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Thread ID: 101261	2009-07-07 04:14:00	New PC advice	Chikara (5139)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
789757	2009-07-07 04:14:00	Hi all, I was planning on replacing my PC later this year when Win 7 comes out. Current PC is old (Athlon 1400). I've just found out that I'll be getting a transfer to Singapore for the next ~2 years with my employer, then coming back home to NZ. So, I'd like your advice please on what to do for a new PC. I'm assuming PC prices (both new systems, and components) are cheaper in Singapore, than here? So would I be better off to get something there, or would it be cheaper to get it here and take it with me? If getting one there, has anyone had experience with good dealers? Also, would you recommend a desktop or laptop? My requirements are: - Will be doing audio and some video editing - Will need lots of storage space, as I have a number of audio concert recordings I want to store on HD in .wav format (but, it doesn't matter if these are stored on seperate external drive or not) - Need something that will have a good quality sound card capable of recording line-in signals with excellent good quality. (Also, quite like in the future to experiment with plugging my guitar into the PC and recording some stuff that way. I'm just an amateur though) - Also quite like to play games on it. Don't necessarily need the top of the range, absolute best performance, but something that will be able to comfortable handle modern games I suppose the advantage with a laptop is, I can take it with me when travelling, and easily bring it back with me to NZ at the end of my time in Singapore. But I'm guessing to do all of the above, I'd be looking at mega $$? The advantage of the desktop is, I should be able to get all of the above features for a lot less, but of course it's not so easy to bring back with me when I return home at the end of my time there. I don't have a set budget, happy to be guided by suggestions first and then look at the cost afterwards. Note, there's pretty much nothing on my current system I'd re-use. Maybe just the printer and speakers. Everything else would need replacing. Even the monitor is an old CRT 17" full of scratches, so I'd basically be getting every component again. Thanks in advance for any advice...	Chikara (5139)
789758	2009-07-07 04:25:00	You'd probably want a desktop. Shouldn't be too hard to bring back, just keep all the boxes then disassemble everything. Parts should be much cheaper in Singapore. Here's what I've come up with: CPU: Q9400 RAM: 4gb Corsair DDR2 1066 HDD: 2x1TB Western Digitals in RAID1 HDD2: 1x500gb WD DVD: Asus/Liteon GFX: 4870 MOBO: P5Q Pro PSU: Corsair HX620 620W Modular Power Supply Altogether I'd guess it comes to less that $2000 IF you want it to last I while I would probably get an i7 instead or wait for the i5/i3...for sound/video editing it should make quite a difference.. And maybe throw in an LG or Viewsonic 22" FUll HD screen... BLam	Blam (54)
789759	2009-07-07 04:31:00	You'd probably want a desktop. Shouldn't be too hard to bring back, just keep all the boxes then disassemble everything. Parts should be much cheaper in Singapore. Here's what I've come up with: CPU: Q9400 RAM: 4gb Corsair DDR2 1066 HDD: 2x1TB Western Digitals in RAID1 HDD2: 1x500gb WD DVD: Asus/Liteon GFX: 4870 MOBO: P5Q Pro PSU: Corsair HX620 620W Modular Power Supply Altogether I'd guess it comes to less that $2000 And maybe throw in an LG or Viewsonic 22" FUll HD screen... BLam +1, However the new i3, i5's and 1.7's are coming out soon so wait, you may instead chose to get a 920 or a better quad than that for cheaper. EDIT: Whats your budget?!?!	PCT Joe (15018)
789760	2009-07-07 04:31:00	+1, Howevefr the new i3, i5's and 1.7's are coming out soon so wait, you may instead chose to get a 920 or a better quad than that for cheaper. I'd edited 1 minute before you'd posted;)	Blam (54)
789761	2009-07-07 04:36:00	I probably won't be going over there until September, when are the new CPU's meant to be coming out? No set budget at the moment, I'd like to see what everyone recommends first based on the best to do the job, then I'll look at the cost at the end. But, my old system has lasted me many years so I think I deserve to have a bit of a splurge on this one!	Chikara (5139)
789762	2009-07-07 04:41:00	Also, would the on-board sound be sufficient? Or would you recommend I look at a seperate soundcard? I need to be able to record incoming signals in excellent quality EDIT - also, forgot to mention I'm quite keen to look at 64bit for this new system too	Chikara (5139)
789763	2009-07-07 04:44:00	Early september AFAIK... Most boards offer excellent integrated sound already... 64bit would be a good choice with all that video and sound editing. How about dual booting? 32bit for gaming and 64bit for video/sound work..	Blam (54)
789764	2009-07-07 04:49:00	64 bit would only be good IF the program you use is also 64 bit. Using a 32 bit program would be like a bottleneck. Even tho the OS is 64 bit, the 32 bit program limitation will kick in (one being files cant exceed 3 GB so I've read). Which I think I've come across. Ive used videostudio in 64 bit, tried to edit a video file which was around 3 gb, or just over. Videostudio kept closing on me.	Speedy Gonzales (78)
789765	2009-07-07 05:11:00	64 bit would only be good IF the program you use is also 64 bit. Using a 32 bit program would be like a bottleneck. Even tho the OS is 64 bit, the 32 bit program limitation will kick in (one being files cant exceed 3 GB so I've read). Which I think I've come across. Ive used videostudio in 64 bit, tried to edit a video file which was around 3 gb, or just over. Videostudio kept closing on me. But running a 32bit application in a 64bit environment, is pretty much the same as running it directly in a 32bit environment, isn't it? So really, assuming all the drivers I need would be available in 64bit, there seems to be lots of pros and not many cons to 64bit?	Chikara (5139)
789766	2009-07-07 05:36:00	Well true running 32 bit programs in 64 bit is the same as running in 32 bit windows. It still installs (unless the 32 bit program installs some kind of driver which isnt 64 bit, then it wont work). Only diff is, 64 bit can use more ram than 32 bit windows can. But running 32 bit programs (if youre into video editing, if you edit files above 3 GB, you may run into probs, you may not finish (editing whatever). Thats right as long as you've got 64 bit drivers (for whatever devices you've got), its sweet. I'm running 64 bit here. So far so good, the only thing that doesnt work is CA Magic (a program that came with the bluetooth adapter I brought). The drivers are fine, but the program doesnt work in 64 bit. So, I chucked it on the other PC here (which has XP on it). As long as the devices / mobo etc are pretty recent, they'll probably support 64 bit (and there will be drivers for it)	Speedy Gonzales (78)
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