Workstation primarily - need advice

arisena

Distinguished
Nov 29, 2006
7
0
18,510
Approximate Purchase Date: immediately (this week if I get a list together)

Budget Range: hopefully around 1000, can go up to 1500 (After Rebates)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: 3d animation - rigging (so, no rendering whatsoever, using Maya 2011), gaming, video.

Parts Not Required: Mouse, Keyboard, Monitors, speakers, os, dvd drive, I have a 520w power supply but will upgrade if necessary

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg.com

Country of Origin: USA

Parts Preferences: full tower case, Inter processor preferred, no brand preference on Mobo

Overclocking: NO

SLI or Crossfire: Would be nice and I think useful for my purposes, so yes if it fits in my budget.

Monitor Resolution: Higher the capability the better, but at the moment 1280*1024*2 monitors

Additional Comments: I would like as much video card and RAM as my budget allows, like I said above, 3d animation but no rendering, scripting but no compiling (as of yet), gaming but it isn't a priority. Basically I want a powerhouse for programs like Maya, some photoshop, after effects occasionally as my current computer is falling apart as I type, my having just used it far too long.

I was considering the Enthusiast: $1,332.89 build from the recommended build post, but the ram seems pretty low at only 4 gigs.

Thank you for your help in advance =D
 
This full tower design assumes a new monitor as what ya have now will barely warm the GFX card up. It includes a big enough case / PSU for future upgrades but the case may be a bit flashy for an office setting. If ya agree, and want something super quiet, spend $23 more bucks for this sound deadened unti

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129062&Tpk=P193

It's 1366 based w/ 12 GB tho the animation work would benefit from lower CAS setting. Includes a SSD to be added later, tho you could swap out the 570 for a 470, saving $150 and invest that in the SSD

Case - $160 - Antec DF-85 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129088
Case Fans - Later - Antec 120 mm Fan http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835209006
PSU - $120 - Antec CP-850 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207001
MoBo - $200 - Asus Sabertooth http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131665
CPU - $295 - Intel i7-950 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115211
Cooler - $40 - Scythe SCMG 2100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185142
TIM - $5 - Shin Etsu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150080
RAM - $200 - 3 x 4GB Mushkin CAS 9 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226100
GFX - $370 - EVGA GTX 570 SC http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130595
GFX - Later - Same
HD - $70 - Samsung F3 1TB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185
SSD - Later - OCZ Vertex 2 3.5" 120GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227590
DVD Writer - $22 - Asus 24X DRW-24B3L w/ LS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135221
OS - $140 - Win 7-64 Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116758
Monitor - - ASUS VH242H1920x1080 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236052
Keyboard - - Logitech G110 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126087
Mouse - - Logitech MX-518 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104318

Cost $1,622 w/o any combo discounts
 
In . a mid tower ( a rather large one at that, here's anew 1155 bases system

Case - $90 - Coolermaster HAF-922 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197
Case Fans - Later - CM Red 200 mm http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103072
PSU - $110 - XFX Black Edition 850 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207001
MoBo - $395 - ASUS P8P67 Pro http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.575884
CPU - incl above - Intel Core i5-2500K http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070
Cooler - $40 - Scythe SCMG 2100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185142
TIM - $5 - Shin Etsu http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150080
RAM - $100 - (2 x 4GB) Corsair CAS 9 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145324
GFX - $350 - GTX 570 SC http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130595
GFX - Later - Same
HD - $65 - Seagate 7200.12 1TB 7200 rpm http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433
SSD - $199 - OCZ Vertex 2 2.5" 120GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227551
DVD Writer - $22 - Asus 24X DRW-24B3L w/ LS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135221
OS - $140 - Win 7-64 Pro OEM http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1683211675

Cost $1,516 w/o any add'tl combo discounts
 

tecmo34

Administrator
Moderator
Maya 2011 favors AMD (it seems), so I would look at an AM3 Phenom II X6 1100T build. You can take my AMD enthusiast build, switch CPU and add in an 8GB set and should be good to go.

Another option is look at my workstation build and switch it out with a quad-core Xeon for a little more money.