Unity release hardware questions

[Varsuuk]

I am, after over 6 years, finally replacing my old late 2012 MacBook Pro. I am configuring It with the lower of the two I9 CPU (8 core, 2.3ghz), and getting the 2TB SSD.

Will definitely upgrade to 32GB (still on fence about 64gb. Hate that you cannot as as you need like I did on my last MacBook - came with 8gb and 1TB IDE - I replaced with 16GB and 1TB. I’m a software engineer and have seen some extremely heavy men use while using Eclipse at times but not so sure of worth. Mainly, with the larger SSD I am considering finally using a Windows VM in addition. In which case I want more HD (2TB cos 4 is too much $ for me) and more RAM to split among native and VM use.

I never intended on upgrading the video. However the 2.3 i9 comes with the middle quality vid card the only diff on top one is same GPUs but 8gb vs 4gb. This would cos just $100 more. My gut says that seems like a decent hedge in case I ever find use for high end. I’d card ...


I’d like it to run as cool as possible given its improved cooling. So if the i7 (but has higher clock so prob not?) is somehow cooler than i9, I’d consider downgrading to 6 cores (mainly wanted8 cores to split VM 4 + 4) because aI great when it chugs noisily and hot ;)


Any tips based on FGU on best bang for buck on upgrades?
Any thoughts on new MbP16 thermals and noice based on config (or links to said sites)

I just wish Amazon would start carrying 32GB models before holidays so can get a small discount

[Moon Wizard]

I'm running FGU on a 2 year old system with no hiccups. (i7-8700k CPU, 16GB MEM, GTX 1080 GPU, 1TB SSD SATA). Most desktop systems you can get these days are at least as good or better specs usually, unless you are trying to go cheap as possible or go laptop with no discrete GPU.

Regards,
JPG

[Valyar]

I hope that those systems with i7, 16GB memory and NVIDIA/INTEL Gpu will not be the baseline for FGU... :) So many people use potato computers and to have a game-class rig for virtual tabletop will be problematic. I advocate FG where possible, but from practice more than half of my players will not switch to it due to those requirements. Hoping to see the more optimizations done in the Beta, so far really like the idea of the cloud servers and the dynamic map features.

[Varsuuk]

Moon, I wasn’t meaning to imply FGU would need any of the higher end MacBook specs - what vs I meant is that I am getting this model after a long wait to replace my older one and was Using FGU to see how various spec choices make ANY diff in using with FGU or not as a sort of example of one app type.

For example, right now, not having tried 64gb (I only have 16gb on my 6 year old laptop and 32GB on my 5 or 6 year old desktop) I have no clue if my C++/Java.Swift coding would be noticeable improved with things like the speed of tool tips, hover pop up code segments, compilation, etc.

I don’t plan to play “games” all that much on it. I would use my desktop for that (FGU rarely is possible and FGU running while I run eclipse to code in Ruleset will be common) other than maybe occasional RTS like Crusader Kong’s II or HoI IV iwith son in his room etc - not likely too often.

So I wondered, it's only $100 more. I’m happy to save it but if the 8gb vid card improves my okay every time I use tyy by e laptop, then sure why not.

If 64gb means I get faster performance vs 32 in FGU or other games, sure but since that is a higher price jump from 3:, didn’t want it to just sit there. I suspect I will not do a lot of VMing but if did I’d be certain of a use for the men. Otherwise, trying to see if would gain anything for the extra memory.

So wondered if FGU as a new app with some redering etc, if it would get gains by any of those upgrades

NOT that anyone would need those spec as either minimum or “recommended” spec levels.

[Moon Wizard]

Valyar/Varsuuk,

We have not determined what the specs will be for FGU; and will not until closer to release with more optimization in place. The app seems to run fine on my 3.5 year old laptop as well (though I haven't loaded it up with modules yet); so we'll see when we're closer to release as to how various systems will perform. In general, we are using the Unity backbone, so anything that helps Unity apps run faster should help.

Regards,
JPG

[Squeak]

Valyar/Varsuuk,

We have not determined what the specs will be for FGU; and will not until closer to release with more optimization in place. The app seems to run fine on my 3.5 year old laptop as well (though I haven't loaded it up with modules yet); so we'll see when we're closer to release as to how various systems will perform. In general, we are using the Unity backbone, so anything that helps Unity apps run faster should help.

Regards,
JPG

That is actually fairly encouraging. Is your laptop a special high-powered gaming one - if not this would bode well for people like me on somewhat older hardware.

[notrealdan]

It runs well for me on a 2-3 year old laptop. Core i5, 16GB ram, and a basic Intel GPU. Nothing special.

[Moon Wizard]

My laptop is not a high-powered gaming laptop; but I did get a discrete mobile GPU. Just checked details, it's actually 2.5 years old Dell XPS 15 (using i7-7700HQ CPU, 16GB, GeForce GTX 1050 GPU). Still, mobile hardware is not as high-powered as desktop hardware in general.

Cheers,
JPG

[LordEntrails]

John/Doug,
When you get closer to wanting to specify hardware requirements (min and suggested?) you could crowd source it some to the beta testers. Have a set of 5 or 10 things that you want tested, and maybe even times to perform those functions and then set out those tests. I've got a few old computers sitting around I would be happy to setup and test on, I'm sure others do as well.

[Squeak]

Thanks!

The CPU and GPU requirements for the current build don't look too bad (and hopefully will be optimized still further) but is anyone running it okay on 8Gb of RAM as that 's what I, and I assume quite a few others, have :(

[LordEntrails]

Thanks!

The CPU and GPU requirements for the current build don't look too bad (and hopefully will be optimized still further) but is anyone running it okay on 8Gb of RAM as that 's what I, and I assume quite a few others, have :(
Yes, I've seen reports in the testing thread from people with 8GB of RAM. (Maybe even with 4GB)

Note that RAM, though a major influencer of performance, is not going to be a key driver of can vs can not use (i.e. will it run). This is because when you run out of physical RAM, your computer will start using hard disk space as virtual memory. So if you have low RAM but have virtual memory on a SSD, and you have a fast bus, you might not even know you are using virtual memory. BUT, as with these things, it's going to be hard to list a set of practical hardware requirements.