$1500 Budget Desktop for Computer Programmer

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ScienceSkillz

New Member
Hi Experts,

I'm a freelance computer programmer and my laptop is on its last leg. I desperately need a new Desktop PC and my budget is $1500.00. I'm not really familiar with "building" a pc from parts but perhaps this is a good time to learn how to if it will be considerably cheaper.

I am not a gamer, I don't need this pc to play awesome video, sound, or anything related to entertainment. Just average performance in those areas. What I do want is the following:

1. Fast CPU (dual core? single core? i don't know but it needs to be fast)
2. Alot of RAM ( i use big programs like adobe suite CS4, Matlab, Mathematica, Visual Studio, Apache Server etc) mainly computer programming software packages...I don't like waiting for ever for these programs to run or load...
3. Dual Monitor setup (i don't need top of the line monitors just decent)
4. Fast and Big Hard drive (to store software programs and temporary files)
5. External Hard drive configuration to backup/store my past and future work
6. Resonalbly quiet...
7. CDRW/DVDRW

What do you guys think? Please let me know if you can help me out here as I need this ASAP...

Take care and thanks,
 
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daisymtc

Active Member
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202

GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD3R LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128375

SAPPHIRE 100259L Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102810

G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL8TU-6GBPI - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231247

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31000333AS 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148373

LITE-ON 22X DVD Burner Black SATA Model iHAS322-08 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106286

Antec Performance One P180 Silver cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129154

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488

2 x ASUS VW192T+ 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236056

Total $1475

I don't know how big you want your internal harddrive... Just pick a 1TB
And I am not sure if you really need dual monitor, so just pick two 19" anyway
I haven't include external harddrive as I don't know what size you want.
 
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dug987654

New Member
Thats a good build that daisy has put together there but you do not need to spend anywhere near that amount of money to do what you want to do.

Stuff like the i7 is overkill, as is the video card. Unless the video card is supported there is no advantage to having a $300 card to the integrated graphics. See this link and this link. Quadro are workstation cards - ie industrial and expensive. Geforce is a consumer card. Also you might want to read the section about 64 bit compatiblity with Adobe, which is on the FAQ page which is linked in the second link I gave you.

If you have $1500 that you want to spend then Daisy's build is good.

Hope that helps, Doug.
 
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ScienceSkillz

New Member
Thanks guys!

One quick question... What do you suggest as a PSU with this case that is possibly at least 650W ? I'm thinking something that will fit in nicely for this case and also quiet...
 
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daisymtc

Active Member
ScienceSkillz said:
Thanks guys!

One quick question... What do you suggest as a PSU with this case that is possibly at least 650W ? I'm thinking something that will fit in nicely for this case and also quiet...
Click to expand...

Did I miss out the link for PSU?

CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified (Dual 8800 GTX and below) CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341011
 
jevery

jevery

Active Member
Something similar to this Antec or this OCZ should do. Modular PSUs are nice for cable management and you need 2 PCI-E 6-pin connections to the Raydon.
 
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bcoffee20

bcoffee20

New Member
uhm no, why downgrade to that when the system above is alot better? most of the stuff you posted is overpriced or outdated, well at least imo
 
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