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PC choices. Which one is right, or do you know a good one?

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#12

Im getting my Thermaltake Mozart TX silver tower tomorrow and will soon have my e6600 with 2gb of ram ultill I can afford another 2gb. I think 4gb will be enougth for me no problems. After reading a artical a week ago about what CPU to get AMD or Intel it came out that Intel is still the winner being that the duo core 2 has more head room for overclocking. I dont think my GFx card is doing a great deal for 3D work but its cool for gaming when, if I get time.

Good luck with your new pc and keep us upto date when you end up getting.

#13

If you want even more confusion in your life :roll_eyes:
Go to Boxx and have a look at their professional work stations for 3D work. It will give you a good idea of what is cutting edge. They specialize in this. I’m thinking of having them build one for me. Get ready for a shock at the prices of the best graphics cards.

Here is the link http://www.boxxtech.com/

The first configuration you listed would easily handle ZBrush I think. Even with the current version of ZBrush I’m able to work with 8 to 10 million polys (the max on 2) on my laptop. Core Duo, 2 gig RAM and a gamers card. Add a 4 gig flash pen drive to ready boost and 10 million is doable with very little slowdown.

It’s the other less capable software like Lightwave and others that need the super machines. As I understand it ZBrush is designed for artists to run on affordable machines. For instance Lightwave and Vue 6 Infinite run but are slow and buggy on my laptop but it is doable so I can tinker around at work.

When you get into 2 gig sticks of RAM be prepared for the price to take a huge leap. I think Some of the Boxx machines will take a 32 or 64 gig stack I think its called. If nothing else you can drool over them :+1:

Have fun with the new machine. I have to wait until fall :cry: My wife thinks we need a car and food or some such nonsense.

#14

I should be saving for a car :confused: It was bad timing for me to upgrade but im building somones elses computer, so it was a good opotunity to sell him my bits.:smiley:

Iv had to sell my CPU, Motherboard, Water cooling and tower.

#15

OK I waited this is my pc build. I went Newegg this time.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80562Q6600

EVGA 122-CK-NF68-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI ATX Intel Motherboard

ZOGIS ZO88GTX-768 GeForce 8800GTX 768MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Video Card

G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ

LIAN LI PC-V1000BPlus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

SAMSUNG 18X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write, LightScribe Technology Black SATA Model SH-S183L

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler

Thermaltake W0116RU Complies with ATX 12V 2.2 & EPS 12V version 750W Power Supply

I might go with a lower Graphics card and toss in 4 more gig’s ram. I’m not sure just yet… and I wouldnt mind some input in regards to this issue.

Did I do good? is this the best ATX motherboard?

#16

Well as you know im doing a PC upgrade at the moment also and you have chosen some well researched parts.

The e6600 is the best value cpu which has plenty of head room for overclocking but if you dont overclock still has plenty of power, This is my cpu of choice.

The EVGA Motherboard Is known for its stability, one of the best bios setups, great board layout and overclockability. Also EVGA give you life time support and their emial responce time is fast unlike some “Asus”. I have also got this motherboard coming to me soon.

The 8800GXT 768m is the best gaming graphics card money can buy but unless you want to be doing alot of gaming id go for a 8800 GTS version which is somewhat cheaper.

Lian Li cases are made very high quality and can totaly recomend these as Iv had one and there has never been a tower as of yet to match its quality of build.

You got plenty of memory there so thats very nice for a CG system, I hope you have checked the compatibility for the 680i chipset, EVGA have a memory list for known compatible memory.

I would make sure you put the extra money saved from the graphics card into PC2 800 memory or a better GFX card cooler and quieter case fans. Personaly iv gone totaly water.

Overal looks like you got a good system.

#17

I read that the Gskill memory is ok for this board.

I think I will stay with the Graphic Card config but switch out for the EVGA version.

My logic behind this is simple. I wont have to spend more $$$ on a new card anytime soon, and I can always get more ram. I’m only one Gskill kit away from maxing the board out on 8.

So why buy a graphics card that I might toss out later too buy a better version and in the process spend/waste more money.

I’m gonna be building this machine and I’m super nervous about it.

As I’ve never done this before, and I’m so clueless to it all.

I hope the guides that come with all these parts are easy to understand.

I’m still looking at other towers like Thermal Take’s and a few larger Lian’s.

I’m not even sure if my 750w PSU will fit in the Lian case I selected.

So I’m considering either the LIAN LI G70B Black Aluminum or the TT case your considering.

I read that the cooling unit I selected for the cpu is a “B” to install.

This water stuff sounds better, but it also sounds $.

I just bought the full version of Zbrush 2.

I cant wait.

I also read around here and found out that Vista Ultimate 64 bit is the best OS to use with the Z3. It’s like $378 on newegg. Wow! That’s alot of money.

I don’t feel like I want to overclock anything just yet.

It can lessen the life span of whatever it’s applied too.

I just want to make sure I got a damn good cooling system for the CPU and Graphics card- I don’t know if the Ram would need it?

I just want a cooling system that isn’t a pain to install or maintain and a case with enough area inside to hold it all- The PSU issue is erking me bad. Some folks are using 850watt PSU supplies or higher. Why? Isn’t 750watts enough. 1K would make for some high electric bills.

I can’t thank you enough for your input in regards to this Tez.

#18

well I ordered the PC I got one eVGA GTX 8800 graphics card

8 gigs Gskill ram

16x samsung lightscribe dvd burner (sata)

680i eVGA mobo

Quad Core Intel CPU Q6600

Coolermaster 830 Stacker Case

Artic Silver thermal paste

Zalman LED 92mm copper heatsink cooling CPU fan

Vista ultimate 64 OEM disc

320 gig harddrive from seagate (sata)

and a 750 watt Silverstone Power Supply Unit

All said and done and I’m skimming a near 3,000 dollar PC build.

