Recommendation for new PC

[David Chin]

I have been PP using my Dell machine but this is far too slow. I intend to get a dedicated PC for PP. The applications I use regularly are Photoshop, Capture NX and DXO. Of course, it is easy to say get the most powerful processor etc but this always involve paying a substantial premium. I need value for money recommendations for:

1. The type of processor: namely AMD v Intel, single core or dual core
2. Motherboard
3. Graphic card
4. Memory

Lastly, has anyone fully tested Windows Vista? Should I stick with XP Pro for the moment?

Thanks in advance for all the advice.

David

 

[limyouliang]

maybe post in www.hardwarezone.com can help u more...

 

[kgston]

I would recommend a Intel Core 2 Duo 6300, abit AB-9 Pro, 2x 1gb of RAM and a mid range graphics card. the 7600GT has a pretty good price now

 

[ihub88]

I would recommend a Intel Core 2 Duo 6300, abit AB-9 Pro, 2x 1gb of RAM and a mid range graphics card. the 7600GT has a pretty good price now

its too slow

Lastly, has anyone fully tested Windows Vista? Should I stick with XP Pro for the moment?

too much resource needed for vista, makes your system lag like hell

stick with XP first till the first SP is out for vista

 

[ExplorerZ]

its too slow



too much resource needed for vista, makes your system lag like hell

stick with XP first till the first SP is out for vista

I think it depends on what file type you doing, my system is roughly that spec, work nicely for me except PPing NEF file using capture NX... but being said that I have seen many much more powerful system hardly coping raw files in NX as well. :sweat:

anyway the lowest yet effective cost option might be
intel core 2 duo 4300 (same as 6300 but lower power consumption)
2-4 x 1GB DDR667
any motherboard would do fine enough
most graphic would do good enough unless you touch 3d application...

any if you don need the eye candy from vista, window xp would do fine

 

[theRBK]

An idea of your budget would make it easier to give recomendations... doesn't have to be an exact figure, just a ballpark figure will do

 

[antacid]

i think there's a price revision for intel CPU chips in April, and the new 8xxx series for graphics card coming out too.

saw some packages in SimLim for about 700-800, pretty decent systems. Cored Duo, 1gb ram, 160gb sata HDD, GF7300 graphics card. you might want to take a look too.

I'm shopping for a new system too, but might hold off to buy in May/June when the prices have stabilised for the CPU and graphics cards.

Can't wait to play C&C3!

 

[David Chin]

An idea of your budget would make it easier to give recomendations... doesn't have to be an exact figure, just a ballpark figure will do

I have prepared a budget of $2,000 (excluding monitor). Any nice package to recommend?

 

[ExplorerZ]

I have prepared a budget of $2,000 (excluding monitor). Any nice package to recommend?

good budget for decent system liao...
if you wanna DIY, probably can try
4GB of ram, lower end core2duo, 2x 250gb HDD? and all the other usual stuffs like MB, gfx card... etc

i think there's a price revision for intel CPU chips in April, and the new 8xxx series for graphics card coming out too.

saw some packages in SimLim for about 700-800, pretty decent systems. Cored Duo, 1gb ram, 160gb sata HDD, GF7300 graphics card. you might want to take a look too.

I'm shopping for a new system too, but might hold off to buy in May/June when the prices have stabilised for the CPU and graphics cards.

Can't wait to play C&C3!

not sure, but iirc those cheaper budget system by SLS are mainly still stuck with dual core (not core duo)

 

[antacid]

SLS has E6400 core2duo for about 1.1k..after upgrading and getting more RAM and HDD, probly still less than 1.5k, leaves you about 500 for a decent LCD monitor or two!

 

[ExplorerZ]

SLS has E6400 core2duo for about 1.1k..after upgrading and getting more RAM and HDD, probly still less than 1.5k, leaves you about 500 for a decent LCD monitor or two!

ah, 1.1k sounds better... was shocked when you say core2 sys at 700-800. :bigeyes:

 

[Big Kahuna]

I have been PP using my Dell machine but this is far too slow. I intend to get a dedicated PC for PP. The applications I use regularly are Photoshop, Capture NX and DXO. Of course, it is easy to say get the most powerful processor etc but this always involve paying a substantial premium. I need value for money recommendations for:

1. The type of processor: namely AMD v Intel, single core or dual core
2. Motherboard
3. Graphic card
4. Memory

Lastly, has anyone fully tested Windows Vista? Should I stick with XP Pro for the moment?

Thanks in advance for all the advice.

David

Other brand of PC might be as slow if the parts are lousy...If your Dell is newer breed of P4, then you might want to consider adding more ram, change the graphic card and change to a faster harddisk drive :thumbsup:

Alternatively use something like this as a guide....
http://www.sharkyextreme.com/guides/EGBG/article.php/3666936
http://www.sharkyextreme.com/guides/MVGSBG/article.php/3649521

 

[djork]

Other brand of PC might be as slow if the parts are lousy...If your Dell is newer breed of P4, then you might want to consider adding more ram, change the graphic card and change to a faster harddisk drive :thumbsup:

Alternatively use something like this as a guide.... http://www.sharkyextreme.com/guides/EGBG/article.php/3666936

get seperate harddisks as your scratch disks and store your photos in at least 2 seperate locations.

if you don't play games, just buy an average card like the 7300, 7600 will do.

get a calibrator if you like.

