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Graphic Design Use

V

Visual360

n00b
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
41
I just started into my Graphic Design program, and I'm thinking of building a dedicated system for my work. Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated. I also do wedding photography sometimes, so will be working on lots of photos once in a while.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Primarily for Photoshop, lightroom, Illustrator, and some light gaming (AOE online, Diablo 3, maybe).
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
$1000 or less.
3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Silicon Valley, CA, USA
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
CPU, RAM, Case, PS, GPU.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
My HDD for storage, but I'm thinking of going SSD for the OS, and major Apps.
6) Will you be overclocking?
NO
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
I have dual 23 on my Dell now, a 24" 1080P, and also the 27 Apple Cinema Display.
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
NOW
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video? etc.
I've been out of loop for a while, so I really not sure, but I want to have USB 3.0 and connection for SSD I suppose. Not going to OC, and I want to have a dedicated Video card.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Yes, Windows 7 - 64bit.


I currently have an old Dell Quad, and also a Dell XPS 15z (i5). I'm using my laptop as the primary now, and it's actually driving the ACD. My laptop seems to be powerful enough, but I just want to have dedicated power desktop for heavy graphic use.

Anyway, I hope someone can point me to the right direction.

Thanks in advance.
 
Visual360 said:
3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Silicon Valley, CA, USA
Click to expand...
Since you live in CA, I recommend buying as many of the parts as possible from Amazon.com since they're not charging CA residents tax unlike Newegg. At least for another year anyway.
Visual360 said:
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
CPU, RAM, Case, PS, GPU.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
My HDD for storage, but I'm thinking of going SSD for the OS, and major Apps.
Click to expand...

Two questions:
1) Did you need a motherboard and DVD burner as well? Both are missing from questions 4 and 5.
2) What hard drive will you be reusing?
Visual360 said:
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
I have dual 23 on my Dell now, a 24" 1080P, and also the 27 Apple Cinema Display.
Click to expand...
OK, which of those monitors will you be playing games on? What's the resolution on those 23" monitors?

In the meantime, please look through these cases and pick out the one you like the most and we'll see if it can be fitted into the build list without sacrificing too much:
$60 - NZXT Source 210 Elite ATX Case
$60 - Cooler Master HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 ATX Case
$60 - NZXT Source 210 Elite ATX Case
$70 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K58W ATX Case
$70 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case
$90 - Cooler Master CM690 II Advance ATX Case
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K7B ATX Case
$100 - Lian Li PC-7B Plus II ATX Case
$100 - Cooler Master HAF 922 RC-922M-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$110 - NZXT Whisper WHI - 001BK ATX Full Tower Case
$100 - Lian Li PC-7FN ATX Case
$110 - Lian Li PC-60FN ATX Case
$113 - Velocity Micro GX2-W Silver Classic Aluminum Case with Side Window
$110 - Fractal Design Arc Mini Tower
$120 - Corsair Carbide Series 400R ATX Case
$130 - Fractal Design Define R3 Black ATX Case
$140 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case
$140 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001BK Black Full Tower ATX Case
$140 - Lian Li PC-9F ATX Case
$140 - Cooler Master HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$140 - Antec Performance One Series P183 V3 ATX Case
$143 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-002OR Black Finish w/Orange Trim Full Tower ATX Case
$150 - Corsair Graphite Series 600T ATX Case
$160 - Silverstone RV02B-W ATX case
$178 - Silverstone RV02B-EW ATX case
$190 - Corsair Obsidian Series 650D ATX Case
 
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Hi Danny. Thanks for the input, much appreciated.

Yes, I'll probably going to pick up most of the part from Amazon, as I'm a prime member.

I forgot to mention that this will be probably like a NEW build. The only think I'm going to re-use is my ACD, which means I need a graphic card powerful enough to push 2560x1440 resolution. I also read some incompatibility of some cards with the display ports, so I need something that will run the ACD without any adapters or inconsistency. I should just say, that the other monitors wont be in play in this build.

That said, I'll be needing a motherboard and DVD (maybe blu-ray?). and I definitely want to go SSDs.

Thanks again, I'll start with the link you provided, and see what case appeals me.
 
Looks like I'm going for the NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case.

Any suggestion for the best CPU+MB+PSU combo for this case?

Thanks.
 
