 Originally Posted by MikePizzoff
Anyway... COME ON GUYS! I know some of you are big computer nerds and know exactly what I should get! I've been looking at this bad boy; I can't believe you can now get such a powerful computer for that price (well powerful compared to computers at that price even a mere 2 years ago): http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1218057725408
That's pretty decent for the price, and 3GB is a more than decent-sized helping of RAM. However, considering your purposes, there are two major considerations/drawbacks to that system:
1) The processor is not particularly powerful by today's standards, but is more than adequate for day-to-day tasks and even mid-level gaming. HOWEVER, video editing is one task that continues to challenge modern processors, and with new versions of video editing software the hardware requirements are still being pushed upwards, so you might want to consider looking for something with a little more power. It might be enough to be soldiering on with for now though, as long as you accept that you're gonna have to face the technical challenge of upgrading the processor somewhere down the line (it's really not that difficult).
2) On-board video chipsets (i.e. video cards built into the motherboard), particularly Intel ones, are notoriously lightweight and crap. If you are planning on dealing with lots of video at speeds that won't make you tear your hair out, you'll want to upgrade that to a decent standalone video card with plenty of video RAM. Some el cheapo rigs like that use super-crappy motherboards which lack the necessary slots for upgrading, thankfully the system you're looking at DOES have a free PCI-Express slot, so upgrading won't be a problem provided the PSU - the power supply box inside the case - is up to the task (depends on the model of video card and its power consumption).
If you were in the UK, I'd be able to quote you a rough price as to what all these extras would cost, but I have no idea of American pricing in terms of what's a good deal, so I'll let someone who knows what they're talking about cover that ground.
Originally Posted by MikePizzoff
A note on 64-bit OSes: There are some compatibility issues with them and some programs, BUT here's a major reason you might want to consider getting one: 32-bit versions of Windows can only address a maximum of 4 GB of memory, including video memory and whatnot.
Here's what this means in practice: e.g. if you install 4 GB of RAM and a 512MB graphics card, the computer will only recognise and use the graphics memory and 3.5 GB of the regular RAM (= a TOTAL of 4GB). Even if you stuck 16GB of RAM into that mofo, it would still only recognise 3.5 GB of regular RAM.
On the other hand 64-bit Operating Systems have no such limitation, the only real limit is how much RAM your motherboard can handle (usually 16GB on low-to-mid level systems).
Now, video editing uses shitloads of RAM, so the more the better if you're looking for good performance. A couple of years down the line, when editing software has moved on and is eating more resources than ever, being stuck with 3.5 GB of RAM is going to become a real issue.
If I was you, I'd go with the 64-bit OS as an investment.
Just don't come blaming me if you have problems. 
EDIT: Just noticed that one the first computer (and probably the second too), there's only a 220 watt power supply. That's bad. Real bad. And it's not a standard ATX power supply, it's a custom Acer one. Which means replacing it with a better one is gonna be a nightmare. 
|
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Thanks dude, but I am pretty sure your virtues may no longer be needed. Since the last time you helped me out, I've been getting good grades on my papers. You did teach me something and I thank you, sir!
Bookmarks