just my notes:
- you don't need the big video card, but nVidia pro products (like Tesla etc) have more stable performance / stable drivers compared to the consumer products
- a serious part of your Poser work will use single / dual threads (cloth room, render preprocessing, IDL prepass, ...) so a single fast CPU then is handy, over many idle ones
- the only real heavy multiprocess thing is rendering. Xeons are more steady high performers on long lasting full speed tasks. My workstation supplier now offers 2xXeon E5-2640 = 24 threads @ 3GHz. Must be something.
- note that Poser advices to run specific renders in single thread mode, like animations using IDL. Then my CPU (@4Gz) will outperform yours seriously.
- otherwise machines like this are intended for rendering HD animations, large scale high quality print result (7000x5000 etc) and - in my case - Vue scenes with large ecosystems.
- it does make sense to cut down render times from 24 to 8 hrs so you can run at night. Cutting down a night job to 4 or 2 hrs does not make sense. Cutting down an 8 hrs job to 30 mins (lunch break) makes sense. Your call.
- I can recommend SSD instead of HDD, at least for Windows / Programs (and switch off defragmenting for it). Not for data.
- I can recommend setting up a RAM-disk for all your temp files
- It's not only hardware (and Poser) that needs upgrading. Other software needs a step as well (64bit Photoshop / Gimp / Video editing, and so on). Your libraries might need an overhaul too, as large scale prints require high res textures. And your ability to handle all that must improve with it (master your shaders like BB or else...).
Some time ago it was found that a lot of accidents on the German Autobahn (no speed limits) happened with the AudiTT-something, rather new those days, as the (young, male) drivers couldn't handle its speed (over 160mph) and acceleration (0 to 100mph within 10 sec). There is some message in that.
- from my own experience: you cannot cut down (render) time. 30 years ago, my simulation processes ran overnight and took a day or month for completion. Today, my stills / animations run overnight and take a day / month for completion. Output requirements and (customer) expectations just go up with the kit.
anyway, just go for it and have fun. It will bring us RagtopJohnny 2.0 :). Fast & Furious.
- - - - -
Usually I'm wrong. But to be effective and efficient, I don't need to be correct or accurate.
visit www.aRtBeeWeb.nl (works) or Missing Manuals (tutorials & reviews) - both need an update though