• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Custom build (by a friend) vs Dell pros and cons: Suggestions?

Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Reply to your reply of mine...

#1 - I always factor in cost 🙂 If you can live with 10% less performance for 50% of the cost, take a good look at those other quads. Dell uses the Q8200 a lot in their off-the-shelf stuff you can get at retail chains like Best Buy.

Personally, I have a Q9650. Since I do a lot of freelance work, time is $$$. I'm also running CS3 which is more Ghz dependant so I needed the OC'ing headroom. I also do a lot of video encoding so for me that choice made more sense. Only you can decide if it makes sense for you from a cost/performance perspective. Dollars you save here can go in your pocket, or use to upgrade something else in your machine.

#2 - The VelociRaptor WILL speed up anything coming off the hard drive... So photoshop loads faster, and any files you are reading/writing off of the VR will also be faster. The problem is when you've got too many things running off the drive at the same time, you will slowdown. You would have to check your scratch sizes in Photoshop to see if you will ever hit the scratch drive or if everything is contained in RAM. If you can keep the whole file you're working on in RAM, then this wouldn't be much of an issue.

There is a thread here ( http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=83&threadid=2294059 ) that discusses the merits of a very fast RAID 10 vs multiple dedicated drives. Similar equation to your VR vs multiple drives question. I don't know if there is a right or wrong here.

How are your externals connected? USB? eSATA? if you're using USB, there is a real bottleneck there. Max read/write is somewhere around 30-40mb/s. You might be better off putting that inside the case and connecting via SATA instead. If it's eSATA, then no worries...

#3 - I'd see what the onboard audio sounds like before buying one. You can always get the audio card later, if you don't like the onboard.

#4 - Yeah the Eizo he got was retail about $1500, I think. So he got a great deal. Personally, I have a decent 22" that I calibrate with a Spyder. Colors are good enough for what I do. I don't have a need for "exactly" accurate colors. My photographer buddy does wedding photos primarily so his colors have to be "exactly" accurate.
 
Elconejito:

OK--I factored in cost, which is a factor in terms of other upgrades I need to do and rejuggled this config yet again, First responses to your very valid points.

#2. Read that link about the dedicated drives vs RAIR, etc. I use multiple external SATAs for storage of docs. They're in Thermaltake cases that have eSATA ports, but my current system doesn't have outboard SATA connections, so I've had to run them USB. I'm assuming that on the board I've picked out, I'll be able to connect via SATA, based on this spec:

2 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors (GSATA2_0, GSATA2_1) supporting up to 2 SATA 3Gb/s devices (it's listed in the specs for storage interface, SATAs chip.

(http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Pro...ductName=GA-EP45-UD3R)

Is this assumption correct?

I decided to stick with the 300 Gb VR and add a WD Caviar Black 1 TB 7200. That way I can save docs, photos (the biggest concern), and scans to the onboard SATA and back them up to the exteriors as needed. (I've always set up several scratch disks in PS and I'm hoping twp onboard HDDs will do it (I have another WD Caviar Black that I could throw in if I needed it).

#3. Decided to hold off on the outboard audio for now.

#4. A new primary screen will have to wait. My Dell 2007FP (IPS) is my primary; I use a Dell 1905FP (PVA) for palettes. Eventually I'll use the 2007FP as the 2nd. Ideally would like this NEC as the primary:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16824002169


In the new config below, I hope the board is a good choice; it just happens to have 3 PCIs, which i can really use. I need one for my Linksys WMP54GS card, one for a SCSI Umax flatbed scanner, and one just in case I later decide to go with outboard audio.

I used the Crucial Advisor to select the DDR2: I picked the highest rated one I could find (I'm very shakey on this spec). I do wonder whether I'll be at a disadvantage running DDR2.

Intel, build 5:

Antec Performance One P180 Silver cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case -$10.00 Instant $149.99 ($139.99)

EVGA 01G-P3-N981-TR GeForce 9800 GT 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card $20.00 Mail-in Rebate $149.99 ($129.99)

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80569Q9550 -$10.00 Instant $279.99 ($269.99)

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard $15.00 Mail-in Rebate $119.99 ($114.99)

Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model CT2KIT25664AA1067 -$10.00 Instant $72.99 ($62.99)

Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive $30.00 Mail-in Rebate $229.99 ($199)

Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5 -$20.00 Instant $119.99 ($99.99)

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply -$60.00 Instant $30.00 Mail-in Rebate $159.99 ($69.99)

LG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model GH22LS30 ($25.99)

$1052.92

Let me know what you think.

