Building my next PC, what components to prioritize for Logos 6

Paul Vander Klay

I've been building my own PCs since the 90s and it might be time to a rebuilt. Logos 6 is by far the most demanding piece of software I run, everything else, browsing, powerpoint, etc. can run on just about anything. I'm already using an SSD but will probably buy a larger one since the prices have been falling. 

In terms of the components what should I prioritize? 

Does 16gb of ram do anything for me or is 8 sufficient? (I've got a half dozen windows and maybe a dozen tabs open at once usually.) 

Is there a difference between AMD boards and Intel boards in terms of memory access and SSD read/write speeds that will make a difference to Logos? 

How much CPU should I look at? I often get a high AMD processor because they're usually a good value. 

Since I'm not building this for gaming how much graphics horsepower do I need? I usually run two monitors so I usually go with a card but I seldom get the high end. My guess is that Logos isn't terribly demanding on the graphics processor but if I'm wrong I'd like to know it. 

Thanks. pvk

Unix

Are You looking to get DDR4? I'm not sure if the prices for DDR4 have come down much. What web browser are You using? Chrome is fast but needs lots of RAM, but if going with DDR4 I'd still go with one 8GB stick for now and upgrade by adding a stick as soon as the prices have come down a little. The benefit of choosing Chrome is less wear on the SSD. Look for a main board that has quality capacitors:

Paul Vander Klay said:

Does 16gb of ram do anything for me or is 8 sufficient? (I've got a half dozen windows and maybe a dozen tabs open at once usually.) 

Is there a difference between AMD boards and Intel boards in terms of memory access and SSD read/write speeds that will make a difference to Logos?

Since I'm not building this for gaming [...]

Triple- or quad core AMD with recent technology - make sure You look it up in comparative benchmarks but let the price decide what processor is worth the money, 3-8 MB of L2+L3 cache:

Paul Vander Klay said:

How much CPU should I look at? I often get a high AMD processor because they're usually a good value.

Regarding accessories, I'd get the http://www.trulyergonomic.com keyboard.
Two USB3 sockets.

Paul Vander Klay

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/722107#Comment_722107

Thanks. I use do use Chrome. 

Hmmm. good question. the price difference on DDR4 is still pretty steep. Some reviews says it won't make much difference today, but then the question becomes future proofing. 

I'm not in a rush yet. Dragging your feet on hardware purchases usually pays off. Thanks for the input. 

Josh Hunt

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/722107#Comment_722107

One thing to think about is a really big screen would be nice. 

Paul Vander Klay

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/722114#Comment_722114

I run dual 24" monitors. That isn't changing. 

Valerie Pobog

I have an Alienware computer which had 16 gb ram and an Intel I-7 chip. I upgraded to 32 gb ram and added a SSD hard (500 gb) drive as my boot drive. It’s amazingly faster and such a better experience with Logos. It is the only reason I upgraded and I am so glad I did!

Michael

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/722190#Comment_722190

I've found that the SSD makes the most difference, so get the fastest one you can get.  An i5 processor and 8gb of ram is sufficient.  I don't notice any difference throwing more ram or CPU at it.  All 3 of the machines I have Logos on runs it pretty much the same, but the ram and CPU are all different.  The only thing they have in common is an SSD drive.  

I have a desktop with a Core i5 (overclocked to 4.2ghz), 24gb ram, and a 240gb SSD with Logos on it.  An ultrabook with a Core i7, 8gb of ram, and a 256gb SSD.  And finally a Surface Pro 3 with a Core i5, 8gb ram, and a 256gb SSD.  The desktop also has a 2gb Nvidia GTX 670 video card.  The 2 portable devices only have integrated graphics.  So I don't think the graphics card matters at all.

Launch time for Logos is 15 seconds without updates on all 3 machines.  With updates around 35 seconds.

Responsiveness inside the program is the same across all 3.

Ben

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/722206#Comment_722206

Forget the SATA SSD, and get a PCIe SSD, e.g.

Sequential Read	2,200MB/s	2,400MB/s
Sequential Write	900MB/s	1,200MB/s
4KB Random Read	430K IOPS	440K IOPS

http://anandtech.com/show/9090/intel-ssd-750-pcie-ssd-review-nvme-for-the-client

Donnie Hale

Paul Vander Klay said:

In terms of the components what should I prioritize?

I just built a new PC, targeting primarily L6. Here's what I wrote after I finished building it:

https://community.logos.com/forums/p/101689/703449.aspx

A piece of advice that I was given regarding CPUs with on-board graphics is that even though on-board graphics is sufficient for most non-gaming applications these days, it does have an impact on heat in the CPU. I went with a dedicated graphics card.

I'm thrilled with the PC - by far the most powerful *and quietest* PC I've ever built. I'm less thrilled with Windows 8.1 - a few instabilities. But it's probably the right O.S. for me to be on with Windows 10 around the corner.

Donnie

Mark Barnes

Paul Vander Klay said:

In terms of the components what should I prioritize? 

Logos is effectively a glorified database. So build as if you're building a SQL server (i.e. superfast disk IO, and lots of RAM). So, in this order:

1. Drive speed: This is by far the most important. Get the best read IO speeds you can. You don't need to worry too much about writing speeds, because that will only affect indexing, which probably won't happen all that often.
2. RAM: Personally, I wouldn't get less than 8GB. 16GB is sufficient. Logos won't use a huge amount of RAM (perhaps 500MB, peaking to 1-1.5Gb), but Windows will cache Logos files in RAM, which will speed things up. There's not much point going above 16Gb unless you want to go nuts on the fastest possible system, and get enough RAM to store Logos' files in a RAM disk. You'd need at least 64Gb which would cost $1,000, and that's probably out of your budget!
3. CPU: Apart from indexing, it's rare Logos will max out your CPU, although it will sometimes max out a few cores. Because Logos usually only does things in bursts, focus on a processor that has a good Turbo speed, and good single core speed. If you're going for discrete graphics, something like the Core i7 4790K is ideal.
4. Graphics: Logos doesn't tax your graphics card much, but if you're driving two 24" monitors at full HD or above, I'd recommend a discrete card with 2GB RAM or more and two DVI or HDMI ports. If you're going to skimp, this is where to do it. (I have a GT 640 which is absolutely fine.)

If I was building a PC now, for a mid-range budget, I'd go for this:

• Samsung 850 EVO-Series 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($400, but in the 1TB configuration faster than most 850 Pros).
• 16GB (2x 8GB) DDR3-1866 RAM (DDR4 is still too expensive IMO, but DD3-1866 hits the price/performance sweet spot)
• Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor - great for overclocking and all round very fast
• Something like a GT740 2GB - cheap and cheerful

You can build a PC to that spec for around $1,100.

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/722342#Comment_722342

Internet connection is a part of the total Logos user experience, and in a specific user´s location there may not be much choice. But if there are alternatives, what would be the reasonable speed of the Internet connection when you have the ultimate hardware for Logos?

Paul Vander Klay

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/722342#Comment_722342

Wow, thanks for all the great responses. Very very helpful. pvk