$188 - Intel Core i5-2400 CPU
$90 - MSI H67MA-E45 Intel H67 ATX Motherboard
$50 - Kingston KHX1333C9D3B1K2/8G 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$330 - eVGA 012-P3-1571-AR GeForce GTX 570 1280MB PCI-E Video Card
$110 - Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 2.5" 64GB SSD
$20 - Sony AD-7260S-0B SATA DVD Burner
$85 - Corsair 650TX V2 650W PSU
$120 - NZXT Phantom PHAN-001WT White Full Tower ATX Case
---
Total: $993 plus shipping
 
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I just checked the case from Fry's and it really looks different in person. LOL. That said, I'm thinking of getting a more traditional case. If I choose a smaller case, do I need to change the rest of the components? I guess as long as its ATX, I should be good, right? Thanks.
 
Visual360 said:
I just checked the case from Fry's and it really looks different in person. LOL. That said, I'm thinking of getting a more traditional case. If I choose a smaller case, do I need to change the rest of the components? I guess as long as its ATX, I should be good, right? Thanks.
Click to expand...

You should be fine with any ATX case from Danny's list. Realize that motherboard Danny linked to is mATX though. So you'd actually be okay with an mATX case if you wanted to go smaller.

Also look into getting your CPU at Microcenter in Santa Clara. The Core i5-2400 is $162 including taxes.
 
tonytnnt said:
You should be fine with any ATX case from Danny's list. Realize that motherboard Danny linked to is mATX though. So you'd actually be okay with an mATX case if you wanted to go smaller.

Also look into getting your CPU at Microcenter in Santa Clara. The Core i5-2400 is $162 including taxes.
Click to expand...

Wow, awesome find. Thanks.

Will I see big increase if I go with the i7 instead? Just wondering if it's worth the extra money. Thanks again.
 
Hey Danny, quick question. The display port on the video card looks like its a full size port, instead of the mini port, am I correct? I would really prefer not to have any adapter, is there such beast existed?

Thanks.
 
Okay, I finally got the chance to go to Microcenter, and end up getting different parts from one suggested here. LOL.

Anyway, I got the i5-2500K instead of the i5-2400. The reason being the bundle price for the i5-2500K with an Asus P8Z68-V LX 1155 ATX is cheaper than getting the i5-2400.

Is that a good board for the CPU, or should I stick with the MSI that you've suggested?

Got the Corsair XMS3 8GB DDR3 DRAM instead of the Kingston. Bad, good? Should I return it?

Also end up getting the Cooler Master SGC-2000-KKN1-GP Storm Scout and OCZ ModX stream-PRO 600W power supply. The case probably doesn't really matter, but what do you guys think about the OCZ power supply, and will the 600W enough?

I don't have the SSD's and the Video card yet. Also, if I go back regular HDD, what HDD do you guys recommend?

==

Thanks for the suggestion Tony, I'm just afraid that it might not work based on the issues I've read on the forum on some adapters. So if I could something that I don't have to use one, the better I think.

Thanks again.
 
Tell us how much you paid will help.

What exact RAM did you buy?

For a regular HDD, I recommend the Samsung F3 1TB hard drive. $59.99
 
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Visual360 said:
Thanks for the suggestion Tony, I'm just afraid that it might not work based on the issues I've read on the forum on some adapters. So if I could something that I don't have to use one, the better I think.
Click to expand...

I have one of those cables that I've used on my MacBook Pro and Desktop to go to my display. There's no signal change going on, just a connector difference.

Also, I noticed you want to use 4 displays. Doesn't nVidia's Surround only support up to 3 displays per card? (I don't know for certain so hopefully someone else can answer.) Or will Surround not come into play here?
 
Skillz said:
Tell us how much you paid will help.

What exact RAM did you buy?

For a regular HDD, I recommend the Samsung F3 1TB hard drive. $59.99
Click to expand...

The bundle price for the i5-2500K and Asus P8Z68-V LX 1155 ATX was $269.00+tax.

The RAM is the Corsair XMS3 DDR3 DRAM - (CMX8GX3M2A1600C9) and I paid $54.99+tax. There's a $10 rebate for the ram.

The PSU was $75.99+tax, and comes with a $25 rebate.

Thanks.
 
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tonytnnt said:
I have one of those cables that I've used on my MacBook Pro and Desktop to go to my display. There's no signal change going on, just a connector difference.

