Hardware for the Graphic Artist

[SweetDreamz]

Give a budget. And searching around doesn't hurt either.

[ipaddress]

Whhops Budget:

AMD Opteron Dual (dual core 272)
2Gigs of RAM
Nvidia Quadro FX 3400
120 GB SATA x 2 on RAID 0 / 1
and rest of the standard stuff which goes with the wkstn.

Ah Ah Alright Budget:

Dual AMD Athlon 64bit 3.0 Ghz Proc
2Gig of RAM
Nvidia GeForce FX 5700
120 GB SATA / IDE
and rest of the standard stuff which goes with the wkstn.

These configs would work for 3D apps and also for the regular photoshop works. If the budget is clear then the configs can be worked out with much clarity.

Decide on what kind of applications you would be using on the comp. If it is for regular photoshop or any any kind of vector works ( like flash and things) a normal comp with little additional memory and mainstream graphics card would do.. but for a high performance workstation which is going to be used for 3D graphics or rendering need to be config"ed" properly. Check out sites like "TomsHardware.com" for configurations for different purposes. Hope this is helpful.

-IPADD

[lots]

Ah Ah Alright Budget:

Dual AMD Athlon 64bit 3.0 Ghz Proc
2Gig of RAM
Nvidia GeForce FX 5700
120 GB SATA / IDE
and rest of the standard stuff which goes with the wkstn.

There is no such thing as a dual Athlon 64 3.0GHz CPU. Athlon64s in thier fastest form get up to 2.8GHz (The Athlon64 FX-57) Also, it is impossible to use Athlon64s in a dual CPU configuration. Though, you can purchase an Athlon64 X2, which is a dual core part, and identical in performance to a dual CPU setup.

Also, a modern system based on the Nforce 4 will not be able to use the Geforce FX 5700. Insted, your options will be limited to the Geforce 6 and 7 series. Now, if you get an Nforce 3 (not ideal) you can get the lower end AGP cards out there, but why bother. All the new video cards are PCIe, and this is what the NForce4 supports.

If your job is going to primarily consist of 2D work, a low end Geforce 6 or equivelent Radeon should suffice. Also, I would consider an Athlon64 X2, as they will meet a good price point while providing strong multi tasking abilities. Of cource alot of RAM is in order, 2GB is generally a good point these days.

If you are going to be doing alot of 3D work, then do a search on these forums, this is an often answered question.

[maX_Andrews]

If you want a hassle free solution get the new intel iMac, comes with a beautiful screen too :)
http://www.apple.com/imac/

Just make sure you get this too: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/5300DDR2S1GB/
and pop it in yourself.

Specs:
17" model
1440x900 resolution with 500:1 contrast ratio
intel core duo 1.83Ghz dual core processor with 667mhz FSB
512MB DDR2
160GB SATA drive
ATI radeon X1600 128MB graphics card
Dual layer 8xDVD/CD burner
built-in wifi
built in bluetooth
built in iSight webcam
keyboard & mouse
Mac OSX and the new iLife application suite
$1299 ($1410 after adding the memory upgrade linked above)

20" model
1680x1050 resolution with 500:1 contrast ratio
intel core duo 2.0Ghz dual core processor with 667mhz FSB
512MB DDR2
250GB SATA drive
ATI radeon X1600 128MB graphics card
Dual layer 8xDVD/CD burner
built-in wifi
built in bluetooth
built in iSight webcam
keyboard & mouse
Mac OSX and the new iLife application suite
$1699 ($1810 after adding the memory upgrade linked above)

I would also get an external hard drive for backing up your files these are great no matter what system you get: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/400+USB2/

Macs are known for their stability and performance with the adobe apps, and it is for this reason I recommend them. Of course if you don't like them then I'm sure one of the above posts should help.

[prox-emics]

originall posted by lots:
Also, it is impossible to use Athlon64s in a dual CPU configuration. Though, you can purchase an Athlon64 X2, which is a dual core part, and identical in performance to a dual CPU setup.

Sorry to interupt, but i just wanted to clarify for myself....amd opterons (say, 248s w/ single core) can be run as dual 64bit processors (with two of course), correct?

[lots]

Opterons are broken down into 3 groups. The first group, the 1xx line, can only operate in single socket configurations. Meaning they cannot operate when two are plugged in. This includes even the dual core varients of the Opteron. If it begins with a 1, it only works in 1 socket, hence the 1 :P

The second group, 2xx, can work in one or two sockets. Meaning you can have up to two of these chips on a single motherboard. This also includes the dual core varients of the Opteron 2xx series.

The last group is the 8xx Opterons. They work in up to 8 way systems, including 8 way dual core systems. With some additional logic, it is possible to utilize 8xx Opterons in even larger configurations.

So to answer the question, yes 248s would can be run in a dual CPU setup with a 64bit OS. The Athlon64 is pretty much identical to the Opteron 1xx line, in the fact it only works in single socket situations.

[prox-emics]

thanks for clearing that up for me lots.

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