New PC build for web designer, thoughts please

[badstar82]

Hey, was hoping i could get some opinions on this set up. The PC is going to be used mainly for web / graphic design applications with very little to no gaming. Lots of multitasking often with many programs open at once. Occasionally I may do some video editing and multitrack sound recording.

ok, here goes...

Processor
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 2.33GHz 1333FSB Socket 775 4MB Cache Retail Boxed Processor
£102.78

Motherboard
ASUS P5K AiLifestyle Series iP35 Socket 775 eSATA 8channel Audio ATX Motherboard
£68.15

Memory
Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 XMS2 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL5(5-5-5-12) Heat Spreader
£40.24

PSU - (Already owned, had no problems with pentium 4 3.0E prescott system so hoping to re-use)
Akasa Paxpower 400W ATX2.0

HDD
Seagate ST3160815AS 160GB Hard Drive 7200RPM SATAII/300 8MB Cache - OEM
£33.59

Graphics Card
Sapphire HD 2400 Pro 256MB VGA DVI TVO PCI-E Graphics Card
£29.00

Optical Drive
NEC Optiarc AD-7170S-0B 18x DVD±RW/DL/RAM Serial ATA Black - OEM
£15.94

Soundcard - (Already owned and very happy with)
M-Audio Audiophile 2496 PCI

Operating system - (Already have waiting)
Vista Business (32 Bit) - copy provided by my university

Case and Fans - (Already owned)
+ 2 x 120mm case fans in Antec ATX case (not sure which model)


Any thoughts on this? baring in mind i do want to keep the cost down while getting a faster PC than i currently have. It also needs to be as quiet and hopefully energy efficient as possible.

Any opinions / suggestions would be great

[NightshadowUK]

Can you add prices / a budget please mate?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I would say that a quad core may actually show some benefit for video editing and multitasking.

Maybe a Q6600?? It will cost 60 quid more though. If not the spec looks decent.

[NightshadowUK]

Quad and a Abit IP-35 board me thinks.

[godsdog]

Extra tenner gets you 320GB 16MB cache HDD.

Could do with knowing what you can stretch to to make a reasonable stab at it.

[badstar82]

Thanks for the responses!

I really dont want to spend more than around £300 on the new parts which is what they come to altogether on ebuyer.com. Here's the specs of my current system, do you think i'd see a big increase in speed with the new setup?

CURRENT SETUP:
Processor - Intel P4 Prescott 3.0E - Socket478
Mobo - Abit AI7
Memory - 4 x 256mb Crucial DDR
PSU - Akasa Paxpower 400W ATX2.0
Optical Drive - NEC 3520A DVD-RW
HDD - Seagate ST380011A IDE - 80GB
Soundcard - M-Audio Audiophile 2496 PCI
Graphics - Radeon 9200 PRO 128MB AGP
CPU Cooler - Zalman CNPS7700-AlCu
Fans - 2 x 120mm

In about 2-3 years ive only just used half of my current 80gb HDD so 160 will definately do the trick

I'll add prices in a mo...

[badstar82]

prices added

[Thorsson]

Get the Samsung SH-203 rather than the Optiarc. Unless you have a hankering for coasters.

[staffsMike]

You will certainly see a increase in performance.

You can save a bit of money and get this.
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

if you are willing to overclock this will go to 3.0ghz+ i'd imagine.

Even if you don't.. 2.4ghz isn't half bad for £80

[this_is_gav]

I'd just cut back on the motherboard, get a Q6600 and not bother overclocking. You don't need the extra speed raw speed for web design, and the extra cores will be very useful for video editing and the other multitasking you mention. Of course you could overclock it if you wanted to, but unless you do a lot of video editing, you wouldn't see a difference.

@staffsMike: if there's anywhere where the lack of cache will show up, this is it. This is one of those rare occasions when the E6s make more sense than the E4s or E2s.

Oh and I hate Seagates now, but that's down to personal choice I guess.

[staffsMike]

Hmmm.. how about the E6750 and an abit IP-35E then

Q6600 is the way really but if it doesn't fit your budget it doesn't fot your budget.

Check out scan today only over the weekend. Corsair PC6400 RAM with the tighter cas 4 timings is £37 i think.

Intel's are on there. Abit motherboards. Western digital Hard drives (the way to go ).. pretty much everything you will want.

[DougMcDonald]

For a lot of application use I would suggest more RAM, memory is piss cheap at the moment and getting 4GB seems to make sense.

32 bit won't neccessarily make the most of it, but chances are it will recognise more than 2GB and should give you headroom for 64 bit in the future

[MSIC]

Agree with DougMcDonald.

PS DD - you are in the firing line to reduce your signature methinks:
SIG SIZES ARE GROWING....please shrink them guys

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I game up with this spec using Today Only offers on Scan:

our Basket
QTY Price (ea) Ex VAT Total Inc VAT Remove
Intel Core 2 Quad-Core Q6600 G0 SLACR, 95W, S775, 2.40 GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB Cache, Retail £134.95 £158.57
1 LN19488 Intel Core 2 Quad-Core Q6600 G0 SLACR, 95W, S775, 2.40 GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB Cache, Retail
160 Gb Western Digital WD1600AAJS Caviar SE, SATA300, 7200 rpm, 8MB Cache, 9 ms £24.99 £29.36
1 LN18052 160 Gb Western Digital WD1600AAJS Caviar SE, SATA300, 7200 rpm, 8MB Cache, 9 ms
Samsung SH-S203/BEBN 20x DVD±R, 16x DVD±DL, DVD+RW x8/-RW x6, SATA, Black, OEM inc. Nero + 5 Pack Mi £13.99 £16.44
1 LN19006 Samsung SH-S203B/BEBN 20x DVD±R, 16x DVD±DL, DVD+RW x8/-RW x6, SATA, Black, OEM inc. Nero
1 LN18751 5 Pack Mirror Double DVD Case Quality 14mm Retail Cello Wraped
2GB (2x1GB) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-5400 (667), 240 Pin, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 4-4-4-12 £22.99 £27.01
1 LN12200 2GB (2x1GB) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-5400 (667), 240 Pin, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 4-4-4-12
LN19288
256MB Sapphire HD 2400 PRO PCI-E(x16) 64Bit 800MHz GDDR2, GPU 525MHz DVI/D-Sub/S-Video, Retail £24.97 £29.34
LN19750
Gigabyte GA P31-DS3L, iP31 Express, S 775, PCI-E(x16), DDR2 667/800 MHz, SATA II, ATX £41.00 £48.18
If you change any quantities, please re-calculate your basket
Scan Finance - Buy Now Pay Aug 2008
Pay £32.14 deposit and then NO payments for 9 months, then settle the balance and pay NO interest.

Scan Finance - More Sense Than Money


Net Total £262.89

Carriage £10.64

V.A.T. £47.87

TOTAL £321.40


I know it is a bit off budget!!

[badstar82]

Would you recommend buying from Scan computers? I've only ever bought online from Overclockers, Dabs and ebuyer in the past

[staffsMike]

Scan are the best of all of them imo.

If you get to 25 posts here on hexus you will qualify for free delivery to

we have the scan care forum here
SCAN.care@HEXUS - HEXUS.community discussion forums

the guys really do bend over backwards to help you out wiht any problems you may have.