New PC Help! - Scifi-Meshes.com

**Lonewriter** · 05-07-2008, 06:09 AM

I have to buy a new PC, this old Pentium 3 is about to die on me, the hard drive is failing, the DVD drive is almost gone and it's so slow when I try to render anything. I am looking to buy within the next week or so and would like your opinion on what I should get. I am looking to spend around $1500 and don't need a new monitor. I use Max 9, Lightwave 9, Photoshop CS3, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Office, Ulead Video Suite, Terragen and more. Now, I know some are going to suggest a mac but I can't afford to replace all my software so that is out. Thanks for the advice. Also, is Vista going to give me trouble with Max and Lightwave?

**Darkness** · 05-07-2008, 08:13 AM

Spent less on software, more for the PC... shouldn't be a problem, judging by your software-park you can't be that poor, really.

spudmonkey · 05-07-2008, 08:28 AM

$1500 will buy you a pretty powerful PC nowadays, especially if you don't want a monitor with it... A quad-core base unit in the UK only costs around $1100 (£550) and hardware tends to be cheaper elsewhere around the world

**Lonewriter** · 05-07-2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkness

Spent less on software, more for the PC... shouldn't be a problem, judging by your software-park you can't be that poor, really.

True but I already have the Windows version and don't want to replace it. The reason I don't need a new monitor is I bought a new LCD a few months ago. As for the software, I got them at cheaper cost because I can buy at wholesale.

homerpalooza67 · 05-07-2008, 11:18 PM

If you're in the UK, i can give you a Parts List, if you're interested in building it yourself. If you're in New York, i can build you one myself, or you can probably buy an Alienware.

**Samurai** · 05-08-2008, 12:29 AM

Hmm, why he'd want a Dell that looks like it's been designed by a 13 year old boy on crack is beyond me....

Are you looking at self-building Ken?

Silverblade-T-E · 05-08-2008, 12:35 AM

Love my new system

-Antec 900 Gamer Case (seriously very good case)
-ASUS motherboard, hm, maybe a p5K-E? I got a Striekr Extreme but dont' recommened them.
-Intel 6600 quad core. THough, currenlty newer ones have fallen in price, chekc compatibility wiht the motherboard!!
-8 gig ddr2 RAM, you will LOVE the difference!!
-VIsta Ultimate 64 bit, it is very sweet.
-3x500 gig hard drives, RAID 1 and 2, for system drive and data on 3rd. or just go 2 drives if preffer.
-Samsung monitors are nice, 206BW for me.

homerpalooza67 · 05-08-2008, 03:59 PM

I would recommend you build it yourself. $1500 can go a long way with DIY, you get a much better system then if you buy it premade.

spudmonkey · 05-08-2008, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homerpalooza67

I would recommend you build it yourself. $1500 can go a long way with DIY, you get a much better system then if you buy it premade.

That's not as true as it used to be. Prices on pre-builds are so low in most cases that it's not really worth building it yourself, particularly if you get free next day onsite support thrown in...

DeadlyDarkness · 05-08-2008, 04:23 PM

For rendering, you obviously want lots of RAM and a good processor. Your best shot is a quad core Q6600 G0 (make sure it the model number is G0, this is crucial as you can overclock it right up to about 3.4ghz very easily in the bios). Mobo needs to be a fairly decent one (ask if you can change voltages, one with an Nforce chipset is probably best - good thing to search for in google is a good intel quad core overclocking motherboard). I'd also suggest between 2-4gb of ram, compatible with your motherboard. The timings/clockspeed of the RAM isn't so important - its the processor that counts.
Graphics card again is not important, a sub $100 one will suffice unless you want to play the latest games.

To power this, a 500-600watt will probably take it.

I'd also suggest you get XP if you can, it would literally be about 10% faster.

Now all that is useful for Max/Lightwave (they are multithreaded, each core increases render speed by 80%). For Photoshop, a large amount of RAM is even more useful (for working with big images). To supplement this, fast SATA harddisks (prefrebly two in an array) will be useful (I'm guessing you're familar with the scratch disks feature used for image cache).

For video editing, a fast HDD is key. Terragen is like max, fast processor is best. Gcard is only useful for the viewports.

