Workstation upgrade

1. 64

   Mishaposted 14 years ago

   I have a pretty good workstation that I built way back in 2004. I am tired of RMAing motherboards though. I wanna upgrade already - but I kinda lost a feel of what is going on on this market. If anybody cares to advise, I am open for your advice.
   
   I need sort of top of the line with a potential for further upgrades, so I don't have to pull my hairs a year or two down the road. Currently I have ASUS NCT-D, which is dual Xeon 800 MHz FSB. Thanks

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2. 60

   Eric Graudinsposted 14 years ago

   I think that my next upgrade will be to an Apple Mac.
   
   I find I can't ignore or bag them any more, and I'm sick and tired of trying to keep track of all the PC related stuff like I have been for years.
   I've deliberately not kept up to date with the PC hardware world recently, so I don't feel I can advise you on your PC upgrade Misha.
   
   I want something simpler, that works. And by all accounts, and from what I have heard from friends who have bought them - the new Macs do everything that PC's do only better, faster, and with no hassles.

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3. 64

   Mishaposted 14 years ago

   Thanks Eric
   
   Not for me though, I am a PC guy since mid 80s, I know them inside out - and I am kind of lazy to learn new techy stuff if I don't have to.
   
   I don't know how things turn out in future, but for this upgrade I am definitely staying with PC.

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4. 58

   Mark Knowlesposted 14 years ago

   I switched to a mac after years on a PC
   
   I am never going back

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   1. 64

      Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      LOL Mark, those were different years I guess. You spent those years using PCs, and I was gutting and troubleshooting them. If something happens, I don't go to repair shop, I fix it myself. That's why I don't want to switch to a different base - I will have either to pay fpr repairs, or to learn how to deal with Macs myself - and I don't want to

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      1. 60

         Eric Graudinsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Exactly the thoughts of the horse carriage makers when cars started coming on the scene.
         And we all know what happened to the ones that didn't want to move with the times
         
         (And I'm eagerly awaiting a HUGE rant from you now Misha about flawed analogies. Please don't disappoint me )

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         1. 64

            Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            LOL I will. No HUGE rant, but your analogy is definitely flawed cause you should talk about carriage *rider* who just happen to make carriages for himself.

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            1. 60

               Eric Graudinsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               No Misha - nice try, but no cigar.
               Have a look at your first post, where you state that you BUILD your workstations.
               
               So - I assume that you buy the parts, and put them together.
               Just like the carriage makers did  with axles, wheels, timber, canvas, springs, etc. and add their own coachwork.
               
               I'll concede that you probably don't perform their equivalent task of hand beating your own PC cabinets, but I still think it's reasonable to compare you with a carriage builder.
               
               But no doubt these carriage makers also used their carriages themselves, and also became "riders".
               And probably bought cars themselves when they saw the advantages
               
               So - let's assume you're a carriage rider. When you see all these horseless carriages zooming past you, I reckon you'd take a look at them
               
               Which neatly brings us back to the original point of the discussion.
               
               Now, lets go and have a beer.

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      2. 58

         Mark Knowlesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I spent years gutting and troubleshooting the damn things too. Then one day I decided to buy one I wouldn't need to take apart every five minutes. I have only ever once had to take my macbook to pieces.
         
         Now I spend my time doing keyword research, networking and promoting my work instead of taking computers to bits

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         1. 68

            vietnameseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I did the same thing.... No more messing with the computer. It's cheaper to buy than playing with all the parts.... I don't even have enough time to be on HP to begin with.

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5. 61

   JYOTI KOTHARIposted 14 years ago

   Mark,
   r u so rigid? No body knows what technological change will come tomorrow.
   
   misha,
   It always depend on your requirements and ur technical skill. I know a very high grade author,
   (Published more than 35000 pages in print medea) who still uses his very ...old... PC 386.
   Jyoti Kothari

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   1. 64

      Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, I am aware of this. Thanks for the praise, and I'm not sure why you decided I am using 386 currently.

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   2. 60

      Eric Graudinsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      And for those purposes a 386 (or even a 286)  is entirely adequate.
      
      But how does your author friend cope with having multiple browsers open on social networking sites, while looking at streaming video, editing photographs, and all the things that the majority of people do on the internet these days?
      
      I'm guessing that his old 386 would not do very well.
      Or if he does all this effectively with a 386, perhaps you could publish a hub that tells the rest of us idiots with overpowered computers  how to do it.

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   3. 64

      Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      LOL I guess I misread this. It obviously does not refer to me

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6. 64

   Mishaposted 14 years ago

   Or, better, red wine

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      Eric Graudinsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'll open a lovely bottle of Tasmanian Merlot tonight in your honour.
      We make some of the best wines in the world here :-)

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      1. 64

         Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you!
         I actually never tried Tasmanian ones, but Australian yellow tail are in the list of my favorites

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7. 61

   oryzanaposted 14 years ago

   upgrading or replacing? I think buying a new pc or laptop is easier.

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8. 64

   Mishaposted 14 years ago

   LOL Mark, I was doing that for a living, not for myself
   I got paid for doing that

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9. 60

   Eric Graudinsposted 14 years ago

   The wine was lovely.
   
   Sorry that you haven't received a sensible answer to your question about a PC upgrade.
   
   But on second thoughts you did.
   
   Get a Mac

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   1. 58

      Mark Knowlesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      What he said
      
      I would rather eat sh** than buy a PC ever again.

