lordshadowhack,
Good job. I also like to get the old bangers going as well as can be expected and some older systems respond well to upgrades. There are limits of course, but as the parts can be so inexpensive, substantial improvements are possible cheaply. A lot of people I think don't really get the full use of modern, very high performance anyway as systems are used so often for browsing, YouTube, and writing emails, word processing and light photo editing. I spend my time with CAD workstations and have noticed that the time a system really gets a workout is 3D model navigation and rendering. I see all the time very basic systems in architectural and engineering offices and no one complains as there is so much time thinking about the lines that the CPU's are idle far more than working. The program that seems the most frustrating for performance has been Sketchup until it recently became 64-bit. The expensive programs like AutoCad and Solidworks are beautifully made to work "reasonably" on moderate level systems. The situation does change with very large projects in programs like Catia and AVID on any system and that's where the Quadro K6000's get their exercise.
A large A&E firm near here just changed several of their second line systems: dual core Dell Precision T3400's and even Precision 380's with Pentium D's at the same time they spend $25,000 a year for Autodesk subscriptions. I was given a Dell Precision 390, a Dell Dimension E520, and a Dell Poweredge 2600 Server. I haven't fussed with the server, but I spent about $125 on each of the two computers:
Dell Dimension E520 (2006) Original: Pentium D 830 @ 3.0GHz, GeForce 7300LE (128MB), 2GB DDR2 667 , 2 x WD 320GB > 2X Dell 19" LCD > Windows XP Pro 32-bit
[ Passmark system rating = 384, CPU = 613 / 2D= 248 / 3D=72 / Mem=562 / Disk = 522 ]
Dell Dimension E520 (2006) Revised: Core2 Duo E6700 dual core @2.66GHz > 4GB DDR2 667 > GeForce GT440 (1GB GDDR5) > 2X Dell 19" LCD > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
[Passmark system rating = 1219, CPU = 2024 / 2D= 457 / 3D=978 / Mem= 828 / Disk=576]
And >
Precision 390 (2006) Original: Core2 Duo 6300 dual-core @ 1.86GHz, 2GB DDR2-667 ECC> Quadro FX550 > 2X WD 320GB . Windows XP Pro 32-bit
[ Passmark system rating = 397, CPU = 587 / 2D= 248 / 3D=75 / Mem=585 / Disk = 552 ]
Dell Precision 390 (2006 Revised: Xeon X3230 quad-core @ 2.67GHz > 8 GB DDR2 667 ECC > Firepro V4900 (1GB) > 2X WD 320GB >Linksys WMP600N WiFi Dell 24" > 1920 X 1200 > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit [ Passmark system rating = 1458, CPU = 3699 / 2D= 431 / 3D=1350 / Mem= 885 / Disk=552]
Notice the CPU rating up 9X- for $25. I had the Firepro V4900 already. Similar to your experience with the super Optiplex, I have a couple of quite competent backup systems for very little cost- a very satisfying to do.
Cheers,
BambiBoom
HP z420 (2014) > Xeon E5-1620 quad core @ 3.6 / 3.8GHz > 24GB DDR3 ECC 1600 RAM > Quadro K2200 (4GB)> Samsung 840 SSD 250GB /Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB> M-Audio 192 sound card > AE3000 USB WiFi > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H 2560 X 1440 > Windows 7 Ultimate 64 >
[ Passmark Rating = 4032 > CPU= 9247 / 2D= 821 / 3D=3263 / Mem= 2584 / Disk= 2470]
Dell Precision T5400 (2008) > 2X Xeon X5460 quad core @3.16GHz > 16GB DDR2 ECC 667> Quadro FX 4800 (1.5GB) > WD RE4 500GB / Seagate Barracuda 500GB > M-Audio 2496 Sound Card / Linksys WMP600N WiFi > HP 2711X, 27" 1920 X 1080 and and Dell 19" LCD > Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit >
[ Passmark system Rating = 1859, CPU = 8528 / 2D= 512 / 3D=1097]
2D, 3D CAD, Image Processing, Rendering, Text > Architecture, industrial design, graphic design, written projects [AutoCad, Revit, 3ds Max, VRay, Solidworks, Inventor, Sketchup, Adobe CS, WordPerfect, MS Office]
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