Dedicated base unit. Recommendations

I’m planning to get/build a new base unit for photoshop use only. That is to say exclusively photoshop, so it won’t need a modem or soundcard. What I’m looking for are suggestions for components that would go well together for just running PS (photographic use only, file sizes 30 to 500mb typically in the 50 to 200 range). I know this question pops up occasionally but it’s usually in the guise of latest/fastest/greatest cutting edge components. What I want is a good solid performer using yesterday’s, but still available today, hardware. I shall for instance be basing it around PS6 and Win2000 and for now shall be using my Mitsubishi 750sb monitor.
(The cynics reading this may interpret this as "I want cutting edge at budget price" but as I’ve blown my budget on cameras recently I’m happy to forego lightning fast speed)
My thoughts are that I would run ordinary IDE drives and wouldn’t be too bothered about a Raid setup, I’d like to have the option of two monitors, as a personal preference I’d be getting an AMD processor. So as you see I’m almost there just need a few suggestions as to motherboard, which AMD to get, what sort of memory, which graphics card (no games ever, PS only remember). I’ll be using USB and USB2 devices and will want provision for firewire should I need it. Sure I can look at the specs of other computers to see what’s available but the experience of PS users who know which bits work best with PS would be appreciated.
So thanks in advance for taking the time to make a list, yet again.

On 29 Nov 2003 02:46:44 -0800, (mono) wrote:

I’m planning to get/build a new base unit for photoshop use only. That is to say exclusively photoshop, so it won’t need a modem or soundcard. What I’m looking for are suggestions for components that would go well together for just running PS (photographic use only, file sizes 30 to 500mb typically in the 50 to 200 range). I know this question pops up occasionally but it’s usually in the guise of latest/fastest/greatest cutting edge components. What I want is a good solid performer using yesterday’s, but still available today, hardware. I shall for instance be basing it around PS6 and Win2000 and for now shall be using my Mitsubishi 750sb monitor.
(The cynics reading this may interpret this as "I want cutting edge at budget price" but as I’ve blown my budget on cameras recently I’m happy to forego lightning fast speed)
My thoughts are that I would run ordinary IDE drives and wouldn’t be too bothered about a Raid setup, I’d like to have the option of two monitors, as a personal preference I’d be getting an AMD processor. So as you see I’m almost there just need a few suggestions as to motherboard, which AMD to get, what sort of memory, which graphics card (no games ever, PS only remember). I’ll be using USB and USB2 devices and will want provision for firewire should I need it. Sure I can look at the specs of other computers to see what’s available but the experience of PS users who know which bits work best with PS would be appreciated.
So thanks in advance for taking the time to make a list, yet again.

Best price/performance would be the AMD 2800.
get as much RAM as you can stuff into the machine, compatible with the speed of the AMD processor you select. 🙂
Asus motherboards are good., as are Gigabyte.
Get two 7200 rpm hard disks and make sure the PS scratch disk isn’t on
C. 😉
Get an ATi 9600 video card. it’s dual monitor and is fast 2D without the price overhead of super fast 3D and is a current card. If you’re getting a second monitor make it bigger than the 17" you already have. The 19" iiyama Vision Master Pro 454 is excellent. Don’;t waste ,money on a TFT as if you’re on a budget you won’t be able to afford a properly colour corrected monitor.
Firewire is good, particularly if you buy yourself an external Firewire hard drive from MAxtor. A 200Gb (7200rpm) or 250 Gb (5400) is good and gives you lots of instant back up space. it’s also far more reliable than CD or DVD (though you could still back up to DVD as the drive gets full, or regularly which makes sure you have two copies of everything – and you will, of course, keep the DVDs in a different place to the computer/external drive won’t you? <g>)

On 29 Nov 2003 02:46:44 -0800, (mono) wrote:

