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What’s the best new computer?

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Birddogman

Birddogman

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I need to buy a new home computer – old one is on its last legs.

I use a computer for: gaming, working in my home office (primarily word processing using MS Word), communications/internet and for post-processing large DSLR files. Since I am starting from scratch, this is a chance to get the right machine.

Cost is not a big factor, but I don’t want to waste money either.

I’d like an LCD flat screen monitor to save desk space – will that be OK for photo work; or do I need a CRT?

Should I get a pre-fab Best-Buy type system; or configure my own Dell? If the latter, what components should I specify. I get totally lost among the all of the many choices.

PLEASE, PLEASE keep this very simple. I am not a computer guy.

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise.
 
Birddogman said:
I need to buy a new home computer – old one is on its last legs.

I use a computer for: gaming, working in my home office (primarily
word processing using MS Word), communications/internet and for
post-processing large DSLR files. Since I am starting from
scratch, this is a chance to get the right machine.
Click to expand...
Then by all means read the rest of this message carefully and don't let any possible lack of knowledge intimidate you or cause you to pass up the opportunity for one awesome workstation.
Birddogman said:
Cost is not a big factor, but I don’t want to waste money either.
Click to expand...
That's great but even if it were the cost of the new parts you want are cheaper than you'd imagine.

You can get a Tyan dual Opteron mother board for $236 and 2 AMD Opteron 240 processors for only $191 each! 1 gig (2 sticks 512mb) of Corsair Xmatch ddr 3200 (400) high performance memory is about $300 or so. You would have a cutting edge 64bit computing platform that will run all 32 operating systems and software as I'm doing now by posting this message on just that system.

Additionally, you'll be leveraged for the coming 64 operating systems and software (including Photoshop, Premiere, etc.) coming out within the next few months.

When the 64 bit software comes out next year you'll already have a 64 bit system and need only install the software. No new parts to purchase. There's even a free version of Microsoft's new 64 bit OS online for the download if you're interested.
Birddogman said:
I’d like an LCD flat screen monitor to save desk space – will that
be OK for photo work; or do I need a CRT?
Click to expand...
NO! NO! NO! You do not want an LCD for image editing as it will not display all of the color spectrum like a conventional crt will. You can (AND SHOULD) purchase a nice 19" or larger crt for image and video editing. These can be had for half the price of an lcd panel. Don't get caught up in the latest fads.

Get the equipment that will let you expand your current abilities including gaming, image editing, business apps and so forth.
Birddogman said:
Should I get a pre-fab Best-Buy type system; or configure my own
Dell? If the latter, what components should I specify. I get
totally lost among the all of the many choices.
Click to expand...
NO! NO! NO! You should build your own system if you can. It's not that difficult. I've only purchased 1 computer in my life time prebuilt and it was one I learned on my taking it apart, upgrading hardware and software. I didn't want to be dependant on anyone in order to have the best workstation I could have for the least amount of money.

If you're anywhere on the Gulf Coast, say East or West of Biloxi, Mississippi or thereabouts I'd consider helping you out with the project. You'll have a far better system parts wise than Dell could ever build and the knowledge to troubleshoot any future problems if they should arise.

The right hardware and properly configured software and you should never have to worry about down time.

I'm almost finished with my new system and have taken many images of the build process. As soon as it's complete I'll post them under another thread along with my impressions regarding its' performance, etc.

Let me know if I can be of assistance to you in your quest for a system that will blow your mind in terms of performance, stability and just about anything else I can think of at the moment.

Best regards,

Tony B.
[email protected]
 
I agree with Tony B... That's the route to take with a PC.

But also consider the king of image editing machines. The MAC. Even though I have been a PC user for 15 years I have to give kudos to Apple machines when it comes to image and video editing. They are unbeatable.

Rich
Tony Boone said:
Birddogman said:
I need to buy a new home computer – old one is on its last legs.

