Should I Buy This Computer?

[c0pper]

I need a dedicated photoshop computer. It runs too slow on my current box, wich is as follows:

AMD athalon XP 2600+ 2.08Ghz

448 RAM

I'm thinking about this...

CAS: Raidmax Sagitta Mid-Tower 420W Gaming Case w/ Side Panel

CPU: (Sckt775)Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6600 CPU @ 2.4GHz 1066FSB

2x2MB L2 Cache EM64T

CD: COMBO DRIVE (16X DVD-ROM & 52x32x52 CD-RW) [-9]

FLASHMEDIA: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer [+10]

FAN: INTEL LGA775 CERTIFIED CPU FAN & HEATSINK

FLOPPY: 1.44 MB FLOPPY DRIVE

HDD: Single Hard Drive (160GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 8MB Cache 7200RPM

MOTHERBOARD: (Quad-Core Supports) MSI P6N SLI-FI nForce 650i

SLI Chipset LGA775 FSB1333 DDR2 Mainboard

MEMORY: (Req.DDR2 MainBoard)2GB (2x1GB) PC6400 DDR2/800

Dual Channel Memory

NETWORK: ONBOARD 10/100 NETWORK CARD

OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition w/ Service Pack 2

SOUND: 3D WAVE ON-BOARD 5.1 SOUND CARD

VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce 6200 TurboCache supporting 256MB PCI-E

What would you do? Should I add another 2Gb ram?

[Msterbeau]

What's your budget?

[c0pper]

around $1500

[glc]

Hey man, what os are you going to be running?

The reason I ask, is because apparently 32 bit windows software can only use 2 gig of ram, so unless you are running a 64 bit pc, don't bother with anything more than 2 gig. Also, it's probably better to run 4 lots of 512, than 2 lots of 1 gig. Spread the load!

Also, the 6600 is awesome! I have on of those in my dedicated Protools (audio engineering) computer and it totally rocks!

I've got an Asus P5B delux in my box, and it's totally sweet! It's all passively cooled so it runs REALLY quiet aswell.

Sounds like a pretty damn good machine that you are building though, you won't have an issue running photoshop on that.

Oh yeah, buy a dvd burner. They're cheap as shit, and totally worth it. I wouldn't bother with the floppy drive, and I'd add another HDD. One to run the programs, and the other to store your work.

[Msterbeau]

I think 32 bit Windows can address 4GB with SP2. More then two though.

For $1500 you can a pretty nice Mac that'll run both OS X and Win XP. The hardware is the best quality out there, and their support is also top notch. Their pricing is very competitive too. The only thing that you may not like is expandability if you get a MacBook or an iMac.

Can you tell I like Macs? :-)

[glc]

Yeah, actually, a mac is a much better option for editing. Do that.

I'll be pissed if sp2 can run 4gig, means I'll have to go out and buy more ram!

[c0pper]

Yeah, actually, a mac is a much better option for editing. Do that.

I'll be pissed if sp2 can run 4gig, means I'll have to go out and buy more ram!

Getting service pack 2 ed.

Have an external burner already

And why do you keep referring to me as a male? 'Dude' 'Man'? I have an inny, not an outy

[c0pper]

I think 32 bit Windows can address 4GB with SP2. More then two though.

For $1500 you can a pretty nice Mac that'll run both OS X and Win XP. The hardware is the best quality out there, and their support is also top notch. Their pricing is very competitive too. The only thing that you may not like is expandability if you get a MacBook or an iMac.

Can you tell I like Macs? :-)

Never used a mac, and I know they're the best for mutimedia. Maybe if you can tell me why, I would change my mind.

Hurry though so I can call the photoshop people and ask for the mac ed. instead

[CatsEyeOfTheWiccan]

Never used a mac, and I know they're the best for mutimedia. Maybe if you can tell me why, I would change my mind.

Hurry though so I can call the photoshop people and ask for the mac ed. instead

I don't care for Macs..it's cheaper to build your own computer..and get all the stuff at computer builders warehouse and I can help you build your computer and save you money. Call me and ask me about it.

-CatsEye

[c0pper]

Thanks, but I'm just gonna have tiger or someone put it together so I have a warranty. Also, if they f it up, they just replace the f'd component...if I f it up...I buy a new main board or CPU or case...besides, I'm lazy.

