Web Development PC Suggestions

lastbuilders

Hi All,

Looking at buying a new PC and was hoping for some suggestions.

I have a Dell GX270 which I have upgraded the ram and harddrives on a few times but as Dell don't really support much more then this it is getting to the end of its capacity and I need to upgrade.

I was looking at Dell again but after reading a few articles here I think I would get better value from a site such as hardwareversand but hardware is not my strong point so was hoping for some suggestions.

I do a lot of software development i.e. Visual Studio 2008 and Sql Server 2008 so it would need to handle these easily. The GX270 is a pain to develop on.

I don't need any peripherals as have a 22inch and 14inch monitor but the PC would need to support dual monitors (I assume they all do now).

I am looking at a budget of between 800-1000 euros so any suggestions would be great.


Lastbuilders

Solitaire

Unless you want/need specialist equipment, RAID arrays or SLC SSDs then €1000 is probably a bit much... not sure if VS2008 can use more than 4 threads so pushing for an i7 and its eight virtual threads may be a waste. Also not sure about the OCability of i5s so I'll stick with a theoretical P2 build... besides, we all know VS loves tons of cache

€575 shipped:



Bear in mind that if you don't want to take advantage of the unlocked multiplier I'd drop down to a X4-945e and downgrade or drop the CPU cooler as everything will be running much cooler No need for a giant PSU either - even with a hungry CPU the lack of a gaming-grade graphics card halves your power consumption. I'd go with a larger (unirail) PSU if you're going to have a very big RAID array. Also stuck with a pricier 790X mobo to keep the RAID5 option. Might come in handy... Which means you'd probably want a bucketful of cheap lower-capacity (250-500GB) single-platter HDDs for maximum reliability. If not then the mobo can be dropped to a cheapie 770 like the MSI 770-C45.

lastbuilders

Thanks Solitaire,

Though I am not a gamer I was hoping to add a pretty good graphics card to the build. Would you recomend a mid range one and would this mean a change in configuration.

I also planning on having this for the next 3-4 years so was thinking an i7 processor might also help to future proof the machine though maybe this would be overkill?

Lastbuilders

Effluo

lastbuilders wrote: »

Thanks Solitaire,

Though I am not a gamer I was hoping to add a pretty good graphics card to the build. Would you recomend a mid range one and would this mean a change in configuration.

Hmmmmm
Why do you want a decent graphics card when you won't be gaming?

To get the best card for you, you need to tell us what you plan to do with it! If you are gaming what resolution is that 22" monitor?

lastbuilders

Hi Effluo,

Resolution is 1680 x 1050 (WSXGA+).
http://www.dabs.com/products/best-value-22--wide-5ms-dvi-lcd-tft-5295.html?refs=13



I don't play games online at the moment but have recently gotten broadband (out in the country so only becoming available now) and would like to have the option to try it.



Lastbuilders

Effluo

Having that option incurs a price. For light gaming think about €100 more

lastbuilders

I would pay that for it but am not sure what other components would need to be updated to support it.

Lastbuilders

Solitaire

For WSXGA+ you're looking at a safe minimum of a HD4850 for moderate gaming. They only cost ~€85 nowadays (shocking value for money! ) but you would also have to look for a stronger PSU; preferably over 500W. Problem is that HWVS only seem to have a load of grot at the moment so you'd be stuck paying another €30 to go from the CX400 up to the dizzy heights of an Antec Basiq+ 550W :rolleyes:

Of course, if you could sacrifice quality just a little you could drop down to a cheap HD4830, but you'd still need a 450-500W+ PSU for safety. Arguably the best course would be to wait it out and see if stock levels for cheap (i.e. ~€80, not ~€120!) HD4770s start to recover if you can hold off a couple of weeks (or try to get one seperately even). Those have almost the same capabilities as a HD4850 but are much lighter on juice - just 50W when running flat-out. If you got one and didn't overclock the CPU like crazy then for intermittent gaming use you could even get away with sticking with the CX400

lastbuilders

Thanks for the help. I will hold off a few weeks and see what is available then. I might put my selection up here prior to buying to get some feedback.


Lastbuilders

lastbuilders

Hi All,

Hope to order my new PC before xmas and set in up over the holidays so just wanted to check if there are any good options at the moment.

Requirements are as before i.e.

Dual Monitor support
Mainly web development (Visual Studio, SQL Server 2008)
Good graphics card
750-1TTB storage
Budget around 700 euros

Not mad about dell but they have a deal on this model at the moment which looks tempting.
http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?b=&c=ie&cs=iedhs1&kc=DRS54503&l=en&oc=D004533&rbc=D004533&s=dhs

Any pointers\recommendations appreciated.

