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You heard it here first: Black Friday 2024 has arrived!
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shoelessinsight
Distinguished
- Jun 27, 2009
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I love this idea, and I hope that it develops further. I also agree that there should be a comments section for each individual build, rather than a messy mass of comments for all of them. This would make it easier for people researching a particular PC build by allowing them to see only relevant comments.
I built a home theater PC for a friend a year ago, and she and I have both been very happy with the results. Looking at your build for a HTPC, I would like to offer a few suggestions/differing opinions.
I selected an Athlon 64 X2 5050e for her processor, and it has been amply powerful to handle Blu-ray playback (with GPU assistance, of course) as well as all other theater needs thus far. It is an energy efficient model, suggesting that it should run cooler (and thus create less noise from cooling) and should be easier on the electric bill than the Pentium G6950 processor that you selected. It is also cheaper than the Pentium, selling on Newegg for $62.99 when I purchased it a year ago, and going for $67.99 currently on ZipZoomFly (it is, unfortunately, no longer listed on Newegg). Better prices for this processor might be available given further searching. Additionally, if you wanted to cut costs further, I am confident that you could step down to a 4850e (and likely lower) with no negative impact to Blu-ray and HD playback.
The Radeon HD 5750 does seem to be a little overkill for an HTPC unless you intend the system to be capable of some casual gaming. However, I can understand this choice if it was for it's ability to bitstream Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio. I have not researched this matter in the last year, so I am not aware of what offerings are currently out there.
For my friend's HTPC, I selected instead the S3 Chrome 530 GT, which was reported to be able to pass full-quality audio from Blu-ray discs over HDMI with a price tag of only $50. I have had mixed results with this card, however, and I would not recommend it after having used it myself.
Fortunately, I had a backup option in place in case the Chrome 530 GT didn't pan out. The motherboard (an ASUS M3N78-EM Micro ATX) sports an on-board Geforce 8300 and HDMI port, which I selected because there are numerous guides across the internet detailing how to decompress a hi-def, copy-protected audio stream (such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master on Blu-ray discs) on the board before sending it over an optical connection to the receiver, allowing full-quality audio playback. For those that are comfortable around their technology (as most Tom's readers likely are), this is a cost-effective solution that has worked very well for my friend's setup. For those not quite as comfortable with technology who are still setting up an HTPC themselves, the Radeon HD 5750 may be the right pick after all, provided that there isn't a cheaper card available capable of doing the same job (again, something I haven't personally researched in some time).
The SSD in your build isn't a bad idea, but it might be more expensive than necessary for most people. I opted for a HITACHI Travelstar 5K250 160GB 5400 RPM laptop hard drive, selected using Tom's hard drive charts for its energy efficiency. Between the drive and the 2.5" to 3.5" adapter to mount it in the case, it totaled a little under $68. While an SSD probably would result in a generally snappier system, I find that the limiting factor in responsiveness on my friend's HTPC is DVD/Blu-ray spin-up times or network latency (when streaming off the media server). For all intents and purposes (i.e. when I don't have my ear pressed up against the computer case), this drive has been silent and in all other ways sufficient for the system's needs. For anyone with money to burn, I would still concede that the SSD is a good choice, but for the average consumer, I would still recommend a carefully-selected magnetic drive.
I would also recommend including a TV tuner card in your list of HTPC components. This is an optional component, but it is something that I think everybody should give good consideration if they are building a HTPC. These cards won't be able to pick up every station on a satellite or cable service, so it is probably not a worthwhile purchase for anyone that plans to continue with such a subscription. But if your plan is to ween yourself off of subscription television in favor of online streaming services, then a TV tuner can help fill some of the gap by giving you the option to record over-the-air programs. For my friend, I spent about $140 for a dual-tuner card.
Input peripherals may be outside the scope of these articles, but they are an important consideration for home theater setups. For a desktop computer, it's entirely up to personal taste when choosing a mouse and keyboard. For a HTPC, however, you have to consider that you will usually be sitting across the room from your PC, and most wireless keyboards/mice can have difficulty over such distances (even at 10 feet, many products I've tried have struggled). Additionally, full-sized peripherals can be unwieldy on the couch. One option is to go with a small, all-in-one input device, such as the Logitech diNovo. Another, less-expensive approach, would be to use a short-range mouse/keyboard, whether it's wired or just cheap wireless, while using a PC remote control when sitting on the couch.
As somebody suggested earlier, it might be prudent to include pricing for the operating system used. While in most PCs this can be an assumed cost that varies according to the user's preference in operating systems (after all, Linux is free, right?), it bears special mention in HTPCs. If the system is not intended to handle Blu-ray playback at full quality, then any operating system will do. But Windows, to the best of my knowledge, is the only OS available right now that will allow HDCP passthrough, meaning that it is also the only OS capable of playing Blu-ray discs at full resolution and full audio quality without inconvenient and sometimes unreliable workarounds (such workarounds involve ripping the disc to the hard drive to remove any copy protection).
I apologize for the long post, but you did ask for suggestions and ideas. Hopefully, this information could help you cut the cost of your build down even futher without sacrificing any performance. Again, I haven't researched this topic heavily in almost a year, so there may be even better solutions today than any of my recommendations, but I think a lot of the information is still relevant. To reiterate, my friend and I have been very happy with her home theater PC. It plays back Blu-ray, DVDs, online Flash, over-the-air TV, and other videos all very smoothly. And with a couple of wireless gaming controllers, it has also been great fun for emulating old games on the big screen for nostalgic get-togethers.
I built a home theater PC for a friend a year ago, and she and I have both been very happy with the results. Looking at your build for a HTPC, I would like to offer a few suggestions/differing opinions.
I selected an Athlon 64 X2 5050e for her processor, and it has been amply powerful to handle Blu-ray playback (with GPU assistance, of course) as well as all other theater needs thus far. It is an energy efficient model, suggesting that it should run cooler (and thus create less noise from cooling) and should be easier on the electric bill than the Pentium G6950 processor that you selected. It is also cheaper than the Pentium, selling on Newegg for $62.99 when I purchased it a year ago, and going for $67.99 currently on ZipZoomFly (it is, unfortunately, no longer listed on Newegg). Better prices for this processor might be available given further searching. Additionally, if you wanted to cut costs further, I am confident that you could step down to a 4850e (and likely lower) with no negative impact to Blu-ray and HD playback.
The Radeon HD 5750 does seem to be a little overkill for an HTPC unless you intend the system to be capable of some casual gaming. However, I can understand this choice if it was for it's ability to bitstream Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio. I have not researched this matter in the last year, so I am not aware of what offerings are currently out there.
For my friend's HTPC, I selected instead the S3 Chrome 530 GT, which was reported to be able to pass full-quality audio from Blu-ray discs over HDMI with a price tag of only $50. I have had mixed results with this card, however, and I would not recommend it after having used it myself.
Fortunately, I had a backup option in place in case the Chrome 530 GT didn't pan out. The motherboard (an ASUS M3N78-EM Micro ATX) sports an on-board Geforce 8300 and HDMI port, which I selected because there are numerous guides across the internet detailing how to decompress a hi-def, copy-protected audio stream (such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master on Blu-ray discs) on the board before sending it over an optical connection to the receiver, allowing full-quality audio playback. For those that are comfortable around their technology (as most Tom's readers likely are), this is a cost-effective solution that has worked very well for my friend's setup. For those not quite as comfortable with technology who are still setting up an HTPC themselves, the Radeon HD 5750 may be the right pick after all, provided that there isn't a cheaper card available capable of doing the same job (again, something I haven't personally researched in some time).
The SSD in your build isn't a bad idea, but it might be more expensive than necessary for most people. I opted for a HITACHI Travelstar 5K250 160GB 5400 RPM laptop hard drive, selected using Tom's hard drive charts for its energy efficiency. Between the drive and the 2.5" to 3.5" adapter to mount it in the case, it totaled a little under $68. While an SSD probably would result in a generally snappier system, I find that the limiting factor in responsiveness on my friend's HTPC is DVD/Blu-ray spin-up times or network latency (when streaming off the media server). For all intents and purposes (i.e. when I don't have my ear pressed up against the computer case), this drive has been silent and in all other ways sufficient for the system's needs. For anyone with money to burn, I would still concede that the SSD is a good choice, but for the average consumer, I would still recommend a carefully-selected magnetic drive.
I would also recommend including a TV tuner card in your list of HTPC components. This is an optional component, but it is something that I think everybody should give good consideration if they are building a HTPC. These cards won't be able to pick up every station on a satellite or cable service, so it is probably not a worthwhile purchase for anyone that plans to continue with such a subscription. But if your plan is to ween yourself off of subscription television in favor of online streaming services, then a TV tuner can help fill some of the gap by giving you the option to record over-the-air programs. For my friend, I spent about $140 for a dual-tuner card.
Input peripherals may be outside the scope of these articles, but they are an important consideration for home theater setups. For a desktop computer, it's entirely up to personal taste when choosing a mouse and keyboard. For a HTPC, however, you have to consider that you will usually be sitting across the room from your PC, and most wireless keyboards/mice can have difficulty over such distances (even at 10 feet, many products I've tried have struggled). Additionally, full-sized peripherals can be unwieldy on the couch. One option is to go with a small, all-in-one input device, such as the Logitech diNovo. Another, less-expensive approach, would be to use a short-range mouse/keyboard, whether it's wired or just cheap wireless, while using a PC remote control when sitting on the couch.
As somebody suggested earlier, it might be prudent to include pricing for the operating system used. While in most PCs this can be an assumed cost that varies according to the user's preference in operating systems (after all, Linux is free, right?), it bears special mention in HTPCs. If the system is not intended to handle Blu-ray playback at full quality, then any operating system will do. But Windows, to the best of my knowledge, is the only OS available right now that will allow HDCP passthrough, meaning that it is also the only OS capable of playing Blu-ray discs at full resolution and full audio quality without inconvenient and sometimes unreliable workarounds (such workarounds involve ripping the disc to the hard drive to remove any copy protection).
I apologize for the long post, but you did ask for suggestions and ideas. Hopefully, this information could help you cut the cost of your build down even futher without sacrificing any performance. Again, I haven't researched this topic heavily in almost a year, so there may be even better solutions today than any of my recommendations, but I think a lot of the information is still relevant. To reiterate, my friend and I have been very happy with her home theater PC. It plays back Blu-ray, DVDs, online Flash, over-the-air TV, and other videos all very smoothly. And with a couple of wireless gaming controllers, it has also been great fun for emulating old games on the big screen for nostalgic get-togethers.
Onus
Titan
- Jan 27, 2006
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Great idea, but I don't think I liked any of the specific builds. When I see "budget" applied to a gaming PC, I'm much more likely to think $550-$650 than I am to think $1000+. Business PCs will have file server access for data, and run limited apps that will fit on an 80GB (or smaller) drive. One of the few things I've regularly seen business PCs needing is more RAM, so a mobo with extra RAM slots can't hurt. A 380W Earthwatts is enough, or one of the low-wattage 80+ bronze Seasonics that don't even have PCIE power connectors. Businesses are more likely than home users to enforce use of security applications (AV and/or firewall and/or [multiple types of] encryption and/or authentication) that sap performance, so I was glad to see the x4 chosen in the AMD build. Businesses aren't going to pay $87 for a case when $25-$30 will do. And, since they typically aren't re-building existing systems and re-using components, monitor, KB, mouse, and cheap speakers should all be included.
RADIO_ACTIVE
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- Jan 17, 2008
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Good idea for an series, although I worry that recommending particular components makes it awfully easy for manufacturers to lobby for inclusion.
I would join the people complaining about the specifications, but maybe you've just got the titles wrong. The AMD office machine + a 9800GT is closer to what I'd call a budget gaming system.
Also, a mistake: the same PSU costs $110 or $115 dollars depending on the AMD and Intel budget gaming builds.
I would join the people complaining about the specifications, but maybe you've just got the titles wrong. The AMD office machine + a 9800GT is closer to what I'd call a budget gaming system.
Also, a mistake: the same PSU costs $110 or $115 dollars depending on the AMD and Intel budget gaming builds.
skora
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- Nov 2, 2008
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Without talking about the individual builds and components picked, there's a philosophical flaw in an article like this. Rarely do we see in the homebuilt section "Spend as little as possible for X performance." Its almost always "$xxxx gaming/HT/internet PC." If you want to effectively run an article like this, spend your time in the homebuilt forums, and do a summary article and link in the best threads and builds from the forum itself. We spend so much time doing the same thing you are trying to do here, but actually listen to what the buyers are trying to accomplish.
Every person is going to have a different definition of value and have a different budget to work with. If you want to say, "Minimum 1680x1050 gaming rig" thats a different story and actually has a starting point for new system designers to work from.
Every person is going to have a different definition of value and have a different budget to work with. If you want to say, "Minimum 1680x1050 gaming rig" thats a different story and actually has a starting point for new system designers to work from.
- Jul 24, 2006
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[citation][nom]killerclick[/nom] You know that there is a limit to how many FPS the human eye can see? [/citation]
No there isn't, the human eye doesn't work with frames so your statement doesn't make sense.
No there isn't, the human eye doesn't work with frames so your statement doesn't make sense.
bc0203
Distinguished
- Sep 19, 2009
- 16
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Like the proposed HTPC, but may I suggest the following...
How about using the Intel BOXDH55TC motherboard to take advantage of the integrated Intel HD graphics on the G6950, at least initially? This approach maintains the ability to play blu-ray discs and bitstream audio without having to pay for a separate video card. If the user eventually ends up using the rig for gaming, they can always upgade to a Raedon 5000 series card later on, once prices have come down to earth a bit. (Speaking of which, can you tell me where I can get one of those $99 5750 cards? I can't find them anywhere on the net, that seems to be the going price for a 5670 card with 512MB of RAM...)
A Silverstone GD04/GD05 case is less deep and therefore might fit more readily under most flat panel displays. Also, it's lack of a front panel LCD limits potential compatiblity problems with the software that you might be using to control your media center; in my experience, using the on-screen interface for your media software with a Logitech Harmony Remote and an IR Receiver provides the most flexibility.
Finally, at a distance of 10-15', no one is going to hear a quiet conventional hard drive over all the other system components. With this in mind, a Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB drive is only $69 and has a 5 year warranty.
Finally, though I agree with most on here that a separate media server is the way to go if you have a large video collection, for those who feel the need to store large amounts of data on the PC itself, you can store up to 4.5TB inside the GD04/GD05 using a combination of 2.5" and 3.5" drives, and back up your data using Carbonite or an external eSATA solution.
Hope these suggestions are useful to some of you out there.
How about using the Intel BOXDH55TC motherboard to take advantage of the integrated Intel HD graphics on the G6950, at least initially? This approach maintains the ability to play blu-ray discs and bitstream audio without having to pay for a separate video card. If the user eventually ends up using the rig for gaming, they can always upgade to a Raedon 5000 series card later on, once prices have come down to earth a bit. (Speaking of which, can you tell me where I can get one of those $99 5750 cards? I can't find them anywhere on the net, that seems to be the going price for a 5670 card with 512MB of RAM...)
A Silverstone GD04/GD05 case is less deep and therefore might fit more readily under most flat panel displays. Also, it's lack of a front panel LCD limits potential compatiblity problems with the software that you might be using to control your media center; in my experience, using the on-screen interface for your media software with a Logitech Harmony Remote and an IR Receiver provides the most flexibility.
Finally, at a distance of 10-15', no one is going to hear a quiet conventional hard drive over all the other system components. With this in mind, a Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB drive is only $69 and has a 5 year warranty.
Finally, though I agree with most on here that a separate media server is the way to go if you have a large video collection, for those who feel the need to store large amounts of data on the PC itself, you can store up to 4.5TB inside the GD04/GD05 using a combination of 2.5" and 3.5" drives, and back up your data using Carbonite or an external eSATA solution.
Hope these suggestions are useful to some of you out there.
skora
Distinguished
- Nov 2, 2008
- 1,498
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[citation][nom]randomizer[/nom]No there isn't, the human eye doesn't work with frames so your statement doesn't make sense.[/citation]
While the eye doesn't work in frames, you only need to produce around 30 fps for the brain to register smooth movement. But there is a limit on how many frames the monitor can produce. Most displays hit 60-75hz refresh rates. Some of the newer ones and those for the nVidia 3D are 120hz. So as long as you minimum frames don't fall below 30 (so average in the 45 range) you're probably not going to be able to tell.
While the eye doesn't work in frames, you only need to produce around 30 fps for the brain to register smooth movement. But there is a limit on how many frames the monitor can produce. Most displays hit 60-75hz refresh rates. Some of the newer ones and those for the nVidia 3D are 120hz. So as long as you minimum frames don't fall below 30 (so average in the 45 range) you're probably not going to be able to tell.
- Jul 24, 2006
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[citation][nom]skora[/nom]While the eye doesn't work in frames, you only need to produce around 30 fps for the brain to register smooth movement.[/citation]
I disagree. 30FPS is tiring to look at unless it has cinema-grade motion blur, which most games don't. 60FPS and above is about where I find it hard to tell the difference, but I can feel the difference between 60FPS and 100FPS just when moving around quickly. Slow movements would be about the same.
[citation][nom]skora[/nom]But there is a limit on how many frames the monitor can produce.[/citation]
I think it's more DVI bandwidth that is the issue, not the monitors themselves.
I disagree. 30FPS is tiring to look at unless it has cinema-grade motion blur, which most games don't. 60FPS and above is about where I find it hard to tell the difference, but I can feel the difference between 60FPS and 100FPS just when moving around quickly. Slow movements would be about the same.
[citation][nom]skora[/nom]But there is a limit on how many frames the monitor can produce.[/citation]
I think it's more DVI bandwidth that is the issue, not the monitors themselves.
killerclick
Distinguished
- Jan 13, 2010
- 1,563
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[citation][nom]randomizer[/nom]No there isn't, the human eye doesn't work with frames so your statement doesn't make sense.[/citation]
You're right, I apologize for my ignorance... here, let me rephrase my statement:
There is a limit to how many frames a sexually fulfilled human being cares about seeing.
I hope it makes more sense now.
You're right, I apologize for my ignorance... here, let me rephrase my statement:
There is a limit to how many frames a sexually fulfilled human being cares about seeing.
I hope it makes more sense now.
liquidsnake718
Distinguished
- Jul 8, 2009
- 1,379
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Bravo this is a start to a new and informative section for new PC buyers with a specific make in mind. All you guys need to add are the Nettop type PCs and the industrial type PCs with recommended software and virus scans for each type of use, for example for the workstations or for the musician/dj, which PC is best and what apps can they add..... of if they use photoshop or 3ds MAX... or even add a PC with the quadro cards... heck you guys even added an HTCP or a multimedia PC.
This comparison chart is very helpful and linear for first time readers.
This comparison chart is very helpful and linear for first time readers.
Nice idea. But some issues:
The NewEgg combos change occasionally, so keeping those prices current would be more work.
People will also complain that they want more categories, like mid range gaming PC, etc. So to start that off, how about a "Home Supercomputer" category? Could even have basic and uber-expensive versions.
The NewEgg combos change occasionally, so keeping those prices current would be more work.
People will also complain that they want more categories, like mid range gaming PC, etc. So to start that off, how about a "Home Supercomputer" category? Could even have basic and uber-expensive versions.
caamsa
Distinguished
- Apr 25, 2006
- 1,830
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- 19,810
Here is a complete system that has everything and is in no way junk.
AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADX250OCGQBOX
$67.00
Kingston 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KVR1333D3K2/2GR
$56.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
$64.99 -$10.00 Instant $54.99
LITE-ON CD/DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04
$26.99
SAPPHIRE 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
$99.99
Western Digital Caviar Green WD5000AADS 500GB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5
$54.99
RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case
$89.99 -$15.00 Instant $74.99
GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
$84.99 -$5.00 Instant $79.99
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders
$104.99
Rosewill RK-7310 Black USB Wired Super Slim Multimedia Keyboard
$14.99
Logitech MX518 8 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Optical Gaming Mouse
$42.99 -$4.00 Instant $38.99
Hanns·G Hi-221DPB Black 22
$179.99 -$20.00 Instant $159.99
ALTEC LANSING BXR1221 15 Watts RMS 2.1 Speaker System
$29.99
Subtotal: $864.88
AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADX250OCGQBOX
$67.00
Kingston 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KVR1333D3K2/2GR
$56.99
CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
$64.99 -$10.00 Instant $54.99
LITE-ON CD/DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04
$26.99
SAPPHIRE 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
$99.99
Western Digital Caviar Green WD5000AADS 500GB SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5
$54.99
RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case
$89.99 -$15.00 Instant $74.99
GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
$84.99 -$5.00 Instant $79.99
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders
$104.99
Rosewill RK-7310 Black USB Wired Super Slim Multimedia Keyboard
$14.99
Logitech MX518 8 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Optical Gaming Mouse
$42.99 -$4.00 Instant $38.99
Hanns·G Hi-221DPB Black 22
$179.99 -$20.00 Instant $159.99
ALTEC LANSING BXR1221 15 Watts RMS 2.1 Speaker System
$29.99
Subtotal: $864.88
- Jul 24, 2006
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[citation][nom]killerclick[/nom]You're right, I apologize for my ignorance... here, let me rephrase my statement:There is a limit to how many frames a sexually fulfilled human being cares about seeing.I hope it makes more sense now.[/citation]
And that limit is arbitrary.
And that limit is arbitrary.
rubberjohnson
Distinguished
- Aug 28, 2006
- 68
- 0
- 18,630
[citation][nom]shoelessinsight[/nom]...The motherboard (an ASUS M3N78-EM Micro ATX) sports an on-board Geforce 8300 and HDMI port, which I selected because there are numerous guides across the internet detailing how to decompress a hi-def, copy-protected audio stream (such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master on Blu-ray discs) on the board before sending it over an optical connection to the receiver, allowing full-quality audio playback...[/citation]
Sorry but you're not getting full-quality audio playback using this method. An optical connection cannot carry a Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master audio signal due to insufficent bandwidth.
Sorry but you're not getting full-quality audio playback using this method. An optical connection cannot carry a Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master audio signal due to insufficent bandwidth.
Here is a build I did for my office about a month ago, I would title this a budget CAD workstation. I built the machine as an experiment to mainly run Autodesk AutoCAD and Revit. Cost was important but performance was more important. I picked parts for performance where needed and economy where possible. I didn't have a budget- what it cost is what it cost.
CPU: Intel i5-750
CPU cooler: Xigmatek Dark Knight + 1156 mounting bracket
I felt like this cpu was the most cost-effective for high performance, and I put a good cooler on it to allow it to be overclocked to 3.5GHz and still control temps even if the office AC happened to not be working so well on some days (it happens!).
MB: Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3R
I've had good luck with Gigabyte boards. This one was cost effective and gave the features and performance that we wanted.
RAM: GSkill Ripjaw F3-12800CL9Q-8GB (4x2GB)
GPU: ATI FireGL V3600
An expensive GPU is not needed for CAD because the stuff on the screen doesn't need to change as rapidly as it would during intense gaming, but a good quality card with good driver support is needed. This ATI is one of the most economical cards that has proven to be a good for CAD use.
HD1: OCZ Agility 60GB SSD
HD2: WD 750 Black
DVD: Sony
I wanted to test a SSD for the boot drive since our CAD apps seem to want to load various DLL's from the hard drive when certain commands are run. I thought 60GB would be enough for the OS and installed apps but it might prove to be a bit small. Running 64bit OS, this machine needs to run virtualXP in order to run some legacy 16 bit apps and that chews up a good chunk of the hard drive space. I'm not through working with it yet. Next time I would probably go with a bigger SSD or no SSD at all.
Case: Antec Three Hundred
Case Fans: Xigmatek XLF-F1253R
The Antec case is a good quality case at a low price. It looks like a serious machine without looking out of place in a professional office like a serious gaming case might. It has room to add a pair of fans in the front, so I did.
PSU: Corsair CMPSU-750TX
I wanted a good quality PSU with plenty of power. With modest video card requirements maybe a lesser PSU could have been used, but I found this one on sale.
OS: Win 7 Pro 64bit
And of course THE 64bit OS.
Total cost of the parts IIRC was a little under $1,500.
CPU: Intel i5-750
CPU cooler: Xigmatek Dark Knight + 1156 mounting bracket
I felt like this cpu was the most cost-effective for high performance, and I put a good cooler on it to allow it to be overclocked to 3.5GHz and still control temps even if the office AC happened to not be working so well on some days (it happens!).
MB: Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3R
I've had good luck with Gigabyte boards. This one was cost effective and gave the features and performance that we wanted.
RAM: GSkill Ripjaw F3-12800CL9Q-8GB (4x2GB)
GPU: ATI FireGL V3600
An expensive GPU is not needed for CAD because the stuff on the screen doesn't need to change as rapidly as it would during intense gaming, but a good quality card with good driver support is needed. This ATI is one of the most economical cards that has proven to be a good for CAD use.
HD1: OCZ Agility 60GB SSD
HD2: WD 750 Black
DVD: Sony
I wanted to test a SSD for the boot drive since our CAD apps seem to want to load various DLL's from the hard drive when certain commands are run. I thought 60GB would be enough for the OS and installed apps but it might prove to be a bit small. Running 64bit OS, this machine needs to run virtualXP in order to run some legacy 16 bit apps and that chews up a good chunk of the hard drive space. I'm not through working with it yet. Next time I would probably go with a bigger SSD or no SSD at all.
Case: Antec Three Hundred
Case Fans: Xigmatek XLF-F1253R
The Antec case is a good quality case at a low price. It looks like a serious machine without looking out of place in a professional office like a serious gaming case might. It has room to add a pair of fans in the front, so I did.
PSU: Corsair CMPSU-750TX
I wanted a good quality PSU with plenty of power. With modest video card requirements maybe a lesser PSU could have been used, but I found this one on sale.
OS: Win 7 Pro 64bit
And of course THE 64bit OS.
Total cost of the parts IIRC was a little under $1,500.
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