New Computer time!
polycounter lvl 18
Was thinking of getting one of these alienware aurora for my home office.
It's Running Windows 7, do you guys think that Max 9, and Zbrush will run on it? or will have to upgraydd to Max 2010 and the 3.5 update for zbrush? FYI I don't want to upgraydd.
Here are the specs:
Intel Core i7 920 (2.66GHz, 8MB Cache)
1 317-2663 6GB Triple Channel 1333Mhz DDR3
1 330-6518 No Keyboard
1 320-7810 No Monitor
1 320-0858 Single 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTS 240
1 341-0435 640GB - SATA-II 3Gb/s 7200RPM, 16MB Cache HDD
1 313-8323 Lunar Shadow, Alienware Aurora Chassis, 525W PSU
1 341-0492 Alienware 19-in-1 Media Card Reader
1 421-2064 Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
What do you guys think?
It's Running Windows 7, do you guys think that Max 9, and Zbrush will run on it? or will have to upgraydd to Max 2010 and the 3.5 update for zbrush? FYI I don't want to upgraydd.
Here are the specs:
Intel Core i7 920 (2.66GHz, 8MB Cache)
1 317-2663 6GB Triple Channel 1333Mhz DDR3
1 330-6518 No Keyboard
1 320-7810 No Monitor
1 320-0858 Single 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTS 240
1 341-0435 640GB - SATA-II 3Gb/s 7200RPM, 16MB Cache HDD
1 313-8323 Lunar Shadow, Alienware Aurora Chassis, 525W PSU
1 341-0492 Alienware 19-in-1 Media Card Reader
1 421-2064 Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
What do you guys think?
Replies
Setup looks great, could you push the graphics card up to a GTX 260, maybe? Then you're laughing.
Why Alienware? Over here in the UK they're grossly overpriced for what you get - I built a PC with that same spec for about half as much as theirs cost. I just can't really justify getting anything from Alienware, ever - they seem to add about 25% to the price of everything just because they're putting it in a shiny case and slapping their logo on it. Maybe they're not as bad in the USA? I dunno.
I'd definitely put something bigger than a Geforce 240 in there - it's not bad but for a little more cash you can get something much faster and future-proof. I went for the Geforce GTX 275, it's cheaper than the 280 yet actually outperforms it in real-world tests because the clock speed is higher although it has less onboard RAM (but still more than you'd ever really need).
Dude, if your going to go crazy with that much money. Build your own. Dont know what to buy? Newegg has this combo going:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335232
12 gigs of memory!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335228
Or this one which has a Nvidia if thats what you want
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.326245
The aurora comes in at an economical 1700$ (Before Tax)
Mop, I might upgrade to the Geforce GTX 275, do you really think it would make that much difference? Will it make zbrush or max run smoother, or be able to handle more poly's without chugging? I thought that's what ram was for?
You could build an i7 920 rig (overclock it to 4.0ghz), with a Geforce GTX 275, 9 gigs of ram, for around 1.3k
With a System Builder of Windows 7..
$1328
You save over 372 and get better components and specs than.... *shudder* a Dell.
If you really want a top of the line pre-built system. Look at Northwest Falcon. http://www.falcon-nw.com/
Alienware is "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".
Compare what you're going to get to what I bought and the amount I spent. I spent $1500 roughly back in July 2009:
Proc: Core i7 2.66 ghz
Vid: GTX 275
HDD: 2x one-terabyte WDHDs @ 7200RPM
RAM: 6gigs of Corsair Dominator DDR3 tri-channel
Power: Corsair 850-TX
MOBO: EVGA E-758
Case: Antec 900
Totals to about $1460 right now and you're getting a better video card than what other people have been posting, as well as more HD space.
View port performance is all about the GPU, but in zbrush more ram = more polys. 1.7k is a little expensive. Apps like 3DCoat and Mudbox are based of the GPU instead of ram, so if ever wanted to try those, the better the card, the better the performance. And then there is always games...
WITH i7 RIGS, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE YOUR RAM IN SETS OF 3.
3- 6- 9- 12- 15- or even 18 (I've it, 9 seems pretty common now-a-days, but 6 would be more than enough, that rig that oXYnary posted with 8 gigs of ram is just stupid.
If the mobo is socket LGA1156 then you go with sets of 2, if it's LGA1366 then you go with sets of 3.
I wonder how much would it cost, if you change the spec from default specs to
-Overclocked Intel Core i7 975 3.60GHz (8MB Cache) Quad Core Processor
-Single 1.8GB NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260 192 Core
-9GB, 12GB, and 24GB Dual Triple-Channel 1333MHz DDR3.
for PC.
I also wonder if it can be done on the laptop so I can buy the external 1TB along with it.
