So, I need to build a family member a comp. Need some input

[JJ650]

I know I am asking for trouble by building a comp for a family member, but he can't do it himself (medical issues). His wife does a LOT of picture/video downloading and editing.

The comp needs to geared towards that.
I'm out of the loop for such things. I always build them game oriented.

Needs:
RAM RAM RAM
Multicard reader
Future proof as possible (I know it's impossible, but you can't explain that to him)
Budget is what ever the hardware determines it to be.
HDD will be large. I'm thinking (2) 500gb drives. One mirroring the other. He wants security.

Other stuff????

Any input would be great!

 

[Blain]

Dell Dell Dell

 

[alyarb]

what can you tell us about the video editing?

I would start with this combo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?ItemList=Combo.254101
This RAM kit:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820144240
Two of these hard drives @ 60/each
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822136218
This DVDRW
http://www.newegg.com/Product/..._-27-106-291-_-Product
This card reader
http://www.newegg.com/Product/..._-20-162-019-_-Product
This power supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817151059

in terms of 3D graphics or performance per watt, or just keeping up with the Jonses, future proofing is a fruitless venture, but if picture/video editing is what the machine is for, and it's going to be worked on by what seems like an older gal, a quad core and lots of RAM/HDD will really go a long way for them. The majority of Phenom II 550's are stable after they are unlocked into quad-cores (a simple BIOS option tick), and that $160 combo is tempting, so that's the route I would go. No need to overclock it because it runs at 3.1 GHz and that's fine for her. Although I would recommend getting a cheap heatsink anyway because it is still head-and-shoulders above the stock AMD heatsink, providing better heat dissipation with less noise.

If you just want a quad core (although a slower one) and don't want to risk a failed unlock, I would go for one of these.
with this motherboard. I prefer the phenom ii unlock, however. It's a faster chip overall and the combo is cheaper and comes with a nicer motherboard.

the callisto system is right around $500 so the propus system will be ~$30 more it looks like.

didn't pick out a case, but it sounds like a simple rosewill with 120mm fans will do fine. the monitor/keybd/mouse are up to you too.


A cheap quad from dell will probably cost around $750 with the monitor and everything, and it won't be a 3.1 GHz phenom II, it'll be a 2.4 GHz phenom 1. With a preconfigured RAID 1 setup and 8GB of memory, you're talking $1000. Performance wise, it's a no-brainer decision, but do you want to provide tech support for this machine?

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: JJ650
Needs:
RAM RAM RAM
Multicard reader
Future proof as possible (I know it's impossible, but you can't explain that to him)
Budget is what ever the hardware determines it to be.
HDD will be large. I'm thinking (2) 500gb drives. One mirroring the other. He wants security.

Other stuff????

Are they going to run a free Linux Distro or will they be buying some version of Windows?

 

[JJ650]

Originally posted by: Blain

Originally posted by: JJ650
Needs:
RAM RAM RAM
Multicard reader
Future proof as possible (I know it's impossible, but you can't explain that to him)
Budget is what ever the hardware determines it to be.
HDD will be large. I'm thinking (2) 500gb drives. One mirroring the other. He wants security.

Other stuff????

Are they going to run a free Linux Distro or will they be buying some version of Windows?

Windows. She wouldn't know what to do with Linux.

 

[VinylxScratches]

Get her a Dell and call it a day. Or do you enjoy fixing problems that you caused.

 

[JJ650]

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
Get her a Dell and call it a day. Or do you enjoy fixing problems that you caused.

If I fuck up a build (which I don't think I will, thank you much) then I'll gladly do what I can to correct the issue...anything she screws up is her own deal. I've already told them this. Besides, I'm in SC and they're in TX. It's not like I'll be a couple miles away to run to their aid. If he or she dick it up, it's on them.

 

[BaboonGuy]

You want quad core and preferably i7. Video editing will utilize all 4 cores so the performance gain is huge from 2 cores to 4. i7 is unbeatable right now for video editing and is better than the i5 because of hyper-threading.

 

[alyarb]

Originally posted by: JJ650

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
Get her a Dell and call it a day. Or do you enjoy fixing problems that you caused.

If I fuck up a build (which I don't think I will, thank you much) then I'll gladly do what I can to correct the issue...anything she screws up is her own deal. I've already told them this. Besides, I'm in SC and they're in TX. It's not like I'll be a couple miles away to run to their aid. If he or she dick it up, it's on them.

heh it doesn't work that way buddy. if they have your phone number and your email address, you will be getting a barrage of questions about the machine constantly, despite their familiarity with windows. if you are going to do a build for them, i suggest the callisto-based list in my previous post, and i strongly urge you throw in a forum membership with the PC so they don't wear you out (tell them they will get faster responses on a fourm). otherwise misconfigured crapware or some questionable freeware that doesn't run properly is going to eventually all come back to you.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

SSD is a must (at least 1 for the programs and OS) + i7, if she really is serious about editing hi-quality images. Just wanted to point that out because you only mentioned small HDDs. If he's worried about failure/data loss, get an external enclosure and an RE4 (more thorough burn-in testing prior to sale).

