Objective:
Learn how to configure your computer to get the most out of nTop.
These suggestions are above and beyond the minimum system requirements (which will run nTop smoothly). This is designed to guide customers who are looking to maximize computer performance.
CPU:
nTop performance is most impacted by CPU core count and speed. The CPU is where the majority of computations take place. CPUs with high core count are preferred as they can run operations in nTop much faster.
CPU Example:
-
Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9
(16+ cores, latest gen)
We have seen some performance consequences with Dual Xeon configurations and don't recommend them for an ideal nTop computer build.
Memory:
A lot of RAM is required for fast topology optimizations. A minimum of 64 GB is recommended, but larger models (5M+ elements) have consumed 128 GB of RAM. The amount of RAM you need depends on how big the models you want to analyze are.
High-core count CPUs (like those recommended above) typically require more RAM to run well.
RAM Example:
- 256 GB DDR4-3600 CL18 kit
GPU:
nTop currently doesn't support multiple GPUs. nTop will run with multiple, but it only utilizes one GPU. We recommend buying one better GPU, rather than multiple ones. You want to focus on the amount of memory when choosing a GPU. The GPU affects your rendering speed and visualization.
GPU example:
-
Latest NVIDIA RTX (e.g. 4090, 5000 Ada)
(24 GB VRAM)
SSD & More
Since most computations occur in the CPU, we recommend a fast SSD (with an M.2 connection). A fast SSD helps open files faster, is more responsive, and has a larger drive to save big topology optimization files.
SSD example:
- 2 TB NVMe M.2 SSD
(20% free space)