Picking a new PC; advice?

Discussion in 'Computer Science & Culture' started by whitewolf, Oct 18, 2007.

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  1. whitewolf asleep under the juniper bush Registered Senior Member

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    I am looking for something that would equal a Mac G5 in performance, keeping in mind that Windows is far more bloated than Mac OS. Can anyone help me estimate? Besides the basic set of running applications, I'd be running 2-3 design applications at the same time (InDesign or Quark XPress and Photoshop, for example), with large (20+ mb) files open in each, and I need to be able to do it with comfort and ease.

    I can not simply get a Mac G5 because that would require getting a full new set of design software and a new mp3 player, so that would be too much of a hassle. I've never seen pirated Mac versions of design applications.
     
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  3. Ripley Valued Senior Member

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    I don't think most PC users here would know much about an outdated Mac computer and be able to link its performance with anything comparable. Perhaps River-wind might know.
     
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  5. Learned Hand Registered Senior Member

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    Build from scratch. Don't buy something from Best Buy, etc. Their prices are inflated over the costs of building your own. I like AMD over Intel, and would suggest a dual core Athalon 64 FX processor. Motherboard with one or two PCI-E slots for graphics cards. Stick with NVIDIA chipsets on the graphics cards (if you don't do much gaming, you could likely get by with one graphics card/PCI-E slot). DON'T sell yourself short on the graphics card (something in the $199-$279 price range would be good). Pick a motherboard with an integrated sound card, USB 2.0, Firewire, and Ethernet; buying SoundBlaster audio cards is a waste these days. At least 2 megs of DDR-4 RAM; anything above that would probably be overkill for you. Buy 2 SETA hard drives: one that spins @ 10,000, the other at 7500. The 10,000s are more expensive, but if you're working with 20+mg files, it is much faster and should be primary (eg put your operating system there). The other hard drive will be cheaper, and buy for space for mass storage of what you archive. Power supply should not go below 350 watts.

    The processor will be the most expensive. But the FX Althalon is probably one of the best processors on the consumer market (speed & reliability).

    You wouldn't have to upgrade for probably 5 years or more.
     
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  7. d67wv0 Registered Member

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    Depends on Budget

    The first rule I follow with hardware is avoid top of the range components(and bottom). They are almost overpriced compared to the medium range.
    It's hard to gauge what you need but I would suggest 1-2 gigs of DDR2 ram preferbly 2, 100+ gig hardrive. For the CPU any Intel Core Duo 2 or AMD Athlon X2 64 will do very well. I won't comment on graphics cards as I don't keep up with the times but from the software you are using you will need one. Avoid Vista if possible as it's rather bloated and not all MS Windows software is compatible.
    While building a PC is quite rewarding and not too hard, it is fiddly and not really much cheaper than buying.
    Learned Hand's advice is good though when he says "2 megs of DDR-4 RAM", I think he means "2 Gigs of DDR2".
     
  8. Gustav Banned Banned

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    windows bloat when vista is the os
    400+ megs is standard install
    xp is around 100 megs
    memory that is

    g5 are excellent
    fast and responsive
    but way too expensive

    for x amount of dollars you get either a mid range ppc or a top of the line x86
    no brainer really

    my xp deployments are stable as shit
    os x.....far from it

    i'll trade you a cracked mac app of your choice for a nudie pic

    what say you
    darling wolfie?
     
  9. Gustav Banned Banned

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    12,575
    do not build
    it is pointless
    your objectives are routine
     
  10. Gustav Banned Banned

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    12,575
    i wish to learn
    lets talk $'s
     
  11. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Build it from scratch if you can.

    AMD64 FX processor

    4 Gigs SDRAM

    ATI brings a whole new world of gaming with the introduction of physics processing on the ATI GPU as part of the ATI CrossFire platform. Now, in addition to dual-card CrossFire™ graphics, a third ATI Radeon™ X1000 series card can be used to deliver the most powerful physics processing performance available for the most true-to-life representations of reality possible. This potent new combination of the highest quality dual graphics solution with incredible physics processing capacity brings gamers the best looking, most immersive game experience possible, on the highest performing PC platform ever conceived, ATI CrossFire.


    ASUS A8V-VM SE MoBo

    That should give you a very nice system. Pick your own power supply and other additions but use this as a base to build from.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  12. Gustav Banned Banned

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    /awake, leering, under the juniper bush
     
  13. Gustav Banned Banned

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    it is only some goddamn graphics and publishing apps!
    a fucking low end x86 with a single gig can handle wolfies tasks!
     
  14. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    33,264
    True.
     
  15. Gustav Banned Banned

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    12,575
    never ever buy an oem without an original install disc
    since most oem are based on vista, never ever buy one that is not backwards compatible with xp

    wolfie
    repeat after me

    fuck vista!
     
  16. Gustav Banned Banned

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    12,575
    wolfie
    repeat after me

    take me now, gustav!
     
  17. Nickelodeon Banned Banned

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    Get one of those $100 laptops.
     
  18. Zyxoas Registered Senior Member

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    Whitewolf, I'm sure Mac warez exists, you just haven't been looking hard enough.

    However, if you're going to make money off it (or are you instaling the design stuff for educational reasons?), is pirating justified? I'm sorry to go OT but this is rather interesting. Arrrgh me maties!
     
  19. Gustav Banned Banned

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    wolfie

    repeat after me

    gustav, only you make sense, you get to the bottom of shit, how could i have been so blind. i love you
     
  20. Gustav Banned Banned

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    wolfie

    if you want i can call my dell guy, confer and hash
    then give you contact info
    3 day delivery

    lets make it happen
    what the cash outlay?
     
  21. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Ever consider a laptop?
     
  22. redarmy11 Registered Senior Member

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    qft, as they say.

    Nay, nay and thrice nay. For God's sake, make sure you get a copy of the OS on CD if you haven't already got one!
     
  23. Gustav Banned Banned

    Messages:
    12,575
    and never assume
    or you could end up like me
    on a presario
    running server 2003 enterprise
    and vga.dll
     
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