Also, I noticed you want to use 4 displays. Doesn't nVidia's Surround only support up to 3 displays per card? (I don't know for certain so hopefully someone else can answer.) Or will Surround not come into play here?
Click to expand...

No, not really. It's probably be just the 27" ACD, but looks like most video cards comes with 2 DVI, and a display port, so I might play around with 3 monitors setup, but mainly it will be just the 27".
 
The bundle was a good buy then.

The RAM you spent more than you needed. You could have got 2x4GB of DDR3 1333 for ~$45 shipped, but $10 isn't much to worry about I suppose.

Not a good buy on the PSU when for ~$5 more you could have got the better PSU Danny linked. (assuming tax was 7% or more)
 
The case was definitely a bad choice on account of cramped it is. If you paid more than $70 for that case, you definitely got ripped off.

As for the PSU, also a bit of a ripoff as well. The Corsair I recomended was of higher quality and had more power too. But that Coolermaster PSU will be enough. Just keep an eye on it and make sure it's regularly cleaned/cleared of dust.

Honestly, if you can, return both.
 
Hi Danny, I picked the case because its the external size that will work best for me (work area), and its one of the better looking case I saw. Although I didn't think about the interior part of it. Oops. :mad:

The reason I picked the PSU is because its modular, so I'm thinking that will work for me as I don't think I need all the wires. Plus, it has a $25 debate.

Anyway, let say cost is not an issue, are the hardwares okay you think? Which one do you think i screwed up and should return regardless of cost.

Thanks again. I'm excited to put all these together.
 
Skillz said:
The bundle was a good buy then.

The RAM you spent more than you needed. You could have got 2x4GB of DDR3 1333 for ~$45 shipped, but $10 isn't much to worry about I suppose.

Not a good buy on the PSU when for ~$5 more you could have got the better PSU Danny linked. (assuming tax was 7% or more)
Click to expand...

Thanks Skillz. The PSU has $25 rebate, so final cost will be around $55. Specs wise, you think the RAM I got is okay?
 
Visual360 said:
Thanks Skillz. The PSU has $25 rebate, so final cost will be around $55. Specs wise, you think the RAM I got is okay?
Click to expand...

We never factor in the cost of rebates, as they are not guaranteed 100% that you'll get it. With that being said, the PSU Danny recommended also has a rebate, is of higher quality and has 53A on the 12V rail which is more than the one you saved ~$5 on.

The CMX8GX3M2A1600C9 RAM listed at Newegg.com,shows that it's 1.65v. If this is the case, then you need to return it. You need to not go any higher than 1.5v for the RAM on Sandy Bridge.
 
Skillz said:
We never factor in the cost of rebates, as they are not guaranteed 100% that you'll get it. With that being said, the PSU Danny recommended also has a rebate, is of higher quality and has 53A on the 12V rail which is more than the one you saved ~$5 on.

The CMX8GX3M2A1600C9 RAM listed at Newegg.com,shows that it's 1.65v. If this is the case, then you need to return it. You need to not go any higher than 1.5v for the RAM on Sandy Bridge.
Click to expand...

Okay, thanks. I'll return both. I didn't know about the voltage. Anyway reason a higher voltage is not recommended?

Any suggestion on a video card with mini-display port?
 
Because the max recommended voltage for SB is 1.5v.

I couldn't find any video cards with a mini display port, they all seem to have a full size display port.
 
Visual360 said:
The reason I picked the PSU is because its modular, so I'm thinking that will work for me as I don't think I need all the wires. Plus, it has a $25 debate.
Click to expand...
As Skillz noted, I don't factor in rebates.
Anyway, let say cost is not an issue, are the hardwares okay you think? Which one do you think i screwed up and should return regardless of cost.[/QUOTE]
The PSU, RAM, and case should be returned regardless of cost. The case is cramped, the RAM has too high of a voltage, and the PSU isn't that great.

Visual360 said:
Okay, thanks. I'll return both. I didn't know about the voltage. Anyway reason a higher voltage is not recommended?
Click to expand...
Because the max RAM voltage for Core i series CPUs is 1.65V. We recommend 1.5V RAM to avoid any potential issues in the future. Especially considering that there's been a few incidences of Intel denying warranty because the user used 1.65V RAM.
Visual360 said:
Any suggestion on a video card with mini-display port?
Click to expand...

