Machine to handle large graphics files

[juanca]

I am in the market for a Windows based computer to handle large graphics (photos and the like, not auto-cad and the like). I know people say Mac is better for graphics applications, but I need the computer for other uses where Mac based applications are very expensive, so I prefer Windows. The question is if I should chose an AMD platform or an Intel platform. I am not into gaming.

[NDC]

Yeah, for the same reason I use a PC based graphic workstation at home, not a MAC. For me, it isn't the price of the software for MACS, it's the poor selection of them. I like to do other things on my PC than just graphics.

Well, if you're going to be working with files for web publishing, a single processor system would do just fine since web graphic files are small in size. We graphic files are small since they are at 72dpi which is the standard for web graphics. And also because they need to load quickly on the page.

On the other hand, if you're going to be working with image files in ACTUAL SIZE, I would suggest a dual processor system. The reason for this is that color image files that are 8 X 6 inches (5920 X 4440 pixels @ 740dpi) is at least 75MB in TIF format. If you were to work with this image file with multiple layers & effects, which you will, the size will of the file will double in no time after saving it to a file format that supports multiple layers such as PSD. If you were to work with a file that is at A4 size 21.0 X 29.7cm, I think you could imagine how big that file size would be. Dual processor systems work much faster than single processor systems for graphic applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Page Maker, etc since most graphic applications support multi-processors. Once you get the taste of mulit-processor systems, you'll never go back to a single processor system again! Resizing an image which takes my dual P3 @ 935Mhz takes 5 seconds takes my T-Bird 1.4Ghz about 45 seconds. You'll notice that everything is MUCH faster on a dual processor system Vs. a uni-processor system when multi-tasking. To be honest with you, everyone mult-tasks, you ust be doing it more heavily in graphic environments! http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

The key to having a fast graphic workstation is having the fastest processor you can afford, having a fast hard disk (SCSI if you can afford it), and having a lot of RAM. As for video card, an inexpensive one such as Geforce 2 MX or TNT2 M64 with 32mb memory will do just fine since you'll be working with 2-D graphics, not 3-D.


As for the decision of choosing a Dual Intel or AMD processor, that's rather difficult for me to answer since I haven't personally used a AMD based dual processor system yet. The price of the dual mainboards for AMD platform is just way too expensive right now. And another thing is I don't know how stable that new AMD chipset is in dual processing environments, only time will tell. As for single processor setups 1Ghz and under, the Intel P3 is faster for graphic applications. However, for single processor setup 1.2Ghz and over (P4 Vs. AMD), AMD processors seem to out pace the Intel P4 processors in most areas including graphics...

Here's a link to the specs for my graphic workstation.

Symmetric Multi Processing (SMP) (http://forums.digitalmntsnow.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=57&FORUM_ID=9&CAT_ID=5&Topic_Title=Here%27s+Mine%21&Forum_Title=Symmetric+Multi+Processing+%28SMP%29)




[This message has been edited by NDC (edited 08-29-2001).]

[obenton]

Beautiful system! Made my wife the baby brother to yours - BP6 with celerons at 550. Great with the graphics, but some of her programs wouldn't work properly with dual processors (Zone Alarm for one), so I made her a P3-750 and inherited the BP6.

[qball]

Go AMD. Cheaper and great benchmarks.

Either way, with large graphics, RAM and fast HD will be more bang for buck.

Not fair compairing SMP rigs with the lonely uni-proc.

[NDC]

Obenton

Really? I don't see why Zone Alarm wouldn't work under dual processors. Only application I've come across with such problem is "Fuji Flashpath" where it clearly said that it won't install on SMP systems. However, they do have a Flashpath driver available for SMP systems now.

I think Mntsnow has Zone Alarm running on his BP6. I'll ask him and let you know...




[This message has been edited by NDC (edited 08-29-2001).]

[edwelly]

NDC: What would something like your PC cost?
Man, that is a nice PC...
---edwelly

[NDC]

Thanks, edwelly.

I bought everything about a year ago or so and I bought each piece of hardware and built it from scratch. At the time, I was using a TYAN S1832-DL with Dual Slot-1 P3 800Mhz and I upgraded the mainboard to an ABIT VP6 with P3 850E just a few months ago. The whole thing costed me a bit over $5000 at the time. What really boosted the price of this system was the 1GB of RAM, CPU's, SCSI controller, SCSI hard disk, and the Tablet...

You can get it much cheaper nowadays since the price or RAM, CPU, and SCSI Ultra 160 10,000rpm hard disks have dropped big time!

[This message has been edited by NDC (edited 08-30-2001).]

[Mntsnow]

Well I can tell ya Zone Alarm works just fine on both of my Dually machines. Their was an issue with SP1 of Win2K to which Zone Alarm had a update to fix. What version are you running? I'm running 2.6.88 Pro version