A good CS4 computer?

[tmcman]

Any one have an idea if this will make a decent CS4 computer?
Intel core 2 quad (2.5GHz 6MB L3 cache 1333MHz FSB)
Vista 64
6GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
GeForce 9800GT 512MB
Stunning Jet-Black Finish
I have hard drives out the wazoo...
I figure the ram is a little slow so that might be my first upgrade.
But at $1149 it will get me started and save money to actually buy CS4!
Any thoughts?

[tim]

Yes. Why 6GB RAM rather than the more common 8GB? Not sure how much difference RAM speed makes, but if you an upgrade to DDR3 later (unlikely) that might help. Put in a hard drive for swap/page file.

[HyperYagami]

Any one have an idea if this will make a decent CS4 computer?
Intel core 2 quad (2.5GHz 6MB L3 cache 1333MHz FSB)
Vista 64
6GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
GeForce 9800GT 512MB
Stunning Jet-Black Finish
I have hard drives out the wazoo...
I figure the ram is a little slow so that might be my first upgrade.
But at $1149 it will get me started and save money to actually buy CS4!
Any thoughts?

DDR2 800 4GB costs less than $70 now, no reason not to get 8GB. $1150 seems rather high.

[tmcman]

This is the Gateway
FX4710-UB003A
for $1149. I couldn't find anything with similar specs and similar price.
Do you know of a better price/performance machine?

Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor (http://www.intel.com/intelinside/weblinks/english/ic2q.htm?ppc_cid=IIP_02008067101&cc=US)1 (http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668105.php#disclaimer1) Q9300 (2.50GHz,1333MHz FSB, 6MB L2 cache) Genuine (http://www.gateway.com/dw/mda/jumppage/msgenuine.php) Microsoft® Windows Vista® Home Premium (64-bit) SP1 6GB (6144MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (2-2048MB & 2-1024MB modules) 640GB 7200rpm Serial ATA II/300 hard drive w/ 16MB cache4 (http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668105.php#disclaimer4) 18X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti Drive featuring Labelflash™ Technology6 (http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668105.php#disclaimer6) Stunning Jet-Black Finish with Copper Core Accents NVIDIA® GeForce® 9800GT 512MB Factory Overclocked (Dual DVI, VGA adapter and TV Out) Gateway® 15-in-1 media card reader with copy button5 (http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668105.php#disclaimer5)

[mleone]

Build your own. You will end up with better guts then a branded box.

my $.02

[tmcman]

Dirty Harry said: A man's got to know his limitations.
I can't remember the context in which he said it but it fits here.
I know building a computer is beyond me...

[tim]

I can build my own but i'll probably buy a packaged machine next time, so it all works together properly. The one I built myself is a little odd, and noisy.

That looks like a good machine, get the 8GB of RAM, it should be a cheap upgrade.

[tmcman]

Thanks all.
I've done a lot of upgrades on my currently 4 year old machine.
So putting in new ram will be a snap.

[tim]

You will probably have to throw away 2GB of RAM to upgrade from 6GB to 8GB. You'd be better off either having 8GB factory fitted, or drop back to 4GB then upgrade yourself later.

[Bobster]

i'd sell the RAM and buy fresh stuff all at once

[tim]

There's nothing worse than stale ram... I replace mine once a month! ;)

[Bobster]

i'd rather have 2 matching pairs than mixed RAM

[bohdank]

I would get 800 instead of 667 (memory)... seems like they skimped on the memory.

[Palladium]

check for the current HP coupon - eg. $400 off a $1000 box.

Just about the same specs in the thread can be had for about $700 with 8gb ram

[prime80]

I wasn't sure it would be able to handle CS4, but with a "stunning jet-black finish", you should be good to go.

j/k...those specs are pretty similar to mine and I don't anticipate any trouble running CS4.

[Right Cranium Imaging]

Adobe is in my dog house right now, No 64 bit version of CS4 for Mac ........Grrrrrrr...... I am going the conspiracy theory route and saying part of the $300 Million Microsoft ad campaign with Seinfeld includes Paying Adobe to not release 64 bit for Mac.........Yup thats my story and Im stickin to it!!! Oh and while Im at it, it was Professor Plum on the Grassy Knoll with the Candle Stick that killed Kennedy.