Total price to jump including Zbrush2 in will near 3,300 when done. Damn…

As far as overclocking goes…

If I’m ever brave enough too put this investment at risk. I might look into that total Mobo non conductive Luminol Oil submersion trick. Although I think it would work better if the fluid constantly flowed over the motherboard like a water fall.

Hot spots would be near impossible to eliminate if the mobo was submersed. There will be spots where the fluid just wont recirculate around the mother boards components. I think this is the next jump from water cooling but it’s very risky!!! I’m just glad to be done with it all.

#19

Hi there.

I would just get Danger den TDX block, D5 Pump, Tygon tubing, standard Resivior and a 120mm radiator then your all good for high end overclocking.

You certanly didnt skimp on the parts you choose, almost seems a overkill but hey it your money and your have a very future proof pc.

The EVGA motherboard is what I “had” untill it burnt my memory out, be warned!
This motherboard is known to kill memory sticks and this is just what it did to mine with no overclocking and at standard voltage. I ave read untold accounts of ram death via the EVGA board. I hope you got the EVGA 680i T1 as this version was modified for quad core the AR version has problems with quad core. The motherboard fan that you get has to be used, as even with the fan on, its still very hot, 57c. The Fan is hell noisy, I thought that the stock cpu fan was noisy, but it wasnt, it was that motherboard fan. You can turn down the speed in bios but watch the heat rise, im sure it will be ok though. I contacted EVGA and they said its the memory but iv been told otherwise by many that this is not happining to any other motherboard apart from the odd few memory dims that are faulty in the first place. If yur moduals are rated 2.2v or below then you should be ok.

http://www.guru3d.com/newsitem.php?id=5176

Because of this motherboard I have a empty tower sitting here waiting for the RMA process on both the memory and motherboard. It looks like my first go at ZB3 will be on a 5 year old PC wth 512 meg of ram :cry:

I have my e6600 sitting here in a box looking at me saying “please overclock me, I wana go 3.5ghz”

#20

what will you be doing with that machine in particular?

you will see good zbrush 3 performance with that machine, but not the kind leap you might expect from a quad core.

#21

Thats correct, the quad core at the moment has no real benifit over the dual core in terms of price / performace ratio for general usage. The Quads will come down in price and by the time they do, we will see the full benifits of them.

3ds max 9, Mental Ray, do show a good deal of cut in render time but then can you afford 3ds Max 9, unless its your job. The Q6600 is still over double the price of the e6600 without double the performance in games and most appliations.

If you have the applications that will use the quad core then its made good use of. If your after the latest hype for the times, and have no real world usage for quad cores, then id say its your money, at least its future proof only your paying the high price in advance.

I havent gone Direct X10 yet as I have no use for it. When my card becomes slow in which I see poor visuals to run games, then I mite go DX10, but then the PS3 with the new mouse may stop that form happening.

#22

"you will see good zbrush 3 performance with that machine, but not the kind leap you might expect from a quad core.:

I have basically this same machine:

6600 Intel
Asus Striker Extreme
6 gigs Corsair XMS
768 8800 GTX

The main thing that I notice is ROCK solid stability.

#23

yes but rock solid stability has nothing to do whether your videocard is the newest geforce, or a quad core. a well put together machine will always be stable.

#24

All I know is my old machine…

3.4 Gig P4
2 Gigs Ram
ASUS P5AD2 Mobo

Used crash Zbrush and hang ALOT.

I just think the extra firepower helps.

#25

that could have been anything though. like a faulty ram stick, etc.

#26

Every computer iv built is rock solid in operation. Thats down to good resarch and a well configered windows system.

It was much harder finding a solid motherboard on my new build ,as the 680i motherboards has alot more issues than im use to. I had been lucky untill this build, but for the amount of computers I have built I can only expect to received some faulty parts over the years.

Zbrush needs memory and to be set up correct for the memory. I kept a Hard drive dedicated to CG work with its own windows.

The computer im on now is just to keep me on the internet, its a older machine, a Socket A AMD based system 1.8ghz, 512 meg of ram. GF4 MX400:cry: . Being this tempory system has its limitations iv made sure I have nothink on this system other than security, Zbrush and Hexagon 2.1. I was in Zbrush yesterday and while it being slower than im use to, its rock solid. I wont overclock a system that hasnt had been primed and been fully tested for stability. The pc case is well ventalated and even this system, the components where well chosen, the gfx card wasnt part of this built BTW.

#27

I got the A1 version of the eVGA 680i… Did I mess up?

Heres the link

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813188013

#28

The A1 and T1 are modified on the FSB for overclocking for Quad cores.

#29

Computer is built! but the EVGA GTX 8800 graphics card is a dud. I keep getting 7F on the mainboard display, so I have to return it. Thanks again for the help. Once the new card is here and Z3 life will be peachy!

#30

Sorry to hear about your card, I know what a dissopointment it is when a component is faulty in a build, I would however get the card checked out, as the fault could be the motherboard. Im so glad I sent my EVGA motherboard back as all the problems are now gone.

My new pc is complete now and is so much faster than my last, athough that was faily quick anyway, a FX57.

My Super pi has gone from 33s to 16s, 3DMark05 12k to 16k, 3Dmark06 from 6k to over 8k with the same graphics card in both systems. Water cooling is going in tomorrow, this cpu will be at least 3.5ghz:D

Good luck with your build and keep us updated.

#31

Tez I hope it’s not the board. I had too cut/trim down the tip on one of the plastic Pins on the MCP because it made placing the gtx card in impossible and doing that voids an RMA :frowning: