Little Help Needed To Choose a New System

[Cooler]

Hello, everyone I am new here and I need to get a new computer for college. As you can see from my profile, current system is somewhat old. I do some light to medium work in 3D max and many different programming IDES. I as well play a fair amount of the video games on the PC. I would like this system to be able to play the latest games for at least the next 2-3 years. I do some heavy multi tasking sometimes as rendering in 3D max while play a video game or compiling some software, or working with huge databases. What would be the best system setup for about $4000? Thanks for the help.

 

[beany323]

You building your own or buying one completed?

4k can buy you a nice rig and 1-2K can build a very decent rig...

 

[mwmorph]

ohh, that is gonna be a problem, you see because gaming chips are excellent for gaming but hrorible for 3d modeling while 3dmodeling chips are awesome fro 3dmodeling but horrible for gaming. if tyuo want good performance, we are talking aobut 2 seperate video cards and a p4 HT or Amd64 depending on weather you put 3dmodeling first or gaming first.
thw $1500 nv quadro top of the line is great fro 3d modeling but cannot keep up with games iek doomIII(somethinhg like less tahn 20-30fps average. the problem is reversed if you buy a geforce6800ultra.

 

[Cooler]

I will be building my own .I have been putting comps together since I was about 13. I do want it to last at least 3 years. I would like it to last four or five years so I think I need top of the line.

 

[Cooler]

Anyone else has a suggestion besides getting two video cards?

 

[beany323]

try this:

Systems

or this:


Find me!

basically (to be some what safer):

pci-e is a good start.

i use a CAD system and we use dual proc's so that may help you.
but like someone said, you might just have to find a happy medium between the 2.

 

[mwmorph]

here is a system:

Computer itself with speakers:$3,547.92

NZXT TRINITY Black/Silver Mid Tower Case-$87.50(comes with crap 80mm fans. more on this later)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=11-146-015&depa=0

GIGABYTE "GA-8I915P Dual Graphic" 915P Chipset-$136.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=13-128-284&depa=0

ATI FireGL V5100 Video Card, 128MB DDR-$599.00(expensive but suck it up if you really want to do 3d modleing/professinoal gfx work, etc. otherwise,, you can just replace it with a geforce 6800ultra and sli it.)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-459&depa=0

eVGA nVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra Video Card, 256MB GDDR3-$499.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=14-130-222&depa=0

ENERMAX 550W Power supply-$124.50(a litle on the exp[ensive side but worth it for the 70% effiency at 36A +12V)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-437&depa=0

Intel LGA 775 Pentium 4 660 3.6GHz 800MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache, Hyper Threading Technology-$615.00(64bit fro future, HT for your multitasking needs, 2MB cache for general performance)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=19-116-195&depa=0

CENTON Dual Channel Kit 240-Pin 2GB(1GBx2) DDR2 PC2-4200-$244.97(expensive but P4s need DDRII)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=20-237-205&depa=0

WD Raptor Series 74GB 10,000 RPM SATA Hard Drive Kit(Retail)-$236.00(spring the extra money for a warranty man. you'll thank yourself when it screws up)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=22-144-366&depa=0

2x Seagate 7200.8 300GB 7200RPM SATA-$418.00(214 x 2)-(Put in a Raid 0 config)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=22-148-070&depa=0

Logitech Elite Keyboard USB/ PS/2-$24.99 (Good keyboard)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=23-126-114&depa=0

Razer Chameleon Green Diamondback Precision Gaming Mouse-$53.00(wired and VERY expensive but really the best there is. You'll thank yourslef for buying this when you get it. trust me on this one)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=26-153-102&depa=0

Samsung 16X DVD±RW, 5X Dual Layer-$54.99(5x dvd dl writing is good)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=27-151-066&depa=0

Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS PCI Sound Card, Model-$89.00(for the ultimate game immersion exprience)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=29-102-162&depa=0

Antec All Clear 120mm SmartCool Thermally Controlled Case fan-$21.49 (replace the 2 80mm crap fans with this. quiet since they are thermally controlled. use this as exhaust fan the 1 80mm fan to side intake and the following vantec stealth to front intake)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=35-129-033&depa=0

Vantec "Stealth" 120mm Case fan-$11.99(see instructions above)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDe...-999-614&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE

Klipsch ProMedia ultra 5.1-$332.49(they are Kilpsch Promedias. what elso do I have to say? GET THESE)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=36-119-106&depa=0

Monitor:

DELL
UltraSharp 2005FPW 20.1-inch Wide Aspect Flat Panel LCD Monitor-$561.75(there's a reason why everyone has one)
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/prod...n&cs=19&category_id=2999&page=external

 

[Cooler]

looks good thanks.
Do you think that dual core chips coming out soon would add any benefit I do not need the comp till June. In addition, it seems this is becoming an Intel system. Should I spend a few extra bucks and get a P4 EE 3.733 because of the FBS.

 

[mwmorph]

not really. that s quite a jump to a p4ee and it dosent have 64bit support. since you wont upgrade or replace ofor a while, i suggest go with the 660 series chips for the 64bit app supprot. the 3.73ee is fast, but not to justify the fact you are giving up a lot of support for apps in the future.

 

[wisdomtooth]

Originally posted by: Cooler
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 Northwood 1.8 Ghz
Mobo: MSI SIS 645
GPU: ATI AIW Radeon 8500
RAM: 2x 256 MB PC2100 DDR

Or you can spend just a little money to tide you over until June but increase your present system performance by at least 30%:

Get a i865 or i875 motherboard like the Abit IC-7. Migrate all your components to it. Overclock that P4 to 2.4gHz. Voila!

Used IC-7s can be had for cheap on the FS/FT forums. Very economical upgrade to see you through to the start of college.

HTH.

 

[Cooler]

Last time i checked the p4 EE 3.733 was 64 Bit enabled it was the only EE that is.

 

[ribbon13]

$4k? 3Ds max? Development? Games?

Dual Opteron is for you!

I'd reccomend getting the S2895UA2NRF and S2895A2NRF from AxentMicro. Actually make it just the 'U' version. It has dual U320 SCSI onboard.

2x $232 AMD OSA244BOX
$200 PC Power & Cooling Turbo-cool 510 AG.

512mb $94 Corsair CM72SD512RLP-3200
1024mb $203 Corsair CM72SD1024RLP-3200

You want want just 2GB of ram, get four of the 512MB sticks. You could get two of the 1GB sticks on CPU0, and two of the 512MB sticks on CPU1 for 3GBs, or two of the 1GB sticks on each cpu for 4GB

For a chassis, I'd suggest a ($227) Lian-Li PC-V2000B or a ($130) Enlight EN-8950B00.

 

[Cooler]

Thanks but should I wait for dual cores?

 

[ribbon13]

Not really, because you'll wait a long time and they'll be expensive to start. You can always upgrade to them later.