I use a computer for: gaming, working in my home office (primarily
word processing using MS Word), communications/internet and for
post-processing large DSLR files. Since I am starting from
scratch, this is a chance to get the right machine.
Click to expand...
Then by all means read the rest of this message carefully and don't
let any possible lack of knowledge intimidate you or cause you to
pass up the opportunity for one awesome workstation.
Tony Boone said:
Cost is not a big factor, but I don’t want to waste money either.
Click to expand...
That's great but even if it were the cost of the new parts you want
are cheaper than you'd imagine.

You can get a Tyan dual Opteron mother board for $236 and 2 AMD
Opteron 240 processors for only $191 each! 1 gig (2 sticks 512mb)
of Corsair Xmatch ddr 3200 (400) high performance memory is about
$300 or so. You would have a cutting edge 64bit computing platform
that will run all 32 operating systems and software as I'm doing
now by posting this message on just that system.

Additionally, you'll be leveraged for the coming 64 operating
systems and software (including Photoshop, Premiere, etc.) coming
out within the next few months.

When the 64 bit software comes out next year you'll already have a
64 bit system and need only install the software. No new parts to
purchase. There's even a free version of Microsoft's new 64 bit OS
online for the download if you're interested.
Tony Boone said:
I’d like an LCD flat screen monitor to save desk space – will that
be OK for photo work; or do I need a CRT?
Click to expand...
NO! NO! NO! You do not want an LCD for image editing as it will not
display all of the color spectrum like a conventional crt will. You
can (AND SHOULD) purchase a nice 19" or larger crt for image and
video editing. These can be had for half the price of an lcd panel.
Don't get caught up in the latest fads.

Get the equipment that will let you expand your current abilities
including gaming, image editing, business apps and so forth.
Tony Boone said:
Should I get a pre-fab Best-Buy type system; or configure my own
Dell? If the latter, what components should I specify. I get
totally lost among the all of the many choices.
Click to expand...
NO! NO! NO! You should build your own system if you can. It's not
that difficult. I've only purchased 1 computer in my life time
prebuilt and it was one I learned on my taking it apart, upgrading
hardware and software. I didn't want to be dependant on anyone in
order to have the best workstation I could have for the least
amount of money.

If you're anywhere on the Gulf Coast, say East or West of Biloxi,
Mississippi or thereabouts I'd consider helping you out with the
project. You'll have a far better system parts wise than Dell could
ever build and the knowledge to troubleshoot any future problems if
they should arise.

The right hardware and properly configured software and you should
never have to worry about down time.

I'm almost finished with my new system and have taken many images
of the build process. As soon as it's complete I'll post them under
another thread along with my impressions regarding its'
performance, etc.

Let me know if I can be of assistance to you in your quest for a
system that will blow your mind in terms of performance, stability
and just about anything else I can think of at the moment.

Best regards,

Tony B.
[email protected]
Click to expand...
 
Dale Elkins said:
I agree with Tony B... That's the route to take with a PC.

But also consider the king of image editing machines. The MAC.
Even though I have been a PC user for 15 years I have to give kudos
to Apple machines when it comes to image and video editing. They
are unbeatable.

Rich
Click to expand...
Hey Rich,

I'm certain that my dual opteron setup with u2w seagate barracuda hard drives would run circles around any apple dually. I might be wrong but I don't think so.

You should see Photoshop run under Opterons.

Not interested in an mac vs. pc argument but dual Opterons are an entirely new beast and I do mean beast.

Best regards,

Tony B.
[email protected]
 
I am not sure he is ready for a build it yourself dual opteron system. His choices were best buy off the shelf or a dell. Not sure he wants a DIY project. While it may be a great digital imaging machine, it is overkill for many people. I consider myself a fairly serious amature who enjoys using photoshop and premiere for video editing. I have no need for a dual opteron system, nor would I recommend one to anyone who does not use photoshop for a living. That said, I have read your system specs and am completely jealous! I am sure it would run circles around my pitiful pentium 4 (1.8 at that) system. However, it is all I need at the moment.
--
WilliamB
 
Birddogman said:
I need to buy a new home computer – old one is on its last legs.