Here is a similar system, all from newegg. Its got a worse videocard, but better ram, and less crazy shit that you dont need like a 2TB hd and 850w PSU, side case windows and LED lights.
dvd burner:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106327
case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119161
hd 640gb:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218
nvidia 260(newegg actually has most 260-285 cards out of stock atm, you can likely find something a little better for not toooo much more):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127464
80+ 650w PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371015
12GB ddr3 1333 ramz:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231223
asus mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131359
i7 920:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202
Windows 7 system builder shit:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754
$1395 SHIPPED with OS, DVD, etc, everything to run a full system. Pay a little more for a video card like above. Also, look for free shipping on cases and power supplies, you can easily end up paying $40-80 extra to ship that shit, and newegg always has great free shipping deals on cases/PSUS. I buy cases based on what is best for the purpose and has free shipping! I haven't actually put any time into finding the best value/most reliable shit here as i would if i were building my own system, just look for cheap stuff with good ratings, so you may be able to do some stuff for a little cheaper/better here with more research.
The extra ram here will help a lot more with high res sculpts than the video card at this point, but the above system prices out cheaper with more ram anyway, so you could easily go for the same card.
Oxy's link to the $1328 is a good deal, but again you're paying for shit you dont need, fancy CPU fans, expensive cases, SLI video cards, all shit that really doesnt matter for a dev machine and still less ram.
[edit] And just for fun, i run a q6600 quad core, 8 gigs of 1066 DDR2 ram, 8800 GT and can push maddddd amounts of polys in zbrush/mud/etc. A similar system these days would be about $7-800ish, pretty much any combination of i7, GTX 2**, 6-12 gigs ram, is going to be mind-blowing-fast.
I like the system EQ just linked to I would probably drop a little more on the case and get something that's a little more quite, has good cable management and good air flow.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119138
I've got a coolermaster 690, which is a high quality, but basic case. Its got some nice stuff like tool-less drive mounting. Nothing about it is really fancy, it just works flawlessly.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119137&cm_re=coolermaster_690-_-11-119-137-_-Product
Then i bought a cheaper $50 coolermaster Centrurian 5 for a build for my wife. Not a dev machine, but decent with a e8400 and a nvidia 9400. Biggest difference between these two cases? $40! Thats it, the cheaper one is a little smaller(still big enough for 99% of computers). Same tool-less design(slightly cheaper) good enough space, airflow, etc. It was such an insane value for the price when you consider build quality, usability etc, that i wished i would have saved the $40 and got something like this for my dev machine.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119068
You can pay an assload for a case, but you would be much smarter to put your money into 1. Better CPU. 2. Better Ram 3. Better GPU.... Better case is probably about 7 or 8 on the list of things that will actually matter.
Now, i could see wanting a case in the $80-90 range, because you can get something really nice there, but approaching $200 is just silly and a waste of cash unless it has some magic powers or can fold into a 2"x2" square and fit in your pocket
Point is. The cash you wanted to put on a second card could be put on the first one to get an even more awesome one that would be more helpful.
PS: And i agree. Don't get an alienware. They're all ledlights and fancy exteriors. Not worth the cash.
There seems to be this myth that you need a 1000w PSU to power a modern computer, when in fact hardware has been getting much more efficient in relation to performance than you would think.
For instance, I7 CPU, 6 sticks of ddr3 Ram, 1 HD, 1 DVD, 2x GTX 285 = 421w at 100% daily usage! Bump that down to a single 260 and you've got 295w.... Seriously 295w! Why in the hell would you ever need a power supply that is more than TWICE as powerful as your hardware actually requires?
SLI 295 at 535w would be a bit risky on a 650w PSU, but seriously, who in the hell would do that.
http://www.antec.outervision.com/PSUEngine
Underwpowered for power hungry videocard setups. Although it would kick ass on a moderate setup and a nice WC kit.
I'm fairly certain this is more than enough to run any single-card GPU currently on the market today, but if you have some more info, please share.
Anyway, it seems virtually certain anytime someone recommends using a *reasonable* PSU in a build someone will reply and say lol NO U NEED 1000w what r u thinking.
I have a 550W Seasonic that runs a huge hungry GTX280 without problems.
It also works out well to have a few plugs in the top/front but that's pretty specific to where my case is sitting. I think you can get a multi plug panel that fits in a empty drive bay too if this was the only functionality I wanted, but its not.
I agree about the PSU's too. The 1000w's seem to be pitched to the "I don't know what I need so I'll over do it" crowd. Pay attention to what you need and don't over do it. There are plenty of pieces inside your system to measure your dick with, the PSU isn't one of them... Also keep in mind that cheap "powerful" PSU's can be noisy thanks to cheap fans. No need to generate heat and noise when you really don't need it. Also there are a few adjustable PSU's out there, they're more expensive but if you know you might need the power and just don't need it all now it could be a good option.
The $50 case is exceptionally well built for the price range, very quiet, and will easily last 5 years as well. These lower-mid range coolermaster cases are an incredible value.
Now, i have used some cases that were combo case+PSU in the $30-40 range, and will avoid these like a plague. Shit PSU and terrible build quality makes for a wonderfully horribly product. The cases i linked to are however light years ahead of those cheapass "powmax" and "raidmax" cases.
I'm not saying your case sucks, i'm sure it is a very nice case. But on a fixed budget, if you look at it objectively, you can get a really nice case of $80-90, or a really really nice case for double that, your money is much better spent throwing that extra $100 into your CPU, GPU, or ram, something that will actually affect the performance of your system on a daily basis. Not some extra features that will only be nice to have the once or twice a year you actually open your case. Saying that, the $90 case has awesome tool-less shit, the easy side mounted drive bays, three 120mm near silent fans and great airflow
Funny thing, the two cases i linked to, $80 and $50, are the best rated coolermaster cases on newegg. Yours is one of the highest as well, but for double the price, i just think its excessive.
I would have to try them out to know for sure if they where as quite. I sort of doubt any of them come with sound proofing material built into the panels thats not cheap foam. Or 7 quiet 120mm fans that do an amazing job of keeping things cool. All the other "sound dampened cases I looked at just used regular foam which would trap heat, hardly dampen much and I could do it myself. They cost about the same $130-150, most were not even screw-less and had bad air flow, no thanks.
The case also has a piece of duct work that fits over the video card(s) that cools and helps quite the whole case. If I coughed up the cash for a quieter PSU I probably couldn't tell if it was on or not.
There are two main draw backs to my case,
1)The size, its a full ATX tower Steel case (35lbs) way too many drive bays, internal and external.
2)It's price.
The weight comes from them using steel and making sure it is as solid as it can be. I could probably push it down a set of stairs and aside from the scratches it would probably be fine, heh.
I didn't cough up the extra cash for the looks, there are some less expensive cases out there that look a lot better. When I see someone thinking about dropping another videocard in their dream system I think its better spent on the case.
also, graphics cards are overrated
samps - not sure what you're looking for but try scorpion teck -
http://www.scorptec.com.au/systems/all/
they have systems already up - quick assembly and delivery and you can customize existing packages...
(i'm personally thinking of getting the venom gold minus the double solidstate hardrives..)
I looked at both your cases, and neither are good. Both use SECC (Ie Steel). Not aluminum.
Aluminum has two benefits.
1. Dissipates heat much easier. Which could mean the difference from an early failed component or not. And energy draw as well since system wont have to work as hard to keep itself cool.
2. Weight.
3. (Linked to two - shipping cost less)
The downfalls:
1. Needs more material to make less flimsy.
2. Cant take as much as a beating.
3. Price since not made in as much volume.
Another thing on cases is people need to see what they have for cooling flow. Does the front fans blow over the hardrive area? Does it have all the front ports to hook up your audio and usb up front?
Anyhow, once you start taking these all into account, case price does rise, and its not totally unreasonable to end up with something in the price range Vig has.
Also, Josh wasn't asking about building a PC - he's obviously looking for a pre-built solution. Not everyone knows or wants to know how to build a PC. I think the PC Josh posted is more than adequate for modeling & texturing (though I'd get more RAM if possible (8gb+ would be swanky). Just look at the system Per built - that's far lower spec.
it's always cheaper to build your own, but that's just not for everyone, ya know?
WC = water-cooled.
So what i want to know is, are you guys talking about OCing your stuff? Because that has always seemed a bit retarded to me, spend an extra $200 on a better Case, Fancy cooling systems, better ram to handle the OC, and better PSU, when $200 simply put into your CPU in the first place is going to make the same/more of a difference in performance that shortening the life of your expensive equipment by OCing.
So, what temps are you guys after?
Powerwise it can't really compare to an Alienware, but god damn the portability of it is SWEEET.
It's a Wacom Screen Pen.
It's like having a digital sketchbook:
Either that, or a Cintiq you can carry around everywhere (and yeah, Photoshop, and Zbrush rock on it).
I hadn't used the Cintiq a whole lot, but from what I can remember it was quite similar.
One of your co-workers Marc (bluefley) tried it when I was down in the OC, and said it was the pretty much the same (aside from screensize).
I think the thing is 256 sensitivity (Wacom Penable) vs. the 1024 Sensitivity for the Cintiq 21UX
You might notice it more than myself (seeing as you do much more refined concepts than I would) but I find it's definitely servicable enough for what I need.