I’m planning to get/build a new base unit for photoshop use only. That is to say exclusively photoshop, so it won’t need a modem or soundcard. What I’m looking for are suggestions for components that would go well together for just running PS (photographic use only, file sizes 30 to 500mb typically in the 50 to 200 range). I know this question pops up occasionally but it’s usually in the guise of latest/fastest/greatest cutting edge components. What I want is a good solid performer using yesterday’s, but still available today, hardware. I shall for instance be basing it around PS6 and Win2000 and for now shall be using my Mitsubishi 750sb monitor.
(The cynics reading this may interpret this as "I want cutting edge at budget price" but as I’ve blown my budget on cameras recently I’m happy to forego lightning fast speed)
My thoughts are that I would run ordinary IDE drives and wouldn’t be too bothered about a Raid setup, I’d like to have the option of two monitors, as a personal preference I’d be getting an AMD processor. So as you see I’m almost there just need a few suggestions as to motherboard, which AMD to get, what sort of memory, which graphics card (no games ever, PS only remember). I’ll be using USB and USB2 devices and will want provision for firewire should I need it. Sure I can look at the specs of other computers to see what’s available but the experience of PS users who know which bits work best with PS would be appreciated.
So thanks in advance for taking the time to make a list, yet again.

Best price/performance would be the AMD 2800.
get as much RAM as you can stuff into the machine, compatible with the speed of the AMD processor you select. 🙂
Asus motherboards are good., as are Gigabyte.
Get two 7200 rpm hard disks and make sure the PS scratch disk isn’t on
C. 😉
Get an ATi 9600 video card. it’s dual monitor and is fast 2D without the price overhead of super fast 3D and is a current card. If you’re getting a second monitor make it bigger than the 17" you already have. The 19" iiyama Vision Master Pro 454 is excellent. Don’;t waste ,money on a TFT as if you’re on a budget you won’t be able to afford a properly colour corrected monitor.
Firewire is good, particularly if you buy yourself an external Firewire hard drive from MAxtor. A 200Gb (7200rpm) or 250 Gb (5400) is good and gives you lots of instant back up space. it’s also far more reliable than CD or DVD (though you could still back up to DVD as the drive gets full, or regularly which makes sure you have two copies of everything – and you will, of course, keep the DVDs in a different place to the computer/external drive won’t you? <g>)

On 29 Nov 2003 02:46:44 -0800, (mono) wrote:

I’m planning to get/build a new base unit for photoshop use only.

Hmmm, and I was gonna suggest you get a $400 special at Best Buy or the like. 2 Ghz or better Pentium or Athlon, and plug another $50 worth of memory in it. If you can, get a second HD. You can probably find a $120 for $100 if you don’t mind doing the rebate thing.

Create three partitions on it, the first two small ones. Let one be for Windows swap file and one for PS scratch file.

Hmmm, and I was gonna suggest you get a $400 special at Best Buy or the like. 2 Ghz or better Pentium or Athlon, and plug another $50 worth of memory in it. If you can, get a second HD. You can probably find a $120 for $100 if you don’t mind doing the rebate thing. Create three partitions on it, the first two small ones. Let one be for Windows swap file and one for PS scratch file.

On Mon, 01 Dec 2003 06:35:15 GMT, James Messick
wrote:

Hmmm, and I was gonna suggest you get a $400 special at Best Buy or the like. 2 Ghz or better Pentium or Athlon, and plug another $50 worth of memory in it. If you can, get a second HD. You can probably find a $120 for $100 if you don’t mind doing the rebate thing. Create three partitions on it, the first two small ones. Let one be for Windows swap file and one for PS scratch file.

Er, NO!!!!! 😉 If you set up a partition on a hard disk for PS and one for the Windows swap file *you will *still* get the interaction that causes a slowdown. You need the partitions to be on different *physical* hard disks.

—

Hmmm, and I was gonna suggest you get a $400 special at Best Buy or the like. 2 Ghz or better Pentium or Athlon, and plug another $50 worth of memory in it. If you can, get a second HD. You can probably find a $120 for $100 if you don’t mind doing the rebate thing. Create three partitions on it, the first two small ones. Let one be for Windows swap file and one for PS scratch file.

Create three partitions on it, the first two small ones. Let one be for Windows swap file and one for PS scratch file.

I set my current drives up like this but then as space got less I started poaching on the one nominated for scratch disc. I checked the other day and found I’d only got 45mb left on it so I had to do some rapid unpoaching.