 

[heyheybooboo]

Athlon 620 Propus / ECS 785g AM3: $184 ($166 AR)

No RAID. External HD for backups. Separate scratch drive always helps - as would a designated OS/Apps drive (small SSD if you want to go there)

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: JJ650
anything she screws up is her own deal. I've already told them this. Besides, I'm in SC and they're in TX.
It's not like I'll be a couple miles away to run to their aid. If he or she dick it up, it's on them.

Dell is the only way for you to go.
Just configure a Dell Vostro, Inspiron or maybe even a Studio XPS for them.
Dell will drop it off at their door...
* You've done your family duty for them
* Dell takes on the tech support from there

They live so far away from you and you clearly don't want to be tech support for life...
I can't understand why you'd want to build and deliver a PC to them
Set aside your ego or pride of whatever is blocking you and configure a Dell box for them.

 

[elconejito]

Just to echo what others are saying...
-I think the best bet considering the distance involved is probably a Dell. I've seen their Q8200 boxes for as low as $600. Their i7 boxes are in the upper $900s.
-There is no such thing as future-proofing. It's all psychological, you are as future -proof as you think you are (or aren't).

If you really do want (or they really want as the case may be) for you to build it, I'd consider the following.
Any PhII X4, C2Q, S1156 i5/i7, and S1366 i7 will be fantastic. (In that order as far as performance/cost)
Lots of RAM, at least 8GB (12GB on S1366).
SSD for OS/apps, 1TB for storage, another 1TB in an external for backup
Nice quiet case

The i5/i7 are a couple notches above the PhII and C2Q so that's where I'd concentrate. Unless this person is doing *very* heavy duty video editing the S1156 i5/i7 is your best best. Especially at stock speeds (assuming your not overclocking this...) the better turbo in the S1156 will come in handy.

I wouldn't deal with RAID (especially long distance). I understand the want for redundancy, but you can get the same level of security with an external backup, and it avoids the complication of her trying to rebuild an array in case of disaster, or even worse you trying to talk them through it. If they want security, do the external backup and online storage as well thru mozy, jungledisk, or carbonite.

If they are doing really heavy duty video then you'd want a third drive just for scratch.

You haven't mentioned the programs being used. Probably Photoshop and Premiere...
What are they currently using?

 

[JJ650]

Originally posted by: Blain

Originally posted by: JJ650
anything she screws up is her own deal. I've already told them this. Besides, I'm in SC and they're in TX.
It's not like I'll be a couple miles away to run to their aid. If he or she dick it up, it's on them.

Dell is the only way for you to go.
Just configure a Dell Vostro, Inspiron or maybe even a Studio XPS for them.
Dell will drop it off at their door...
* You've done your family duty for them
* Dell takes on the tech support from there

They live so far away from you and you clearly don't want to be tech support for life...
I can't understand why you'd want to build and deliver a PC to them
Set aside your ego or pride of whatever is blocking you and configure a Dell box for them.

Pride issue?? Wtf? If you have nothing to contribute.....
Please do not infer anything you don't know about.

I'm not delivering it. They'll be visiting next month and take it home with him. I mentioned Dell to him and he has had a dell box before and didn't like it. I asked him to elaborate and he said it was sent back twice for a mobo replacement.
It's a "been burnt twice" kinda thing for him.

 

[jae]

budget..? any prefs?

 

[JJ650]

Originally posted by: alyarb

Originally posted by: JJ650

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
Get her a Dell and call it a day. Or do you enjoy fixing problems that you caused.

If I fuck up a build (which I don't think I will, thank you much) then I'll gladly do what I can to correct the issue...anything she screws up is her own deal. I've already told them this. Besides, I'm in SC and they're in TX. It's not like I'll be a couple miles away to run to their aid. If he or she dick it up, it's on them.

heh it doesn't work that way buddy. if they have your phone number and your email address, you will be getting a barrage of questions about the machine constantly, despite their familiarity with windows. if you are going to do a build for them, i suggest the callisto-based list in my previous post, and i strongly urge you throw in a forum membership with the PC so they don't wear you out (tell them they will get faster responses on a fourm). otherwise misconfigured crapware or some questionable freeware that doesn't run properly is going to eventually all come back to you.

Nah...we're already at that understanding. It's not the first comp for them from me and she was pretty good about her own software delimas.

I've mentioned Dell to them he wasn't receptive about it but she was pondering the idea.

 

[alyarb]

if you've done this before and she was good about it, then fine. you know where the bang for buck is, and it's not i7. if their budget permits a $240 SSD, then go for it but i don't think that is critical for this build either.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: JJ650
Pride issue?? Wtf? If you have nothing to contribute.....
Please do not infer anything you don't know about.

You misunderstood what I was saying... sorry.
If they have an aversion to Dell, you could send them to HP.

Originally posted by: JJ650
I know I am asking for trouble by building a comp for a family member...

Any input would be great!

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: JJ650
Future proof as possible (I know it's impossible, but you can't explain that to him)

This doesn't bode well.