Computer suggestions?

[dontbesojumpy]

hi all. i'm far out of the computer game, and have taken a crash-course in current processors and ram specs in the last few days.
i'm looking to buy a new computer, and i'd love to hear suggestions of what you guys would get if you were me.

here's the scoop:

i'm a graphic/fine artist--however i mainly use photoshop cs4, a very little illustrator, but a fair amount of Daz 3d (rendering and modeling).
i'd also do a bit of amateur recording (line-in) to the computer.

i multitask like a MF.

i do not 'game.'

that being said, i'm currently running an hp, single core *3.06ghz, 1.5gb ram.

my line-in recording is adequate on this machine, but everything else is lagging bad.

i'm looking to get around 8gb ddr3 ram, a quad core intel Q8200 or better, and i think i want a tv tuner, just because.

i want to spend around $800, less if possible, and certainly not more than a grand.

i'm looking at the HP p6140f and the HP e9160f, or maybe the gateway DX series....

again, i'm out of the game, so let me know what you think. i'd like to get something that will keep up with the times for a good few years (which is why i want an intel q8200 or better and the ddr3 ram)...but something with a ton of ddr2 that'll run pleanty quick might be ok, too.

i just dont know of any good computers right now, so let me know...

 

[Devastator_uk]

I would really go for a "proper" processor like a PhenomII or i7, both of with are good for multi-tasking. I'm not sure about Gateway as they are very rare in my country but if you can avoid HP, they're pretty much the worst thing money can buy.

There's not much difference in price between DDR2 and DDR3 now, but there's also not much diffeence in performance, so I would worry too much about which one you get.

 

[logainofhades]

I also agree with Phenom II or i7 if you feel you really need something now. Otherwise you might want to see how i5 stacks up price and performance wise. Should not be all that much longer before it is out. With your budget Ph II is more than likely going to be what you will have to go with. I am unsure what i5 prices are looking to be.

 

[xaira]

i7 6gb

 

[jasperjones]

quad core FTW, you're one of the guys who can actually make use of more than 2 cores.

also note that cs4 uses GPGPU. as adobe uses OpenGL, you have the choice between NVIDIA and AMD/ATI. $800 is sure a tight budget. i'd say a quad core is the top priority. getting a decent dedicated graphics card is secondary. if you cannot fit it into your budget now, consider upgrading later.

 

[o1die]

The only problem with hp is that you have to use an hp motherboard to use their proprietary windows software. If you don't mind that, fatwallet.com has an hp 6180t system listed with quad core Intel cpu for $413 after bing discount. It comes with 6 gigs of ddr3, or you can upgrade to 8 gigs with a $30 discount. You can't begin to build your own this cheaply. The case is also pretty nice. I'd post a link, but mine never seem to work.

 

[dontbesojumpy]

how does the bing cash back thing work?

 

[dontbesojumpy]

sorry, i forgot to address video cards. i do not play games on the computer, but i will be doing a marked amount of 3d rendering (daz studio) for art. do i need a better graphics card? if so, which is reasonable?

 

[ulysses35]

The only problem with hp is that you have to use an hp motherboard to use their proprietary windows software. If you don't mind that, fatwallet.com has an hp 6180t system listed with quad core Intel cpu for $413 after bing discount. It comes with 6 gigs of ddr3, or you can upgrade to 8 gigs with a $30 discount. You can't begin to build your own this cheaply. The case is also pretty nice. I'd post a link, but mine never seem to work.

He doesnt have to stick to a HP mobo to use his existing software. I have swapped many HP / Compaq / Fujitsu pc's for better mobo's and used the same software.

 

[ulysses35]

I would really go for a "proper" processor like a PhenomII or i7, both of with are good for multi-tasking. I'm not sure about Gateway as they are very rare in my country but if you can avoid HP, they're pretty much the worst thing money can buy.

There's not much difference in price between DDR2 and DDR3 now, but there's also not much diffeence in performance, so I would worry too much about which one you get.

"Proper" CPU ?? plenty of decent spec chips in the Q9** series that are cheaper than the I7's

 

[dontbesojumpy]

i read that the q8300 and up intel quad cores will not be replaced when intel changes everything in the coming months/year, so they will be slower to obsolescence--are they q9-- that much better?

