[Bridstien]

Hi
I am a Designer/Illustrator and i am looking to build my own PC as I have a very low budget. I was wondering if anybody could help me what kind of spec i should be looking at to run, Adobe creative suite well, be fast at running multiple programs and can handle high quality visuals for after affects and maybe 3D Max.

i Know its along shot with the budget i'm on but the spec i have at the mo is as follows....which im sure is embarrassing

Windows XP pro 2002
AMD Athlon XP 2500+ 1.83GHz
2GB or RAM

Sapphire Atlantis Radeon 9800 PRO Ultimate Edition 256MB

Abit-NF7

Anyway im a bit of a novice and stuck on what to get if a build it, and i have been tempted by this offer at the moment... what do you think?

http://www.coopelect...COM-C660_10D-BK

thanks

Brad

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... what do you think?

I think I am confused. You say you want to build a good PC but post a link to an entry-level notebook.

Sadly, designing can be very resource demanding - especially with graphics and good graphics for designing can be very expensive, and power hungry.

As a builder, it is very hard to build a PC that costs less than one you can buy. This is because Dell, HP, Acer can buy 1,000,000 hard drives, CPUs, RAM modules at a time and get huge volume discounts. Home builders buying one at a time cannot. But home builders can build a better computer every time because, with the proper homework, they can build the right one for their needs.

For example, design work is best done with a "workstation" graphics solution - a card optimized for computer aided design and computer aided engineering (CAD/CAE). Most add-on cards are general purpose or marketed as gaming cards which do NOT make the best design cards. A good workstation card can easily bust a low budget - as seen here.

You need to set a budget before anyone can help you decide what to buy.

[Digerati]

... what do you think?

I think I am confused. You say you want to build a good PC but post a link to an entry-level notebook.

Sadly, designing can be very resource demanding - especially with graphics and good graphics for designing can be very expensive, and power hungry.

As a builder, it is very hard to build a PC that costs less than one you can buy. This is because Dell, HP, Acer can buy 1,000,000 hard drives, CPUs, RAM modules at a time and get huge volume discounts. Home builders buying one at a time cannot. But home builders can build a better computer every time because, with the proper homework, they can build the right one for their needs.

For example, design work is best done with a "workstation" graphics solution - a card optimized for computer aided design and computer aided engineering (CAD/CAE). Most add-on cards are general purpose or marketed as gaming cards which do NOT make the best design cards. A good workstation card can easily bust a low budget - as seen here.

You need to set a budget before anyone can help you decide what to buy.

[Bridstien]

Hi

I can see why your confused, but it shows that i have no idea when it comes to spec. You must agree that the laptop i showed you kicks the crap out of the one i have now though, doesn't it? and I'm using this one to create artwork in CS4, i just need it to be quicker when im sketching on my wacom in photoshop. Don't get me wrong I'm not looking to get the next SKYNET super computer, I would just like a little guidance for building something thats better than my piece of crap single core processor that can't even run HD.

budget probably about £350

thanks for your help

[Digerati]

I think you should look at a factory builds and see what your 350 quid will get you. Then use that information to piece your own. Also take note of what you already bring to the table - such as monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Note the PSU is arguably the most important purchase decision, but one that is made last. The PSU is the last place you want to pinch pennies. But you cannot properly size a PSU until you have selected all your other components.

You don't need an expensive motherboard, but you do need lots of RAM (I recommend 6Gb for triple channel motherboards and 8Gb for dual channel), a good graphics solution and a fairly decent CPU.

Many newer motherboards come with excellent integrated graphics solutions, in particular, those boards that support Intel i3, i5, and i7 CPUs. This solution can be cheaper in the beginning but allow you to upgrade to a good graphics card in the future. And if you plan that way, and buy a PSU that will support future upgrades, then you will not need to replace the PSU down the road.

[iammykyl]

Please post a FULL list of your present hardware, include make and model..

[Bridstien]

Thanks Digerati thats a great help, I looked on the Dell website and looked at the spec in clearance bit then search the web to see how much i can buy them for myself.

I looked at this one http://www.dell.com/...d=inspiron-570


AMD® Athlon™ II X4 645 (3.1GHz, 2MB Cache) But i can get this processor on Ebuyer for £75, do you think this would be a good start?

Thing is i just want this pc to do the job for a bit till i have the money to get a proper one i.e when i get job

HI
iammykyl

Where do i get FULL list of hardware from, my pc doesn't have a make and model it was build by a friend, with a cheap case and cheap bits, but is has lasted 8 years so i can't complain


thanks

[Neil Jones]

Attached comes in under your budget and should be a starting point. Add another 4Gb of memory to take it up to 8Gb and still be under £350 for the main hardware. The GPU isn't anything fantastic but it'll give you a HDMI port which you can use to connect it to a TV if needs be.

You also have to factor in an operating system, especially if you do go to 8Gb memory because then you'll need a 64-bit operating system. You need to verify whether your software works under a 64-bit operating system which is more important than anything else at the moment because if your software isn't going to work, it's a pointless investment.

You also will need to add another £70 or so for Win 7 HP 64-bit, so your budget with a new O/S is more realistically going to be about the £400 mark. I assume you will use an existing keyboard, monitor and mouse.

Edited by Neil Jones, 04 September 2011 - 07:40 AM.

[Digerati]

Do note that most 32-bit software will run just fine under 64-bit Windows - however, if there is a 64-bit version, it is usually better to use that for optimal performance. The exception may be 64-bit Internet Explorer - but that's because 3rd party add-on makers are woefully behind in 64-bit development.

Hardware drivers are another matter - you must have 64-bit drivers for all your hardware if expected to work with a 64-bit OS.

[Bridstien]

Thanks Neil

that looks like a pretty [bleep] good pc to keep me going for a bit, I think a guy doing some work for can give a copy of windows 7 pro through his company so thats sound as a pound.

Happy days....hopefully


So these 64bit drivers can you download em from the net??

[Troy]

64 bit drivers will come with the hardware, they should be supplied on a disc when you get all your parts.

Also for Windows 7, sounds like a dodgy way to get a copy of Windows 7. Make sure it's genuine, the last thing you want one day is *blam* on your screen that you are using a non-genuine copy. It's an awful pain to fix sometimes.

[iammykyl]

I was seeking your current hardware specs hoping that some parts could be ported to your new build.

With a 8 year old machine i don"t think there is much hope, possible a floppy, an optical drive or a HDD.

Where do i get FULL list of hardware from, my PC doesn't have a make and model it was build by a friend

Not used your OS. Try searching in help and support,
type in, (system specification or System hardware) Should give you some options to choose from.

[Digerati]

So these 64bit drivers can you download em from the net??

If the maker provides them. On some older hardware, they may not.

64 bit drivers will come with the hardware, they should be supplied on a disc when you get all your parts.

This is certainly true with new hardware. Older hardware may not have 64-bit support. And the disks for older hardware may have outdated drivers, so I recommend checking the maker's website anyway. Even brand new hardware may have newer drivers on the products website.

[Bridstien]

Thanks again everybody for you help!!

Neil Jones? I just bought the Processor you recommended. As I'm buying it piece by piece the motherboard that you posted has been discontinued and no longer available could you or anybody else recommend an alternative please ?

Don't worry Troy the Windows 7 & copy should be ok im using it through licence of his company, if not ill buy it

Thanks

[Neil Jones]

Neil Jones? I just bought the Processor you recommended. As I'm buying it piece by piece the motherboard that you posted has been discontinued and no longer available

Since when?
Currently showing 17 in stock.

[Troy]

Neil, perhaps you could link to the exact item just to avoid any confusion on Bridstien's side?