I use a computer for: gaming, working in my home office (primarily
word processing using MS Word), communications/internet and for
post-processing large DSLR files. Since I am starting from
scratch, this is a chance to get the right machine.

Cost is not a big factor, but I don’t want to waste money either.

I’d like an LCD flat screen monitor to save desk space – will that
be OK for photo work; or do I need a CRT?

Should I get a pre-fab Best-Buy type system; or configure my own
Dell? If the latter, what components should I specify. I get
totally lost among the all of the many choices.

PLEASE, PLEASE keep this very simple. I am not a computer guy.

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise.
Click to expand...
You need to tell us your plans for the computer. Do you use photoshop professionally, occasionally, or are you a not serious hobbyist that uses another digital imaging program? Do you want to be able to play games etc? Is fastest performance the most important thing to you?

I would not recommend much from Best Buy. The systems are usually put together from the cheapest parts they can buy. If you must buy one, I would recommend getting a Sony Vaio as it seems to be the best equipped for photography and video editing. If you go the dell route, then you probably should be looking for something along the lines of a 3.0Ghz P4 with 1GB of ram if you plan to be doing a lot of photoshop type work. Just my $.02
--
WilliamB
 
I agree with you William that dual opterons maybe over kill unless he's pro. However even the likes of Athlon XP 3000+ with 1Gb dual channel DDR 400 will blitz most of whats out there today. As for the 3d gaming, G-Force FX display addaptor is the go. Some may say Radeon but i think that all comes down to a matter of personal preference. Monitor, well the purists say CRT but one has to remember that Apple mainly uses LCD these days and most pros use Apple.

As for Dell systems and the like, stay away from them. Your limited to with future upgrade options and you pay through the nose. See you local computer retailer and have them tailor a system specific to your needs. Just make sure you don't pay too little as you will get burnt that way also. Mainly mother boards you need tobe careful of. Anything from Asus (A7N 8X-E Delux is the pick of the bunch), Leadtek or MSI will do wonderfully. Other manufacturers are ok but people have less problems with the ones mentioned.
WilliamB said:
Birddogman said:
I need to buy a new home computer – old one is on its last legs.

I use a computer for: gaming, working in my home office (primarily
word processing using MS Word), communications/internet and for
post-processing large DSLR files. Since I am starting from
scratch, this is a chance to get the right machine.

Cost is not a big factor, but I don’t want to waste money either.

I’d like an LCD flat screen monitor to save desk space – will that
be OK for photo work; or do I need a CRT?

Should I get a pre-fab Best-Buy type system; or configure my own
Dell? If the latter, what components should I specify. I get
totally lost among the all of the many choices.

PLEASE, PLEASE keep this very simple. I am not a computer guy.

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise.
Click to expand...
You need to tell us your plans for the computer. Do you use
photoshop professionally, occasionally, or are you a not serious
hobbyist that uses another digital imaging program? Do you want to
be able to play games etc? Is fastest performance the most
important thing to you?

I would not recommend much from Best Buy. The systems are usually
put together from the cheapest parts they can buy. If you must buy
one, I would recommend getting a Sony Vaio as it seems to be the
best equipped for photography and video editing. If you go the
dell route, then you probably should be looking for something along
the lines of a 3.0Ghz P4 with 1GB of ram if you plan to be doing a
lot of photoshop type work. Just my $.02
--
WilliamB
Click to expand...
 
WilliamB said:
I am not sure he is ready for a build it yourself dual opteron
system. His choices were best buy off the shelf or a dell. Not
sure he wants a DIY project. While it may be a great digital
imaging machine, it is overkill for many people. I consider myself
a fairly serious amature who enjoys using photoshop and premiere
for video editing. I have no need for a dual opteron system, nor
would I recommend one to anyone who does not use photoshop for a
living. That said, I have read your system specs and am completely
jealous! I am sure it would run circles around my pitiful pentium
4 (1.8 at that) system. However, it is all I need at the moment.
--
WilliamB
Click to expand...
If my old dual P3 motherboard hadn't died I wouldn't have built this one. Really had no choice. I make most of my money in publishing which includes a lot of Photoshop, InDesign and a dual monitor setup for the several pages of layout I tend have on screen when I'm working on my monthly magazines.