Lastbuilders

leninbenjamin

Spend you're money on a better monitor to replace the 14''. It really is far too small for Web dev.

marco_polo

Since you have been away the i5 has arrived on the scene and is now the best option for you I think:

http://www.komplett.ie/k/shoplist.aspx?mode=receive&si=755287&su=52CDD2A1-8C0F-44CC-8B29-3003BE9D24A0

Just an example build but this works out at about 640 euros not including delivery or OS, Beats the knickers off that dell anyway. By all means shop around at HWVS and elsewhere and see where you can get the best deal, I'm just too sleepy for agressive price hunting, same reason I picked the upgrade kit as it is two clicks less .

The 1Tb Samsung F3 seems to be out of stock everywere at the moment, but I think it is worth hanging for.

Solitaire

Yep, i5 is currently your best bet. If you need 8 threads get the i7-860; if not stick with the basic i5-750 and hear your wallet breath a sigh of relief

RAM prices have more than doubled since our last chat. And DDR3 is now pulling ahead of DDR2 in the value stakes so going for a DDR3 platform is no longer a budgetary millstone around your neck. The DDR3 now costs more than it did last time but the DDR2 prices have shot up even higher! :eek:

As for graphics card... the power envelope has been halved since thanks to 40nm dies; so long as extreme overclocking and big-ass RAID arrays are out of the question its feasible to run an LGA1156 system with a HD4770 on a €40 Corsair CX400. And if you can find it under €110 the HD5750 is a far stronger card that uses very little additional power over the HD4770's tiny overhead But if you do want a small mountain of drives I'd still recommend getting a PSU with a bit more than the CX400's 30A of 12V capacity; bear in mind many older sub-650W PSUs actually have less than 35A total on the 12V rail(s) so stick to Corsair VX550 and equivalents (41A on 12V rail)

As for etailer... quite a few won't ship before the big day at this point. eBuyer (maybe), Komplett (but they're pricey)... all a bit of a gamble. And some will now start to scalp you by ramping up shipping charges. Eh Pixmania? :mad:

lastbuilders

Thanks for the feedback. I was hoping to have it build prior to delivery as I would probably spend a loooong time doing this otherwise. Is there a similiar configuration on HWVS?
Lastbuilders

Solitaire

Building it yourself would be quicker than waiting on HWVS :P I doubt they'd get the system to you before Xmas at this point in time

I'll go and check but AFAIK the graphics card and memory could be pricey on HWVS at the moment...

Solitaire

Okay, here's a couple of sample builds.

First up is HWVS. Add €50 for build and shipping and you're still shy of €700:


Second is eBuyer. You're more likely to get this one on time, although you may want to swap to a different HDD to avoid possible delays. Given the weight of the build and the exchange rate at time of post this comes to under €633... just bear in mind you have to put this one together itself. Also, the case is just a tiny bit cheaper (still a good'un though!). Check out the price differential on the HD5750s! :eek:


Okay, assumptions. Both builds have no peripherals/monitor/OS, no aftermarket cooling and just one ordinary (if contemporary and decent) 1TB HDD and DVD burner. No SSDs or BluRay.

lastbuilders

Cheers, Solitaire. Will go with the HVMS option.

Lastbuilders

lmimmfn

lastbuilders wrote: »

Cheers, Solitaire. Will go with the HVMS option.

Lastbuilders

you should definately consider building it yourself, it may seem difficult but if youre not using an after market cooler then its no different than putting together a small flat pack piece of furniture, takes approx 1 hour when you know what youre doing, 3-4 otherwise, we've all been there at one stage or other.

Just a suggestion, completely fine if youve 0 interest

lastbuilders

Going to try and build this now raher than getting it prebuilt so will be back on here I am sure with questions.

Lastbuilders

lastbuilders

Hi All,

The new PC arrived today and I have put it together but when I try to start it doesn't do anything?

Just looking for any pointers of what I have missed as it is my first build it is probably something simple.

Lastbuilders

lastbuilders

Good news is that I have gotten the PC running through trial and error. It was due to the internal fans being connected to the MOBO.

I now have a different problem. When I start the PC it will not boot the OS unless i hit the reset switch? Has anyone seen this before?

Lastbuilders

Solitaire

Remove CMOS battery on the mobo for a minute, hit the CMOS_RESET switch (if any, could be a jumper instead) and replace battery and see if it boots cleanly the next time you power it on. After that check in the BIOS to see if your drives are being identified correctly and the OS drive is the first boot device.

lastbuilders

Cheers Solitaire,

It worked after changing the sata connection used by the HD so this is my first post from the new machine. First impression of Windows 7 are pretty good. Just waiting now for the gig of windows updates to install.

Thanks for the help in deciding on spec and happy new year.

Lastbuilders