RLory Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 You might want to think about the upper limit of what you're willing to spend before speccing up a machine. Sadly a reasonable good 3D CAD machine is gonna cost you way more than the one you have listed. Remember budgets can keep going up & up, somewhere you need to set a limit. As previously stated you would be much better off with a quadro gfx card but remember this will cost you much more than the an 8800 gt. Again your ram is not only quite an outdated bus-speed but also 3gb aint an awful lot. If i was buying a processor in that price range id be tempted to opt for the q6600 quad core instead. very stable for overclocking. Lastly the chipset on that motherboard is a bit outdated, 750i's are commonplace now Sorry i dont mean to throw a spanner in the works. just remember, the better machine you opt for the longer you will be satisfied with it You're right about the budget... either way I know if can't have a proper one now sooner or later I'll need to aquire other one... and I don't want to think about it at least in the following 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 How much of your well earned pounds Sterling do we have to spend? Between 750 pounds to 1500 pounds... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Hi, how much you are willing to spend , you can look on Newegg.com where there's lot of choices. Go cpu in Quad core Q660 or 8200 intel, Gigabyte or Asus motherboard, with 8Gb ram to make it safe for rendering, ATI radeon 9800gt 512Mb or 1Gb,it's up to you on Hard drive (500 to 1Tb). And check it up Computer Forum where they help configure your chosen specification if it is compatible to all you have gather parts.Good luck in building it are you building it? Computer forum can help you in it. Cheers mate. Yes I'm building it. Every computer I had I always built it from scratch, imagine my Father entering a room and seeing me with 9 years old desmanteling a 486 with windows 3.1... No he didn't killed me LOL but I fixed RAM LOL Newegg.com looks quite an alright store... cheers by that mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxwellEdison Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 MWave.com is another good retailer for computer components, they've stolen some of Newegg's thunder on customer service and returns policy as well. I'd look in to getting one of their pre-tested motherboard packages. They test the RAM and ensure everything is working in compliance so you can install it with the littlest hassle possible. I'd also look into a tower with a larger side cooling fan (80mm at least, 120mm or better preferred) and a robust power supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manhattan Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'd also look into a tower with a larger side cooling fan (80mm at least, 120mm or better preferred) and a robust power supply. eeeek! in my experience cases with side mounted fans are terribly cheap and noisy, maybe this is just a mis-conception & they've come a long way in recent years. Might i say my Antek P182 case is lovely, sturdy and very well sound insulated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 MWave.com is another good retailer for computer components, they've stolen some of Newegg's thunder on customer service and returns policy as well. I'd look in to getting one of their pre-tested motherboard packages. They test the RAM and ensure everything is working in compliance so you can install it with the littlest hassle possible. I'd also look into a tower with a larger side cooling fan (80mm at least, 120mm or better preferred) and a robust power supply. Cheers mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 eeeek! in my experience cases with side mounted fans are terribly cheap and noisy, maybe this is just a mis-conception & they've come a long way in recent years. Might i say my Antek P182 case is lovely, sturdy and very well sound insulated After reading the following details I confess you convinced me. "Special Features: • Attractive gun metal black finish • Dual chambers structure: The power supply (not included) is located in the lower chamber to isolate heat from the system and lower system noise • Special three-layer side panel (aluminum, plastic, aluminum) dampens system-generated noise, making this one of the quietest cases available • Material: 0.8mm cold rolled steel for durability through the majority of chassis, 1.0mm cold rolled steel around the 4x HDD area. • 11 Drive Bays - External 4 x 5.25"; 1 x 3.5" - Internal 6 x 3.5" for HDD • 7 Expansion Slots • Cooling System: - 1 rear 120mm TriCool Fan with 3-speed switch control (standard) - 1 top 120mmTriCool Fan (standard) - 1 lower chamber 120mm TriCool Fan (standard) - 1 front 120mm fan (optional) - 1 middle 120mm fan (optional) to cool the VGA • External fan control on the rear panel for the top and rear fans in the upper chamber • Motherboard: up to Standard ATX (12" x 9.6") • Double hinge front door designed to open up to 270º • Rubber grommeted ports on the rear for liquid-cooling tubes allow you to mount external liquid-cooling hardware • Front-mounted ports provide convenient connections: - 2 x USB 2.0 - 1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire®, i.Link®) - Audio In/Out (HAD & AC'97) • Cable organizers behind motherboard tray