05-07-2008, 06:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
Lonewriter SFM Obsessed Join Date: May 2006 Age: 38 Posts: 1,291 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	New PC Help! I have to buy a new PC, this old Pentium 3 is about to die on me, the hard drive is failing, the DVD drive is almost gone and it's so slow when I try to render anything. I am looking to buy within the next week or so and would like your opinion on what I should get. I am looking to spend around $1500 and don't need a new monitor. I use Max 9, Lightwave 9, Photoshop CS3, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Office, Ulead Video Suite, Terragen and more. Now, I know some are going to suggest a mac but I can't afford to replace all my software so that is out. Thanks for the advice. Also, is Vista going to give me trouble with Max and Lightwave?
	He's a high-tech redneck, Mayberry meets Star Trek. He's a bumpkin' but he's plugged in, he's a high-tech redneck. -George Jones Death and Limbo

05-07-2008, 08:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
spudmonkey SFM Obsessed Total Awards: 3 (more» ...) Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,491 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	$1500 will buy you a pretty powerful PC nowadays, especially if you don't want a monitor with it... A quad-core base unit in the UK only costs around $1100 (£550) and hardware tends to be cheaper elsewhere around the world
	Ah well, at least the SFM server is up and running... Wait. What? Oh... SFM contest winner and all round over-bearing, highly opinionated, egomaniacal legend

05-07-2008, 11:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
homerpalooza67 SFM Obsessed Realname: Jedman67 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New York Posts: 1,842 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	If you're in the UK, i can give you a Parts List, if you're interested in building it yourself. If you're in New York, i can build you one myself, or you can probably buy an Alienware.
	"We apologize for the inconvenience.....please continue to hold, and a representative will be with you shortly....." Star Trek Uniforms in Poser USS Excalibur Emblem Office of Silly Walks

05-08-2008, 12:29 AM	#6 (permalink)
Samurai This time you see Join Date: May 2006 Location: (Northern) England Posts: 3,816 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Hmm, why he'd want a Dell that looks like it's been designed by a 13 year old boy on crack is beyond me.... Are you looking at self-building Ken?
	Here comes the water, It comes to wash away the sins of you and I. This time you see- like holy water, it only burns you faster than you'll ever dry.

05-08-2008, 12:35 AM	#7 (permalink)
Silverblade-T-E SFM Guru Realname: Steve Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Scotland, Cthulusville Age: 39 Posts: 275 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Love my new system -Antec 900 Gamer Case (seriously very good case) -ASUS motherboard, hm, maybe a p5K-E? I got a Striekr Extreme but dont' recommened them. -Intel 6600 quad core. THough, currenlty newer ones have fallen in price, chekc compatibility wiht the motherboard!! -8 gig ddr2 RAM, you will LOVE the difference!! -VIsta Ultimate 64 bit, it is very sweet. -3x500 gig hard drives, RAID 1 and 2, for system drive and data on 3rd. or just go 2 drives if preffer. -Samsung monitors are nice, 206BW for me.
	--------------------------- www.silverblades-suitcase.com "Orcs in Spaaaaaaaace!"

05-07-2008, 08:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
Darkness You hassle, you die. Realname: F. Schnackenpfefferhausen Join Date: May 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 831 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Spent less on software, more for the PC... shouldn't be a problem, judging by your software-park you can't be that poor, really.

05-08-2008, 03:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
homerpalooza67 SFM Obsessed Realname: Jedman67 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New York Posts: 1,842 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I would recommend you build it yourself. $1500 can go a long way with DIY, you get a much better system then if you buy it premade.
	"We apologize for the inconvenience.....please continue to hold, and a representative will be with you shortly....." Star Trek Uniforms in Poser USS Excalibur Emblem Office of Silly Walks

05-08-2008, 04:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
DeadlyDarkness SFM Nugget Realname: Jon Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 76 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	For rendering, you obviously want lots of RAM and a good processor. Your best shot is a quad core Q6600 G0 (make sure it the model number is G0, this is crucial as you can overclock it right up to about 3.4ghz very easily in the bios). Mobo needs to be a fairly decent one (ask if you can change voltages, one with an Nforce chipset is probably best - good thing to search for in google is a good intel quad core overclocking motherboard). I'd also suggest between 2-4gb of ram, compatible with your motherboard. The timings/clockspeed of the RAM isn't so important - its the processor that counts. Graphics card again is not important, a sub $100 one will suffice unless you want to play the latest games. To power this, a 500-600watt will probably take it. I'd also suggest you get XP if you can, it would literally be about 10% faster. Now all that is useful for Max/Lightwave (they are multithreaded, each core increases render speed by 80%). For Photoshop, a large amount of RAM is even more useful (for working with big images). To supplement this, fast SATA harddisks (prefrebly two in an array) will be useful (I'm guessing you're familar with the scratch disks feature used for image cache). For video editing, a fast HDD is key. Terragen is like max, fast processor is best. Gcard is only useful for the viewports.

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