Haven't seen any on the Nvidia side. Just the full-sized display port
 
Well, finally found a Video card with mini Displayport.

It's the Sapphire Radeon HD6850 Toxic 1 GB DDR5, not sure why it's always out of stock or not available, but I was able to grab one from Amazon.com. Might be a bad sign, that no one sells this, but oh well, as long as it works with the ACD, I'll be happy.

Also got my SSD ordered from Amazon.

It's the Crucial 128 GB m4 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s CT128M4SSD2.

Anyway, any tricks, tips, I should know when installing the SSD?

Thanks all.
 
I wouldn't have recommended an AMD GPU for a Graphic building rig, much less a GPU with just 1GB of VRAM. You would have been better off with the 570 recommended by Danny as it's a much faster GPU than the 6850, and has the ability to use CUDA.
 
Skillz said:
I wouldn't have recommended an AMD GPU for a Graphic building rig, much less a GPU with just 1GB of VRAM. You would have been better off with the 570 recommended by Danny as it's a much faster GPU than the 6850, and has the ability to use CUDA.
Click to expand...

Me too, but right now I'm pretty much building around the ACD. The card that Danny recommend only have the full displayport, and I can't find an adapter that will accept the mini displayport from the ACD. I need a female end to be able to plug the ACD. I even chat with Monoprice, and no such cable exist.

Seems like only ATI/AMD carries a card with mini displayport, and very scarce as it is. Unless I go on $1K range card I suppose. :(
 
Well the sacrifice you are making, IMHO, isn't worth it just to use the ACD. Especially considering you have 2 23" and a 24" display to work with as well.
 
Skillz said:
Well the sacrifice you are making, IMHO, isn't worth it just to use the ACD. Especially considering you have 2 23" and a 24" display to work with as well.
Click to expand...

Noooooooooo! You gotta see the ACD in 2560x1440... :) Kiddin. Well, not really. The ACD blows away the other 3 monitors I have now. I thought my Dell XPS 15z 1080P display was, sweet, but connected to the ACD it's just mind blowing. Anyway, we'll see how this card performs. I should've gotten the Dell 27 instead. lol.

Thanks Skillz.
 
Well that 6850 is going to have a hard time keeping up with a display that has 2560x1440 resolution with games. So chances are, you're gonna end up gaming on the other displays because your video card just wont be able to keep up.

As far as a design stand point, they have adapters that will allow you to run the ACD on a full display port, as tonytnnt mentioned. There is no "conversion" going on, it's just a different physical port with all the same connections/signals just one is smaller than the other. Just like the Mini USB and Micro USB, just using a cable to make one bigger is all that's needed.
 
Skillz said:
As far as a design stand point, they have adapters that will allow you to run the ACD on a full display port, as tonytnnt mentioned. There is no "conversion" going on, it's just a different physical port with all the same connections/signals just one is smaller than the other. Just like the Mini USB and Micro USB, just using a cable to make one bigger is all that's needed.
Click to expand...

The link that Tony provided wont work in my case. I'm not sure if you're aware, but the cable on ACD is hardwired, and it's not something I can just replaced with another cable. If that was the case, believe me I would've change it already as the cable is too short anyway. The cable/adapter I need is something with a female mini displayport on one end, and full displayport on the other (for the video card).

Thanks for the help.
 
Sorry I was thinking of the Thunderbolt Display, which has a mini port on it. The ACD is hardwired.

You would be better off returning/selling the 6850 and getting a 6950 or preferably a 6970 assuming you want to game on it at those resolutions.
 
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Hey guys, now that I know I can use a full displayport, can someone suggest me a nice card to push the ACD. The one Danny suggested is actually from CircuitCity, thru Amazon.com. I rather not buy it from CircuitCity.

Thanks.
 
Well find a GTX 570 in your price range, try to get one with 2GB VRAM. Post here what you find.

I'd recommend GIGABYTE, ASUS, MSI, PNY or XFX brands as they all seem to have the best warranty.
 
Skillz said:
Well find a GTX 570 in your price range, try to get one with 2GB VRAM. Post here what you find.

I'd recommend GIGABYTE, ASUS, MSI, PNY or XFX brands as they all seem to have the best warranty.
Click to expand...

Thanks Skillz, will do.

I'll be back! lol.:p
 
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