Help me build a new studio pc!

[Jay Pace]

Hola todos

I can't work using a laptop, driving me nuts. I needs to buy a new studio PC, and hoped someone could help me.

Prices out in Argentina are pretty weird and probably don't relate well to the UK, but would a spec like this work?
http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-38156412-lleva-full-pc-intel-core-2-duo-250gb-2gbddr2-lcd-17-wide-_JM

Cost around 400 notes, Core 2 Duo, 2gig ram, 17LCD screen included.

Anyone give any pointers what I need to look for in interms of processor and ram? Will be running cubase sx3, reason 4 and a stinkload of plugins, and I need firewire to connect my soundcard.

But am also poor and earn pesos, so don't need to be billy big bollocks buying the flashest machine out there. Anything beefy enough to be usable will work fine and dandy.

Cheers chaps

jp

[Degenerate I]

You can get a reasonably high spec core duo pc for very little if you DIY it, or get it built. (Assembly costs for a whole pc in Switzerland is about $100)

To look out for primarily is a power supply above 460w (music pc's get all sorts of stuff plugged into them), a solid harddrive that runs at 7200 rpm (ideally 2, or otherwise a big one you can partition - c: for system, d: for audio), 2gb of ram (top of the old line ddr2-1066 like the kingston hyperX pc2-8500 is relatively cheap now), and optimized for XP pro as Vista is apparently still too crap. Also make sure the Firewire plugs on the mobo, or the Pci card you install has a Texas Instrument chip. Loads of issues with others even though VIA seems ok as well.

Good HD's:

WD Caviar (blue), Seagate Barracuda

Good Ram:

Crucial, Corsair, Kingston, OCZ

Good motherboards:

Asus, GigaByte, Intel


Can give you specs for an awesome pc that will use some older parts (2006 release) to cut costs. Let me know!

[BloodStar]

i would definitelly go for 4 Gigs of RAM, than 2 internal HDD (1for internet 1for audio) + 1 external HDD for storage.

PSU - 500W should be ok

dont forget to spend some money on low noise fans + good CPU cooler, or you will have noisy monster.

[tonyc2002]

i would definitelly go for 4 Gigs of RAM, than 2 internal HDD (1for internet 1for audio) + 1 external HDD for storage.

PSU - 500W should be ok

dont forget to spend some money on low noise fans + good CPU cooler, or you will have noisy monster.

If you have 4gigs of ram XP will only pick up 3.25gb's in total. Your better off going for a quadcore machine as well imo because the prices have dropped and you'll be more future-proofed. Not too say the Core2Duo is crap, its not (I have one), but if your going for it, you may as well put a bit more money in and get a stonkinly fast machine for not that much more cash!

[BloodStar]

yes, if you have 4Gb, XP will only pick up 3.25,, but that's still more than 2 :D

[Degenerate I]

Have to agree. Get the best possible chip you can afford!

[Elvio Neto]

hola

this prices are from Portugal so i dont know if in argentina the prices are the same

INTEL CORE 2 QUAD Q6600 G0 (2.40GHZ) SKT 775 BOX --> 154,90 euros
SAPPHIRE HD4850 512MB DDR3 PCI-E --< 166,40 euros
ASUS P5Q PRO --< 112,20 euros
TEAM ELITE KIT 4GB DDR2 800 --< 69,40 euros
CORSAIR TX-650W --< 75,30 euros
SEAGATE 500GB SATA II 32MB --> 67,90 euros
NOX COOLBAY BLACK (JANELA) --> 54,80 euros

Total : 700,90 euros

with that pc you can do everithing ! create music or play the last games (you can remove that grafic card if you dont play games and add a cheap one)

with 700 euros you have a top pc... you just need to buy a monitor

[Jay Pace]

Y'all are brilliant.

I can't afford much more than 800USD, but I know what to look for.

Thank ye all kindly.

[dan the acid man]

stick with core 2 duo (make sure it's a core 2 duo, the names differ slightly, can't remember the others off the top of my head) it's the best bang for the buck cpu out there still.

go with 2 Gb of RAM and use xp not vista, then you can always add another 1Gb stick later on when you've got some spare cash.

as others have said, make sure the psu is decent, anywhere around 500w will be fine, as long as it's a true power rating (the cheaper brands quote figures the psu will never reach)

decent brands of psu are seasonic (its what i use, quiet and reliable), ocz, antec, corsair, enermax, tagan, akasa coolermaster, thermaltake and zalman, if it's any other manufacturer i'd be wary.

usually where companies save money on selling pre-built pc's is in the model of psu, the graphics which doesn't matter in this instance really and the motherboard they use.

decent brands of motherboard are asus, abit, gigabyte, msi, intel and asrock for the cheaper end

oh as for harddrives i'd stick with samsung (my favourite these days, really quiet and run cool) or seagate.

But then again other people swear by maxtors and western digital