How much to build a basic PC for Adobe programs.

[Jerseysbest]

This is a cool site, I've been reading it a lot of the past month and have learned quite a bit.

I was thinking about building a computer to use right now so it'll be able to run both Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop CS2, along with other programs, like Firefox and Word, all at the same time. Doesn't seem like a huge deal, but I'd like to keep the costs down.

I'm not looking to build a gaming computer, so I guess i won't need a great video card, just a decent processor and a lot of RAM. But I'd also like this thing to be upgradable in the next few years as my needs change.

Vague enough for ya? Is it possible for around $500? I have the basics like cd writer drives, mouse, keyboard, moniter, etc.

Are there any recomended builds out there that'll work for me? Cause I don't have a clue on what motherboard, processcor and what not to get, since I dunno if it will work together.

Thanks for any help.

[FireByyrd]

500 dollars is enough,

I've heard of people building basic PCs for around 300 dollars and squeezing great performance.

[Panama Red]

I'd use an Asus mobo with a Celeron D cpu around 2.8GHz. The mobo should have a PCI-E slot for future upgrade and be able to handle plenty of ram. This would allow a future upgrade to a P4 cpu if needed/wanted. The socket T (LGA 775) is the current P4 platform. Here's a case w/power supply, mobo, cpu, hard drive and ram. Mobo has onboard video to use for now.

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131543

Case/psu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129150

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819112205

Ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145440

Hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148039

That's less than $450 with the freight. Double the 1Gb of ram for another $86 and you're right on $500

You'll also need to buy your operating system. Another $90 for XP Home.

[Cricket]

Since you'll be doing some graphics intensive work you'll probably want to stay with a mainline processor instead of a budget one...so $500 is going to be real tight. When I do a "basic build" they usually come out around $600 or so depending on the needs of the client. But these normally use on-board video, not a video card. I tend to build with good parts, not budget stuff so you might be able to keep the costs down a bit by using parts from second tier manufacturer's.

AMD or Intel?

If you really do multi-tasking you'll probably want to go with a Dual Core processor and that'll blow your budget easily.

If you mean you have lots of program windows opened but not running all at the same time then you're not really multi-tasking.

Cricket

[Jerseysbest]

Originally Posted by Cricket If you mean you have lots of program windows opened but not running all at the same time then you're not really multi-tasking.

Haha, yeah, I guess I'm not really multi-tasking, I'm just back and forth between those programs all the time. On my laptop, I can only run photoshop by itself without being tedious.

[blue60007]

Originally Posted by Jerseysbest Haha, yeah, I guess I'm not really multi-tasking, I'm just back and forth between those programs all the time. On my laptop, I can only run photoshop by itself without being tedious.

Just make sure you've got plenty of RAM (like the 1 gig kit Panama picked out), that's probably the problem on your laptop. I imagine Photoshop and similar programs can take up quite a bit of RAM once you get going.

[Jerseysbest]

Originally Posted by Panama Red I'd use an Asus mobo with a Celeron D cpu around 2.8GHz. The mobo should have a PCI-E slot for future upgrade and be able to handle plenty of ram. This would allow a future upgrade to a P4 cpu if needed/wanted. The socket T (LGA 775) is the current P4 platform. Here's a case w/power supply, mobo, cpu, hard drive and ram. Mobo has onboard video to use for now. Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131543 Case/psu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129150 CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819112205 Ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145440 Hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148039 That's less than $450 with the freight. Double the 1Gb of ram for another $86 and you're right on $500 You'll also need to buy your operating system. Another $90 for XP Home.

Thanks, thats what I've been looking for.

Wold this 2gb of ram work? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145579

Do I need to buy any wiring, or ribbons for my cd drives? Or can I salvage the wiring my old towers (a dell and a compaq)?

Thanks again, I've been putting this off for way too long!
Mike

[Jerseysbest]

Originally Posted by blue60007 Just make sure you've got plenty of RAM (like the 1 gig kit Panama picked out), that's probably the problem on your laptop. I imagine Photoshop and similar programs can take up quite a bit of RAM once you get going.

Yeah, thats what I figured, but I've been putting off getting more ram because I have been planning to build or buy a new comp soon. After I do, it'll probably just be a portable word processor and email machine since I rarely do any work outside home.

[blue60007]

That RAM would work. However, I think Cricket's got an idea about not using budget processors. If this were my build, I'd probably go to something like an Intel 630 and a gig of RAM. You could then upgrade the RAM at a later date. Just an idea...let's see what others think.

The motherboard should come with appropriate cables. You could probably salvage old ones, but those could be really short.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by Jerseysbest Wold this 2gb of ram work? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145579

According to the Corsair web site, that 2GB kit isn't listed for the ASUS P5GL-MX motherboard so it might not be compatible. You may have to go with two 1GB (2 X 512MB) kits.

Originally Posted by Jerseysbest Do I need to buy any wiring, or ribbons for my cd drives? Or can I salvage the wiring my old towers (a dell and a compaq)?

The cables will come with the motherboard. If you need another IDE cable you can re-use one from your old computer.

Cricket

[Jerseysbest]

This Intel 630: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116198 ?

[FireByyrd]

this might be off topic, but the valueselect corsair memory... 81 dollars for 1GB kit?

I swear when my friend got that, it was 74-76 dollars.. when did they raise that price?!

[blue60007]

Originally Posted by FireByyrd this might be off topic, but the valueselect corsair memory... 81 dollars for 1GB kit? I swear when my friend got that, it was 74-76 dollars.. when did they raise that price?!

The price of RAM flucates daily. It's a lot like gas and other similar resources to a point.

[Panama Red]

Cricket may be right on the higher level cpu requirement. Not that it won't run on the Cely D, it's just that it may run smooter/faster on a P4. Kinda blows the $500 budget tho.

[Strider]

About 2 years ago I built a computer for my father and put in a Celeron CPU in it and he has no problem running Cadkey with it. With my father being 78 and a very impatient person I think if it was slow he would be calling me every 30 minutes to complain. I think a CAD program can just be as intensive on a cpu as an Adobe product is. just my .02 cents

[jayb1234]

ASUS will have a list of tested RAM on their site.

Find the motherboards page and hit the QVL download button on the left side of the page.

A lot of 1 gig modules won't work with certain boards because of incompatable architecture.