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$1800-$2200 Business Computer

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lol.. if it was for a gamin computer, I might overclock it, but I prefer to have a little slower cpu, and have it last longer. If I end up getting cas lat 3 ram, I might OC it, I heard RAM isnt as bad to OC as the CPU is. So I might end up adding a little bit of speed to the ram, unless i try it and dont notice much of a difference...
 
I wouldn't get too hung up on the WD secure connect. I've built two computers with Seagate SATA drives and the standard run of the mill SATA cables actually fit pretty securely. You have to tug pretty hard to get them to come off. If you aren't toting the computer around to LAN parties every day I really don't see how a regular SATA cable is going to just slip off the drive in a stationary, sealed computer.

I perosnally think too much has been made of this issue. The motherboard front panel conectors for the power and reset buttons have an even less secure connection to the motherboard and I've NEVER seen one of them suddenly come loose, so I'd expect a SATA cable to stay put in most situations. Has anyone EVER actually had a SATA cable just slip off in real life? Ever?
 
Here is something I have just set up, dual Opterons.

Tyan Tiger K8W Board $239
Dual Opterons CPU $466
Seagates 160Gb HDDs $206
2 Gb Corsair (512x4) Reg ECC RAM $294
Antec SLK3000-B Case $50
Antec TruePower-II 480 PSU $100
3520A DVDRW $50
Combo Drive DVD/CDRW $30

Total: $1435... So, if you add Win XP Pro ($100), exchange the HDDs ($100), and add a good video card 6600GT ($175), and exchange the case for a $100 Lian ($50) you are at ~$1850 with a dualie system, with some room to play around.

If you have any interest it is most definitely possible. And would be a lot more stable than a gaming-type rig.
 
Mr. Bob... You still haven't answered my question. WTF DO YOU PLAN TO DO WITH THIS RIG?! Workstation? File server? Please specifiy.
 
Originally posted by: t3h l337 n3wb
Mr. Bob... You still haven't answered my question. WTF DO YOU PLAN TO DO WITH THIS RIG?! Workstation? File server? Please specifiy.
Click to expand...
He got caught up in compiling a list of parts and forgot what it's going be used for. :laugh:

 
It isn't a file server, I said it is a business computer, a computer that will be used in a business.

It will run common apps like MS Office, Photoshop, Macromedia Studio, e-mail, and a few other custom written programs. Sorry, I thought everyone understood what a business machine was.

"He got caught up in compiling a list of parts and forgot what it's going be used for. "
- Not really, a lot of people have sent me very long detailed PMs about what to buy and why to buy it. The three people that spoke with me seem to be pretty knowledgable, and don't suggest a gamer's setup when I need a business setup.
 
OH, THAT'S what you're going to be doing with it... "Business" is so vague... Well in that case... I'd recomment at least 2GB of RAM and a dual core Athlon 64 if you're going to be running all those programs at once. If you're going to be running a LOT of programs at once, maybe you should consider a dual core P4 with HT (here come the flames 😵), as they can run 4 threads at once, making them great for multitasking. Video card doesn't have to be that great. A 6600GT should be more that adequite.
 
No, 6 apps wont be running at the same time. Only one person can use the computer, and it was be very hard to run all the apps at the same time. Photos are pretty large, and I think 2GB would be wise because of that.

The 6600gt should be fine, I think that is about the most I will need.

Btw, what RAM do I get? I was looking at the GeIL for $185, it is CAS 3 instead of 2, but someone said that I could OC it to be faster.
 
4x512 SHOULD be fine, as long as you have a Venice or San Diego.

*EDIT*
Oh, and yes, that 6600GT at Monarch should be fine.

*EDIT2*
If you're only going to be doing the things you listed above, there's no reason to spend $1800 on a comp.
 
Spend $1800 for speed and reliablility... Why would a business want to has a piece of sh!t computer if they plan to make good money?

I was told 4x512 wouldnt be as good as 2x1024. Maybe they wear out faster or put strain o the cpu/mb?
 
Originally posted by: Mr Bob
Spend $1800 for speed and reliablility... Why would a business want to has a piece of sh!t computer if they plan to make good money?

