Computer selection - please advice

[saracenas]

Thank you, fellows, for the advices.
Here I have that 3rd proposal (with 16GB of operational memory). What do you think about this one?

Name: MAGNUM I5-3470/16/1TB/GTX660/NOD32 (locally assembled)

Tactical frequency: 3200 MHz
Installation: NOD32 installed
Operational memory: 16384 MB
Processor: Core I5-3470
Video device: GeForce GTX660
HD space: 1000 GB
HD speed: 7200 rpm
Connections: 2xUSB 3.0 , 6XUSB 2.0 , Audio Input , Audio Output , DVI , HDMI , LAN
Frequency: 1600 MHz
Video device memory: 2048 MB
Optical: DVD±RW
Card reader: 1
Memory type: DDR3
Warranty: 2 yrs.

Local price: $1012

Thanks again,

[dmccarty]

Stick with Western Digital Black hard drives since they have a good warranty and reputation. Western Digital has a new line of Red drives for NAS, but for a desktop, stick with the Black drives.

Check out Newegg.com - Computer Parts, Laptops, Electronics, and More! to see prices and reviews.

I would be very particular about the power supply. It is important yet often overlooked. I have been buying PCs since they were called micro computers back in 1980, and all of my PCs have been from major brands except one. That one PC was built by a local PC store chain and the components were top notch with the exception of the power supply. I lost a graphics card which I thought was just bad luck. Then one day it was raining and I was home on a Saturday instead of working on the tractor. This was a good thing because I was working on the computer and out of the corner of my eye I saw flicking. The flickering was from the FLAMES erupting out of the power supply. The bad power supply had fried the computer, the only one I have ever lost, but I was lucky the house did not burn down.

You can check NewEgg for reviews and maybe the prices will help compare components.

My latest desktop was bought 6-7 years ago and works just fine with a CADD program, streaming video, applications and even photo processing. I bought a new camera that has a 36MP sensor and the files sizes can be huge. The computer could handle my old 12MP images just fine but the new 36MP is just too much danged data. The problem is the hard drive not the CPU or memory. My system has a Quad Core 2 CPU running at 2.4ghz which tells you the age of the system. I think we will move the old desktop to the living room and hook it up to the TV since that is what the PC was made to do. I will get a new system which is likely going to be a laptop since it can handle what I need to do and the laptop will not tether me to the study.

The laptop I am looking at buying equals the performance of the system I was thinking of building.

Later,
Dan

[rekees4300]

BTW I was adviced by a sales guy it's better to use Windows 7 but not 8. He said 7th version is better. Have no experience in that and can't understand why could it be so. Does anyone has an opinion on this subject?

Windows 8 is a 2 headed monster. It tries to be all things to all people. I recently bought a new windows 8 desktop without touch monitor. It took weeks to figure out how to bypass all that worthless Start Screen/app crap. Save yourself many headaches and go with Windows 7. My desktop has Intel Core i7-3770 and I recommend it highly, its power is amazing!

[RobertN]

Here is some links to graphics cards questions. I never really looked it up before, but it does make sense.
[Solved] Workstation vs gaming cards - difference(s)? - Graphics-Cards - Graphic-Displays
Workstation cards vs. Gaming cards

CybertronPC Blueprint TCAD1192D Workstation PC - Intel Core i7-3820 3.6GHz, 32GB DDR3, 1TB HDD, DVDRW, NVIDIA Quadro 4000, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit at TigerDirect.com
CybertronPC Blueprint TCAD1192B Workstation PC - 2nd generation Intel Core i5-2380P 3.1GHz, 16GB DDR3, 1TB HDD, NVIDIA Quadro 600, DVDRW, Keyboard/Mouse, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit at TigerDirect.com

As someone else mentioned, you might start with your most important software(Autocad and any modeling/rendering software) and build you hardware from there based on what the software needs.

[Ken]

BTW I was adviced by a sales guy it's better to use Windows 7 but not 8. He said 7th version is better. Have no experience in that and can't understand why could it be so. Does anyone has an opinion on this subject?

A month ago bought a Windows 8 H-P laptop And still wish my Win 7 hadn't locked up and quit. I have developed so much hostility toward this win 8 that when going back to town of purchase taking it back to have Win 7 installed.
1 reason I'm left handed and the touch pad is divided so the left finger causes it to flash into some other site not wanted. then to get back have to go back to windows and start over.
2. The dang thing every used to be site is now have to purchase. except the junk punk programs no reasonable person would use.
3. Cannot use TBN without is jumping to some other site because I touched some key or dragged a finger across the touch pad.
there is very little ways of closing a site so always in back ground .ready to pop up guessing on it own .
So have decided what I thought was not what I wanted. Maybe ok for a finger flicking person looking for the latest hamburger joint address .
And already tired of the facebook popping up saying there is some one wanting to be my friend. If I want some one to be my friend sure would want to know who the heck they are.
4 No way would I put any business into this thing. keeps trying to put into the cloud all the information I don't want to be floating around to start with.
5. There many others but you already think I've already fell off the rocker. If the place I bought this cannot install win 7 .Good Will is getting a slightly used computer.
ken

[troutsqueezer]

Any of the three systems you list will work just fine for you. Personally, I would add a Blu-Ray burner as it will give you about 25 Gigs of storage per disk.

AutoCAD does not require a very powerful desktop to run well.

I have both an i7 and an i5, hard to notice any difference in performance. I just retired from Intel, last project was helping to design Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge.

