HELP! Graphic Design workstation 12GB + DDR3 RAM

professa

Distinguished
Aug 26, 2009
2
0
18,510
Hello All!
i am new to this site, and this is my first post. i am looking for honest opinions and suggestions for a new system i would like to put together for my business. i own a graphic design and print shop. i do alot of vehicle wraps and large format printing. with that being said, i need something that can handle large file sizes, with low or no slag time. currently i am working on a system i had put together four years ago, come this december. it runs Windows Vista 64bit, Intel Core 2 Due CPU @ 2.4GHz with 8GB DDR2 RAM. when i first got it, i did think it was much quicker than my previous system, but still found it slow for having this much ram. simple things like opening Outlook, would freeze things up. when i create a wrap, i will do the vehicle or project at full size, if allowed to in Photoshop, but at 72dpi. so, i work with 1.5-2GB files all the time, and right now, it flows, but like i mentioned, it seems slow for this much RAM.

so, i would like to get a new system soon, and wanted to upgrade to the newere DDR3 RAM. i would like to go to 12GB +, but have heard pros and cons on this. i have also heard how having faster hard drives helps with Photshop, but i have never really been told how or why. i have no clue what "cache" is and a lot of the other terms with these things, so i appologize for asking a dumb question if taken that way. i am trying to learn more about the system i have and what i can do to better a new one. i have no clue about latency, motherboards i should select and what to look for in RAM that will last the 16+ hour workdays that i endur, at least six days a week. i don't do any 3D or model rendering, no annimation. the only time i have to render something, is when usuing Genuine Fractals or a Photoshop filter. can you guys/gals advise me to what kind of processor, RAM, hard drives, power supply, motherboard, etc...... i should consider, to get me the fast and most efficent system i can for what i need it for. i want somethign blazzing and dosent freeze up like this one i have now, especially on the smallest of things i could be working on. this system now, also takes a good 5-7 minutes to load up everythign, kind of like it has to wake up in the worning first. if you have questions for me, fire away, i will try and answer them the best i can.

thanks

Professa
 
Hi...It seems that the CPU is limiting the system's performance...A CPU upgrade alone can improve the performance noticeably...
So a CPU like Core2Quad Q9550 can help speed things up...
Check this CPU chart...
http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-desktop-cpu-charts/Adobe-Photoshop-CS-4,1387.html

So instead of an overall new PC, you can just spend about $210 for the Core2Q CPU and see if that helps instead of spending upwards of $1000 for a new one...

And as for the faster HDD, yes it helps with Photshop reason ->The HDDs act as scratch disks, which temporarily act as storage for the large files that are being worked on...So if the HDD is fast, the load time, access time and the time taken to process the images become fast...
If you are aware of RAID setup, then you can use 2 similar HDD in RAID 0, that can help boost the HDD speed a lot...but also you should take care that you have a backup HDD for the data as RAID 0 failure rates are more than single disk configurations...
Or you can have 4 similar HDDs in RAID 10, that offers both speed and redundancy of data...
 

professa

Distinguished
Aug 26, 2009
2
0
18,510



i have a ASUS P5b motherboard, LGA-775 socket

Intell Dual Core 2 Duo E6600, 2.4MHz, Conroe

8GB DDR2-800 RAM (400MHz)

64 bit Vista OS
 
^ That mobo doesnt support the 45NM Quads...
But can support the Core2 Q6700...Even this a good Quad CPU...And you would surely notice improvement in performance going from a dual to a powerful Quad...
Price: $183.99
Free Ground Shipping
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=Q6700&src=FR&pid=073da3dbd6891f50751c38e6ad69a960970aea90d3a18205101db14d232db994
As it is an OEM CPU, get the CPU cooler combo listed down in that page...
That just adds $5 for the Artic Cooler Freezer 7 Cooler...

But before making purchase, make a full scan of your computer for any viruses, trojans, malware and any unwanted apps as even these can drastically slow down your computer...
And search the internet for tips for improving the Photoshop performance...

So even after the complete scan, your comp is slow, then get this CPU...
Am sure its worth a try compared to a $1000 complete purchase...So its upto you to try...