The upgrade was actually just a couple hundred more than what a Pentium 4 3.0 gHz would have cost. Was a no brainer.

Hope I'm not coming across as bragadociuos as this is not my intent. Just very impressed with the performance and pricing structure of the diy Opteron systems and offering my opinion when people ask about new systems or upgrades.

I think you may have noted that I offered to help the original poster build his new system if he were close enough to me.

Best regards,

Tony B.
[email protected]
 
karl k said:
1440x900 ppi. This new HP series is winning all kinds of accolades.

http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Pavilion_zd7000/4505-3121_7- > 30557633.html?tag=pdtl-list
Tomorrow I am getting one with the P4 3.2 g ht processor, 512 ram,
80 g hd.
These new machines are going to replace many desktops.
Karl
Click to expand...
Here's a quote from the webpage you posted above:

"The $2,600 laptop ..."

For much less than $2,600 you can build super computer workstation and still have some money left over. I don't think a $2,600 laptop is a good choice for most people.

I have a laptop but it's a 1gig Celeron. I've been using it between the time my workstation motherboard died and the point at which my new workstation parts arrived.

I also think there are better laptop choices for that kind of money as well although I don't have the time to do the research and report on same.

Tony B.
[email protected]
 
@ COSTCO - I did my homework - best price - hard to beat!!

HP 7000 is rated BEST - by many reputable reviewers. Again - Check it out!

http://www.costco.com/frameset.asp?trg=subcat%2Easp&catid=84&subid=4332&hierid=4580&log=&NavTop=

Karl
Tony Boone said:
karl k said:
1440x900 ppi. This new HP series is winning all kinds of accolades.

http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Pavilion_zd7000/4505-3121_7- > 30557633.html?tag=pdtl-list
Tomorrow I am getting one with the P4 3.2 g ht processor, 512 ram,
80 g hd.
These new machines are going to replace many desktops.
Karl
Click to expand...
Here's a quote from the webpage you posted above:

"The $2,600 laptop ..."

For much less than $2,600 you can build super computer workstation
and still have some money left over. I don't think a $2,600 laptop
is a good choice for most people.

I have a laptop but it's a 1gig Celeron. I've been using it between
the time my workstation motherboard died and the point at which my
new workstation parts arrived.

I also think there are better laptop choices for that kind of money
as well although I don't have the time to do the research and
report on same.

Tony B.
[email protected]
Click to expand...
 
“Tyan dual Opteron mother board for $236 and 2 AMD Opteron 240 processors for only $191 each! 1 gig (2 sticks 512mb) of Corsair Xmatch ddr 3200 (400) high performance memory” Whew! Thanks for taking your time to share your thoughts with me,Tony, but please understand that you are speaking Greek to me here. I don’t have a clue what you are talking about and have neither the desire nor ability to build my own computer system. I’m 57 years old and have used ever more sophisticated computers for many years in my practice, but have no knowledge of what makes them work, nor do I care to obtain that knowledge. I have no interest in the matter and lots of other things to occupy my time. To me a computer is a tool, like a washing machine, not an end in itself.

“If you're anywhere on the Gulf Coast, say East or West of Biloxi, Mississippi or thereabouts I'd consider helping you out with the project” Wow! That’s very kind, but I don’t live anywhere near you; and I need something that I can call a 24/7 help line or whatever if I run into trouble.

“consider the king of image editing machines. The MAC” Dale, I must use a PC for work reasons, so a MAC is out (which I why I posted in the PC forum). Also, I’ve used PC’s since they first came out in the early 80’s and don’t want to learn a new system.

“You need to tell us your plans for the computer. Do you use photoshop professionally, occasionally, or are you a not serious hobbyist that uses another digital imaging program? Do you want to be able to play games etc? Is fastest performance the most important thing to you?” William, thanks for your input. I’ll try to be more specific about my needs:

1. As noted above, I use the home computer to connect with my office and do work from my home office. I live way out in the country in the middle of my own land and this allows me to enjoy my land and home, but still accomplish my work. I am the senior partner in a good sized local commercial law firm – and most of my work on the computer consists of drafting long and complicated M&A-oriented documents.

