Re: A Workstation Question

["Tim Leydecker" <BauerOink(at)gmx.de>]

Given that a workstation used for professional work will
usually have to run 24/7 and that moondust will use all
CPUs available to speed up calculations I´d go for a:

Dual Quad Xeon (~2,33GHz - 3GHz) with 8GB RAM.

Taking the boxx machines as a reference but finding a
local computer shop, likely a specialized one, to "clone"
them. You should be able to get up to  33% reduction
in price through that without losing significant reliability
or noise plus the benefit of having a local pick-up/support.

I´m not 100% up to date with prices but the above should
range between 3300 Euro-5800 Euros, depending on the
graphics adapter and amount/type of FB-DIMMs used.
That´s including taxes and VAT.

But if you´re looking for a cheap alternative, you should
be able to have a mainstream Quadcore custom built for
around 1000 Euros, including a high-end game graphics.

Something like a Single QuadCore 2,4GHz|4GB|nvidia 8800

Add ~120 Euros for a 19" rack case and you can get several
of those for the price of one DualQuadCore as in option 1.

Use them as workstations for one year, then upgrade with
another set of midrange machines next year (keeping the
graphics cards) - the intel 8Core CPUs will be available
soon, you should be able to then again double your GHz
at a compareably low cost, keeping the Quads as slaves.

The above is greatly helped by having a mature admin or
local computer shop guy around and keeping him well pampered...

Administering all the additional machines is a full-time job
worth being paid and due to the increased numbers also
prone to more errors, on the other hand, if one machine
dies, you´ve several for spare...

Cheers

tim





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sandy Sutherland" <sandy(at)blackginger.tv>
To: "XSI(at)Softimage. COM" <XSI(at)Softimage.COM>; "3DPro" <3D-PRO(at)listserv.icors.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 2:17 PM
Subject: A Workstation Question


> Hi all,
>
> A Quick question regarding choice of workstations to do 3D, mainly using XSI - what 
> sort of specs does one recommend - Dual Quad Core Intel Xeon based machines, Dual 
> cores???? And given the choice how would you guys rate the Mac Pro machines, given 
> that they run Mac OS, Linux, Windows etc.... against a similar specced home 
> assembled job??
>
> Thanks
>
> Sandy
>
> --
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> Sandy Sutherland  Digital Doodeller - TD
> Blackginger (Cape)  http://www.blackginger.tv
> mailto:sandy(at)blackginger.tv
> (P) (+27 21) 488 1188  (Cel) 0827893789
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