Is it possible to improve the efficiency of LDD (important improvement) with a more powerful computer?

[MFR]

Hi. I am thinking about updating my computer to improve my designs with LDD, but since I read that the LDD software is old, it is not updated, etc., I do not know if I will really see an improvement in performance.

I do not mind buying a very powerful computer, but I'm afraid to buy it and the LDD improvement is very small.

My current computer:
-Intel Core i-5 (2013)
-Memory RAM: 16 gb
-Solid hard disk of 125 GB
-Disk hard disk 1 TB
-Graphic card 2 GB Envy

Powerful computer: (possible purchase)
-Intel Core i-7 9700K 3.6 Ghz
-Motherboard MSI z370-A Pro
-Memory RAM: 32 gb (2x16) Corsair V. RGB pro DDR4
-Solid hard disk of 500 GB wd blue 3d Nand SSD SATA
-Disk hard disk 1 TB
-Graphics card 6 GB Gigabyte Aourus Geforce GTX 1060 GDDR5

The problem is for models with more than 20,000 pieces. Now I'm with a model of 24,000 pieces, and I need to select sets, to move them, etc, and when I do that, you have to wait at least 1 minute, and when you make the move, it almost always gives errors.

Do you think that with a powerful computer I will see an important improvement with models of more than 20,000 pieces?

I would not mind (if the performance of LDD improve a lot) even buy an i9, or instead of 32 GB of Memory Ram, buy 64 GB of Memory Ram, but here comes my second doubt:

-What elements are the most important for the performance of LDD?

Processor (CPU), RAM, Graphic Card?, Maybe?, In that order?

What do you think?. I would be willing to invest in a large, powerful computer, but not if the difference in performance will be small.

Greetings.

[JopieK]

Well the first thing I recommend you to do is fix your Caps Lock key, that might help a lot already.

The second solution would be to go from LDD to a program like Stud.io as LDD isn't properly maintained by LEGO anymore and also is not too good at such a massive amount of bricks anyway. For graphical applications the first thing to look at is the graphics card (since it requires a lot of floating point operations that the graphics card is optimised for). RAM is the second. CPU is nowadays very often not a limiting factor in any way anymore.

[SylvainLS]

What JopieK says.

Moreover, LDD is a 32 bits application.  Those are limited to, at best, 4 GiB RAM usage on a 64 bits OS (and most often to 2 GiB).  It won’t magically scale.

[MFR]

Hi, thanks for the quick response.

The truth is that I like LDD more. My idea is to continue with LDD, so, I need to know if with a powerful computer I will get a major improvement with the performance of LDD.

So, if with the last update of LDD (4.11) the problem with the GTX graphic cards was fixed, as I have read in this forum, I will have problems with a powerful graphics card? (one of 6 GB for example)

I would love to hear from someone who works with LDD, and have a powerful configuration on their computer, to explain their experiences with large models.

Regards

[Kevin Flemming]

The last time I built something massive with LDD, was on my old laptop with roughly the same specs as you. I got up to around 25,000 bricks before it started crashing, so unless you're planning something ridiculously-huge, it should be fine to be honest. Expect a bit of stutter, whenever you move larger sections. But overall, LDD isn't too bad considering it's a 32-bit program. Since owning a proper gaming tower (that is now about 5-6 years old), there is definitely a slight improvement in LDD's performance. But it's minimal, as the program itself is still very limited by what it can use. Although I have yet to build anything really big. It handles the larger official LEGO sets quite well, though. And only crashes occasionally, when you try to perform actions it doesn't like (moving and connecting large sections, or using the Bend tool and the connection is invalid).

[coinoperator]

12 hours ago, MFR said:

very powerful computer, but I'm afraid to buy it and the LDD improvement is very small.

I have a even more powerfull monster cause I like to play the more serious kind of flightsimulators etc.
Using LDD on it doesn't improve any performance of it compared to my laptop.

If you're planning to buy that setup (nice choice) for LDD than don't.
For gaming ... yes...

Edited May 20, 2019 by coinoperator

[JopieK]

11 hours ago, MFR said:

Hi, thanks for the quick response.

The truth is that I like LDD more. My idea is to continue with LDD, so, I need to know if with a powerful computer I will get a major improvement with the performance of LDD.