2. I occasionally play games on my computer if there is nothing else more active to do. Since I spend too much time each day in front of a computer for work and country liviing comes with scads of outside chores, it is rare that I do this for fun. But, it IS fun once in a while.

3. I use the computer to access the internet and to communicate with my kids who are scattered around the country.

4. I work part-time as an upland bird hunting guide – bird dog work and wingshooting are my lifelong passion. My dogs and I travel all over doing this – including many breathtakingly beautiful wilderness places. I have had an interest in photography ever since serving in Vietnam and buying quality photo equipment over there for cheap. I have owned a number of 35mm and medium format systems over the years and am very familiar with the traditional film and chemical printing techniques. I use the photography for general family snaps and such, but primarily as a concomitant to my passion - to document the upland hunting experience. The folks I guide for with my dogs enjoy receiving photos of their hunt. When I am working the dogs and do not need to carry a gun and attempt to shoot (as when I am guiding), I am in a unique position to work a camera and get some really good upland hunting action photos. I moved to digital four or five years ago (with a simple P&S camera that created 2MP files) and have recently moved to a good DSLR that creates huge files. I have been struggling with my old, tired Gateway computer (Pentium 4, 1 Gzh, 128 RAM) to post process these big files using Photoshop Elements.

Here are a couple of reduced resolution samples to click on (don't know how to make them appear in the message):

http://home.hpphoto.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=40814d4a-3d31-56f6-4a01-1d5b546c5730&size=

http://home.hpphoto.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=45d11d92-1d33-dad9-1b58-63a64a191177&size=

“I would not recommend much from Best Buy. The systems are usually put together from the cheapest parts they can buy. If you must buy one, I would recommend getting a Sony Vaio as it seems to be the best equipped for photography and video editing. If you go the dell route, then you probably should be looking for something along the lines of a 3.0Ghz P4 with 1GB of ram if you plan to be doing a lot of photoshop type work” Thanks – that’s quite helpful. Sounds like you are recommending lots of RAM?

“Athlon XP 3000+ with 1Gb dual channel DDR 400 will blitz most of whats out there today. As for the 3d gaming, G-Force FX display addaptor is the go. Some may say Radeon … Asus (A7N 8X-E Delux is the pick of the bunch), Leadtek or MSI will do wonderfully.” You lost me again, sorry.

“new HP series” Those are laptops. I use a laptop with a docking system, etc, at work, but space is not an issue, so I have no need for a laptop for my home office. Is there any advantage to a laptop for imaging (other than size)?

I do not understand the LCD monitor recommendation - some say yes - some say no. Is this a subject upon which reasonable and knowledgable people might differ? I have one here at work that I like and I'd like to capture some desk space with an LCD, if there is no big disadvantage. Thoughts?

Thanks again to everyone for their input! What I am looking for is specific and simple advice about a machine that will serve my needs; and which I can just go buy from a reputable and well-recognized source.
 
Birddogman said:
“You need to tell us your plans for the computer. Do you use
photoshop professionally, occasionally, or are you a not serious
hobbyist that uses another digital imaging program? Do you want to
be able to play games etc? Is fastest performance the most
important thing to you?” William, thanks for your input. I’ll try
to be more specific about my needs:

1. As noted above, I use the home computer to connect with my
office and do work from my home office. I live way out in the
country in the middle of my own land and this allows me to enjoy my
land and home, but still accomplish my work. I am the senior
partner in a good sized local commercial law firm – and most of my
work on the computer consists of drafting long and complicated
M&A-oriented documents.
Click to expand...
Pretty much any computer can accomplish these tasks as word processing are not very intensive (except from the human side). Glad to hear other lawyers are out there. I am currently working for the Court of Appeals in my state. Commerical law is definitely an area of interest of mine. Just now getting back to being a good area to be in though because of the economy.
Birddogman said:
2. I occasionally play games on my computer if there is nothing
else more active to do. Since I spend too much time each day in
front of a computer for work and country liviing comes with scads
of outside chores, it is rare that I do this for fun. But, it IS
fun once in a while.
Click to expand...
For this you want a decent video card, like a ATI Radeon or an Nvidia card. I am sure when you look at the specifications of the various manufacturers many will have on board graphics. These are not the best for games or for photo editing in my opinion. I think dell offers choices of the Nvidia or an ATI radeon but I do not remember which ones. Also, I have had no experience with Dell, but they have recently started outsourcing their customer service to places like India and so it has dropped from its previously very good reputation.
Birddogman said:
3. I use the computer to access the internet and to communicate
with my kids who are scattered around the country.

4. I work part-time as an upland bird hunting guide – bird dog work
and wingshooting are my lifelong passion. My dogs and I travel
all over doing this – including many breathtakingly beautiful
wilderness places. I have had an interest in photography ever
since serving in Vietnam and buying quality photo equipment over
there for cheap. I have owned a number of 35mm and medium format
systems over the years and am very familiar with the traditional
film and chemical printing techniques. I use the photography for
general family snaps and such, but primarily as a concomitant to my
passion - to document the upland hunting experience. The folks I
guide for with my dogs enjoy receiving photos of their hunt. When
I am working the dogs and do not need to carry a gun and attempt to
shoot (as when I am guiding), I am in a unique position to work a
camera and get some really good upland hunting action photos. I
moved to digital four or five years ago (with a simple P&S camera
that created 2MP files) and have recently moved to a good DSLR that
creates huge files. I have been struggling with my old, tired
Gateway computer (Pentium 4, 1 Gzh, 128 RAM) to post process these
big files using Photoshop Elements.
Click to expand...
Sounds like fun. I can understand why your computer is taking a while with post processing. When you look to upgrade, definintely consider the amount of RAM. 512 MB is the absolute minimum for making photoshop or elements bearable. 1GB will cost you a good bit in a store bought computer, but it is probably worth it. Maybe you could make a deal with Best Buy to get a computer with 512 and then have them put in another 512 or something like that.

Here is what i would look for. If you go the AMD Athlon route, look for a computer specification that says the processor is an AMD 3000+ or 3200+. In my opinion, you will not need the AMD 64 bit processor (I know more technical stuff, but i think a quick trip to Best Buy to see what is on the shelf will help . . . though I would not put too much reliance on their sales people they are not much more knowledgeable than you). If you go intel, I would look for either a 2.8 or 3.0 Ghz processor with something called hyperthreading or HT for short. These will generally cost more than the AMD systems, but offer a litle better performance. You have to make the call as to which is better.
Birddogman said:
I do not understand the LCD monitor recommendation - some say yes -
some say no. Is this a subject upon which reasonable and
knowledgable people might differ? I have one here at work that I
like and I'd like to capture some desk space with an LCD, if there
is no big disadvantage. Thoughts?
Thanks again to everyone for their input! What I am looking for is
specific and simple advice about a machine that will serve my
needs; and which I can just go buy from a reputable and
well-recognized source.
Click to expand...
I have no problem with using an LCD monitor. I have one at home that I absolutely love for text and other functions. Professionals generally will like the CRT monitors, but us amatures will hardly notice the difference in terms of the color. An LCD should be perfectly fine for your intended purpose. Maybe see if you can load a picture onto a computer at the store and see for yourself what it looks like on a LCD vs. a CRT monitor.

