Building HP Desktop - Need help reviewing specs

[urkelshredder]

Hi, new-ish to forums (but loving the feedback so far!) and looking for advice on putting together a high quality, [There's a $400 off $999+ coupon right now at HP.com]

Primary use: Photo editing, General everyday computing
Secondary use: Video editing, very little gaming
Price range: budget-friendly ($600-800 after taxes before monitor)

I know a lot of people will suggest building a computer from scratch but most of my techie friends aren't around me anymore so I'm having a hard enough time learning photography let alone computer building!

Below are some specs/links via slickdeals.net showing the options. I'd love any feedback or mock configs (keep in mind the 400 off $1000 coupon would need to be applied. Thanks!

HP Home (http://slickdeals.net/?pno=17929&lno=1&afsrc=1) has a new $400 off $999+ coupon valid on desktop PCs.

Well Equipped HP Pavillion m6750t media center desktop PC (http://slickdeals.net/?pno=17929&lno=2&afsrc=1) $600

Click here (http://slickdeals.net/?pno=17929&lno=2&afsrc=1), the Customize and Buy
Choose the following options (or any other combination of $450 or more)
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
Intel Core 2 Quad processor Q8300 [2.5GHz] [add $160]
512MB ATI Radeon HD 4650 [DVI, VGA, HDMI] [add $80]
FREE UPGRADE to 640GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s from 500GB hard drive [add $50]
Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner [add $100]
TV tuner, dual format ATSC-NTSC with PVR, remote [add $60]
Checkout, apply coupon DT4343
Your total will be $1000 - $400 coupon DT4343 = $600 with free shippingSpecs

Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit)
Intel Core 2 Quad processor Q8300 [2.5GHz]
3GB DDR2-800MHz SDRAM
512MB ATI Radeon HD 4650 [DVI, VGA, HDMI]
640GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s
LAN port on system board (10/100/1000Base-T), no wireless LAN
Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
15-in-1 memory card reader, 2 USB, audio
TV tuner, dual format ATSC-NTSC with PVR, remote
Integrated 7.1 channel sound with front audio ports
Microsoft Works 9.0
Keyboard and Mouse HP keyboard and HP optical mouseWell Equipped HP Pavillion m9500z entertainment desktop PC (http://slickdeals.net/?pno=17929&lno=4&afsrc=1) $610

Click here (http://slickdeals.net/?pno=17929&lno=4&afsrc=1), the Customize and Buy
Choose the following options (or any other combination of $250 or more):
AMD Phenom 9650 quad-core processor [2.3GHz] [add $50]
256MB NVIDIA GeForce 9300 [DVI, HDMI, VGA adapter] [add $30]
Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner [add $100]
15-in-1 memory card reader, 2 USB, 1394, audio, video (for TV Tuner)
TV tuner, dual format ATSC-NTSC with PVR, remote [add $60]
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio [add $20]
Checkout, apply coupon DT4343
Your total will be $1010 - $400 coupon DT4343 = $610 with free shippingSpecs

Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit)
AMD Phenom 9650 quad-core processor [2.3GHz]
3GB DDR2-800MHz SDRAM
256MB NVIDIA GeForce 9300 [DVI, HDMI, VGA adapter]
320GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive
LAN port on system board (10/100/1000Base-T), no wireless LAN
Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
15-in-1 memory card reader, 2 USB, 1394, audio, video (for TV Tuner)
TV tuner, dual format ATSC-NTSC with PVR, remote
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio
Microsoft Works 9.0
Norton Internet Security 2009 - 15 month
HP keyboard and HP optical mouse

[BluewookieJim]

Just want to recommend that you look at the 5000 series, such as the HP Pavilion Elite d5200t ATX.

I purchased/built one of these in October after nearly 15 years of building my own systems. I'm very happy with the system and specs, and the build allows much room for expansion/upgrades.

[MaxxuM]

Photo editing can be performed on just about any modern computer of 1.8Ghz or faster without issue. Video editing however is a different story altogether. These should be your minimum specs - the only other deciding factor would be price, warranty and brand preference. Apple is #1, Dell #2 and then HP at #3 when it comes to to customer satisfaction. HP is real hit or miss these days. I would go with Dell if at all possible for PCs and overall with Apple - but both will cost you a little more than the other guys.

Minimum specs for semi-serious video production:

Intel Core2Quad 2.4GHz+ or Phenom II x4 2.8GHz+
4GB RAM or more
1TB+ Hard Drive Space
AMD Radeon 4000 series or higher+ or Nvidia 9000 series or higher
Vista 64bit Home Premium

This setup will chew through most normal video pretty effectively, but will have long render times if you start putting more than say... 3-4 filters/FX on long shots. Real time previews will be almost instantaneous without filters/transitions. You'll also want as much hard drive space as you can get. 1 minute of raw video is about 1GB so 30 minutes will roughly be 30GB space.

