Need a new PC

seabee

I don't know if this is the right place to post & I didn't want to hijack the other similar post. I need a new PC, mainly to run ArchiCAD (3d building design software), with the following spec;

PIV 1GB ram , 128Mb graphic card, CD burner.

Can anybody recommend a good place to buy ( & a good processor etc) ?

DemonOfTheFall

Dell...... By the sounds of it it's for work. No point killing yourself on building your own if it's gonna be a work computer.

Mutant_Fruit

Or you could get one of us to buy you the parts, assemble the computer, and set it up for you. *cough i'm offering cough*. For a small fee.

I'd say something like this would suit you perfectly.
Memory: 2x CORSAIR PC3200 512MB CAS 2.5
Case: Antec 350W ATX
HD: Western Digital Caviar 160GB SATA150
CPU: Athlon 64 3000+ Socket 939 512Kb
GFX: Radeon 9600Pro 128MB
Mobo: MSI K8T Neo2-F Socket 939 VIA K8T800 Pro AGP8x ATX
CD/DVD: Nec 3540.

Cost: About €620.

Various bits can be upgraded/downgraded depending on need. E.g. if you're never going to run games on it, i'd get a much cheaper GFX card. Also, assum you have a monitor/keyboard/mouse already?

juliuspret

€620...not too bad.

Good price especially as it includes a 939 socket AMD64.

DemonOfTheFall

He specced a pentium 4, and i agree with him for working on autocad

rsynnott

DemonOfTheFall wrote:

He specced a pentium 4, and i agree with him for working on autocad

As of the K6, AMD chips have been instruction-compatible with intel ones

Mutant_Fruit

Its not just instruction-sets that affect performance :P Intels are generally a tad faster at CAD and programs like that. AMD's are generally two tad's faster at gaming.

I think the gap between Intel and AMD in the Workstation section decreased a lot with AMD's newer processors. They're catching up.

airetam_storm

A tad?

Wouldnt a p4 3ghz+ slay any a64 at CAD?

Nukem

Check the min specs of that software: here
They also have a rating of graphics cards to specific programs so might be worth a check.

Nukem

Nukem

airetam_storm wrote:

Wouldnt a p4 3ghz+ slay any a64 at CAD?

In some cases yes and others no. Depends on the spec of the machine and the processors. But as a rule of thumb Intel HT is better for 3D and rendering,well thats what i read. Have a 3500+ and its fine for CAD...etc.... *shrugs*

Nukem

rsynnott

Mutant_Fruit wrote:

Its not just instruction-sets that affect performance :P Intels are generally a tad faster at CAD and programs like that. AMD's are generally two tad's faster at gaming.

I think the gap between Intel and AMD in the Workstation section decreased a lot with AMD's newer processors. They're catching up.

Ah, I assumed he was FUDing about non-compatible instruction sets causing subtle errors in produced content, or somesuch.

Do you have anything to back up the assertion that the P4 is faster than the AMD64 for CAD? Are you talking 2D or 3D CAD? The P4 IS generally a little faster for processor-based 3d rendering on 32bit OSs, however CAD software tends to use hardware rendering.

Mutant_Fruit

rsynnott wrote:

Do you have anything to back up the assertion that the P4 is faster than the AMD64 for CAD? Are you talking 2D or 3D CAD? The P4 IS generally a little faster for processor-based 3d rendering on 32bit OSs, however CAD software tends to use hardware rendering.

http://anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2429&p=3

second third and forth benchmark result picture is what i was thinking of.

DemonOfTheFall

Wow, im offended that you thought I could be so ignorant rsynnott. Youre the ignorant one who didnt read the OP...

EDIT: You also contradict yourself in your later posts. If CAD programs did hardware rendering which, afaik, they dont, why would he want a crap graphics card?