Advice for a new computer?
- Thread starter SuperSpike113
- Start date
Just got done with this for my son who is a music composer and runs PS and LR too with equivalent hungry music software and conclusion was we could buy a good "box" cheaper than we could build. We ended up with an Asus running AMD. I live in the shadow of Intel and I prefer AMD for longevity over Intel and you save a $100. by dropping the "I" word.
Read some tech geek reports and then go out with your Nikon and clear your mind!
Good luck! Kathleen
Read some tech geek reports and then go out with your Nikon and clear your mind!
Good luck! Kathleen
mr2_serious
Senior Member
Yeah, if you are in the know how then definitely build one. I think I spend close to 800 for mine. I have 16gb of ram, an i5 quad core processor, 1gb video card, and 240gb ssd drive. I have a few other components but the ones listed are the most important and in order of importance.
I know that CS6 can use up to 12gb of ram when I convert my d600 raw files to jpgs.
With the ssd, my computer boots up in 30s.
Dell has had a XPS desktop with a 24inch IPS monitor for $900. If you are patient you can probably score one.
You have to Google IPS monitors. Once you have one you can't go back. You get the same view from any angle and vibrant colors.
Good luck!
- william - via tapatalk
I know that CS6 can use up to 12gb of ram when I convert my d600 raw files to jpgs.
With the ssd, my computer boots up in 30s.
Dell has had a XPS desktop with a 24inch IPS monitor for $900. If you are patient you can probably score one.
You have to Google IPS monitors. Once you have one you can't go back. You get the same view from any angle and vibrant colors.
Good luck!
- william - via tapatalk
I absolutely agree! I'm a build your own kinda guy, too, as I have built many desk top systems. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is 32 bit or 64 bit system. Go with the 64 bit system. Better use of RAM (use as much as you want and can afford). A 32 bit system is limited to 4 GB.........64 bit is almost limitless. And of course, I'd recommend a good graphics card with a minimum of 1 GB or RAM. Based on what you said about using it for photography, this is the way I'd do it.
Note: I HATE proprietary systems! They cheap out on the systems board and graphics and audio cards and everything else they can!
Working in IT, the most common question I'm asked is "what computer should I get for home?". The answer I usually go with is "go with Dell, or another brand name pc". The only reason I say this though is because they come with phone support. I know that if I told them to buy a white box PC, they'd be asking me to support them with every issue they had.
So I say this, if you are comfortable enough to install software, fix minor issues and Google for the answer to any intermediate/major issues, then a white box pc is a very good option. If you want the comfort of knowing support is there if you need it, go with a brand name.
So I say this, if you are comfortable enough to install software, fix minor issues and Google for the answer to any intermediate/major issues, then a white box pc is a very good option. If you want the comfort of knowing support is there if you need it, go with a brand name.
SuperSpike113
Senior Member
I ended up getting an HP Envy 8 GB ram Core i7 processor 1GB NVIDIA graphics card. I don't have any know-how or time for building my own and had an employee purchase program through my work and got a pretty good deal. My old computer had an AMD processor and I wasn't impressed so I wanted an intel this time.
SuperSpike113
Senior Member
Eurotrash- I think it did, I will have to look at my order summary in my work email tomorrow. Its hard to find stuff with windows 7 still.
SuperSpike113
Senior Member
| h8-1520t Intel • Windows 8 64 • 3rd Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3770 quad-core processor [3.4GHz, 8MB Shared Cache] • 1GB AMD Radeon HD 7570 [DVI, HDMI, DP, VGA adapter] • 8GB DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM [2 DIMMs] • 1TB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive • No secondary hard drive • Microsoft Office Trial • No additional Security Software • SuperMulti DVD Burner • 15-in-1 memory card reader, 4 USB 2.0 (front), 2 USB 3.0 (top) • No TV Tuner • Beats Audio (tm) -- integrated studio quality sound • HP wireless keyboard and mouse with Win 8 keyboard • Premium Wireless-N LAN card and Bluetooth(R)(1x1) • 300W Power supply • Adobe Photoshop Elements & Premiere Elements 11 These are the specs on the new computer. Pretty excited that it comes with photoshop elements at no additional cost (already have lightroom). |
Are you sure it's only 300W power supply? I have a 32 bit system with a 750W power supply, so it makes me wonder about your power supply. Doesn't make sense, with all that computing power you have there, to have such a small power supply. You might want to check into that.
I agree, for what you have there currently, the 300W will be sufficient.
I have a 750W PSU for my PC, but that's because it has nine HDDs, a DVD burner and a fairly power hungry graphics card, as well as four 12cm fans, and the usual CPU, memory etc.
I've measured a max power usage of 687W on there at any given time, so makes the PSU I have work hard
Suffice to say, that PC does not stay on 24/7, and on a cold day I can warm up my little office with the heat being pumped out of it
I have a 750W PSU for my PC, but that's because it has nine HDDs, a DVD burner and a fairly power hungry graphics card, as well as four 12cm fans, and the usual CPU, memory etc.
I've measured a max power usage of 687W on there at any given time, so makes the PSU I have work hard
Suffice to say, that PC does not stay on 24/7, and on a cold day I can warm up my little office with the heat being pumped out of it