I was told 4x512 wouldnt be as good as 2x1024. Maybe they wear out faster or put strain o the cpu/mb?
Click to expand...

No, no, no. RAM doesn't wear out. The reaon that people suggested 2x1024MB over 4x512MB is because the A64 cores currently run the RAM at a slower command rate if you have all four RAM slots populated, hurting performance by a tiny amount that probably would be imperceptable to most users. The updated "Venice" A64 cores that are just now showing up online can handle 4 sticks of RAM without dropping to the slower command rate, however. Honestly, for what you plan to use the system for, you may not even need more than a single GB of RAM right now. I'd grab one of the $85 Corsair value select 2x512 two packs, build your rig, use it and check the task manager to find out what your peak memory usage is. If you exceed 1GB or come close to it, you probably need to go up to 2GB. If you barely crack 512MB of usage, 2GB would be a waste of money. Even Photoshop isn't going to be that huge of a RAM hog if you aren't working with gigantic images to begin with (for example, if you are primarily using it to create web graphics and not doing a lot of work that would be sent to press).

I've found over the years that you can't guarantee a system's stability just by throwing money at it. A motherboard isn't necessarily going to be trouble free just because you paid a lot for it. I've had Asus nForce 2 motherboards drive me crazy with weird intermittent gremlins while basic Shuttle boards with the same chipset have run without a hiccup. If you do a good job researching your build, you can usually find a configuration that will give you 90% of the performance of a top dollar system for half the price. As a general rule of thumb, once you push past the $1000-$1200 price point on your system (sans monitor, periperals and OS) you start seeing diminishing returns really fast. Computers don't tend to age well, either. Around five years ago, there was a pretty big price premium going from a 833MHz PIII to a 1GHz model. Try to use either processor today, and you won't really be able to see much gained from the extra 200 MHz that cost you $500 more. The same will be true when you compare the performance of a A64 3500+ and a FX-55 in a few years. Buy only the power you need NOW and upgrade later when the prices drop.
 
Virtual tour images average 5-8mb. I think that starts to add up when you run Photoshop CS, Microsoft Office, etc...

"I've found over the years that you can't guarantee a system's stability just by throwing money at it. A motherboard isn't necessarily going to be trouble free just because you paid a lot for it. I've had Asus nForce 2 motherboards drive me crazy with weird intermittent gremlins while basic Shuttle boards with the same chipset have run without a hiccup. If you do a good job researching your build, you can usually find a configuration that will give you 90% of the performance of a top dollar system for half the price."
- Kinda why I am here, discussing everything. I thought hardware didn't just improve power, but it has improved stability... You should be able to toss more money into the computer for better parts, but I understand that sometimes it is just luck of the draw.

"Buy only the power you need NOW and upgrade later when the prices drop. "
- I don't mind spending a bit extra though right now. But I think the 3000+, 3200+ or the 3500+ would all work fine. I think the 3200 would be a better choice for the price/performace. The 3500 has more power, but more expensive, the 3000 is less expensive, but has a lot less power than the 3200..

It wasnt that RAM wears out, it is that the CPU (or maybe the MB?) handles less sticks better. Exactly what you said above....
 
I'm going to say this for the last time... $1800 is WAY TOO MUCH for the system you're going to be building. My $1000 rig that I'm getting this summer is pretty much the EXACT same thing except with a video card that costs $30 less and $85 worth of RAM less. Throw in a little extra crap like more hard drives, another DVD burner, and thats probably about ~$250 more. $1250 is plenty for a rig, and it's pretty powerful too. It's definately not a "piece of shit" computer. A "piece of shit" computer that can still do the things you need to do would probably have a Sempron, 512MB RAM, and Radeon 9600. $1250 will get you a near-cutting edge non-gaming computer. You definately don't need $1800.
 
You are not getting the exact same thing, if you were, it wouldnt cost $1,000, it would cost what it does above. You might think it will be plenty, but when you learn about business, you will understand.