So, if with the last update of LDD (4.11) the problem with the GTX graphic cards was fixed, as I have read in this forum, I will have problems with a powerful graphics card? (one of 6 GB for example)

I would love to hear from someone who works with LDD, and have a powerful configuration on their computer, to explain their experiences with large models.

Regards

I like LDD also better and than import models in Stud.io (probably just because I am much more used to it) but we need to face the fact that LEGO discontinued it. B.t.w. a faster computer does not always solve problems: the 32 vs 64 bit problem is probably a much more limiting factor: I get messages from macOS about LDD: "this application is not optimised for your operating system".

A fast PC will only really matter if you start rendering your models in Povray or something. Also for graphic cards memory is only one factor (apart from the fact that 6 Gb is a strange size for typical binary computers), also the type (bus speed) of the memory is important and also the speed of the GPU (graphics processor) itself.

[MFR]

Thank you for your answers !!!

It is a disappointment for me, to verify that after the experience of other users with powerful computers, the performance of LDD does not improve (or very little improvement).

As Jopiek says, we'll have to get used to Studio ... but I do not like it ... (although it seems silly, in Studio there is no sound when placing a piece ... and this is not very intuitive)

According to your (wise) advice, I believe then that I will discard the idea of buying a very powerful computer. Although I update my current computer, but I will not buy an i9, etc, etc.

Anyway, I ask the same, for the other software that I use a lot, and that gives me many problems with large models (more than 20k pieces): LPUB3D, to make instructions. As this software is updated, it is likely to improve its performance with a powerful computer right?

Greetings.

[MFR]

Hi.

Following the advice of JopieK, I have done some tests with Studio:
I have loaded the Lego model, with 24,000 pieces (generated instructions with MLCAD and LPUB3d: 2,400 steps, every 10 pieces)

Computer: Laptop, i3 processor - 8Gb of RAM - Integrated graphics card
The model moves well, but if I select a large set of pieces (approx 10,000) it is very slow. In the instructions mode, I export the first 100 pages to PDF and use 10 minutes.

I repeat the same with a much more powerful computer: PC, i5 processor - 16Gb of RAM - Dedicated graphics card of 4 Mb. Solid hard disk: All the same, it only improves in the export to PDF, which uses 8 minutes.

I see a very small improvement, with the most powerful computer.

I am then very confused, because if I buy a really powerful computer (i7, 32 GB of RAM, 8 GB graphics card, etc.), I think the difference in Sudio performance will be small.

I assume then that with LDD there will be no great difference in performance with a powerful computer, but neither will there be a great difference with a powerful computer for Studio?

I ask all this because if Studio is a program that is updated (and also Lpub), then, it is impossible to get fast with large models of Lego ?. No matter which computer is used when the model has more than 20,000 pieces? although it is very pootente?

Please, what do you think about all this? I will be willing to change programs to design and generate instructions, but if with a very powerful computer I get great improvement ...

Please help...

Thank you.

[roland]

With very large models you should really consider working with separate submodels, so you can limit the extremely high part count stuff to a hand full of overview pages or something.

In general most editors are generally limited by the graphics card as part count wise.

This because, unlike a game, the part 3D data isn't optimized at the scene level but at part level only. E.g. studs are still drawn even when never visible due to the stacking of other ones etc.

[SylvainLS]

And also, in Studio, deactivate snapping and collision detection when moving large submodels.  Or simply use the connection tool: no movement, so no drag 

[mfeldt]

So far I found stud.io way more resource hungry than LDD.  It's actually hard to get it work reasonably on hardware ~5 years old.  Plus it cannot handle LDD groups when importing -> no incentive to switch.

[SylvainLS]

1 hour ago, mfeldt said:

Plus it cannot handle LDD groups when importing

Use smarter tools, like lxf2ldr.html

[MFR]

Hi. I also do not see much improvement with Studio, as mfeldt says. Maybe it will be necessary to work more the possibilities of Studio, but in speed with big models there is no improvement (or small improvement).

With your advice (thanks for that!) I have reached two conclusions:

1- According to the software structure of the Lego programs (design, instructions, etc.), a powerful computer will get a small performance improvement.

2- The best solution will be to divide the large models In the design.

Anyway, I will renew my computer to a more powerful one, this will always be positive, and some improvement will be achieved, even if it is small.

I will open a new post asking what computers (or computer equipment), users of this forum use to work with Lego, I think it would be a very interesting post, and thus we will be able to share ideas about the best possible computer, and see what computers the users work.

Greetings.