minimize cable clutter • Silicone grommets in the hard drive cages to absorb vibrations and reduce noise • Built in washable air-filter • Case Dimensions: 52cm (H) x 21cm (W) x 51cm (D) / 21.3" (H) x 8.1" (W) x 19.9" (D)" Found it here: http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://benchmarkreviews.com/images/reviews/cases/Antec%2520P182/p182-01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D35%26Itemid%3D99999999&usg=__dcD5NE_LvrdWyXi0EWrfQR7mvWk=&h=588&w=459&sz=69&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=a2nbn44U1KjrSM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=105&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAntec%2BP182%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Resuming all this: OS: 64-Bit XP Pro Graphics Card: nVidia Quadro Fx570 512MB RAM: 8 GB DDR2 800MHz PC2-6400 Motherboard: Nvidia nForce 680i SLI 3xPCIe Case: Antek P182 and think it will be it... I still have the impression something is missing tho. LOL Cheers for all your help and advices, let's see if I can build it and have it for 2 years without needing upgrade. Once more cheers for everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 What is missing is a good, reliable power supply that can run everything and have some wattage to spare. What are you thinking in terms of wattage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 What is missing is a good, reliable power supply that can run everything and have some wattage to spare. What are you thinking in terms of wattage? I'm thinking about : PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW-SR Power supply Like I said before, I don't want to upgrade my PC for at least two more years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Judging by the specs I see no reason why you could not get three solid years out of the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Judging by the specs I see no reason why you could not get three solid years out of the computer. Cheers for all your help ReMark. Now it's DiY time Once more cheers for everyone help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Your entirely welcomed RLory. When you're finished buidling your mean machine maybe you can post some pics? I expect to see flames shooting out the back since it will be one smokin' 'puter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Your entirely welcomed RLory. When you're finished buidling your mean machine maybe you can post some pics? I expect to see flames shooting out the back since it will be one smokin' 'puter! LOLOLOLOLOLOL This it will take at least a couple of months, not only because of the economical effect (my pocket) but too about timing. Since has a CAD Technician I'm in a new adventure of taking a degree on Structural Engineering this means this Super-BlackStar computer (LOL) will take some time to be built... About the flames it's a good idea, but I confess I have a favourite taste for StarWars, might put some Jedi-lasers on it LOLOLOLOL kidding... but do have something in mind... I'm designing a BlackStar Computer (just the box), like several friends of mine say: it's not very practical, but I confess the drawing is almost done the problem will be finding round parts LOLOLO and if you think too that its not very practical well its true, but imagine a big black ball at your place... but well... some friends of mine call me crazy and mad, but for me it's just... creative... So has you can see there loads of things I have to do/need to do/need to have... step-by-step things will get there... Cheers for you help mate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinp Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Ive been building computers for years and have alot of experience when it comes to this type of input. I would recommend the following: Case: Antec P182 Pros: Absolutely rock solid case, very quiet, alot of features, rubber screws for silencing hard drives, stock fans can put out a decent amount of air. Cons: The PSU fan is in the way 99% of the time and takes a little while to get out. Case is also pretty heavy compared to aluminum (stainless steel case with acoustical padding). CPU: Q6600 or Q8200 Why: Either is a great processor, and theres no reason not to get a quad core now. The q6600 is a better overclocker, so for the same price you can get potentially more performance out of it. If not overclocking, I would go with the q8200, or splurge for a more expensive Q9550 if you have the extra cash. Spend what your budget will allow. Motherboard: Gigabyte EP45-DS3L Pros: Super cheap with solid state capacitors make it a reliable motherboard. Has decent overclocking features, but not great. Dual 1gbps LAN, supports DDR2 1200. Cons: No software RAID (kinda useless anyhow), only 1 pci-e slot (no multiple videocards), does not support new core i7 CPUs. Overall a great motherboard that will be great for 90% of people. If you need to have crossfire or SLI capabilities, look elsewhere. RAM: Anything cheap thats DDR2 1200mhz and lower. Recommended brands are Kingston, Crucial, OZC, GSkill, Corsair, and Geil. Keep in mind there is not much of a performance difference between 800mhz and 1066mhz, but if its a cheap upgrade, you might as well go for it. Would recommend 4GB-8GB of RAM. Hard Drive: Western Digital or a Samsung Spinpoint drive. Why: Seagate had major problems with drives recently and should be avoided until those issues clear up. Western Digital has always been a top brand, and samsung drives are just as reliable. I would get 1TB at the most, mainly because hard drive space is so cheap now. Video Card: Heres where it gets tricky. If you have the cash, workstation cards are the way to go. The thing is, the only difference between workstation and consumer line is the drivers. It is possible to soft-mod a consumer card like an ATi hd3850 ($80USD) to a FireGL v7700 ($700USD). If you are strapped for cash, get a higher end consumer card, as $300 will get you a very nice consumer card with a nice possible soft-mod, while a $300 workstation card will be at least 2-3 years old. Power supply: Heres another tricky thing...the 1000W you would like to get is WAY overkill. A PC power and Cooling 610W would be fine for virtually any computer, even a 450W would do. I would stick to reliable brand such as Seasonic, Silverstone, PC Power and Cooling, and Corsair. All of their models are top-quality. DVD/CD Drive: I almost always buy Samsung drives. Extremely reliable. Keyboard/Mouse: Your choice, buy what you think is comfortable. Monitor: Cheapest, biggest monitor you can afford, maybe even dual monitors. Since its a CAD machine, color accuracy and angles aren't important, so sacrifice those attributes for a larger size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumfatnhappy Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I am trying to get my machine up-to-snuff much like what you want. I will warn you first that Vista 64 is memory hungry, I would even try it without 8 gigs of RAM for starters.... then know that Vista home and Home Premium only recognizes a max of 8 gig (RAM), Vista Business/Ultimate (64) can see upwards of 128 gig (and swaps to the HD). Acad 2008 can not use a 64 bit OS (I don't think) Also, I had a decision to make about my video card, the more I shopped the more I wanted..... and settled for an Invidea Quadro FX 4600. Here's the kicker, I threw the dice and found one "gently used" on Ebay for $550 minus cables/disk. Well it paid off (whew!) as I got the cables at a locally for $5 and the drivers from autodesk. I'm cookin with sterno now ! Good Luck to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 Cheers KevinP... Since I do have time to build it, that gives me the chance to see if there's any new upgrades in piece of hardware I want to buy... plus I'm waiting too for the details from AutoCAD 2010 and Revit 2010... Cheers for your help mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLory Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 I am trying to get my machine up-to-snuff much like what you want. I will warn you first that Vista 64 is memory hungry, I would even try it without 8 gigs of RAM for starters.... then know that Vista home and Home Premium only recognizes a max of 8 gig (RAM), Vista Business/Ultimate (64) can see upwards of 128 gig (and swaps to the HD). Acad 2008 can not use a 64 bit OS (I don't think) Also, I had a decision to make about my video card, the more I shopped the more I wanted..... and settled for an Invidea Quadro FX 4600. Here's the kicker, I threw the dice and found one "gently used" on Ebay for $550 minus cables/disk. Well it paid off (whew!) as I got the cables at a locally for $5 and the drivers from autodesk. I'm cookin with sterno now ! Good Luck to you! I think one of my biggest issues is actually buy on Ebay... don't know why or is just because I love what I do and I want everything to be perfect that I can't trust Ebay... I just can't... don't ask me why and don't take me wrong or offended for me saying this but I feel the relalibility of Ebay is 0 (zero).... I'm already looking for parts in qualified websites and you might be right, they might be quite expensive because it comes from a qualified supplier but I can count with reliability plus for every part by law (related to computer hardware) I have 1 to 2 years garantee... Either way, cheers for your comment mate not only about the tip of the Vista (64) but cheers too for the other subjects... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinp Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 try www.overclockers.co.uk/ For buying computer parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viper04 Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I would stay away from Quadro's & FirePros unless your budget is like $10,000US. We have Quadro 1500 cards and the new comp I just built with a gaming card kills them hands down. I would get Higher end "gaming" card and hack the BIOS to make it either a Quadro or FireGL if you need that but leaving it works really well anyways. The only difference between Quadro/GeForce is drivers. Typically the hardware in the Quadro/FirePro are older unless you spend a few G's on the card which will be out dated it a few months. 8GB RAM would be ok, but I would get an Intel i7 with 12 or 16GB RAM which will make a huge difference. OS Hard Drive is very important. You can spend a crap load on everything else and get a cheap HDD and everything will be slow. Get a WD Raptor 15,000RPM or WD VeliciRaptor if wanting a SATA drive or if you have the cash get a SSD drive. just my 2 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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