build/buy triple monitor graphics workstation

[ribbit]

I'm interested to build a custom system or buy pre-built if it matches my specs. I've not built a computer before I am a freelance designer/developer and typically spend around 10+ hours a day at my machines - I'm currently using 3 laptops but want to consolidate on a top spec desktop. My interests are photography and digital art.

- I need to run lots of apps simultaneously: Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Open Office, couple of browsers, email, IM etc
- I need fast response
- I need the system to be quiet - very important
- I do audio/music work and will scale this up in the future so I need a decent soundcard and speakers
- I DON'T do any video or 3D modelling/rendering (maybe once in a blue moon)
- I do NOT need this system for playing games
- I want to run 3 flat monitors at pretty hi Res (is 1600x1200 too ambitious?). I need professional calibrated colour on at least one monitor.
- I run a network of 4 Windows machines and 1 OSX Mac

I'd like lots of RAM (4 gig?), nice fast big hard drives(s), usb + firewire, ethernet (guess I don't need wireless in a desktop?), good quality DVD/CD read/writer, wireless ergonomic mouse and keyboard, Vista Ultimate.

Any buying advice based on these specific needs appreciated, especially the monitors. Cheers

 

[Anon_F]

How much do you want to spend £££££££

 

[ribbit]

Around £1500? I realise 3 monitors might bump it up

 

[Anon_F]

You could use 2 graphics PCI-Express graphics cards.
Most come with DVI & Monitor connectors, hence you could get 3 monitors off 2 cards.
But i think this needs the brains of others that are more gifted in the latest gear, i'm not
I'm sure others will be able to advise you better than i can, you may have to wait a few hours longer.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Based on your requirements, I put together the following parts for the central tower system only.

Good solid motherboard; quad core processor for multi-tasking and CPU-intensive software applications; Excellent and quiet CPU cooling; the Case is a subjective thing, it's one's own taste of course, but the suggested case is quality; quiet 500W PSU; Best DVDRW for the money plus a DVD drive for playback only & copying from; Two hard disks (Samsung are very quiet), the smaller one for all your software and Operating System, the larger one for storage; The Matrox graphics card is perfect for your work applications and supports a three monitor display, but is a bit rubbish for gaming; Superb sound card for audio work; and 4Gb of fast memory.

The total price inc VAT & postage is £1059.64

Which leaves you £440.00 for three monitors, keyboard, mouse and speakers, which, frankly, you ain't gonna do.

I think for your needs a £2K budget is more realistic.

However, corners can be cut, but I would strongly suggest, in view of your needs, you do at least stick to a quad core CPU; The Matrox Graphics card and the Creative Sound card.

 

[muckshifter]

I need to run lots of apps simultaneously ...

Nice spec' on Floppy's suggestions.


However, there ain't actually any 'true' quad core CPUs, just yet.

Another point is the software ... The software must have simultaneous multi-threading technology (SMT) written into its code. SMT enables parallel multi-threading wherein the cores are served multi-threaded instructions in parallel. Without SMT the software will only recognize one core. Adobe Photoshop is an example of SMT-aware software. I'll let you "check" the other software on your list.

The operating system will play a roll in all this also ... did I say 64bit ?

A dual core processor is different from a multi-processor system. You will, however, be pleased to know that we can actually have a multi-processor system that can accommodate multi-core processors.

Our very own Ady Webb has such a system ... I wonder if he can be persuaded to list the spec' here ... 'cos I can't find the thread he started on that system.

Just some food for thought.

 

[V_R]

The Matrox graphics card is perfect for your work applications and supports a three monitor display, but is a bit rubbish for gaming

Thts a good spec system, But you will still need a graphics card for that Matrox triplehead.

 

[ribbit]

Wow this is great stuff guys!

re > Which leaves you £440.00 for three monitors, keyboard, mouse and speakers, which, frankly, you ain't gonna do.

yup - suspected as much - getting a good feel for it now.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Thts a good spec system, But you will still need a graphics card for that Matrox triplehead.

Really?

My goodness, I didn't realise that - you mean to say the Matrox card only deals with secondary grafix and feeds them to a triple output?

I never knew.

In which case I'd guess something like an Nvidia 7300GS would do - correct?