Photoshop System Build

[letsgetsilly]

I've done a lot of research and I'd appreciate your opinions. Please help me put my money to good use!

Uses: Photoshop CS 2; Image Ready; After Effects...few games (not as important)
Budget: Roughly $1000, obviously the cheaper the better; no monitor needed

I have already read through the post here but did not find much current discussion

v1.1
Here is my work in progress; I will update if/as suggestions change my mind:

Processor: 3GHz 800MHz bus D 4MB cache w/fan $216.00

Motherboard: ABIT AW8 (probably) $115
-old selection D975XBX Intel $234.00

Hard Drive: WD 250GB Serial ATA II 16MB (X2 maybe) $90.00

Memory: 2GB DDR2-677 / PC2-6400 (1024MB pair) $140.00

Video Card*: ATI FireGL PCI-X 128MB V3100 $180.0O

Case: Thermaltake Mambo VC2000BNS Mid Tower Case $35
-old selection Aspire X-Dreamer II $70

Power Supply: FSP Group (Fortron Source) AX450-PN 450W $58.49

DVD-R From old computer

TOTAL
~$835 ($925 2x HD)

Thanks for your help, I'm anxious to hear suggestions/information/links...

*Still kinda uncertain on video card

 

[Wreckage]

I would recommend using a second hard disk for a scratch disk. Otherwise, that system should be just fine.

 

[CheerUpEmoKid]

i personally prefer seagate HDs over WD but its not really important. seagate comes with a 5 year warranty

also you might want to look into AMD instead of intel. theyre more powerful and less expensive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537
this processor might be a little better for you than that intel. its only 119 with the heatsink and fan

if you do go with amd dont forget you need a different motherboard

 

[InlineFour]

the intel motherboard is a waste of money; it's meant for extreme edition pentium d. replace with an asus.

upgrade to a pentium d 940 with the extra money saved.

replace the ati firegl with a matrox card. firegl/quadros are for CAD apps.

 

[InlineFour]

Originally posted by: CheerUpEmoKid

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537
this processor might be a little better for you than that intel. its only 119 with the heatsink and fan

he picked a pentium d 930 according to the price, which is much better than the obsolete amd 64 series. for a matter of fact, intel pentium Ds are actually cheaper than amd X2s.

 

[Cobolman]

Originally posted by: Wreckage
I would recommend using a second hard disk for a scratch disk. Otherwise, that system should be just fine.

QFT. It doesn't have to be anything massive, but Photoshop definitely does prefer having a second disk.

 

[letsgetsilly]

A second disk is a good idea, but I think I'll add that on later when I can budget it in.

I'm aware of AMD's superior performance, but I'm going for the Pentium D for the dual processor action, 4mb cache for applications, as well as the decent price. Let me know if you think there is a better solution. This is what some of the photoshop rigs i've been looking at have.

 

[oynaz]

Won't you need a DVD burner, or at least a CD burner?

 

[Aluvus]

To the power supply: Absolutely, positively, without a doubt replace the one that comes with the case. Any number of supplies would do the trick, but spend the money to get something good rather than roll the dice with that Aspire garbage.

 

[pkme2]

I was lucky I guess, I got my ATI FireGL V3100 on eBay for $75 new, see sig.
I also got a great AT deal on my 4400+.

I use PhotoShop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver in my work applications.
My components cost $1500 in building my graphics workstation.

You could build a really good rig similarly, if you really searched for good deals on AT and eBay.

As a matter of habit, I clone my main drives to protect my systems.
I use mobile racks more than ever now since HDDs are really cheap.

I recommend that you consider a Fortron 450W PSU on Newegg for $51.

 

[GeNome]

QFT! Do not skimp on the PSU. I did that once..*poof*. I've now invested in an Enermax Liberty 500W. And I'd definitely go with the Intel CPU..it's what I just did. People say the X2 is better than the 930, and it some apps it is, especially games, but it's not worth the extra cost.

 

[pkme2]

Mobo http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=BA22246&CartID=done&nextloc=
Pentium D http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA22216

2GB DDR2-677 / PC2-6400 (1024MB pair) $140.00 Fantastic price for this RAM, where is it?

 

[InlineFour]

Originally posted by: pkme2
Mobo http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=BA22246&CartID=done&nextloc=
Pentium D http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA22216

2GB DDR2-677 / PC2-6400 (1024MB pair) $140.00 Fantastic price for this RAM, where is it?

may i ask why he would need a 975x chipset motherboard? the 975x chipset is for pentium d extreme editions, which he isn't buying.

like i said earlier, go with a 945p chipset motherboard and use the extra money saved on a faster CPU (940, 950).

