Systems for NON-Power users?

[orchard69]

Thanks to everyone who posts here. I've been learning tons!

As I read about the "best" systems for PTLE, there's a lot of talk about overclocking and quad core processors, and Dverb counts approaching 300!

By comparison, I imagine that my needs are relatively modest.

The MOST I can IMAGINE doing is 24ish audio tracks with some EQ, Compression, and maybe 3 or 4 reverbs/mods, BFD 1.5, and 2 or 3 virtual synths.

How much power (Processor, RAM, etc) do I really need for this level of work?

Thanks in advance!

Dave

[albee1952]

If you plan on using version 7 or newer, get at least a dual core as the cost saving is insignificant. Check out the thread on Best Desktops and look at the "under $600 system" for a start. Or build what I built below and maybe substitute a cheaper x2 cpu like the 5000+, or a non-SLI version of that motherboard as you do not need SLI. You want plenty of RAM for virtual instruments so I would go with 4gig. Windows may only see 3.2-3.5gig but RAM is so cheap right now that its a no-brainer. Don't forget you need 2 hard drives(1 for system and 1 for sessions) and avoid on-board video motherboards.

[sunburst79]

Build Allbee's machine, also price out a budget Core 2 Duo system that you can upgrade to a Quad later. You should be able to upgrade Allbees board to a Phenom Quad core in a couple of months but it really cheaper to buy your CPU only once.

The Intel Quad chip is about 70.00 more money than a Core 2 Duo so its kind off a tossup as to which would be better. 4GB of RAM or 2 more cores? Virtual Instruments or Plugins?

You would have to search out obsolete stuff to build a "Non-Power" computer right now. The low end of the midrange is priced mainstream and its a great time to build.

Do you have any parts you can migrate to the new build? case? PSU? HDDS? CD Drives?

Whats your budget?

[orchard69]

Thanks for the response.

I've got a Sonata case/PSU, one IDE drive and 2 SATA drives that I can re-use, but I have to buy new RAM because the old stuff (DDR-1) can't be used on newer Mobos. I also need to buy a new video card because new Mobos don't take AGP.

I wan't planning to have to replace anything, but my Mobo went south, and now I have to come up with a replacement (+Processor, +RAM, +Video) The whole thing will put me out $300-$500 depending on the choices I make. (And this is a hobby for me...)

That said, I'm considering the E6750, but the E4500 is $80 less. This seems like a good chunk of change at the moment, but I don't want to buy junk, and I don't want to regret being cheap later. The general sense I'm getting is that it's better to bite the bullet now, since, as you say, it's a good time to build.

In practical terms, though, what's difference between a Core 2 Duo running at 2.2 and one running at 2.66?

Thanks again. Your advice is really helpful to me.

[orchard69]

Thanks for this advice.

As I compare the AMD and Intel processors, are the numbers (e.g. X2 6400 vs. E6750) good indicators of performance?

[sunburst79]

Thanks for this advice.

As I compare the AMD and Intel processors, are the numbers (e.g. X2 6400 vs. E6750) good indicators of performance?

While there are no commercial Benchmarks that are directly related to PT performance some trends can be drawn from these charts. The nice thing is that you can select the processors from the drop down menus and compare several at once.

There is a Core 2 board that will take your current DDR memory and AGP Video card. A DUC member named Vocal VooDoo built one with a Core 2 Duo and it ran PT OK, It wasn't as powerful as the P965, 975X and P35 stuff but its cheap. If you look at the board as a temporary platform to migrate your existing parts too and then upgrade to a PCIe video card and DDR2 as you can buy them on sale its not so bad.

At 59.99 you could buy this board and a Q6600 .

Ultimately you would want to replace the board with something in the 100.00-125.00 range and migrate the PCIe and DDR2 that you purchased cheap along the way. I only mention it because its may a good option for you. As far as I know no one one the DUC has built this board with a Q6600 but its qualified for the Quad by ASROCK so you shouldn't have any problems there.

There is also a DUC member named Obscura (Spelling?) that has a Quad running on a 89.00 ASUS VM series mATX board running integrated graphics that is running just fine. I don't have the exact board number but can check my old emails when I get home this weekend.

Any Asus board of of the Core 2 Dverb list should work-there are a couple of boards to be had around 125.00. Couple this with a Core 2 Duo and you will have a nice system.

You can use Allbee's board which is around 125.00 or so with a AMD X2 processor also. It won't perform quite as well as the Core 2 stuff but should be more than adequate. I'm fairly sure you can update that to a AMD quad once the Phenom's TLB issue is fixed in late spring.

The later 2 options would require the immediate purchase of DDR2 and a PCIe Video card.

The first option should best be viewed with the board as being semi disposable and just a stepping stone to a better motherboard down the road. The hidden lining would be you could take the ASRock, your old DDR and AGP video card and build a nice email machine for surfing the web simply by snagging any socket 775 processor of of eBay and a old hard drive. Nothings wasted

Your final option would be to pickup a replacement mobo for your existing board of ebay.

Your options are actually pretty good.