Thats should get you started. Hope it helps and does not confuse things more.
--
WilliamB
 
I'm no do-it-yourselfer when it comes to building a computer. Then if I had a problem I have to call myself for tech support. LOL I have the greatest respect for those who can build their own computer. After checking various computer mags, etc. I decided this was my best bang for the $$. Good luck!
http://www.abspc.com/app/Config.asp?mono=1711&view=2
product:Ultimate M564
Base Price: $1799
price with option#: $2365
Qty#: 1

Order Detail
CASE ANTEC~PLUSVIEW 1000AMG LE RET(Standard)
MB NF3~5P1A3D GA-K8NPRO ATX RTL(Standard)
CPU AMD 64 3400+ ATHLON 64 %(Standard)
CPU FAN AMD~SILENTBOOST K8 A1838 RT(Standard)
DDRAM 2GB TWINX 2048-3200 RT(426)
VGA LTK FX5950 256M NV38 DVI/TV 8X(Standard)
HD 160GB~MAXTOR 6Y160M0 SATA%(77.5)
(Standard)
DVD~LITE ON 16X XJ-HD166/165H BK%(Standard)
DVD+ -RW PLEXTOR~PX-708A/SW-BL R(77)
POWER SUPPLY~ANTEC SL450 450W RTL(Standard)
FD 1.44MB~SONY MPF920 Black %(Standard)
(Standard)
CABLE HD~IDEATA100 18"3H ROD CLR RT(Standard)
CABLE FLOPPY 12" SILVER RTL(Standard)
(Standard)
ACCES FAN~8CMX25 TLF-82 LED CLR RT(-2)
(Standard)
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MODEM 56K~USR V.92 PCI USR5699B D/F(37.5)
(Standard)
ADD-ON~IEEE 1394 IOFLEX-FW4 CARD/SW(25)
(Standard)
(-21)
KB&MSE MS~WRLSS OPTICAL DESKTOP OEM(30)
MOUSE PAD~8" X 9" X 6MM ABS (BLUE)(Standard)
(Standard)
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(-19)
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S/W MS~WIN XP PRO SP1a BUNDLE ONLY*(60)
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S/W SIERRA~HALF LIFE Platinum 2 RTL(0)
S/W MS~WORKS 7.0 OEM BUNDLEVERSION%(0)
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2NET 1YR ONSITE SV 888 983 9988(Standard)
(Standard)
ABS USER MANUAL(Standard)

You will receive a shipping confirmation email with FedEx Tracking number
when your order is shipped.

Sincerely,

Customer Service
ABS Computer Technologies, Inc.
Birddogman said:
I need to buy a new home computer – old one is on its last legs.

I use a computer for: gaming, working in my home office (primarily
word processing using MS Word), communications/internet and for
post-processing large DSLR files. Since I am starting from
scratch, this is a chance to get the right machine.

Cost is not a big factor, but I don’t want to waste money either.

I’d like an LCD flat screen monitor to save desk space – will that
be OK for photo work; or do I need a CRT?

Should I get a pre-fab Best-Buy type system; or configure my own
Dell? If the latter, what components should I specify. I get
totally lost among the all of the many choices.

PLEASE, PLEASE keep this very simple. I am not a computer guy.

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise.
Click to expand...
 
Birdgodman,

it's good to have money to spend. Your choices are large, and since you want the best, it's quite simple.

Processor: buy an AMDxp300+ or higher. Intel, buy a P4 3.0HT or higher.
RAM: 1gig or higher.
HD: As much as you want, it's cheap.

Built in Ethernet card (I think most computers already have this. You need this for your broadband connection)
Modem card ( for your dial up connection and also for faxing)

Brand: whatever you're comfortable with. How about IBM? Why don't you look and see which one can give you the service you'd like, such as at home service (do they still have those?) etc..

Now the most interesting part you can do with your money and increase productivity, buy dual monitor setup! I guarantee you'll increase productivity, especially while doing office work. I would recommend video cards that will output dual DVI, and you should mate that with 2 LCD's.

Recommneded dual DVI video cards: Matrox P650, P750, Pharhelia. All will do dual DVI, and since you don't game, anyone of them will do, and they are excellent for photo work.