[tim]

It's because of a technical decision apple made, to stop supporting a particular runtime or development system, I forget exactly. Apple caused the problem, not Adobe. Adobe are spending a heap of money to rewrite things how apple wants things done.

[prime80]

I'll be very interested to see what kind of improvements the 64-bit version bring to the table. You might not be missing out on much...time will tell.

[prime80]

It's because of a technical decision apple made, to stop supporting a particular runtime or development system, I forget exactly. Apple caused the problem, not Adobe. Adobe are spending a heap of money to rewrite things how apple wants things done.

I believe it has to do with Carbon vs Cocoa. (Not sure if I'm getting those right) Regardless, it was basically a LOT easier to port the Windows version to 64-bit than the Apple version, as that one basically entailed a full rewrite of the base code.

[Bobster]

I'll be very interested to see what kind of improvements the 64-bit version bring to the table. You might not be missing out on much...time will tell.
a general 10-15% increase in speed from 32-64bit, then you have the added speed of now using the GPU for filters etc, so its going to be pretty damn impressive :D

[philmar]

Any one have an idea if this will make a decent CS4 computer?
Stunning Jet-Black Finish

yes, this is essential.:)

[René Damkot]

I believe it has to do with Carbon vs Cocoa.

Yep. Here is some more info: Click (http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2008/04/photoshop_lr_64.html).

LR has been Cocoa based from the start. Rewriting PS will take some time obviously...

[tmcman]

Where is this HP coupon you speak of?

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

Vista 64-bit get to use 8Gb of memory or just 4Gb? or Vista 32-bit ?

[tim]

Personally i'd get Vista 64 and 8GB RAM.

[0(ʹͦˋ¿ˊͦˋ)0]

Tim: Is Vista 64 a huge advantage for PP? Did you use 32-bit version?

[Bobster]

XP64 can address 128GB RAM
Vista Home Basic 64 can address 8GB
Vista Home Premium 64 can address 16GB
Vista Business, Enterprise and Ultimate 64 can address 128GB

[Bobster]

Tim: Is Vista 64 a huge advantage for PP? Did you use 32-bit version?
if you are editing files that are 1GB+ then 64bit will relieve a lot of the RAM/Scratch bottleneck.. i would not go back to 32bit OS when editing large files...

[tim]

Tim: Is Vista 64 a huge advantage for PP? Did you use 32-bit version?

Like Bob said, and it's good when you want more than 3GB of RAM - 32 bit OS's waste the memory from about 3.5GB up.

[Thomas Hopkins]

If you want the advantages of building your own without having to build your own, there are several companies that will essentially build it for you. You choose the parts, they build. Ibuypower.com is one that I've used although they've grown so much they're starting to look like one of the pre-fab companies..

[Tony-S]

Just to chime in on the build-it-yourself mentality; I built my first one only a few months ago. It was sort of like tinker-toy - the parts just assemble. Got overclocking tips from a few forum members and it's been smooth sailing. Very easy, for sure.

[dphillips81]

I just finished my first PC build for my new Photoshop machine. Here is what i used

Intel P43 series MotherBord
Intel Core2duo E8400 3.0ghz 1333fsb 6MB L2
4gb G Skill 800 DDR2 ram
Ati Radeon 3500HD 512MB vidoe PCI x16
Antec 900 case
OCZ 600w PowerSupply
vista ultimate 32bit (Probably should have done 64bit, but can do that later if i need)
Samsung 24" LCD
Adobe Lightroom2
CS3 (already had this)

all this for under 1500 (but 200 was shipping as i live in Alaska :) )

And it really was simple to do, i work in IT so was pretty comfortable, but i think anyone with some common sense that can read directions and look at pictures could build a PC. I looked at several different manufactorers Dell, Gateway, Apple, HP, and decided that to get what i wanted it was much less expensive to build it myself. I save close to $600 over what ordering one would have cost me.

Just my .02,

[MLphoto]

drool, GeForce 9800GT 512MB

[andydajo]

drool, GeForce 9800GT 512MB

Got the 1GB version of this card, it rocks with the First -Person Shooter - a bit off topic I know:o

[Bill Boehme]

If you want the advantages of building your own without having to build your own, there are several companies that will essentially build it for you. You choose the parts, they build. Ibuypower.com is one that I've used although they've grown so much they're starting to look like one of the pre-fab companies..

