Building a PC. for photoediting.

[Nickcanada]

Ok here is what I'm thinking....

Pentium 4 3.2GHZ processor $115
ASUS SKT .775 INTEL 945G M-ATX $100
Kingston 1G RAM (two of em') $82 (For both)
Seagate 500GB SATAII 16MB hard drive for storage $131
My current 120GB hard drive for Applications and OS Already have it
ANTEC NSK4400 Mid tower 380W power supply. $86
LG 18x multi DVD-RW $33

For a total of $547

Will the processor and memory be enough to run PS and process photos without too much lag? Anything you see that I should change or add? I will not be gaming so this is strictly for image editing/storing.


Will I need a video card or will the on board card be ok?

Thanks for the input guys. I'm not very hardware savvy.

[FLiPMaRC]

Why are you settling for P4 when there are Dual or Quad Cores? Preference? :confused:

[Nickcanada]

Why are you settling for P4 when there are Dual or Quad Cores? Preference? :confused:

Well I don't really know.... I've heard that XP does not take full advantage of dual core processors and I have no desire to switch to Vista, so would I need a dual core? Would I get that much more performace, and would I need the extra performance for my intended use?

I usually do have multiple programs running though, like Lightroom, CS2, DPP, Neatimage sometimes etc.

Really I just want to load images, and run filters in PS without waiting too long.

[wutske]

don't go for a Pentium4, it's an old architecture, it consumes a lot of power (and gets realy hot) and is expensive. You'll get more bang for the bucks if you get a Core cpu.
Even if XP doesn't take full advantage of 2 cores, 2 cores are still a lot faster when you're using 2 heavy programs at the same time (or if you use a program that is optimized to use 2 cores).

[RichNY]

I'd go with 2GB of memory. For $1150 you can get a 2GB 1.83Ghz core duo Mac Mini w/Superdrive. This would make a sweet little platform for running XP also if you ever wanted to go back to doing things the hard way just for nostalgia ;)

[Nickcanada]

Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 64bit MPU 2.0G 2M

Any issues with this CPU? It's going for 173. not too much more then the P4

[Nickcanada]

I'd go with 2GB of memory. For $1150 you can get a 2GB 1.83Ghz core duo Mac Mini w/Superdrive. This would make a sweet little platform for running XP also if you ever wanted to go back to doing things the hard way just for nostalgia ;)


LOL. I don't think I'm ready to go that way yet. Maybe for my next PC. ;)

Oh, and I am going with 2GB of RAM.

And I PM'ed ya, check it out. Adam is going to take it first I think and then he'll send it to you and then you can send it to me... sound good?

[Xion]

OK Something I know about!

Go with an AMD 64 FX processor. Or an AMD 64 anything for that matter, go as high as you can on that scale, they outperform P4's all the way. At least in my opinion. And many other gamers/video editors (which goes without saying photos are a cinch if you can do both of those with utmost speed). You'll have to get a different mobo to use the AMD processor, but you can get them for dirt cheep (mine was 40 bucks and I'm never without power). Also you're gonna want a bigger PSU to run the VIDEO CARD YOU LEFT OUT.

You'll absolutely want a video card if you're going to be running graphics intensive programs like Photoshop or anything of that nature. ATI is my personal choice, but nVidia makes some stunning cards.

Check out this site here (http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php) for comparisons of over 5000 different video cards, to help you pick one if you decide to spring for one.

Other than that your rig looks pretty good buddy! :D

Also, just for sharing, my rig is as follows:

Custom Built
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
1GB RAM
2 Seagate Barracudas, 1 Maxtor external, 380gb total.
ATI Radeon X850 XT
Gateway FPD1975W
SB Audigy 2 / Steel Sound 5H USB Soundcard
Creative Labs SBS 2.1 / Steel Sound 5H v2 USB Headset
Logitech Mx Wireless Media Keyboard
Logitech G5
Microsoft Windows XP Professional

[RichNY]

LOL. I don't think I'm ready to go that way yet. Maybe for my next PC. ;)

Oh, and I am going with 2GB of RAM.

And I PM'ed ya, check it out. Adam is going to take it first I think and then he'll send it to you and then you can send it to me... sound good?

How did he cut in line in front of me?:D Adam is younger than me- let him figure out how to ship to Canada:)

[Nickcanada]

How did he cut in line in front of me?:D Adam is younger than me- let him figure out how to ship to Canada:)

LOL. That's fine with me! I was just thinking geographically. I might even see if some others want to jump in too.... it could be a while before I get to see this thing. :)

[Nickcanada]

OK Something I know about!

Go with an AMD 64 FX processor. Or an AMD 64 anything for that matter, go as high as you can on that scale, they outperform P4's all the way. At least in my opinion. And many other gamers/video editors (which goes without saying photos are a cinch if you can do both of those with utmost speed). You'll have to get a different mobo to use the AMD processor, but you can get them for dirt cheep (mine was 40 bucks and I'm never without power). Also you're gonna want a bigger PSU to run the VIDEO CARD YOU LEFT OUT.