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10. 64

    Mishaposted 14 years ago

    I hear you guys
    
    I am too conservative/lazy to make this switch, though
    
    I was actually hoping people wouldn't try to push their religion on me
    
    If anybody can advice still on a good high-end workstation motherboard, I am all ears

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11. 60

    drummer boyposted 14 years ago

    Hi Misha
    I have a friend that would like to join hubpages, can you tell me how I can send her a link that would also give me credit for her signing up?  I read somewhere where you can do this, but forgot where to find my link.  Thanks

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12. 64

    Mishaposted 14 years ago

    Can she advise on the motherboard?
    
    It's here: http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/5589

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    1. 60

       drummer boyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       thanks, not sure if she knows much about mother boards though, If I hear of anything that will help you, I will definitely pass it on to you.

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13. 64

    WeddingConsultantposted 14 years ago

    Misha- here's my 2 cents worth.
    
    If you're looking for a motherboard that won't have you upgrading all the time, get one with dual PCI-E slots so you can host two graphics cards.
    
    Of course you want your FSB (front-side bus) to be lightning fast and a motherboard that supports latest DDR ram, but as far as graphics, the PCI-Express slot is the latest and having TWO of them on a motherboard is pretty new as well.
    
    Wish I could advise on a model number for you, but I haven't been in the market for a couple years.  I'm running an ASUS- they make great motherboards...just don't go with the cheap imitation/knock off of an ASUS board.
    
    And as far as processors, I'm an AMD kinda guy, although recently Pentium came out with some technology that AMD has yet to catch up on.  What that is, I cannot remember, but if I were to buy a computer tomorrow I'd go AMD- they've got competitive prices and they've got just as much experience as their competitor, Pentium (a much larger-sized company).
    
    Ram- it depends on your OS (operating system).  DDR 4 is the latest (I believe), but Windows Vista is the only OS that recognizes it.  SO, if you're like me and you hate Vista and are going XP, then buy DDR 3 as that is the best stuff recognized by XP.
    
    Um....I'm sure there's more, but that's what I can think of off the top of my head.

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14. 64

    Mishaposted 14 years ago

    Thanks Pete
    
    You are the first who does not try to convert me into your religion
    
    Thanks for the two PCIe slots idea! I currently am fine with two 19" monitors running from one card, but I believe they pretty much max out its capacity. If I want to upgrade to bigger monitors down the road, using two video cards may be the only solution.
    
    Overall I am an Intel guy, though, so I am thinking about dual quad-core Xeons, and there is a nice ASUS board for them - but it kinda gets mixed reviews, so I am still researching my options

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15. 64

    WeddingConsultantposted 14 years ago

    Oh I didn't know you did the dual monitors thing.  Yeah dual PCI-E cards will run two monitors with ease (if you get decent video cards), but gosh you could even run 4 monitors if you really wanted to!
    
    Yeah I don't bash Intel as they do make great processors.  I just stay away from them (for the most part) simply because of their cost vs. quality ratio in the past.  Great product, but costs tend to be higher.
    
    Like your two quad core Xeons- those will run you a pretty penny.  But like you said, that won't have you hurting in a few years for a newer computer...that will stay current for some time.

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    1. 64

       Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Actually they probably won't. Yeah, sure I can pick E5472 for thousand bucks each, but I can start with, say, one E5410 wich will be just in the area of $300 and with its 1600MHz FSB and quad core still pretty good for today - and will have a good potential for upgrade when I have spare money

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16. 58

    Mark Knowlesposted 14 years ago

    Misha-
    
    Suck it up :
    
    Two 2.8 GHz Quad-core Intel Xeon processors, ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT Graphics which will easily run two 30" monitors -$2700
    
    The Intel architecture will even run * spits* windows
    
    http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/s … co=MTE3MDQ
    
    It even comes put together lol

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17. 64

    Mishaposted 14 years ago

    LOL Mark, as a genuine zealot you keep ignoring my question and shoving down my throat your solution to non-existent problem. Try again.
    
    I don't need a new computer. I am pretty satisfied with everything I have but motherboard/processors/memory bundle and only need an idea/review on what motherboard to use.
    
    I always was joking that Mac is a religion, but I never before saw such striking similarities with Christianity

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18. 58

    Mark Knowlesposted 14 years ago

    Misha, if you just trust and believe, all your wishes will come true and your motherboard problems will vanish like a bad dream.
    
    Macs are THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIGHT.
    
    Amen.

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       RFoxposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Amen!

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19. 64

    Mishaposted 14 years ago

    LOL!

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20. 0

    RFoxposted 14 years ago

    Yes, I am a born again Mac believer too. (Yet another thing I am agreeing with Mark on. Lol)
    
    Once you go Mac, you never go back. Lol.
    
    I am sick today and hating feeling sick , this thread is making me chuckle......Thanks!

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21. 58

    Mark Knowlesposted 14 years ago

    Sorry you are feeling unwell.
    
    Glad we could brighten your day
    
    Misha will eventually see the LIGHT lol

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22. 64

    WeddingConsultantposted 14 years ago

    hahaha you guys make me laugh

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23. 64

    WeddingConsultantposted 14 years ago

    oh and I don't believe in Vista or Macs so what does that make me?

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       Mark Knowlesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Intelligent? There is no evidence to support the existence of either of them. Who in their right mind believes in something that there is no evidence for? 

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          WeddingConsultantposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Well, mind you, I firmly believe in the existence of XP and although evidence for XP is seemingly imperfect, I assure you, it does exist!

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