Thanks for all your help.

DG
 
this is endless. 😉

that's a beefy computer. i think you should definately stick with the VR HDD, you're going to see a ton of difference over using external USB drives. i would value a fast HDD over a slightly faster processor or video card or some such.

i still don't see the point of spending so much on a video card, but that seems fine otherwise.
 
Hope you mean beefy in an OK way...

>>this is endless. 😉

Well I think it's winding down. Thanks to all of you for your patience...

About the video card, I'll see if I can get it cheaper, but I based that choice on the 1 GB...

As far as you know, is the DDR2 I picked OK? I get lost in those specs...

Thanks again.

DG
 
the only requirement with the ram is that you pick pc5300 or better, because that matches the 333mhz (1333mhz quad pumped) front side bus of the processor you picked. it doesn't hurt to buy faster and it ensures stability, especially if overclocking. you want the timings to be relatively low and i'd look for something that runs at stock voltage levels.
 
Yeah, the choices and combinations are practically endless 🙂 Personally, I think you're good to go.

You are correct about the eSATA options. That's the board I have (L O V E it). Those 2 ports you point out are additional SATA ports provided by Gigabyte in addition to the 6 SATA ports provided by the Intel chipset. I use the Gigabyte ports for eSATA (although i'm 99% sure you can use any of them), it goes to a front connector on my case that I occasionally use. If your case doesn't have an eSATA port, you will need a bracket. I can't recall if the motherboard came with one or not...

I think you'll be good with the VR and the TB Black.

For the RAM, (my opinion here) you won't notice any difference between low timing 800Mhz and looser timing 1066Mhz. I went from a really low timing 800mhz (4-4-3-5 if I remember right) to 5-5-5-15 1066 and it made not one bit of difference that I could feel in regular usage. **However**, the 1066 gave me the overclocking headroom I needed so that the system as a whole became a lot faster.

There is negligible difference between DDR2 and DDR3 at the same speed. DDR3 lets you crank up the Mhz much higher though. But it's also a bit pricier. But you can use it in an i7 system in a few years when you upgrade. But prices will be cheaper then. Meh, 6 one way, half dozen the other. But to answer your question, I don't think you'll be missing anything.

So my advice on that is go for 1066 RAM. As long as the timings aren't ridiculously high. That way, if you choose to overclock at some later point, you've already got RAM that can handle it. That Crucial set you mentioned seems decent, but I like to get ones that have a heatsink or heat spreaders on them.

link to newegg

I'd grab any of the sets listed that meet the following criteria... good reviews, timings in the 5's (like 5-5-5-15 for example), free shipping, and from a good brand like (in no particular order) GSkill, Crucial, Kingston HyperX, OCZ, Mushkin, Corsair. Everybody has their favorite brand, I'm partial to G.Skill they've treated me well in the past. I have 8GBs of this G.Skill RAM.
 
elconejito: Thanks again--I'll look that RAM over. And thanks especially for the link to modules that are compatible. This was the toughest single component for me to spec out either on negg or crucial...

DG
 
elconejito: Came back to look at the DDR2 and the link to new egg was dead :frown: ...Used newegg's power search and I think I got all the choices that were there.

After reading the reviews I think it'll be one of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...1&ref=dynamitedata.com (this is the one birbix recommended above)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...6&ref=dynamitedata.com (I think this GSkill is the one you recommended)

I assume both of these are better than the Crucial I'd listed above:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...&Tpk=CT2KIT25664AA1067

Either way, the total price for the build remains about the same ($1050).

Thinks it's about time to place my order...thanks! :thumbsup:

DG
 
Hey DG, not sure what happened to the link, here it is again. I found it by using the guided search in DDR2, speed 1000-1200, then 4GB (2x2gb)

EDIT #2 - I dunno wat is happening with links, why does this redirect from dynamitedata appear?

I think either of the two options are good. There was nothing "wrong" with that crucial set, it's just I think you can get a little bit "more" for the same $$$ or less.

Good luck with the build, let us know how it turns out...
 
elconejito: Yeah that dynamitedata thing was weird: saw the page from work then poof it was gone. Anyway, thanks again for all your help. I'll let you all know how it turns out. I;ve learned a ton in the exercise.

dg
 
since you have a microcenter near you, i say get a q9400 for $160 (saving you $100) and overclock it to 3.2ghz.
heat is a non-issue. get a xigmatek 1283 or 964 for $25-35 to keep it cool.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top