Yes, I have had that done several times before I started building my own. The top rated company in the business is Puget Custom Computers (http://www.pugetsystems.com/).

[Collin85]

Got the 1GB version of this card, it rocks with the First -Person Shooter - a bit off topic I know:o

With regards to gaming, I'm not a fan of the 9800GT (or much of NVIDIA's offerings this generation). The 9800GT 1GB at most matches the solid 8800GT and AMD's 4850 simply outclasses it in terms of performance (they retail around the same price).

[Thomas Hopkins]

Yes, I have had that done several times before I started building my own. The top rated company in the business is Puget Custom Computers (http://www.pugetsystems.com/).

Thanks for the link. I'll have to check them out.

[ArcticShooter]

Vista 64
6GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM


Read that Vista have problems with RAM over 3.5Gb
Is it the same with Vista 64?

[tmcman]

HP has a model at Circuit City
core 2 quad 2.5ghz 1333 fsb
8 gig 800mhz ram
vista 64
750g hd
nvidia 9800gt 512
460w power
dvd
1200 bucks

[Collin85]

HP has a model at Circuit City
core 2 quad 2.5ghz 1333 fsb
8 gig 800mhz ram
vista 64
750g hd
nvidia 9800gt 512
460w power
dvd
1200 bucks

Oh man computers are cheap in the US.

I'd be a wee bit concerned about that PSU though.

[tim]

If you add up all the power the components take you don't need all that much, if it's a decent PSU that can supply what it says that's plenty. CPUs take < 100W, disks 10-20W when they're busy, graphics cards similar to CPU.

[Collin85]

If you add up all the power the components take you don't need all that much, if it's a decent PSU that can supply what it says that's plenty. CPUs take < 100W, disks 10-20W when they're busy, graphics cards similar to CPU.

That's the problem, pre-packaged computers often don't come with quality PSUs. For a PC running a decent quad-core along with a video card which is primarily designed for gaming, you want a quality PSU which gives you stable rails to your components at all times. Assemblers like HP (and any other company) need to cut costs and for a cheap workhorse PC like that, the PSU often takes the cake with regards to being generic. Thankfully Nahalem has allowed Intel to further decrease power requirements. Last time I checked, the 55nm shrink has allowed them to obtain a ceiling of around ~70W for the 9550 under load. A nice improvement.

As for wattage, remember that a PSU's rating is based on its maximum output power. Furthermore, the rating of a PSU is not officially certified and so it's upto the individual manufacturers to make their own claims. Reputable vendors are trustworthy, but generic manufacturers can often employ a range of tricks in order to bump up the rating, such as adding power available on each rail, which doesn't give a true power rating.

I'm not being cynical - my point is when you're shopping for a PSU, you most certainly don't want to be teetering anywhere near a generic PSU's stated output. Unfortunately I've ran into many people over the years suffering hardware issues which end up being related to their generic PSU (which of course always had a rating exceeding what is necessary).

[Moppie]

Someone posted the results of testing a quad core with 4 or 5 HDD and a nice graphics card at the end of last year.
It only used around 2-300Watts.
So you don't need a lot.

What you do need however is a stable high quality supply with good even power distribution across all the rails.
This is very hard to get in a 300-450W power supply, they tend to be budget units for low usage consumer grade computers.
Getting a high end, name brand 600W power supply on the other hand might mean more power that is needed, but it will be high quality and stable. Which is important if your a power user, i.e. processing lots of photos or making a real business from photography.

[Collin85]

Someone posted the results of testing a quad core with 4 or 5 HDD and a nice graphics card at the end of last year.
I only used around 2-300Watts.
So you don't need a lot.

What you do need however is a stable high quality supply with good even power distribution across all the rails.
This is very hard to get in a 300-450W power supply, they tend to be budget units for low usage consumer grade computers.
Getting a high end, name brand 600W power supply on the other hand might mean more power that is needed, but it will be high quality and stable. Which is important if your a power user, i.e. processing lots of photos or making a real business from photography.

Yep, fully agree.