[c0pper]

Just looked at MAC...hmmmm...

I'll just suffer with a windows based computer for now....

They're a little weird

[Msterbeau]

http://www.apple.com/getamac/

Search Google for "Why switch to Mac OS X" for more testimonials and info then you could read in a lifetime

Bottom line: Built on UNIX core so it's very stable and secure. Problems in one app VERY rarely bring down the system. They are high quality systems with great support. Check out Consumer Reports and other industry publications for documented info on this. Worrying about virus's and spyware is for all intents and purposes gone. It comes with almost everything you need to get going built in.. both hardware and software. If you really must run Windows, you can dual boot using Bootcamp. It's very simple. As for Photoshop... Wait until CS3 Comes out. They'll announce it formally tomorrow. The actual release date is supposed to be in May or June, I think.

Read this too if you decide to go with a Mac:

http://the.taoofmac.com/space/HOWTO/Switch%20To%20The%20Mac

[c0pper]

Ok, it's done...

it's on it's way

[Head Wreck]

tbh, if it werent for my gaming habits i'd have a mac.

as it is i've thrown near 1K into my current system thats due to go up once i find decent TFT monitors cheap as i will need two of tha buggers.

if having a home PC, no games, and multimedia. a mac. more to the point a non-intel mac (sorry, i never liked programing to intel, and prefered the motorolla processors way of handling things)

[c0pper]

http://www.apple.com/getamac/

Search Google for "Why switch to Mac OS X" for more testimonials and info then you could read in a lifetime

Bottom line: Built on UNIX core so it's very stable and secure. Problems in one app VERY rarely bring down the system. They are high quality systems with great support. Check out Consumer Reports and other industry publications for documented info on this. Worrying about virus's and spyware is for all intents and purposes gone. It comes with almost everything you need to get going built in.. both hardware and software. If you really must run Windows, you can dual boot using Bootcamp. It's very simple. As for Photoshop... Wait until CS3 Comes out. They'll announce it formally tomorrow. The actual release date is supposed to be in May or June, I think.

Read this too if you decide to go with a Mac:

http://the.taoofmac.com/space/HOWTO/Switch%20To%20The%20Mac

tbh, if it werent for my gaming habits i'd have a mac.

as it is i've thrown near 1K into my current system thats due to go up once i find decent TFT monitors cheap as i will need two of tha buggers.

if having a home PC, no games, and multimedia. a mac. more to the point a non-intel mac (sorry, i never liked programing to intel, and prefered the motorolla processors way of handling things)

Is the MAC open source?

As soon as I get my butt out to my storage place and find my linux box, I'll run my others through that for internet.

Anyways, it's too late now...my box is on it's way

[Head Wreck]

not as far as i know. i used t5o program assembler for intel, motorolla, and PIC during university and collage, ionly do the odd bit of PIC now for minor progects and problems on a hobby basis

i have dabbled in Linux but not extensively yet (it was on my laptop i used for working untill the "cuntittyfuck incident" and have been left without a linux box since)

[Rayne]

http://www.apple.com/getamac/

Search Google for "Why switch to Mac OS X" for more testimonials and info then you could read in a lifetime

Bottom line: Built on UNIX core so it's very stable and secure. Problems in one app VERY rarely bring down the system. They are high quality systems with great support. Check out Consumer Reports and other industry publications for documented info on this. Worrying about virus's and spyware is for all intents and purposes gone. It comes with almost everything you need to get going built in.. both hardware and software. If you really must run Windows, you can dual boot using Bootcamp. It's very simple. As for Photoshop... Wait until CS3 Comes out. They'll announce it formally tomorrow. The actual release date is supposed to be in May or June, I think.

Read this too if you decide to go with a Mac:

http://the.taoofmac.com/space/HOWTO/Switch%20To%20The%20Mac

I had never really used a Mac before. I was hestitant to switch. But when my Toshiba crashed and had issues, I was willing to try anything so I didn't have to buy a new laptop every year.

Phee talked me into a Mac.

