Simon C

I've just been asked to spec a graphics design PC for a friend. Problem is as I have no idea where to start as I've never built 1 for this job. Run of the mill will cope with everything but give it time machines yes, no problem.

What am I looking at, was thinking about the Athlon 64 as a start.

Cheers
Simon

ozzy

does it have to be a PC and is it only for graphic design? and what does he mean by graphic design exactly?

Mac would do a far superior job if it's professional.

angrynorth

www.apple.com/powermac/

Speaking as a designer who used to work in the Windows world up until last year, nothing runs Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, InDesign, Quark and can control colour syncs like a Mac. Seriously, in this scenario you would be doing a disservice by selling him a PC.

Simon C

Guys, the person involved wants a pc, I did point out the virtues of a mac, but their adamant they want a pc. Cant change them, I've tried, and by the time this thing has been built, OK, I'm doing it for pints not money, its going to be about the same as buying a G4. Added to that they already have the programmes of what they want, I know Photoshop, Autocad, and I think even Maya. That little lot alone is an absolute fortune to buy again.

angrynorth

Okey dokey, in that case just load it up with RAM and a decent graphics card for the 3D work. The Athlon 64 should cope well with the majority of what he will be putting through it, the most important thing for you to source is the monitor to get rid of colour discrepancies, stick with a CRT. Other than that just build a gaming rig and that you will be on the right lines for a design machine.

Simon C

Ok this is going to sound dumb, whats a decent gaming rig? I don't play them, hell, I only own Command and Conquer cos I was given it!!!

angrynorth

Pretty much anything you see here

http://www.alienware.com/

messiah

Sounds like the more RAM you cram in it the better - 1GB should be a starting point IMHO.

I'm an AutoCAD user myself and currently running 512mb and it's not enough to be honest - Maya would probably have it screaming for mercy. My machine has a 64mb GeForce 4 which for autoCAD is quite adequate for what I do, but it sounds like they'll be doing some serious modelling work so more onboard memory is a must. There are graphics cards around that aimed at designers - these are NOT the same as high end gaming cards, which contain more features to show off all the bells & whistles of Doom 3 etc... most dedicated Graphics VGA cards will tend to come with 2 outputs for monitors - I think Matrox produce some good ones even though they're gaming cards are lagging behind nVidia & ATI.

I'd also give the motherbaord serious consideration - a SCSI HDD might be quite beneficial.

Hanslow

and make sure they have a decent system in place for backing their work up.

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

Matrox Parahelia is supposed to be good, but I've not used one. Most peeps who buy one get it because it can support three monitors though.

As stated, I'd expect any serious gfx card (6800GT, X800XT) to be able to run CAD as well as anything, but the nVidia Quadro cards are supposed to be better at 2D work (which is what CAD is, even if rendering 3D).


M

lightning101

3D Studio, Maya, photoshop etc all support multiprocessor machines, twin xeons or twin FX51 opterons with about 2 gig of ram and a proper 3D card - you can buy a cheaper one and solder it to become a quadro etc - full instructions if you google for it.


Also a good pentium 4 3.2 Ghz with hyperthreading actually shows its true colours here against the athlons and trounces them (maybe not opteron) but most athlon 64's only run at a real 2.2ghz anyway and this is noticible for rendering.

Remember graphics card for moving the wireframe - processors only for rendering.

Oh and no the apple mac cannot render faster than my Quad XEON.

angrynorth

Did anyone say it did?

lightning101

No just a pre-empt.


Stop being so defensive.

I love my MAC as well and yes its **** hot with no delays on photoshop and pound for pound is half the price of the PC.

So XEON is really fro a money is no object or business purpose only.

lightning101

A useful start would be to try somewhere like www.europc.co.uk

They have used and refurbished dedicated workstations, even some multiprocessor sun 64 bit - but it sounds like he was brought up on windows.

So even buying 64 bit athlons would be no good without unix based O/S ATM.

Hence my mentioning the XEONS - a dual XEON will run with XP Pro and nearly all grahics apps will work using both.

Although mac G5 twin 64 with OS X is lovely on the eye.

angrynorth

Stop being so defensive?

Don't try to start something then. No one mentioned anything MacVsPC on this thread prior to that. I don't want to get into a MvsPC thread, but I also don't see the point in what you said.

Simon C

Guys, I wasn't after a pc v mac thread. At the end of the day they aint intrested in mac, and I think Intel are overpriced, so that leaves AMD.

I'm intrested in Mac's so I'm of to see them in action. So I'm considering a pc tower, and having a mac lappy. But that my choice.

Now can we get back on topic please.

angrynorth

Totally agree, that's why I didn't mention them again after you told us the situation... anyway...

see the mac in action = www.demomac.com