You'll absolutely want a video card if you're going to be running graphics intensive programs like Photoshop or anything of that nature. ATI is my personal choice, but nVidia makes some stunning cards.

Check out this site here (http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php) for comparisons of over 5000 different video cards, to help you pick one if you decide to spring for one.

Other than that your rig looks pretty good buddy! :D

Also, just for sharing, my rig is as follows:

Custom Built
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
1GB RAM
2 Seagate Barracudas, 1 Maxtor external, 380gb total.
ATI Radeon X850 XT
Gateway FPD1975W
SB Audigy 2 / Steel Sound 5H USB Soundcard
Creative Labs SBS 2.1 / Steel Sound 5H v2 USB Headset
Logitech Mx Wireless Media Keyboard
Logitech G5
Microsoft Windows XP Professional


Oh dear, MAC, Pentium, AMD! What have I gotten myself into!

We should start a "what are you running"? thread.

I think I might stick with what I have put down originally and upgrade if need be at a later time. The motherboard I chose has quad core capabilities so I have room to upgrade if needed.

[Xion]

Well, in any case, I'd say go for a video card at the very least. They're performance life savers!

[ryan112ryan]

I would strongly suggest at least 2 gigs of RAM (DDR2) and a PCI express card that supports 2 monitors, which for photo editing is fantastic!


Ok here is what I'm thinking....

Pentium 4 3.2GHZ processor $115

you're going to want something a little newer


My current 120GB hard drive for Applications and OS Already have it

you WILL NOT be able to use the OS (unless you get the motherboard re-tattooed, but thats about $50 and rarely works)


Will I need a video card or will the on board card be ok?

you WILL need to get a video card, PCI express (your motherboard has to support this) with the capability to do two monitors if you want this for editing.


***a note about the video cards, you need to make sure the card you are getting will go with your mother board (AGP card = mobo that supports AGP; PCI express = mobo that supports PCI express)***

[Visual Reality]

Ok, you are going to get a lot of opinions on this. But as a moderator on the most prominent PC building / overclocking forum on the web, I think I can make a few recommendations.

Go with a Core 2 Duo CPU. Don't settle for less. Despite what one of the posters above said...it is the top CPU for the dollar and will continue to be for a while. Whoever said the A64 CPU's are cream of the crop right now needs to do some catching up. Those were first introduced in 2004.

For hard drives there are plenty of choices with Western Digital, Samsung, and Seagate being my top picks (I run a 320gb Seagate 16mb cache drive, $80, and a WD Raptor 10,000 RPM 150gb drive which is quite a bit more). The Seagate you chose is a great drive, and if I outgrow my 320 I will probably replace it with a 500 as well.

The DVD drive is great but I will recommend one that has a Serial ATA connection. They don't cost any extra and are easier to work with, as the old PATA cables are huge, block airflow and make cable management difficult.

No one has mentioned a monitor yet. This is probably your most important part of the build for photo editing. I would highly recommend going for a widescreen monitor, of 1680x1050 resolution minimum. If you don't you will be kicking yourself, guaranteed. You need the space. I actually just upgraded from a 22" 1680x1050 screen to a more photo-friendly 24" 1920x1200 and it just cannot be beat, save for the 2560x1600 res of the 30 inchers. Keep in mind the size of your photos - the more resolution you have the more you can see and work on. Color/backlight/brightness and contrast calibration will be very important as well to make sure the changes you are making will be seen the same by everyone else as well. This will be the most expensive component of your build.

Graphics card, almost any will do, if you don't plan on gaming. Just make sure you match up an AGP board with an AGP card, and a PCI-E board with a PCI-E card. Onboard is "ok", but there are some tasks where having a GPU will be helpful.

2gb of DDR2 is very cheap nowadays and I wouldn't go lower.

I know this will cost a bit more than you intended, but I don't like cheaping out on the power supply. It has to keep your whole rig stable, and can take any number of components out with it if it decides to call it quits. Go with a quality 500w unit, and choose a case without one. For the case pick something that has good airflow, room to work in and with all the features you many need.

If this is out of your budget, you can always use your current monitor and skip the graphics card for now and get them later. But I am telling you, once you feel cramped in Photoshop you will want more real estate.

[Xion]

I never said A64's were the cream of the proverbial crop, I was just saying that they're my favorite, as denoted by the "in my opinion" after my statement.

And just because something's old doesn't mean it's out! Look at almost any car form the 60s! ;)

But in agreeance, get a wide screen monitor or something, because a lot of Photoshop room is your bestest friend.

[Visual Reality]

I will agree that on a budget, an Athlon 64 X2 (dual core) rig will be cheaper than the Intel route and he probably won't notice the difference for his uses. But definetely if set on Intel, the Israeli-designed Core 2 Duo over Pentium 4 any day of the week.

That may actually not be a bad idea if budget is a concern.

[hokeyguy]

I agree fully with Visual Reality. I haven't priced a build lately, but last I looked you could get a Core 2 Duo setup for the same or nearly the same price as the AMD setups and the performance gain is huge.

Visual Reality, what site are you modding on?

[Daubs]

Wise words here with some very good advice.

Here is my $0.02 -- I'll leave the Mac vs. PC debate, having solved that one for myself many years ago (Yes, I started on a Mac, but went to a PC later on).

I'm a big fan of AMD chips -- I'm on my third self-build and have built two more AMD's for others. Do get the fastest you can afford, staying in the X2 realm. Right now you can get AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Retail for around $75.

Do your research in the MOBO area. I've built mainly Abit's, but went with Asus on last build (for my Dad). Seems to be holding up well. Make sure your MOBO will work with other components you are looking to get (PCI-e, PCI, SATA, DDR-x, etc.)

RAM: Again, get as much as you can afford, with 2 GIG being the minimum.

HD: Big fan of Western Digital, never having any problems -- knock on wood. Again, look for speed and best you can afford with 7,200 rpm being the minimum. I'd opt for 10k-rpm if building now.

(I found myself looking to arstechnica's system guide when posting this...so instead of relaying their information, I'll just post a link. Ars has been a good guide to me in the past. I tend to lean towards the "hot rod". Link here (http://arstechnica.com/guides/buyer/guide-200703.ars).

[hokeyguy]

BUDGET RIG – SUB $1,000
Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 ($130)
Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 ($139)
2GB (2x1GB) G.Skill DDR2-800 ($85)
Seagate Barracuda 320GB/16MB SATA ($80)
Lite-On 20X DVD Burner w/ Lightscribe ($40)
XFX 8600GT 256MB ($130)
Antec Sonata II w/ 450w PSU ($116)
Windows Vista Home Premium DVD OEM ($117)
TOTAL = $837 shipped (If needed, add speakers, monitor, keyboard, and mouse of choice)

MIDRANGE MONSTER – SUB $1,500
Asus P5N32-E SLI Plus ($192)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 ($187)
2GB (2x1GB) OCZ Platinum DDR2-1066 ($165)
Seagate Barracuda 500GB/16MB SATA ($130)
Lite-On 20X DVD Burner w/ Lightscribe ($40)
Evga 8800GTS 320MB ($296)
Thermaltake Armor Jr. ($144)
OCZ GameXstream 600w ($128)
Windows Vista Home Premium DVD OEM ($117)
TOTAL = $1,399 shipped (If needed, add speakers, monitor, keyboard, and mouse of choice)

HIGH END POWERHOUSE
EVGA 122-CK-NF68-A1 nForce 680i SLI ($250)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 ($225)
2GB (2x1GB) OCZ Reaper DDR2-1150 ($235)
Seagate Barracuda 750GB/16MB SATA ($280)
Lite-On 20X DVD Burner w/ Lightscribe x2 ($80)
EVGA 8800GTX ($566)
Thermaltake Armor w/ 25cm Side Fan ($189)
Silverstone Decathlon 850w Modular ($260)
Windows Vista Home Premium DVD OEM ($117)
TOTAL = $2,202 shipped (If needed, add speakers, monitor, keyboard, and mouse of choice)

ENTHUSIAST DREAM MACHINE
Asus Striker Extreme 680i SLI ($338)
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 Quad Core ($967)
2GB (2x1GB) OCZ Reaper DDR2-1150 ($235)
Western Digital Raptor X 150GB/16MB ($210)
Seagate Barracuda 750GB/16MB SATA ($280)
Creative X-Fi Elite Soundcard ($270)
Plextor 18X DVD Burner ($75)
Lite-On 20X DVD Burner w/ Lightscribe ($40)
BFG 8800GTX 626MHz/2000MHz x2 ($656 x 2 = $1,312)
Silverstone TJ09-B ($300)
Silverstone OP1000 1000W ($350)
Windows Vista Ultimate DVD OEM ($195)
TOTAL = $4,572 shipped (If needed, add speakers, monitor, keyboard, and mouse of choice)

[Nickcanada]

Wow that's great guys! Thanks for all the useful advice.... after thinking about, I think I'm going to strech my budget a bit and opt for a few upgrades.

So I really won't be able to just plug in my old hard drive to my new system and load drivers etc.? I have to start from scratch? That would suck.... I'm lazy...

[Visual Reality]

I agree fully with Visual Reality. I haven't priced a build lately, but last I looked you could get a Core 2 Duo setup for the same or nearly the same price as the AMD setups and the performance gain is huge.

Visual Reality, what site are you modding on?
XtremeSystems.org :cool: