New computer to build

[megalmn2000]

Hi all!

I'm getting into university this year in 3D and I would like to know which pieces to buy and to make my own computer. I will work with theses tools:

- 3ds Max 2010
- Zbrush
- Photoshop
- Unreal Engine
- Combustion
- xNormal
- MotionBuilder
- many more...

I have a budget around 2000$.
I've ask a someone at Autodesk and he told me to focus on the graphic card cause they will focus now on the GPU-based power instead of the CPU.

I don't know if I should buy a Quadro FX or a next-gen GeForce.
A quad-core or an i7?

Thanks you!

[Erik]

Hi

read this thread I think you will get a lot of useful info from it
http://www.gameartisans.org/forums/s...ad.php?t=15548

One link especially to check out from that thread:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/buy...-august-2010/1
(but there is some good comments about that sites suggestions in the thread too

Good luck in getting the best computer for your needs

[AcrobatFly]

Quick answers....

GeForce instead of Quadro. Comparable performance. Save yourself some money. Be able to still play games.

Intel i7 comes in 2, 4, and 6 core versions. For your money, the 4 core i7 will be the best bet.

For the rest of your PC needs....

- More RAM. 8GB or better. (Plan for the future)
- 1TB storage at least. No slower than 7200rpm eSata.
- 22" or bigger monitor. 24" if you plan on 1080p.
- Blu-Ray/DVD combo burners are cheaper now and much more common. Why not? Just go for dual optical drives.
- Don't settle for fewer than 6 USB & 2 Firewire. The more the better. It'd be easy to skimp out here, but external hubs are a worse option.
- External HDD storage should always be a consideration, as you don't want to ever lose data. They're cheap enough where you can pick up a 1TB external for less than $200.

I've been pricing out a new PC too. Same budget. I found a couple of 12GB - 16GB i7s with 1.5TB for under $1,600 USD on newegg. Since I just bought a 24" 1080p for $200 this morning, they seem like a solid buys.

[bcottage]

$2000? in my opinion that isnt enougth if you are including things such as monitors, mouse and keyboard.

My computer cost around £3000 which is about $5000? (inc monitor, mouse and keyboard)

it contained:

- Windows 7 profesional
- Intel Core i7 930 2.80GHz (Bloomfield)
- EVGA Classified Intel X58 DDR3 Motherboard
- 6GB RAM (OCZ blade series)
- 2TB Hard drive (western digital)
- 2TB External hard drive (western digital)
- 300gb Hard drive for games (western digital velociraptor)
- Samsung SH-B083L/BSBP 8x BluRay ROM / 16x DVD±RW Drive - Black
- Samsung SyncMaster XL2370-1 23" Widescreen LED Backlit LCD Computer Monitor (im buying another one soon because this is the best wuality monitor ever!!!!!!!)
- XFX ATI Radeon HD 5770 XXX Edition 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card (will prob buy another when i get another samsung monitor)

I have had this computer for about 1/2 a year now and it works like a treat!!!

[Lamont]

$2000? in my opinion that isnt enougth if you are including things such as monitors, mouse and keyboard.

My computer cost around £3000 which is about $5000? (inc monitor, mouse and keyboard)

it contained:

- Windows 7 profesional
- Intel Core i7 930 2.80GHz (Bloomfield)
- EVGA Classified Intel X58 DDR3 Motherboard
- 6GB RAM (OCZ blade series)
- 2TB Hard drive (western digital)
- 2TB External hard drive (western digital)
- 300gb Hard drive for games (western digital velociraptor)
- Samsung SH-B083L/BSBP 8x BluRay ROM / 16x DVD±RW Drive - Black
- Samsung SyncMaster XL2370-1 23" Widescreen LED Backlit LCD Computer Monitor (im buying another one soon because this is the best wuality monitor ever!!!!!!!)
- XFX ATI Radeon HD 5770 XXX Edition 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card (will prob buy another when i get another samsung monitor)

I have had this computer for about 1/2 a year now and it works like a treat!!!

Wow, $5,000. I can make two of those computers with 12 gigs of ram each for $300 more.

[AcrobatFly]

Yeah. $2,000 is more than enough for a solid desktop PC AND a monitor. $5,000 is just way too much for what you've got. The PC setup I'm replacing, which is now 3 years old, originally cost me $2,200 with monitor, 2TB external, 2TB internal, 8GB RAM, 1GB NVidia, & quad core. Dude, at $2,200, I overpaid too.

I've been scouting out one the higher end Gateway gamer PCs. I found one that has a Core i7 Extreme, 16GB RAM, 1.5TB internal, & 1GB NVidia. Cost? $1,599. Tack on the $200 I just paid for my $24" Asus 1080p, which is as every bit good as my old 22" Syncmaster T220HD btw, and the grand total is $1,799. Sorry, bcottage. Even with exchange rates, you got screwed for what you paid. $5,000 could've gotten you a much better rig. You got hosed.

Shop around. Troll the hardware sites. Newegg just removed a $1,700 16GB Core i7 Gateway because those things were highly reviewed & selling like hot cakes. I know that they were close to exhausting their stock last week and now.... POOF! Being at the right place at the right time helps.

[bcottage]

Well, i forgot to mention that i also had a 1100 w tagen power supply plus a fata1ty sound card.
The monitor itself was £360 (1,920 x 1,080) and the memory was £600.
All parts i bought were top of the range and i could have bought two computers the same but the quality would be completly different!

I did built my computer myself and each part was looked into ALOT before purchasing. I wouldnt change one thing if i did it again.

[AcrobatFly]

Kinda think that you probably should have researched it harder.

£360 for a 1080p monitor? Does it give you a handjob too? That monitor is NOT worth $560 USD. More like $300 (£192) instead. Found it on Amazon for almost 1/2 of what you paid. Even at UK prices, your monitor is only worth £276 on Amazon.co.uk.

My new Asus 24" (2ns - 1920x1080 - 20,000:1 contrast) cost...... ~£140. The build quality is just as good as my Syncmaster T240HD. No dead pixels. Comparable view angles. Better refresh rate than the Samsung.

Maybe it cost you more because you're in the UK. Could be. There's definitely a ~30% differential between US & UK pricing - lower in favor of the states. Regardless, you still overpaid. By as much as 30%+, in the case of the monitor. That's 30% more expensive because you're a UKer and 30% too much because of you choice of suppliers.

Guess what matters is that you're happy with what you got, even if you're a little more broke for it.

[Lamont]

All parts i bought were top of the range and i could have bought two computers the same but the quality would be completly different!

I know. It's why I used the same parts from your list, THEN upgraded the ram to 12GB DDR3 (yours is DDR2) and videocard to the top end Fermi, which cost 3x of what you have in there now and comes with better specs. Came out to $2800 USD. If I got the videocard you had now, used a PSU that's not overkill (a 700~800w is fine with proper specs, even with two Fermi cards) I could have gotten rid of the 300GB Raptor and got a 256GB SSD. If I had used the top end nVidia 295 (which was available at the time) I would have saved $300.

Even to spec 6 months ago, the prices were not $5000 total. Just wanted to point that out. But as long as you're happy.:lucky: :lucky:

For $5000 I'd have three 24" (or two 32") monitors, 24GB of ram, 2x Fermi cards, 500GB SSD for OS and apps, and 4TB of disk space with. And I think I'd still be under 5k.

[Draxxuss]

amazing how much the SSD's are huh? and yes Lamont, I've been pricing a bunch of computers lately, not USD$ but CAD$, which is pretty close, and you are dead on the money.

[mr_ace]

My computer cost around £3000

You sir, were had!

[Lamont]

BCottage, I hope it didn't sound like we are picking on you or calling you stupid. You did what you did and you're happy, so it's all good. Apologies.

[bcottage]

Not atall mate, this is what the forums are for arnt they? lol. I did by the samsung monitor the day of release so thats prob why it was so expensive back then. Looking for it now...i can see most places selling it for £250!!! i only bought it about 3-4 months ago!?

I could have got a cheaper monitor but this one was LED backlit plus the fact it was samsung (they have been good to me so far and i am VERY trustworthy of them).

They also have the 1 dead pixel return policy which i loved because 1 dead pixel would really piss me off.

Its nice to know about the price drop because im buying another one soon =].

[linkov]

it contained:

- Windows 7 profesional

why professional?

[JimmY-DigitaL]

why professional?

Home premium should be fine too, but be sure to get a 64-bit version or you won't be able to address more than 4 gigs of RAM. It's even less if you pack some decent graphic cards.

[linkov]

Home premium should be fine too,..

Well, I know. The only noticeable difference for home use is WinXP mode, and I wasn't sure if its worth 80$, thats why I asked.