Need to find best config under 4K on Dell Website

[Dave Buckley]

Guys

 

Been given a 4k budget by my boss to spec up a new workstation.

 

I'm anything but technically minded. I had a look at 3dats tech talk which was helpful but would only really benefit me if i was buying parts separately or wasn't limited to dell configurator.

 

i've told my boss it's really overpriced but he is adamant so dell it is.

 

anyway,

 

i'm not really sure what to go for? so many questions i'll put a few here and see if anyone can help.

 

i7 or 6 core xeon?

 

does one 6 core xeon limit the amount of ram i can have? (i had two xeons with 24GB spec'd but then when i changed to 1 xeon to bring price down, it then told me i couldn't have that much ram with chosen processor?)

 

 

graphics card? do i really need a good graphics card if not using quicksilver?

 

monitors are really limited on the configurator but i have a choice of 20, 22, 24 ultrasharp which i thought would be best but has crap reviews

 

any thoughts?

[laszloadrian]

I suggest to look for an used system on dell outlet.

[Dave Buckley]

not really an option . . . work are quite anal.

 

Anyway i spec'd this:

 

 

Dual Xeon 6-core processors (around 2.8GHz i think)

12GB DDR3 RAM (1333Mhz)

1GB Nvidia GFX Card

 

 

They are the main components. I've asked for a bit of freedom with regards to where i get monitors from etc, the option were so limited on the configurator

[Allan Cathro]

Dave

 

I have just had a Dell T5500 (dual xeon, 12Gb ram, Quadro FX3800, twin 20" widescreen monitors) bought for my viz work. The only problems so far are to do with this 64bit/windows 7 machine talking to the companies thin client intranet. PM me or call if you want to have a chat on this

[Dave Buckley]

Hi Allan

 

Good to see you here. Yeh i've gone for the T7500. I think it was anyway.

 

Do you mind me asking how much it cost or would you rather i pm you?

[Allan Cathro]

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks. I think we paid £1668 +vat for it

[AJLynn]

This is why I stopped including retail computers on that site - they never just let you configure what you want. You want the same MB as the dual-Xeon system but only put one CPU on it? Sorry. One Xeon but with a lot of RAM? Sorry. It drives me nuts.

 

Instead of the Precision, if you choose a Studio XPS you can have it with a 6-core i7-980X, 12GB RAM, ATi 5870, Windows 7 Pro 64 and a U2410 monitor (this is an excellent monitor - IPS panel, 1900x1200 and a very good gamut), Blu Ray burner and a DVDRW drive, 3 year onsite warranty, for $3600. It's more than I would spend for that sort of hardware but since it's company money and they've given you no alternative, that's what I'd do, and if anybody asks you can say you were $400 under budget.