 

[geofelt]

Wait to see if you like the sept 6 i5 launch. The lowest priced quad should be much better than any of the Qxxx series.

For what you do, see if you can't fit a i7-920 and 6gb+ into your budget. There is nothing better for multitasking and CS4.

 

[Shadow703793]

^Agreed. Wait. Anand says there should be 2-4 i5 boards priced around $120-180 price range.

If you MUST get it now Phenom II or i7.

 

[dontbesojumpy]

i didnt wait. i snagged the last hp p6140f they had at my local staples.

intel quad q8200, 8gb ddr2, 1tb. i just couldnt beat the price and still get the things i wanted. it's a mighty step up from my 1 core hp w/200gb hd and 1.5gb ram...

i'm not in the mood to spend a grand on a computer right now, so i'll do this i think and get a KVM switch, network my four pcs and see if i can't rock and roll for a couple of years before i get something else.

then again, i have 14 days to decide if this thing is inadequate...it's a *decent* system, no?

 

[cjl]

Decent, yes. Not amazing though - the Q8200 isn't all that fast as quads go. How much did you spend?

 

[dontbesojumpy]

$549. the only other way i could even get close is to use the employee discount program via hp's website (10% off) plus use the bing cash back thing, which in my book is a may-or-may-not actually happen kind of thing. i'm on the fence about trying to use it, shelling out the extra dough and getting something a bit better, but i'm going to see how much the $ vs the actual power via some benchmarks before i do. i have 2 weeks to take this back if i decide it's not worth it.

hp has this same p6140f for $599 plus 'tax?' on their site *why do they show that you'll pay tax for online purchases??
i was out the door for less than that, tho, and had it instantly, no shipping wait or anything else. it's certainly a step up, for a test i blew up a pic in cs4 in less than 50 seconds that my other computers would have crashed trying to do...and it loads the program in just under 10 seconds or something, which is better than my quad-core laptop by a landslide.

i'd be interested in jumping up to an i7 using that bing cash back discount, but i'm so so so dubious about it actually working out...

 

[dontbesojumpy]

i'm so conflicted about paying a bit more and just getting the i7 920. i'll take a hit w/hard drive space but i can get ddr3 and the i7, upgraded cards for not a whole lot more.

all the speed differences are in seconds.
look here:
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/default.aspx?p=47&p2=52
do you think it's worth the extra $400? will i notice?

 

[dontbesojumpy]

i'm so conflicted about paying a bit more and just getting the i7 920. i'll take a hit w/hard drive space but i can get ddr3 and the i7, upgraded cards for not a whole lot more.

all the speed differences are in seconds.
look here:
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/default.aspx?p=47&p2=52
do you think it's worth the extra $400? will i notice?

 

[xtc28]

After reading about you r needs and the programs you run, I would have to say the i7 is what you need. With HT the i7 can handle 8 threads at once, almost all of your programs WILL take advantage of this. The next thing you SHOULD consider is a workstation video card to further take advantage of your programs abilities and shorten rendering times. An example of a workstation card is an Nvidia Quadro Gfx card. These cards can get rather pricey, but sometimes it can be worth it. If the workstation card is the way you feel is necessary after careful consideration and research you will not be dissapointed if the card is chosen correctly for your needs. Last i would suggest that you look into a PCI-e sound card with a good track record for recording.

 

[dontbesojumpy]

after what i would consider too much deliberation, i'm going to keep the hp p6140f. if need be, i could upgrade the chip to the q9650 in the future because the MoB is the same chipset.

my thoughts are that this will be great for me for now, and if in a year or so i find it too annoyingly slow, i can upgrade to an i7/i5 for much less than right now.

plus i ve had a few unexpected expenses come up, like my dang dog was attacked by a racoon (or tiny werewolf, we're not sure) and had to be checked out at the vet. plus i need to buy my passport, etc so for the $ this is just peaches.

thanks for all your insight and info.

 

[cjl]

The i7 would be a definite improvement, but for what you spent, that is quite a decent system for your application. I would say that if you could pull it off, definitely go for the i7, but even if you can't, you should see a significant speed boost compared to your prior setup.

 

[Shadow703793]

+1 for the i7. Good i7 can be had for ~900-1000 with out LCD.