[clug-talk] Hardware advice

[Dick Angus]

On August 31, 2009 03:37:35 pm Gustin Johnson wrote:
> Dick Angus wrote:
> <snip>
>
> > My budget is in the $700 range and lower if possible. I want 500Gb+
> > disk, a DVD/RW, and a multi-card reader on it. Also, a good graphics
> > card for the type of work I do. I can't decide if I should go for a
> > 3.0Ghz quad chip and 4-6Gb DDR2 memory or a 2.33Ghz quad chip and
> > 4-6Gb DDR3 memory? I'm leaning towards the faster chip and the DDR2,
> > but I'm confused about the DDR3 being faster memory and would that be
> > noticeable given what I do with it?
>
> I tend to go with as much RAM as I can afford.  Having said that, I am
> pretty happy with a single core centrino (circa 2005 running 1.5 Ghz), 2
> GiB RAM and integrated Intel video.  I have another machine that has a
> newer Intel GPU and one of the newer Core2 Duos @ 2.66 Ghz.
>
> If all of this stuff is running locally (I keep all my data on the
> network, especially pictures and music) you may be better served by just
> upgrading to a newer and faster hard drive.  The Western Digital "Black"
> edition drives are good price for the performance.  To get faster you
> need to spend a lot more on a Velociraptor or even more on a decent SSD
> (most of them suck).  The 500GB WD Black goes for less than $70 at
> Memory Express.
>
> Out of curiosity, what is the current CPU that you are using?  Run the
> following to find out:
> cat /proc/cpuinfo

The output is:

processor       : 0                   
vendor_id       : GenuineIntel        
cpu family      : 15                  
model           : 4                   
model name      : Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.80GHz
stepping        : 7                                
cpu MHz         : 2799.860                         
cache size      : 1024 KB                          
physical id     : 0
siblings        : 2
core id         : 0
cpu cores       : 2
apicid          : 0
initial apicid  : 0
fpu             : yes
fpu_exception   : yes
cpuid level     : 5
wp              : yes

There is more, but I thought that was enough. I think my biggest problem is 
the motherboard. It's old, small (memory capacity), and slow.

I'll take a look at the i5 and i7. Maybe just a new motherboard with new 
memory and my old chip? I could also add a faster hard drive.
>
> > Staples has an Acer box with an Intel 8200 chip, 6Gb DDR3, and an ATI
> >  4350 card with all the other stuff for $739. A DDR2 box appears to
> > be about $100+ cheaper. Do you think I Would notice the difference?
>
> If you timed them while doing complex graphics processing you might
> notice a difference.  One of my Photoshop loving friends recently
> upgraded to an Intel Core i7 and an ATI 4870 from a Pentium D @ 3 ghz.
> A batch job that used to take 10 minutes now takes 20-30 seconds.
> Depending on your usage, YMMV.
>
> For a GPU I would probably recommend an ATI 38xx, 48xx, 49xx.  These are
> all supported by the open source radeonhd driver.
>
> > On top of all that I'm going on a road trip to Reno and San Francisco
> > in a few weeks and wonder if I'd be better buying it down there? I
> > did some searching on Google, but couldn't get much on local
> > companies (kept getting DELL, HP, Office Depot, and such).
>
> I would actually wait for the new Intel Core i5 to hit the market.
> Buying anything other than an i7 or an i5 is investing in a technology
> that is dead (RIP Front Side Bus) IMO.
>
> If you can afford it a Core i7 with a newish ATI is a pretty smoking
> combination.  The Core i5 is a more affordable variant and is what I am
> waiting for before I upgrade.
>
> AMD has announced a new Phenom that looks interesting, but since I have
> been very unhappy with the last few releases from AMD, I am taking a
> wait and see approach.
>
> Hth,

-- 

An old mainframer getting current.
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