Urgent, computer specs

[isagreg]

Hi everybody!

I found a new job, and my new boss wants to get me a new computer. The new machine will be used for AutoCAD 3D modeling, 3DS MAX with VRay.

 

I got this price list from monarchcomputer.com

 

"Custom Workstation $75.00

Cases: No PS - Lian-Li PC-70 Alum Case $168.00

Power Supply: PS 550W - Enermax EG651P-VE (FMA) 550 Wat $128.00

Motherboard: Tyan S2668ANR E7505 SATA/Audio/LAN/RAID $230.00

Processors: 2 X Xeon 3.06GHz 512K 533 FSB (Retail with fan) $478.00

Thermal Grease: 2 X Shin-Etsu G675 Thermal Grease $12.00

Memory: 4 X DDR (266) 2100 - 512 MB Corsair $420.00

1st Hard Drive: SATA - WD360GD 36 GB/10K RPM $112.00

2nd Hard Drive: IDE - WD2000JB SE 7200 RPM200 GB $169.00

RAID Setup: None

CD/DVD ROM: CD-ROM - Asus CD-S520 52X CD-ROM $26.00

CD/DVD ReWriters: CD-RW - MSI CR52-M 52x32x52 CD-RW $49.00

Floppy Drives: Mitsumi 1.44 MB 3.5" Floppy Drive $15.00

Video Card: Quadro FX 1100 $628.00

Operating System: Windows XP Professional SP1 w/CD $152.00

Warranty: 1 Year - Parts & Labor

 

Subtotal with your selected options: $3,152.00"

 

Tell me what you think.

The questions:

Is this motherboard OK? There is also Supermicro (expensive), Gigabyte, Asus.

Also the retail fans for Xeons... Are they OK. I mean the temps of processors... I know they're noisy but it shouldn't be a problem. My concern is stability and temps, cause it's gonna be used for 24/7 (probably) renderings.

Also the video. Do you think I need better card (it will drive 2x 21" CRTs at 1600x1200 85 Hz 32 bit) like FX 2000 or 3000?

 

Probably tomorrow or the latest on monday we will order it.

Thanks.

[STRAT]

lol. that spec is fine. why peeps worry about pc specs for 3d these days makes me laugh. and dont worry about an expensive video card, it wont speed up the rendering 1 little bit.

 

btw, whats thermal grease? (and why even worry about it????)

[isagreg]

Thanks for reply.

I was wondering maybe I should go with different motherboard?

And also are the default coolers of xeons OK? Will they keep the processors cool enough?

If they're not OK what coolers should I suggest?

Thanks.

[voltaire_ira]

lol. that spec is fine. why peeps worry about pc specs for 3d these days makes me laugh. and dont worry about an expensive video card, it wont speed up the rendering 1 little bit.

 

btw, whats thermal grease? (and why even worry about it????)

i think thermal grease is what they put sandwiched between the processor and the heatsink.it aids in the transfer of heat from the cpu to heatsink...that's what i've read inmy processor's manual.

 

xeons become very hot when rendering...getting the the heat off is something to worry about.

[STRAT]

i use my xeons for c4d rendering, which i found to be a greater cpu usage than max. and i've never had a problem with overheating. the fans that come with them are fine

[Greg Hess]

Replace the Enermax PSU with an Antec Truepower 550EPS. Its more expensive, but comes with a longer warranty, and is considered a more stable and higher quality unit. (Its also just as quiet).

 

Upgrade the CDRW to a DVDRW. You can pick up DVDRW's for as little as 90 bucks. Be kinda of silly to not pay an extra 40 to get one. Remember a DVDRW can burn CDR's CDRW's, DVDR's, DVDRW's. Having the ability to burn to 4.3 gb disks is awesome for backup. (Especially if you purchase a copy of norton ghost).

 

On the same note, I'd replace the CDROM with a Pioneer DVD-ROM 1-20 or 1-20S (slot loading). This will increase the capability of the system to read a wide array of media types. Extra cost will be around 5-10 dollars.

 

I'd get artic silver 5 instead of the grease you've chosen.

 

Do note that the Raptor WD drives (10k rpm) are LOUD, like the old cheetah 10k RPM drives. I dunno how quiet you want this system to be. It is possible to make a dual Xeon system extremely quiet.

 

The stock Xeon coolers are "ok". But there are quieter solutions. Generally what you might want to do is get some fan adapters like Dave did...will greatly reduce your case noise levels.

 

Stock coolers are usually "sufficent" but always much louder then they should be.

[STRAT]

i go with that for sure. my 'stock' coolers cool fine, but boy are they loud!

[garethace]

Replace the Enermax PSU with an Antec Truepower 550EPS. Its more expensive, but comes with a longer warranty, and is considered a more stable and higher quality unit. (Its also just as quiet).

 

Can you use EPS PSU with standard ATX board?

 

Can you use a standard ATX PSU with a server EPS board?

 

Just curious....

[Greg Hess]

Gare,

 

His board recommends an EPS power supply. At least...it looks like it does, Tyan's ftp site is down, and I can't download the manual to confirm, but the photo sure looks like an EPS converter.

 

Most ATX powersupplies can work in an EPS machine, if they fullfill certain requirements, and the EPS machine specifically states that they can be used.