One computer in my sig cost around $1200 over a year ago. Minus the vid card, it was around $900. Very fast computer, but at the time I only had about $1,000 to spend. In the technology business world, a $2,000 computer is pretty standard. But then again, I only base my assumption on personal experience working with 4 companies.
 
Well, about the RAM... The timings on both suck, so you're probably better off with 4x512 and a Venice/San Diego Athlon 64. Oh, and I'm checking the prices on the parts... You DON'T need a raptor. Ask ANYBODY, check benchmarks, and you'll see. The price😛erformance ratio SUCKS. The insane price definately doesn't justify the marginal increase in performance. If you absolutely MUST buy a Raptor, consider the 36.7GB version. I doubt you'll have 74GB worth of apps on that comp. And, dont just order from ZipZoomFly. There are many other sites out there. And, WHY do you need 2 DVD burners?! Also, that SLI board is a complete waste of money. You're only going to be getting a 6600GT, and the software you mentioned above definately won't need 2 vid cards. Oh, and don't buy the Winnie 3500+. You're much better off with a Venice 3200+. The Venice can run 4x512 @ 400Mhz instead of the Winnie with will run them at 333Mhz. And, the jump from $200 to $320 is just absurd. $120 for a .2 Ghz speed increase is retarded. I'd rather overclock slightly. And speaking of overclocking, if you only overclock a bit, the comp will still run very stably. You wanted stability, and overclocking does NOT equal unstable. There are systems with overclocked P4's to 4.0 Ghz that can still run a long time, very stably. You could also save a lot of money on the power supply by buying this. XClio is the company that makes Forton and Zalman products, a very good brand name. Oh, and the case. That case is a MONSTER. 12 internal hard drive bays. Will you EVER need 12 hard drives?! This is a SERVER case, not a photo/video-editing-rig case. Consider this one. It looks a lot like the on on your list, but it has 4 drive bays instead of 12. Much more realistic. Also, try comparative shopping at PCMag.com. Click on "Shop" at the top and then type in what you want. It will give you lots of different stores, the store reviews, prices, and it'll even calculate shipping for you. What I'm trying to say is that you should really think about what you need and what you don't need. Following this advice will probably let you knock off a good ~$500 or so.
 
Ask anybody about the raptor? I noticed quite a big difference... Why the 36GB version? Makes no sense at all... The ratio does suck, but it is better/faster than other drives.

"And, WHY do you need 2 DVD burners?"
- Easier to burn from cd to cd. Might as well grab a dvd burner because they are so cheap, and the nec I picked out is great.

A8N-SLI Deluxe is the board I was looking at. Have a better one for $175 or less?

"Oh, and don't buy the Winnie 3500+. You're much better off with a Venice 3200+."
- Yeah, according to the benchmarks, the 3200 is just a hair under the 3500, yet it is a LOT less.

"and overclocking does NOT equal unstable."
- It does mean it will wear out sooner...

"You could also save a lot of money on the power supply"
- Why get something that is less quality? If I can afford good parts, might as well do so.

"hat case is a MONSTER. 12 internal hard drive bays. Will you EVER need 12 hard drives?! This is a SERVER case, not a photo/video-editing-rig case. Consider this one. It looks a lot like the on on your list, but it has 4 drive bays instead of 12. Much more realistic"
- I wont use 12 hard drive bays, but with the case you pointed out, I would't have any room for extra hard drives...

"Following this advice will probably let you knock off a good ~$500 or so. "
- If I followed everything, I would save a bit. But the CPU is going to be the 3200 (I just forgot to update the list), the RAM is still undecided, but I will think about 4x512 vs 2x1024. Anyone have some advice and which is better and why? Also, the raptor IS faster, and anyone who has one can tell the difference. 10k vs 7.2k should be noticed.


If I do the 3200+ cpu, will it still handle the 4x512 ram just the same as 2x1024? I don't mind spending a little more on ram to pick up faster/better sticks.
 
I'm guessing this was in response to the Dell comment:

Originally posted by: Mr Bob
I see no point.
Click to expand...

Warranty and 24hr (4hr?) on site service are two rocking reasons to go Dell for business. But maybe you don't need to worry about that stuff. Lucky you.
 
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