PC spec purchase

[kippard]

Looking for a Quad Core at least 2.8 GHz, 2GB of RAM and 2x 750GB hard drives - how cheap can I get it? Where? Options and opinions appreciated!

[budz]

It's not gonna be cheap unless you build your own computer. Here's one I found that you can configure at Dell. It does give you the xp pro reinstallation cd.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=DXCWCF5&s=dhs

[kippard]

Thanks. Where would you go about buying to build? I bought a bare-bone and drives for my current PC - is there a deeper level of build-your-own?

[jagabo]

That dell is a 2.4 GHz Q6600. If you really want 2.8+ GHz you're looking at Xeon processors. 2.83 GHz Xeons start around $700 just for the CPU. They'll usually come on a server class motherboard that will cost big bucks too.

[budz]

Just buy the components from online retailers like Newegg.com and build it yourself.
You can always overclock that Intel Quad core cpu to 3.00ghz if you build the computer yourself.

[kippard]

Thank you! What do you suggest, if I want to max out the board I have? I saw System Information for Windows to determine my RAM options - any good? How about determining what processor I can upgrade to? Looking for the cheapest way to doable HDV, and maybe my board can do it.

[redwudz]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128083
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145034
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136131 X 2

That comes to about $780US. Throw in a good graphics card, a couple of optical drives, a case, power supply, keyboard and mouse, close to $1000US in parts, not including a monitor and tax and shipping.

If your present computer is as shown in your specs, up the RAM to 1GB, add a second hard drive. That would be the easiest improvement. I don't know which Athlon that is. Unless it's a AM2, you are a bit limited for upgrades. You can go to your motherboard manufacturer and see what other CPUs are available for your motherboard.

[Soopafresh]

redwudz - that motherboard is nice. Did you see the number of USB and Firewire connectors? Handy.

[redwudz]

I liked the 8 SATA ports and the S/PDIF coaxial and optical out .

[kippard]

Is a 7200RPM video only drive enough for HDV editing? Thanks!

[Soopafresh]

Yes, for what you're doing. The important thing is to read from one drive and write to the other. That's why 2 drives work pretty well with video editing.