 

[dorts]

$2000 is a large sum of money. Can get you great stuff.

CPU + Motherboard: Gigabyte 965P-DS3 + Intel Core 2 Duo 6600 - $728
RAM: PC 5300 Kingston DDR2 667 2X1GB - $164
Hard Disk: Seagate 320GB - $138
Graphic Card: EVGA 8800GTS 320MB DDR3 - $479

Total is $1509

I haven't add in DVD writer, Casing, Power Supply, assembling etc. yet.


If you want cheaper,


CPU + Motherboard: Gigabyte 965P-DS3 + Intel Core 2 Duo 6300 - $513
RAM: PC 5300 Kingston DDR2 667 2X1GB - $164
Hard Disk: Seagate 320GB - $138
Graphic Card: XpertVision GF7900GS 256MB DDR3 - $248

Total is $1063

Haven't add in DVD writer, Casing, Power Supply, assembling etc. also.

 

[djork]

$2000 is a large sum of money. Can get you great stuff.

CPU + Motherboard: Gigabyte 965P-DS3 + Intel Core 2 Duo 6600 - $728
RAM: PC 5300 Kingston DDR2 667 2X1GB - $164
Hard Disk: Seagate 320GB - $138
Graphic Card: EVGA 8800GTS 320MB DDR3 - $479

Total is $1509

I haven't add in DVD writer, Casing, Power Supply, assembling etc. yet.


If you want cheaper,


CPU + Motherboard: Gigabyte 965P-DS3 + Intel Core 2 Duo 6300 - $513
RAM: PC 5300 Kingston DDR2 667 2X1GB - $164
Hard Disk: Seagate 320GB - $138
Graphic Card: XpertVision GF7900GS 256MB DDR3 - $248

Total is $1063

Haven't add in DVD writer, Casing, Power Supply, assembling etc. also.

u can still add $100 for a tuniq tower heat sink and bump it up to 3.6GHz.

 

[dorts]

I don't think he will be overclocking right?

 

[David Chin]

Yes, no overclocking for me as I am not into gaming. My reflexes are too slow and 99 out of 100, I would kaput in the very early stage of whatever game I had played. This is so discouraging that I had given up completely. The only faming I am into is chess where I am at least given time to think although I am no match for computer programme like Fritz which has beaten virtually every human being including the current world champion, Vladimir Kramnik. I intend to use the PC for processing photos only.

I reckon even an entry level graphic card will be sufficient and I would be better off spending my money on more and faster RAMs and processor. By the way, how much faster is the Intel Core Duo compared to their Dual Core? How do they compare to the AMDs?

I can build the PC myself but this is too much hassle. I guess the prices should be cheapest in Sim Lim Square but the reputation of shops there isn't good. Does anyone know of a shop there that you would personally recommend?

 

[David Chin]

Other brand of PC might be as slow if the parts are lousy...If your Dell is newer breed of P4, then you might want to consider adding more ram, change the graphic card and change to a faster harddisk drive :thumbsup:

Alternatively use something like this as a guide....
http://www.sharkyextreme.com/guides/EGBG/article.php/3666936
http://www.sharkyextreme.com/guides/MVGSBG/article.php/3649521

Thanks for your suggestion. My Dell has a P4 3.0 GHz processor with onboard video and 1 GB of RAM. I had thought about upgrading as you have suggested but I think this won't get me far. Running DXO is really slow and I need more substantial improvement in processing power.

 

[ExplorerZ]

Yes, no overclocking for me as I am not into gaming. My reflexes are too slow and 99 out of 100, I would kaput in the very early stage of whatever game I had played. This is so discouraging that I had given up completely. The only faming I am into is chess where I am at least given time to think although I am no match for computer programme like Fritz which has beaten virtually every human being including the current world champion, Vladimir Kramnik. I intend to use the PC for processing photos only.

I reckon even an entry level graphic card will be sufficient and I would be better off spending my money on more and faster RAMs and processor. By the way, how much faster is the Intel Core Duo compared to their Dual Core? How do they compare to the AMDs?

I can build the PC myself but this is too much hassle. I guess the prices should be cheapest in Sim Lim Square but the reputation of shops there isn't good. Does anyone know of a shop there that you would personally recommend?

In short, for get about intel dual core... just get core2duo or AMD (but intel core2duo is known to be much better performer going by price/performance ratio)

dorts 2nd setup is good, if possible you can probably increase the ram to 4x 1GB and maybe a 2 more HDD, 1 smaller 1 as a scratch disk for PS and another as backup.

 

[zj2000]

Some pretty good advise being given by the other bros but looking at what you intend to do with your new pc, i'd say forget about fancy motherboards / graphic cards. Get the fastest core 2 duo that you find reasonable and get more ram, it really helps.

My advise is:
Core 2 duo 6600 (not worth the price jump to get a 6700)
2 / 4gb ram any brand any speed (though if price diff not big, get 800mhz ones)
7600gs (recommend this as it is passively cooled so really quite + you don play games)
Any motherboard that can take the intel e6600
320 gb harddisk (cheapest per GB cost)

You'd probably end up paying 1500 for everything and 19" lcd