[saracenas]

According to my business specificity I'm mainly using Word, Excel and PPT applications on my both comps Windows and OS X. Actually here comes the time to replace my iMac as well, and your advices on that subject will be appreciated too. But later. Now I'm going to upgrade my Windows operating system first.

So, Microsoft Office doesn't need much power whatever the computer or operating system version you have. Right now the AutoCAD is used by my colleague-designers of mechanical engineering at the offices of their companies. Sometimes I'm working with a few companies at the same time located in different places of a country. I'm only a Business Consultant, and I thought I will never need CAD application. It was and still is enough for me to participate in the meetings and to discuss the objects under design while looking at my colleagues' screens or at the wall screen. But I've found myself that when the ideas are coming, it's better to check them a.s.a.p. so to avoid waste of time thinking in incorrect direction. It's good to arrive to the office with already correct message (which again, could be good or bad depending on the other factors), but not only with a fresh one. That's why I have decided to install that application into my home computer and to save some working time.

I'm not thinking to come back to laptop version I'd been working with from 2000 up to 2008 being always in a hurry, driving a car at 75 mph, paying patrol fines, but having quite fast to reach, for instance, Warsaw from Riga, or Tallinn from Vilnius, to be in time at the conference or meeting. Had to have a couple of stops on the road to check what's wrong with parts supply, customer complains, warranty issues etc via intranet on the laptop and so... You know, Office On Wheels. I was a Technical Adviser for the Baltics of one of the Worlds bigest automotive corporation. As I know that corporation is a most hated among Americans. Its name is - close your eyes, please - yes, it's Renault. The stories about AMC/Renault are well known for me.
So, a laptop reminds me crazy times, and I'd like to bypass it for whatever reason.
OTOH now I'm thinking rush business is not good business.

I'm not a computer game player. But I like the arguments, that if a computer is well prepared for the games, it could mean that it is good and powerful enough for any other applications. It was confirmed by a local salesman to my question - could it be like that.
But still, is that really true?

Sorry, I didn't mention most important purpose a computer will be used for. It's the TBN indeed!

I'm still doubting on what processor to choose either i5 or i7 due to what Dennis has said. Because operational memory you can probably always increase. I have already done that to my both present computers. Added 1GB to each. You may add other devices in case if necessary, just needs to have a possibility. But thinking about future maybe i7 processor is better.

OK, at least - concerning the W7 or W8 - I'm convinced to choose W7 professional. Thank you guys for arguments.

There are two things I can never avoid - sales person professionalism level and marketing. I'm not able to check if he is enough skilled or whether he's trying to sell me a product, which nobody is buying for unknown reasons. It's good when he(she) doesn't know an answer, but goes to confer with his colleague instead of answering the question in either way. I know that very well, because I had participated in the organization of sales personnel trainings.

You fellows told me so many new things, which I never knew, so my head is turning around.
Strange, I'm working with the computers starting from 1995 or so, and avoided so many things to be known. But all the data and opinions introduced by you are very useful, I'll print them up and bring to the shop to continue discussions with the sales personnel. At least now I know what to ask them or what to talk about.

I'm really greatly thankful to all of you!

[dmccarty]

Any of the three systems you list will work just fine for you. Personally, I would add a Blu-Ray burner as it will give you about 25 Gigs of storage per disk.
...

Agreed.

BluRay discs are now up to over 100GB of storage if you have the correct burner and the thicker wallet. The prices for the 25GB discs have dropped since the last time I looked and are far more affordable. The 50GB and higher discs still are too much money for my pocket but the 25GB discs are a good backup media.

Later,
Dan

[saracenas]

I would add a Blu-Ray burner as it will give you about 25 Gigs of storage per disk.

BluRay discs are now up to over 100GB of storage if you have the correct burner and the thicker wallet. The prices for the 25GB discs have dropped since the last time I looked and are far more affordable. The 50GB and higher discs still are too much money for my pocket but the 25GB discs are a good backup media.

Later,
Dan

I haven't found any description about possibility to attach BD burner to a desktop locally. Except that link gotten from you on Newegg.com. Here they say this is a very new technology. It's available only as a stacionary expensive media version. How would I know if I'll be able to attach it to my new computer?

[aczlan]

i am not a real big fan, of pre built computers. to many corners cut. and really never seen pre-built computer last. vs a custom built computer, were someone took there time hunting / searching for the pieces of a computer, that were geared for overclocking / gamers / autocad setup.

Define last. I take care of AV and other thing for ~700 computers at work, most are Dell Optiplex machines, GX620, 745, 755, 760, 300/900/3000 series, etc. We also have some old Gateways (from 2003-2005ish) and a smattering of HPs, most last 5+ years (the computer I am sitting at was purchased in 2006). Yes there are some issues (ie: the GX620s had a run of bad power supplies that cropped up at 3 years old), but by the time a computer hits 5 years old, its probably ready to at very least be wiped and have more RAM thrown in it.

I haven't found any description about possibility to attach BD burner to a desktop locally. Except that link gotten from you on Newegg.com. Here they say this is a very new technology. It's available only as a stacionary expensive media version. How would I know if I'll be able to attach it to my new computer?

Look for a SATA blueray drive, it goes internally and replaces the DVD drive. This search brings back 10 for me: Newegg.com - Computer Hardware, CD / DVD Burners & Media, Blu-Ray Burners, blueray sata


Aaron Z