 

[pkme2]

Originally posted by: InlineFour

Originally posted by: pkme2
Mobo http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=BA22246&CartID=done&nextloc=
Pentium D http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA22216

2GB DDR2-677 / PC2-6400 (1024MB pair) $140.00 Fantastic price for this RAM, where is it?

may i ask why he would need a 975x chipset motherboard? the 975x chipset is for pentium d extreme editions, which he isn't buying.

like i said earlier, go with a 945p chipset motherboard and use the extra money saved on a faster CPU (940, 950).

This is what he listed. I only found him a cheaper priced version to save him some dollars per his list. I recommended that he check out my rig, but if Intel is his choice, fine. He says that he researched what his needs were, so why don't you ask him directly, I did.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: CheerUpEmoKid
i personally prefer seagate HDs over WD but its not really important. seagate comes with a 5 year warranty

also you might want to look into AMD instead of intel. theyre more powerful and less expensive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537
this processor might be a little better for you than that intel. its only 119 with the heatsink and fan

if you do go with amd dont forget you need a different motherboard

Holy hell, no. For Photoshop, which is coded to make use of multiple cpu's, a dual core is exactly what would be best, and for the money, Intel Pentium D 900 series are a lot cheaper than the X2's, albeit, less performing.

That said, a Pentium D 940 would still be a better deal than an X2 3800+, at almost $50 cheaper, and probably a bit faster for PS.

 

[bamacre]

Thermaltake Mambo VC2000BNS Mid Tower Case (Black) Retail
$45.00
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=371295

FSP Group (Fortron Source) AX450-PN 450W PSU
$58.49
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817104954

Intel BOXD945PAWLK 945P P4/Pentium D/Celeron D 800FSB LGA775 DDR2 M-BTX Motherboard
$119.00
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=240992

Intel® Pentium® Processor 930 3.0GHz, 800MHz FSB, Socket 775, 2x2MB Cache, Dual Core Retail
$201.00
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80851

Corsair VS2GBKIT667D2 2GB Kit DDR2-667 PC2-5300 Value Select Memory Retail
$138.80
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=85016-47

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB Serial ATA II 7200RPM Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer
$90.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=101220-12

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB Serial ATA II 7200RPM Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer
$90.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=101220-12

ATI FireGL V3100 PCI Express 128MB DDR Video Card w/DVI Retail
$179.99
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=321300

Total Price Shipped:
$924.26


You can use the second HD as a scratch disk, or maybe even go with a RAID 1. I didn't see a point in the 975X motherboard, the price is amazingly high. The one above is a 945P motherboard, much cheaper and just as stable.

Also, which app is using the gpu in the video card? Or is it the image quality you'd get with a Fire FGL over a video card designed for gaming what you are looking for?

 

[letsgetsilly]

Wow, thanks everyone so much for the input.

I will definetly scratch the power supply in that case if I choose to even get that case. It is a little ridiculous looking.

Motherboard: The consensus here is correct, I don't need to pay that much for a motherboard. I will look into some of the boards mentioned here and replace my selection. Thank you.

Video card: Image quality, a potential for animation, multi monitor support, high resolution support, and I'd like to be able to spend this much money and be able to play whatever game I'd like; however, that isn't the purpose of this computer. I thought that the FireGL would kind of get me those things that I' m looking for.

Thanks again everyone for the advice, please keep it coming if you can

(p.s. as stated by bamacre, the $140 2-gigs is at zzf.)

 

[InlineFour]

you won't be able to game on the firegl; it's a workstation card (3d,cad), not a gaming card.

matrox video cards are best for 2d.

 

[GeNome]

The rig bamacre posted is pretty much perfect for what you need. I'd go with everything there, except I'd get this motherboard instead. Passive cooling, and great overclocking if you ever want to in future.

 

[Wreckage]

Originally posted by: letsgetsilly
Video card: Image quality, a potential for animation, multi monitor support, high resolution support, and I'd like to be able to spend this much money and be able to play whatever game I'd like; however, that isn't the purpose of this computer. I thought that the FireGL would kind of get me those things that I' m looking for.

The fireGL won't be much of a gaming card.

Look into a 7900 GT. It will do well in games, has the potential for animation (free Gelato!) and will support everything else you listed.

 

[letsgetsilly]

Look into a 7900 GT. It will do well in games, has the potential for animation (free Gelato!) and will support everything else you listed.

roger that.

 

[alimoalem]

i don't know anything about intel motherboards so i don't know if bamacre's is a better choice or if genome's is but the rest of bamacre's build looks awesome. i'd go with that. and i don't think bumping up to a 940 would help too much so i'd just pocket the $75

 

[letsgetsilly]

I like the ABIT AW8 motherboard. Just read a review at HardOCP:
http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=ODExLDgsLDcw

I think that's the one i'm going to go with, along with the other parts mentioned by bamacre.

Not decided on the video card just yet...

 

[GeNome]

I'd go with the 7900GT people have been recomending. Solid card, and it'll do fine in Photoshop.