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Operating System
One of the biggest boosts to performance can be the switch to a 64-bit operating system (OS). With current 32-bit processors and OS’s, there is a maximum limit 4GB of memory that can be used by Windows system processes. Our programs can access large data sets, and this can easily push the software processor memory needs past the capacity of Windows. The user will first notice the program slowing down; it will take more time to return mouse control, move through dialog boxes, and repaint the map display etc. In extreme cases, it can cause the program to terminate with “out of memory” errors. Switching to 64-bit removes this memory bottleneck since the operating system can access more processor space memory.
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This only works if you have a 64-bit OS running on a 64-bit machine. |
Memory
Memory has been discussed above. Most computers available today have decent speed and quality memory.
Minimum recommendation – 4GB
Better recommendation – 8GB and 64-bit OS
Processor
Current CPU's range in speed from 2.5GHz to 3.5Ghz, with laptops generally being on the lower end and desktops on the higher end. Processor speed doesn’t make as much of a difference in performance with EDX software as you might expect. For example, a 3.5Ghz laptop represents an approximate 30% increase in speed, but you won’t see a corresponding 30% decrease in the time it takes EDX to do its work. Nevertheless, faster is better with the number of cores in the processor being another consideration. The trend has been to add more cores to the processors, rather than increase the processor speed. Currently, EDX software offers multi-threading in its building of displays, but not in the main calculation engine. So a multi-core processor will not help much now, but in the future it will. The exception to this is if you’re building a server with the intention of running multiple “virtual” instances of Windows/EDX Software. The EDX software wouldn’t necessarily benefit, but running multiple instances would.
Minimum recommendation – Intel Core 2 duo (or equivalent)
Standard recommendation – Intel Core i5. i7 would be useful for the future, it’s main advantage is multi-core, multi-threading
High-end server recommendation – Intel Xeon 4 core (min) up to 8 core
Hard Drive
Hard drives are a place where you can gain some performance increases. A minimum of 20GB free is all that’s needed, and most computers today come with drives of at least 250GB or larger. Since a lot of our processing time comes with reading/writing to the hard drive, read/write/seek time can help, but having a high RPM is better. Another option that can dramatically decrease read/write/access times is switching to a solid state hard drive (SSD). However, not all SSD’s are created equal. There are issues relating to I/O and some questions on hard drive lifespan vs traditional hard drives. EDX suggests doing some research on the best in current SSD’s prior to purchasing one. Depending on your configuration, there are other options, such as running an external HDD or SSD for your projects and data. It won’t run as fast as internal to the computer, but it can give you greater options in project and data portability. If using an external drive, look for USB 3.0 compatibility.
Minimum recommendation – 250GB + 7200 RPM traditional HDD
High-end recommendation – 250GB + SSD
Graphics
Generally, EDX software does not require or use much in the way of processing for graphics. Since we are displaying bit-mapped images, study results or other maps and data, it’s more an issue of how much computer memory you have (see above). There are two applications that can benefit from a better graphics card:
Multiple monitors at higher resolutions. While the minimum specs do the job, having multiple monitors running at 1920×1080 gives you the ability to expand the application window over both monitors, giving you a huge workspace. You can look at a large area, have multiple views open side by side, or view EDX software on one monitor and all your other apps on a second monitor. Windows supports dual monitors natively, so generally there is no need for a special graphics card. What is absolutely necessary is the graphics bit-depth be 32-bit.
Ray-tracing. Some EDX software ray-tracing models can take advantage of the GPU’s on NVIDIA graphics cards (minimum of 96 CUDA cores). This is a specialty application, so contact EDX support for more information.
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Minimum recommendation – 1024×768, 32-bit graphics resolution
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Signal 12.1.2+ / SignalPro 9.1.2+
Minimum Requirements
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home, 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo / AMD Athlon 64 X2
Memory: 4 GB of RAM
Graphics: None / Integrated Graphics Controller
Storage: 20 GB of free space
Recommended Configuration
Single User
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i5 / AMD FX, or better
Memory: 8 GB of RAM, or better
Graphics: NVIDIA or AMD dedicated GPU
Storage: 250 GB SSD, or better
Server/Network
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Server 2016, 64-bit
Processor: Intel Xeon E3 / AMD Threadripper, or better
Memory: 32 GB of RAM, or better
Graphics: NVIDIA or AMD dedicated GPU
Storage: 1 TB Enterprise SAS, or better