 

Some EPS powersupplies also come with standard ATX connectors...but you'd have to check to see if a particular one does. Some do, some don't.

 

So in other words...

 

Depends on what power supply brand .

[isagreg]

Thank you so much for replies.

 

RE: "Replace the Enermax PSU with an Antec Truepower 550EPS."

 

Monarchcomputer doesn't have it. They have only Antec True430 430 Watt, but that shouldn't be sufficient. This is all they got:

http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=M&Category_Code=PS

 

RE: "Do note that the Raptor WD drives (10k rpm) are LOUD, like the old cheetah 10k RPM drives. I dunno how quiet you want this system to be. It is possible to make a dual Xeon system extremely quiet."

 

But what about performance? Are they OK? Also I was thinking about putting 2 Raptors in RAID 0 - there is built in support for that on the Tyan motherboard... The SCSI drives are expensive option (either the motherboards with SCSI support are expensive or the SCSI controllers are), that's why I wanna go with SATA.

 

I would definetly upgrade the CD-ROM and CD-RW to DVD-RW as Greg suggests.

 

RE: "I'd get artic silver 5 instead of the grease you've chosen."

 

I think thi is all they got "Shin Etsu G765 (SYRINGE) .35 gm Thermal Grease"

 

I'm not gonna build this system myself, so I can't order parts from different places. And monarchcomputer.com has the best prices for custom systems, I think. If you know better (less expensive) vendor in US let me know please. I know their support isn't as good as Dell's or BOXX's but the prices are good.

 

Thanks.

[garethace]

Gare,

 

His board recommends an EPS power supply. At least...it looks like it does, Tyan's ftp site is down, and I can't download the manual to confirm, but the photo sure looks like an EPS converter.

 

.

 

24 pin and 8 pin for an EPS board.

 

24 pin and 4 pin for an ATX P4 board.

 

24 pin for some cheap-o AMD boards out there still.... I have it on a lot of sources, that the extra 4-pin connector on AMD systems,,,.. does quite a bit of good, in terms of providing adequate levels of good clean power to the board and its components....

 

but looking at an array of boards in the shop today, I could only find one higher up the price list Abit board, in the selection I had, which had got that extra 4 pin connector.

 

Of course all P4 boards have that connector.... but what I notice now, is quite a couple of intel single processor server/workstation boards cropping up with 24/8 pin connectors.... ya'know.... these boards are cool too, cause they have PCI-X connectors, if you have a good SCSI board or something you want to get the very most out of.... with a realllllllyyyyy fast SCSI drive purchase.

 

Hence Rapids chipset... really just the 875 with a beefed up southbridge...

 

MOst of my CAD softwares are very single threaded affairs, don't even use AGP acceleration to any great degree, or MPUs,.... so sticking in a ripper of a SCSI drive is about the best upgrade you can do.... i.e. needing a good eps psu or some'thin... to keep that system stable though.

 

Even though it only 1 cpu...

 

gareth.

[isagreg]

Another option:

 

Custom Monarch CAD Pro 5500 Workstation $65.00

Cases: Lian-Li PC-70 Aluminum Server Cas $168.00

Power Supply: PS 460W - SPI Sparkle FSP460-PFN-EPS $89.00

Motherboard: PC-DL Deluxe Dual Xeon/Intel 533FSB $238.00

Processor: Xeon 3.06GHz 512K 533 FSB $478.00

2nd Processor: Xeon 3.06GHz 512K 533 FSB $478.00

Memory: DDR (333) 2700 - 1 GB (2 pcs 512) Corsair $245.00

2nd Memory: DDR (333) 2700 - 1 GB (2 pcs 512) Corsair $245.00

Hard Drive: SATA - Western Digital (WD360GD) 36 GB/10 $112.00

2nd Hard Drive: SATA - Maxtor (6Y200M0) 200 GB/7200-RPM/8 $169.00

CD/DVD: DVD-ROM - Lite On XJ-HD166S 16x DVD 48x C $46.00

DVD ReWriters: DVD-RW - Lite On SOHW-812S 8x/4x-DVD+-RW/ $130.00

Floppy: Mitsumi 1.44 MB 3.5" Floppy Drive $15.00

Sound Card: None

Video Card: PNY Quadro FX 1100 128 MB DDR/8XAGP/DV $628.00

Operating System: Windows XP Professional w/CD $152.00

Warranty: 1 Year - Parts & Labor

Subtotal : $3,258.00

[garethace]

BTW, I just saw a couple of new Zalman AMD 64/P4/K7 cpu coolers in the shop today too.... don't think they would be tidy enough to fit two together for a dual Xeon system, but they would definitely be quiet enough,... if only had one cpu....

 

Beautiful finish down at the base... excellent value...

[garethace]

Just another on psus.

 

http://www.aceshardware.com/forum?read=115069871

[visual3d]

if youre thinking of doing some serious 3d rendering such as vray or final render...then i suggest you getting something else...in states for that price i guess its ok...but 512 cache does not help when 3d is the goal...it just performs like a p4 3.06...trust me i know. i bought 3.2 and it still was beaten by the 3.06 1mb cache xeon....the cache is whats makes the diffrence.

 

if youre tight on budget, i suggest you import your new computer in... it will save you some money...