[Zepher]

This setup will chew through most normal video pretty effectively, but will have long render times if you start putting more than say... 3-4 filters/FX on long shots. Real time previews will be almost instantaneous without filters/transitions. You'll also want as much hard drive space as you can get. 1 minute of raw video is about 1GB so 30 minutes will roughly be 30GB space.

Not to nitpick, but DV and HDV (what quite a few people use) is 13GB/hour.
AVCHD will be about the same, up to 24mbits/sec, or 13GB/hour

I would invest a few more dollars and get a Core i7 setup.

Dell had a nice Core i7 920 setup for $950 with a 23" monitor.

See if you can still get it at that price,
http://slickdeals.net/?pno=17865&lno=1&afsrc=1

Dell Home has Studio XPS Desktop for $949 ($921 with DPA) with free shipping. Thanks BlindCatDead

If paying with Dell Preferred Account (DPA) you may save an extra 3% (4% at Dell EPP), here is how:

1. During checkout, select Credit Card as method of payment
2. Click "Change Payment Type"
3. Click "Choose" link under Credit/Debit Card (again)
4. Under "Save 3% (4% at EPP) with Dell Preferred Account! (Discount applied at Final Checkout)" click "Click Here to Take Advantage of this Offer" link
5. Click "Choose" under "I already have a Dell Preferred Account" if you have one, or sign up for a new one if you don't
6. Checkout, enjoy your 3% (4% at EPP) savings

Specs

* Intel Core i7-920 Processor(8MB L2 Cache, 2.66GHz)
* Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit
* 6GB Tri-Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz - 6 DIMMs
* 500GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache
* Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 16x DVD+/-RW w/ dbl layer write capability
* Dell 23 inch Consumer S2309W Flat Panel, Adjustable Stand
* ATI Radeon HD 3450 256MB
* Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
* Dell USB Consumer Multimedia Keyboard
* Dell Premium Laser Mouse
* 19 in 1 Media Card Reader
* McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, 15-months
* 1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis

[urkelshredder]

Thanks for the input so far folks. Just curious how big a part a video card is in photo/video editing. At what cutoff will I stop noticing an extreme difference in performance? 256MB? 512MB? I guess it's the role video cards will play on my system that is hindering my ability to make a decision. (Again, very very little gaming will take place on my computer)

I'm already set on getting a quadcore (the i7's it seems are still new and more expensive than the quad core configs) and at least 6 gb of ram as I'm pretty sure that would cover most of the tasks I want to accomplish.

And not to open up huge debate, but any input on Intel's vs AMD and NVIDIA vs ATI? I know intel is usually much more expensive and I've never had an ATI video card...all of my computers have been Intel/NVIDIA combos.

[MaxxuM]

Not to nitpick, but DV and HDV (what quite a few people use) is 13GB/hour.
AVCHD will be about the same, up to 24mbits/sec, or 13GB/hour


LoL... Shows how long I've been using Apple. I transcode everything for speed at the expense of space.

[MaxxuM]

Thanks for the input so far folks. Just curious how big a part a video card is in photo/video editing. At what cutoff will I stop noticing an extreme difference in performance? 256MB? 512MB? I guess it's the role video cards will play on my system that is hindering my ability to make a decision. (Again, very very little gaming will take place on my computer)

I'm already set on getting a quadcore (the i7's it seems are still new and more expensive than the quad core configs) and at least 6 gb of ram as I'm pretty sure that would cover most of the tasks I want to accomplish.

And not to open up huge debate, but any input on Intel's vs AMD and NVIDIA vs ATI? I know intel is usually much more expensive and I've never had an ATI video card...all of my computers have been Intel/NVIDIA combos.

A. Video Card - Almost any-ol' card will do for photo's. Photography is 2D and does not take advantage of expensive 3D cards today. Video editing however does take advantage of 3D in the form of OpenGL. As far as video card memory, again, photography needs very little - 256MB would be more than enough. Windows Vista needs 256 minimum if you want Aero and 512Mb is recommended (if you have less than 512 Vista will leave reports that you should lower visual eye candy). More than 512Mb is over kill, even game developers don't usually write games to take advantage of more memory. Right now the best bang for the buck is the AMD Radeon 4850 for mid-end users.

B. i7 is the top dog and demands top price's. Spend the money if you have it laying around - but it isn't at all nessessary for photography work.

C. Intel and AMD are about the same price per performance but AMD does have the low end. Get Intel C2Q or the Phenom II 3.0GHz Black Box Edition. Nothing else is better.

[eyelookok2blindgurls]

I find vista bussiness the most stable vista platform for editing (& a 512mb graphic's card + 4gb of RAM ) I have gone off the 64bit version as drivers for 64bit are fairly limited .
I also use intel based systems as they seem to run cooler than AMD based systems .
( a good monitor that can be caliberated properly is essential !!!!!!!)