Need help choosing new platform

[echelonphoto]

Well, If you read my other posts...I am having trouble with my machine. I use it strictly for photoediting and run mainly photoshop and other raw converters. I need speed and capacity to quickly crunch fairly large files (32mb) in batches, run filters, actions, etc.

I am going to upgrade soon and would like to get the best bang for the buck...no frills...but good and fast...should I go dual or quad cores, which processor and which boards, which OS? I would like to run as much ram as possible and maybe a raptor operating drive with two, regular storage drives. I would like to do this a reasonably as possible

 

[DSF]

You'll want a 64-bit OS to use that much RAM, so Vista64 is probably your best bet. Just make sure that if you have any really old devices, like an old scanner or something, that there are drivers available.

Best bang for the buck is probably dual core unless you have applications that use four cores, but I don't think most photo editing apps do yet. It's not my area of expertise though, so don't quote me on that. However, if you can run your batches in multiple threads, you could use all four cores. Again, I don't know enough about that.

I'm assuming you're not overclocking, so the E8400 or E8500 are probably your best dual core bets. For what you're doing a P43 board should be fine, and would be less expensive than a P35/P45 board.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Assuming all of your programs are compatible with 64-bit Vista, you will want to pick up 64-bit Windows Vista Home Premium. This will allow you to install over 4GB of memory, since 32 bit operating systems can only address up to 4GB of memory and you actually end up with less than 4GB of memory since some of those addresses will be reserved by the OS.