Building a Sketchup Computer... on a $1000 budget. UPDATED

Jim

Ugh, I'm done building systems. However, I am ready to purchase a new computer and display. I tried going to my local guy, but after 2 consecutive hard drive failures, I don't think he's giving me good advice or selling me good hardware - either way, I'm not going back.

So, any recommendations for someone who's probably going to get a Dell, dude? I'm specifically interested if there is a SketchUp recommended video card?

gksl4

What do you think about this?

http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/itnews.php?tid=789466&starttime=0&endtime=0

QuadCore at such a low price, great for Rendering...

George

Krisidious

I'm using the Nordic Hardware setup...

http://www.nordichardware.com/Reviews/?page=3&skrivelse=500

as for the 1:1 we'll be setting the fsb lower than it's max... I believe the 800mhz is what we'll run across the board... as you mentioned...

as for the power supply they are using a 500W in this set up and I have a 550W and we're only shooting for their stable range setup...
they top out @ 117% increase... I'm not shooting to that extent by far...

look here for the sweet spot
Sweetspot 3330 MHz 85 % 1,450 V
http://www.nordichardware.com/Reviews/?skrivelse=500&page=5

their results...

Pros

Price / Performance
Overclocking potential
800MHz processor bus opens up new possibilities for overclocking

Cons

Heat
800MHz processor bus results in worse performance than other Core 2 Duo models
No Virtualization Technology

Krisidious

oh and on the note of waiting for the larger e4300 model... I already bought mine with that system from jose... ;(

but I'm fine with 2

juju

Well, don't say you didn't have any warning when the PSU blows. That's just the good part, the bad part is undervolting hardware can seriously damage the hardware, even destroy it. Undervolting happens when the PSU can't supply enough current to the hardware's demand. Also, overclocking a machine to run every now and again is one thing, having it run that way for extended periods of time puts strain on the components, especially the PSU (and CPU, but that is quite another story with electron migration and all) as it needs to feed the setup with juice.

Oh yes, I think your choice with the CPU is safe for now, I was somehow confusing it with the E6300 / E6400 series which are being updated, AFAIK the Allandale cores aren't getting a microarchitecture update.

BTW, from what I understand the Intel Q6600 CPU's (quadcore running 8 MB L2 cache, clocking in at 2.40 GHz with a 1066 MHz FSB) will drop in price to approximately $266 (US) in July. At approximately the same time the newer technology will be released with more L2 cache, a FSB of 1333 MHz, possibly requiring less power to operate and could quite possibly then be running cooler as well.

Snap! Some of the above is in the link that gksl4 provided a few posts up.

Krisidious

well did you read the test?

the allendale undervolts to 1.1 volt at 100% stable and could even go lower...

and the point here is not to spend more than 1000 and $266 for a intel chip that will need a $300 board is not going to help us...

i didn't understand this part?

"Snap! Some of the above is in the link that gksl4 provided a few posts up."

juju

The "snap" part in blue was with regard to my comments on the Intel pricing, etc.

Yes, I did read the test, I've also read quite a few others on overclocking and reviews and and and. Do as you must, overclocking is a means to an end, if done correctly that is.

I don't want to get into a discussion about overclocking and I also don't want to hijack / sabotage your thread. So please continue, I think that there are people that will benefit from the thread, one way or the other.

Krisidious

you're not hijacking or sabotaging... this is exactly what myself and other will elarn from, two "Points of View"

and I am not expert... I've read quite a few of these reviews also... and they do vary quite a bit...

anyway let's keep it going, I have recieved my $512 computer from Jose... time to strip it. photos to follow...

Cyberdactyl

My two cents is when you pick a video card, pick one that support dx10 such as the nvidia 8800 GTS.

Krisidious

good point DX10... mmmm

I'll post later tonight I have a lot of stuff to add to this.... I've installed serveral components

Will03

I used to be into the overclocking scene, overclocking everything I got my hands on, from computers, to video game systems, even to my calculator. I learned one lesson from all of it. Computers are delicate machines, that will not be able to sustain being overclocked for long. Instability, lock-ups, and power-downs will all happen to any overclocked computer. guaranteed. if anything, for a computer that I expect to be running stably and for extended periods of time, I would underclock it. not by much, but just enough to run the computer maybe a degree cooler, and slower, that way I know that I will be able to get a long life out of it, and i can expect it to run everything predictably.

Krisidious

don't live in the dark ages... yesterday's overclocking is today's standard... as were the overdrive procressors of 1990...

I think everyone overclosks to some extent and it has become the standard... so much that system board makers are building these overclockable systems... the cool running of this and it's extreme stable running is one of the main point of this system...

however I have been experimenting with a Intel Pentium D 805 2.66 and have some intersting observations to pass on... that will hit on Willo3's theme...

juju

@cyberdactyl said:

My two cents is when you pick a video card, pick one that support dx10 such as the nvidia 8800 GTS.

Hmm, I don't quite know how DX10 will benefit SketchUp (at this point in time) as it uses OpenGL API for best GFX accelleration. Maybe if you intend on building a machine for gaming under the guise of a work machine.

Maggy

Microsoft will not release a DirectX 10 version for Windows XP.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/display/20060525104034.html
And as far as I know XP is still the best OS for SU.

Dual or quad core and 64bits all sound great, but AFAIK SU6 runs at its max on a single core 32 bits processor. Of course other software does benefit.

[Maggy]

Krisidious

Maggy,

yes all true... I have been experimenting last night with a Bargin Intel Pentium D 805 2.66g...

bought the board PCCHIPS P23G and the CPU for a C Note... ($100.00 US)

working pretty good in sketchup... although it is having major temp problems running at 65c to 70c on a case fan and the stcok intel cooling unit... so not good... not good at all... reviews are similar...

the E4300 is running in the base system at 37c so needs more testing

Maggy

Never trust stock Intel coolers!

Regards

Maggy

[Maggy]

Krisidious

really? you think it's all the cooler? it does seem very slow... it's a 3400rpm fan that seems to only run about 2400 even at 70c and the auto fan settings are enabled in the bios... I'll get another fan and see how it acts...