Houdini
Ikbenstil Workstations for Houdini, and SideFX's recommended system requirements for Houdini, with the latest hardware components.
Houdini Workstations
Creation and animation workstation for Houdini
Standard Workstation for Houdini mainly focused on anmation and creation.
Pro Workstation Houdini
Powerful Workstation for Houdini. Simulations in particular can demand a lot from computer hardware. So being able to use enough RAM is a requirement for this situation. AMD has reintroduced the Threadripper (without Pro) which is an ideal hardware platform for Houdini. Should Houdini be used as a plugin in Unity, Maya, 3D Max or Unreal Engine and need to be rendered, the Threadripper Pro platform is again better.
Workstations for Houdini
Like most software developers, SideFX also provides a list of system requirements for Houdini – a brief hardware list that you are advised to meet in order to use Houdini. These SideFX recommendations do not guarantee an optimally functioning Houdini workstation, but simply set out the absolute minimum requirements. The official information provided by software manufacturers is not always up to date and often lags behind the rapid pace of hardware development. That is why Ikbenstil Computers equips these Houdini workstations with the most up-to-date, balanced hardware that is best suited to the programme’s operation.
The hardware:
Processor (CPU): The best processor for Houdini depends on how you use the programme. The processor handles the most important tasks; modelling and animation processes are mainly handled in a single-threaded manner. If simulations become demanding and 128GB of RAM is required, we recommend using the AMD Ryzen Threadripper processor; these 24-, 32-, 64- and 96-core CPUs are also ideally suited for specialised simulations such as fluid dynamics in Houdini.
Rendering can be performed via the CPU; more cores and higher clock speeds result in faster rendering, but GPU rendering with Houdini in combination with rendering software is preferable to CPU rendering. We offer optimised Ikbenstil Rendering Workstations for this purpose.
Which processor is the best choice? For the standard Houdini workstation, the AMD Ryzen 9 is an excellent choice. If you have demanding Houdini projects, a processor with many cores and higher RAM support, such as the AMD Ryzen Threadripper or Threadripper PRO, is the better choice.
The Graphics Card (GPU) The graphics card is important for the viewport display when working, modelling and animating with Houdini. We recommend Nvidia GeForce GPUs; the mid-range series is ideal for the standard workstation, whilst the high-end RTX cards with a large amount of VRAM are suitable for the high-end Houdini workstation.
Memory (RAM) Ikbenstil Computers recommends a minimum of 64GB of RAM for the standard Houdini workstation, and 128GB or more on the AMD Threadripper Pro platform for more demanding applications.
Storage For the Houdini workstations, we opt for a fast primary NVMe SSD for the operating system and programmes. And for ongoing projects, a secondary NVMe SSD. Naturally, storage for the content is also required; this can be on a standard SATA SSD or, optionally, high-capacity HDDs, a file server or NAS.
Customisation Ikbenstil Computers has built workstations that align with standard workflows and the associated software. If your choice is not listed here, please contact one of our specialists, who can offer you a bespoke solution.