It took me awhile to get used to it. I'm still getting used to it, months later, but I think it's well worth it. I can do much more on my Mac than I could on my Windows machines (and I've had A LOT of those). So far, in my 6 months of owning the Mac, I haven't had ONE issue from it. By now I'd have blue screens of death on a Windows machine. It's smaller and a whole lot lighter than my widescreen Toshiba is.

It's not that much harder to use, in fact it's not HARDER, it's just DIFFERENT.

Only thing I don't like about the Mac ... you have to buy all the software. My Mac only came with trials on most everything. I had to go out and buy iWork once my trial ended. Also, anything I had on the Toshiba (like Bejeweled) will not work on the Mac. I have to replace all that. I was used to Microsoft's products, and now I use iPhoto.

It's a small price to pay for a laptop that isn't going to die on me in a year though.

[c0pper]

not as far as i know. i used t5o program assembler for intel, motorolla, and PIC during university and collage, ionly do the odd bit of PIC now for minor progects and problems on a hobby basis

i have dabbled in Linux but not extensively yet (it was on my laptop i used for working untill the "cuntittyfuck incident" and have been left without a linux box since)

Linux is fun...I haven't touched it since Mandrake 9 (lazy linux)

[Msterbeau]

Is the MAC open source?

As soon as I get my butt out to my storage place and find my linux box, I'll run my others through that for internet.

Anyways, it's too late now...my box is on it's way

If you're geeky enough you can do all sorts of UNIX stuff on a Mac. OSX is not open source but there's a whole underworld of stuff going on with it (Since it's UNIX based) that I'm only vaguely aware of. Maybe worth a little investigation for the day when you're ready for your next one.

Speaking of hacking... I run OSX on my homebuilt PC. :-)

The main problems at the moment are a fucked up boot problem and the inability to freely update the OS. Usually I have to wait until some person develops a hack so I can install the revised Kernal, etc. Otherwise it's proving to be VERY stable. Far less nonsense then running Windows on the same box.

[c0pper]

So it's illegal to hack a mac? That sucks, too bad there are bbs's and online sites made by geeks with easy how-tos. I love the linux chat rooms...got a couple of my previous romantic diversions because of linux.

***Watching Goonies***

Baby Ruuuuuth

[Msterbeau]

http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

OSX86 is the generic term for a regular PC running OSX...

[c0pper]

That's fine and nice, but doesn't it piss you off that you have to pay soooo much for software?

Wiki made the comment that OS X will only become freeware when steve sells his share in Apple...

Look at how fast Unix and Linux keep evolving and getting better, everyone can create, edit, improve the shell, ultilities, scripts, ANYTHING in a disto. Some 13 year old kid in Idaho may one day see a bit of his code in a commercially available version of his distro...

Suse, Redhat, etc still make money off big companies, little people have an operating system with an AMAZING support community (real people, not an automated telephone helpdesk), and people LEARN. You have to learn a little bit to use a unix/linux os.

Look at Adobe, did they really need to charge $600? No, but they know people (like me) will pay it because they're the best and pretty much only program for advanced digital graphics rendering and such.

Now imagine what would be the state of the art world if eveyone had access to such a powerful program?

And why is so much more emphasis is placed on spots in school than the sciences and arts?

How can utter morons go to an amazing college because they can pitch, kick, catch....or whatever...

*grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr*

[Msterbeau]

To be fair.... Look at all the money and resources companies put into software. All you see is a box with a CD. There's WAY more to it then that. And only Linux is truly open-source and "free". The other flavors of UNIX are commercial.

[c0pper]

There's no way the cost for all the training and people that go into some programs (photoshop, 3D studio max, WINDOWS etc), justify some of the prices.

And there is free UNIX...BSD, the little demon one...

[Msterbeau]

There's no way the cost for all the training and people that go into some programs (photoshop, 3D studio max, WINDOWS etc), justify some of the prices.

And there is free UNIX...BSD, the little demon one...

Go ask Adobe how many man-hours of coding, design, etc are in Photoshop. Add up all those salaries.. Divide that by the number of copies they sell.... Give them a resonable profit. I bet it's a pretty good chunk of change. Then look at their primary markets... Most of them have the resources to be able to afford the best tools, and it's worth it for them to buy at the price Adobe charges. If you want open source... go get GIMP. I hear it's not bad.