range FirePro V7800

3ds MAX
Note the 59-65% performance boost across the FirePro line

KeyShot 2.1 adds GPU power to enable realtime ray traced subsurface scattering

I’ve been waiting for this since it was demoed in the AMD booth at SIGGRAPH 2010: KeyShot 2.1 adds GPU support to it’s real-time rendering raytracing and global illumination engine.  Until now, KeyShot has supported multiple CPUs, but now it supports the FirePro GPUs to maximize rendering speed and performance.

At SIGGRAPH, Luxion was demonstrating realtime ray traced subsurface scattering on a FirePro V8800 - basically they can render realistic natural translucent materials such as human skin, plants, windows interactively, in realtime, without any approximations.  The graphic in this post is of a fully interactive raytraced human head with subsurface scattering, where the skin is rendered using the true optical properties of human skin.

SolidSmack has a great review of KeyShot 2. With 2.1 now out, this is really the rendering software to beat (sorry Bunkspeed).

Update Oct 4  See the review of 2.1 on SolidSmack.

Update Oct 7 Check out the review of KeyShot 2.1 on Develop3D.  Here’s the great summary: ” I tthink it’s one of the best products in the world of technology for those involved in product development. Not just in rendering circles, but in general. After all, if you’ve got a job to do, you need to do it well, in a timely manner and as efficiently as possible. That’s what a tool should do. And KeyShot, frankly, excels.

And in reference to the new GPU-acceleration features: Many of these [other GPU-based simulation products] have proprietary requirements for the GPU in use such as NVIDIA’s Cuda architecture but KeyShot doesn’t. if your workstation or laptop has a GPU in place, it’ll work and have the following effect calculated separately both in real time mode and when rendering out a final pass.

PC Perspective review: nothing even close to the FirePro V9800 and its 6 DisplayPort outputs

PC Perspective weighs in on the FirePro V9800 with it’s Eyefinity 6 HD display outpus. As they note, if you are looking at performance only, the Quadro 5000 is a competitor.  But the FirePro V9800 is clearly targeting developers and professional user interested in performance plus multi-displays to increase their productivity or even to create new workflow models for their business.

PC Perspective’s conclusion: “If you are in the market for a multi-display card, there is nothing even close to the FirePro V9800 and its 6 DisplayPort outputs except maybe AMD’s own V8800 with four.  AMD is hoping to capitalize on that customer need with a solution that can dramatically lower their costs and provide new development and display experiences. “

They also note: “Combining more than one V9800 card is possible using the FirePro S400 card - a small board that is responsible for synchronizing display outputs on multiple graphics cards.  Using the S400 a system can support up to four FirePro V9800s (or any other GPU) for a total of 24 outputs in a single PC!  While a set of four V9800 cards is going to be expensive ($14,000 or so), that cost is well below any other professional solution that provides that many display configurations.” 

eyeon Fusion 6.1 on ATI FirePro V8800 using 3 editing displays and one Stereo3D output

IBC demo Stereo 3D compositing using Fusion 6.1 on the FirePro V8800

This demo from IBC 2010 is a lot better in person because when you put on the glasses, you can see the 3D!

In any case, the demo shows eyeon Fusion 6.1 compositing and rendering software, running in real-time for editing a 3D stereo scene using 4 displays running on a single FirePro V8800 graphics card.
The two displays on the side, let you see the individual right and left channels, so you can work on them individually.
The third display, shows the 3D image output via the Stereo output on the FirePro (visible using the passive glasses).  And a fourth displays shows additional footage for compositing.

Barco 4k video wall driven by a single FirePro V8800

More from IBC: Barco 4k display running off a single FirePro V8800

This one is hard to grasp until you actually see it in person. The 4k Barco display is commanding in size and resolution.  For film resolution compositing, color grading and rendering, there is nothing like this.  You could use 4 individual displays connected by a single FirePro V8800, but there are always seams between them.  This Barco is really stunning without seams and with incredible performance - again, driven by a single FirePro V8800 using Eyefinity.

The application that is doing the real time rendering is VRED 64-bit.

By the way, sadly I missed the Klingon Opera that was performed this weekend at the Zeebelt Theater in The Hague.