Java graphics card

Takaharu

My mum wants to upgrade her system to workstation level before long to get stocks updated up to the second. The stocks are streamed through Java and many applications are run alongside the streaming programs.
Apparently (though there's no telling her otherwise) this requires a highest-end processor (probably the Core i7 975 or a Core i9), 16GB triple-channel DDR3, a solid state hard drive (or as fast a hard drive as possible) and a high-end graphics card.

Currently, the PC has the following but is inadequate and lags on occasion when updating the Java:
Intel Q9450 (stock)
8GB DDR2 800MHz
Sapphire 3870
500GB SATA-2 hard drive (can't remember manufacturer)

If streaming Java is the only graphics-"heavy" requirement, what would perform better - a gaming-grade graphics card (like the 285) or a workstation graphics card (like Quadro or FireGL)?

temeteus82

I think that Java isn't gfx heavy but it is CPU heavy. As far as I've read papers from Sun Microsystems Java only mostly uses CPU. So if she isn't using any CAD software I would just go with normal gfx card.

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IvanV

Let me see if I got you right, your mom uses the computer to get stock market updates over the Internet, right? In that case, if she's dealing with a large amount of data, it's quite possible that it's the Internet connection speed that's the limiting factor.

The next time she's working, open Task Manager (press Ctrl+Sift+Esc) and see how much of the system resources is used. At the bottom of the Task Manager window, there are three numbers: processes, CPU usage and physical memory. If physical memory doesn't get up to around 90%, then I'd say that you don't need more memory (if it does, then you're right about needing more memory, but perhaps you don't need a whole new system). Also, if, at those times when the application is lagging, the CPU number isn't near 100% (or at least stays at relatively high numbers for a while), then it's not the CPU either and it really almost certainly is the Internet connection speed. As for the graphics card, I'm almost 100% certain that it would make no difference whatsoever, because even if the application used hardware acceleration, which I find highly unlikely, I really doubt that it would give 3870 a hard time (you can check that too if you want to make sure, open Catalyst Control Center, go to the Overdrive section and observe the Activity number on the right).

So, you can check, but my opinion would be:
- you don't need a strong graphics card;
- if the CPU usage really is high, then you may go for the new computer, but check before making a purchase of an expensive new system;
- if it's not the CPU, but the memory is getting all used up, then you may try to upgrade just your RAM; you may be surprised how much of a performance boost this simple and cheap upgrade could bring if that's what you need;
- if none of the above happens to be the case, it could be the connection speed; getting a faster connection may or may not improve tings, based on how fast the server the application is connecting to can send the data.

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GigaWatt

IvanV summed it up...

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Takaharu

1 - Yup, I know. There's no telling her otherwise though; she's blindly convinced that Java is graphics-heavy, which I know is utter... you get the idea.
2 - The CPU might be beneficial as there's a lot of multi-tasking but that's one of two possibilities of making streaming faster IMO.
3 - 8GB was being used up for a while but I miraculously got her to agree to a reformat to fix the horrendous slow-down and memory leak (won't admit that it's faster though, even though the step-up's like going from a 2GHz P4 to a properly-performing Q9450). Now she'd never use it, not alone 16GB. It's nuts but she wants it anyway.
4 - I've recommended upgrading the connection to 50MB (currently we're on 20MB) though this may take some convincing as she thinks 50MB is unnecessary unless you download a lot of big files.

Thanks for the replies anyway - knowing that Java is more CPU than GPU is useful; she might settle for a higher-end 775 processor and a 50MB line. She also wants to change to Nvidia because "ATI conflicts with Windows".
I can't talk sense into her most of the time. I recently got "If I researched it, I could do anything you do but better." The fact that I'm an active member of two tech forums and visit places like Techrepublic and I work with computers as a living with 5 other guys in the same department somehow doesn't count for a lot.
As an example - "Windows ME wasn't really that bad; it had one or two bugs but what software doesn't?" Yeah, ME was great

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IvanV

I sympathize with you, my father is not too much unlike your mother (though he is letting me be the expert as of lately). Anyway, tell her what you think and let her do what she wants. If you argue, you'll just lose your nerves and get blamed if she isn't happy with the result (but I guess that you already know that). I wonder if she could check with someone else who's in the same business what setup do they have and how does it perform, it may help put things into perspective.

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