Core viewer tech: Multi-core processors and RAM

[arabellajones]

I have a vague recollection that Viewers used to be single-core, like a lot of other software. Multi-core processors would use one core for the OS, one for the Viewer, and while the OS wasn't monolithic, and the viewer could do some things through SLPlugin.exe, SL still gained most from raw clock speed

I know we finally have 64-bit code now, but does it use multiple cores and threads (and what does the Meltdown/Spectre stuff mean for SL).

I really can't recommend running SL in less than 4GB of RAM, and Firestorm definitely runs better in 8GB, I find I need more that 4GB of RAM for Firestorm and my OS, and swapping to disk can be a killer.

Either the SL Viewer is terribly old-fashioned, or the documentation on these things is badly out of date. Do I go for clock speed or more cores? And what sort of affordable graphics card is there out there? This machine works, but it's getting old.

[cykarushb]

SL uses multiple cores and threads but doesn't utilize it well, certain aspects are heavily single threaded so a dual core with a decent single thread performance score can actually outperform 8/16+ core processors that have weaker single thread scores.

Meltdown Spectre means nothing for SL or 99% of consumers in general, the average person is not a target for the people who would use that security exploit. Servers in particular are a target though games like SL would be super unimportant targets because they're not worth that much money and theres not much relavent user data to steal.

4gb of ram is fine for the LL viewer, ive run it on way less (1gb with the legacy viewer on XP, no issues), firestorm is, and I'm not sorry to all the people who use firestorm and praise it as the end all be all of viewers, bloated and really inefficient with resources and requires a lot more ram.

Clock speed and cores mean next to nothing nowadays, a 4 core i7 4770k at 4ghz outperformed the 8 core 5ghz FX 9590.

I use a Core2quad Q6600 and a Quadro FX 4600 with 8gb of DDR2 on Windows 8.1 with the 64 bit LL viewer. SL runs fine, more populated places or high detail places can drag down my FPS but for the average place with 10 or less people I see 30-40fps on medium settings.

For a modern SL capable PC, look into recent quadcores with good single threaded performance scores and a GPU like an RX 550 or higher.

I suggest a Ryzen 3 1200 or Pentium G4560, 8gb of ddr4 and maybe a GTX 1050ti or RX 460/560.

That would be a very adequate system to run SL at high settings in 1080p and not see much frame loss with lots of people around.

 

[Lillith Hapmouche]

2 hours ago, cykarushb said:

I suggest a Ryzen 3 1200 

... which is replaced by the Ryzen 3 2200G APU that immensely profits from fast paced dual rank RAM - that means a kit of 8GB or more with at least 2933MHz timings.

That'll let the integrated graphics shine. It performs on par or better than a GT 1030, so quite worth a thought for casual users.

[cykarushb]

Yeah, the GPU side of the APU benefits from faster ram, as it uses system memory as video memory. So higher speed ram is faster video memory which is always beneficial with an APU.

However its still a Ryzen 3 1200, pairing that with a dedicated GPU would be the better option unless they're on a tight budget, an RX 560 or 1050ti would give a drastically better graphical experience over GT 1030 tier graphics, which are about on par with a GTX 750.

[Lillith Hapmouche]

True and agreed - just no idea how long the 1200 will remain on sale. 

Unfortunately, I just bought a full new second system the last month or else I'd be extremely tempted to get such a 2200G plattform and play around with it. 

[arabellajones]

Thanks for the info about viewers.

Meltdown/Spectre slowdowns can depend a lot on the particular program and what it does. I'd be more worried about my web browser than my viewer, and maybe you should check how your viewer is set to handle web links. I know my web browser gets security updates. I am not so confident about SL viewers.

I know the "bitcoin miner" label is a bit misleading, but the whole cryptocurrency thing is making good graphics hardware expensive.

[Lindal Kidd]

On 2/15/2018 at 4:08 PM, cykarushb said:

...SL would be super unimportant targets because they're not worth that much money and theres not much relavent user data to steal...

I beg to differ.  Scammers routinely use phishing campaigns and debit permission stealing objects to get access to people's accounts.  If they didn't find it profitable, they wouldn't do it.  Someone who could actually hack the servers and get everyone's passwords could steal millions.  I hope LL is paying attention to this.