LCD's. There are so many to choose from. The greatest benefit of LCD's, no strain for your eyes. For photo work, most pros will still work with CRT's, but I wouldn't give up the benefits of eyestrain for CRT's; also I'm not a photo pro, just an enthusiast. LCD's also consume less energy, produce less heat, less space requiement, and best of all, no eye strain. The choices are large, but I would recommend you go look at some to get an idea of what resolution would suit you (be mindful of your viewing distance from the screen when at the shop). I would think your choices are for an SXGA (1280x1024) on a 19" LCD screen. Or a UXGA 1200x1600 on a 21.3 inch screen. Try looking at those two resolutions in those size panels and pick what you would be comfortable with (increase resolution will look great for photos, but text size will be smaller). Buying two of them will increase productivity and if you do buy two, buy the models with thin bezels.

Personally, I have 4 Samsung 191T's on my setup, very nice, but I have not calibrated or done photoshop work on mine. I have heard of people having issues with Samsung LCD's because they are unable to adjust the RGB/contrast levels. Ron Resnick, a pro, uses a Viewsonic, it also has thin bezel, but the benefit is that you can adjust the RGB levels; this is more desirable for calibrating your monitor. Personally, I had bought a Viewsonic panel 19" before the Samsung, but it had 4 stuck pixels against 1 stuck in 4 of my Samsungs. That turned me off to Viewsonic, maybe you can buy one from a place that you can return if unsatisfied. (above reference to when you connect using DVI)

You will also need a hardware calibrator for any monitor you choose, if you're going to do Photo editing work. I should add a caveat. If you want to profile both of your monitors, you will need two video cards. I know the Matrox I recommended have dual outputs, but you can only calibrate one of them. So if you want 2 monitors, both calibrated for photoediting work, you will need to install one AGP video card (could be a Matrox dual but you only use one output) and another PCI card that has DVI output. Or buy 2 PCI video cards that can output DVI. ATI 9xxx PCI is an example.
 
Tony,

I too am in need of a serious upgrade on my home system. I am certainly interested in the results of your system. Please let me know when you get finished your thoughts on: how easy would it be for a relative novice to build, what hardware is in it-where you got the parts from and cost of each part, what would you have done different if you were to rebuild again, how much time did it take to finish, what problems did you encounter.

Nosey little bugger aren't I. Not knowing very much about computers but some, it sounds like your machine will be a screamer. I like the idea of being poised for 64 bit processing. What OS system are you going to put on it. What about the case, will you have front external USB's ports

Thanks
Jack
++++++++++++++
Tony Boone said:
WilliamB said:
I am not sure he is ready for a build it yourself dual opteron
system. His choices were best buy off the shelf or a dell. Not
sure he wants a DIY project. While it may be a great digital
imaging machine, it is overkill for many people. I consider myself
a fairly serious amature who enjoys using photoshop and premiere
for video editing. I have no need for a dual opteron system, nor
would I recommend one to anyone who does not use photoshop for a
living. That said, I have read your system specs and am completely
jealous! I am sure it would run circles around my pitiful pentium
4 (1.8 at that) system. However, it is all I need at the moment.
--
WilliamB
Click to expand...
If my old dual P3 motherboard hadn't died I wouldn't have built
this one. Really had no choice. I make most of my money in
publishing which includes a lot of Photoshop, InDesign and a dual
monitor setup for the several pages of layout I tend have on screen
when I'm working on my monthly magazines.

The upgrade was actually just a couple hundred more than what a
Pentium 4 3.0 gHz would have cost. Was a no brainer.

Hope I'm not coming across as bragadociuos as this is not my
intent. Just very impressed with the performance and pricing
structure of the diy Opteron systems and offering my opinion when
people ask about new systems or upgrades.

I think you may have noted that I offered to help the original
poster build his new system if he were close enough to me.

Best regards,

Tony B.
[email protected]
Click to expand...
 
These are the most touted computers anywhere. I would recommend not buying through Best Buy as they do sell them. The ones on the site have better options. If you need more persuasion do a Google search on them and check it out.

Look at their professional digital imaging systems...even good for games.

Good luck

JP

http://alienware.com/
 
At work I use a G5 with dual 2Gz processors and a 1Ghz fsb for each processor. At home I have a 3200+ athlon based pc the mac if far better at anything to do with graphics but it dosen't come near the pc for games
 
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